Aspris Telford School

Inspection of Aspris Telford School Dale Road, Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DT

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a successful, caring and well-led school. Before coming here, pupils have had difficult experiences elsewhere. Some have been out of education for a while. This school supports them to re-engage with learning and see its relevance to their lives. Classroom work is pitched at the right level so that pupils feel successful. Alongside this, the school supports pupils to broaden their interests and gain work-related experiences and qualifications.

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What is it like to attend this school?

When planning pupils’ learning, the school consults with pupils, and their parents and carers. This gives them a voice in shaping curriculum targets. It also enables the school to share its high expectations for pupils. Pupils can find it hard to adjust to these. However, the school’s consistent routines and effective teaching soon bring about many positive changes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour can bring challenges but staff manage these calmly. They help pupils to reflect on their actions and to find constructive ways to deal with their emotions. There are high levels of staff supervision. Any unkind behaviour is noticed, and stopped, straightway. This helps pupils to feel safe and content at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very positive about the school. They praise the way staff understand their children’s needs and teach them important life skills.

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better?

This school meets pupils’ needs. Staff know how to support pupils so that their behaviour, attendance and learning improve.

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better?

The school has a thorough admissions process. Staff meet with pupils and carefully check that the school is the ‘right fit’ for them. During this time, and straightaway after pupils start, the school identifies pupils’ needs and any gaps in their learning. This includes checks on how well they can read. Staff use this information to set them on the most appropriate curriculum pathway, and at the right level. A phonics catch-up programme is used daily for those who need it. This works well. Whatever their starting points, the school’s knowledgeable staff make sure that that their tailored teaching hits the mark.

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better?

The school’s core curriculum offer of English, mathematics and science is taught by staff with appropriate subject knowledge. They make sure that new learning builds securely on what has gone before. In addition, they use effective routines for recapping on key vocabulary and prior learning. This helps pupils to embed knowledge so that it sticks. Beyond this core offer, pupils learn about history, technology and take part in various physical activities.

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better?

Increasingly, pupils work towards academic qualifications, for example functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics. Since the previous inspection, 24 to 26 June 2025 ongoing staff training and recruitment have strengthened the curriculum and teaching. A link with a local art studio, for example, provides pupils with expert tuition that results in some excellent outcomes, both in their artwork and wider personal development. Nevertheless, the school recognises that there is scope to raise the ambition of learning and qualifications in places, such as science.

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better?

Alongside academic studies, the school provides a thoughtful and varied programme of vocational studies. To supplement this, informed careers guidance and work placements in, for example, a local café or with a gardening business get pupils ready for further education, training or work.

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better?

Staff are well trained to understand pupils’ needs. This enables them to weave the school’s therapeutic approach throughout the curriculum. Because of this, pupils learn how to manage different situations and their feelings in positive ways. Over time, this helps them settle to tasks and to persevere. This supports them to engage and concentrate in lessons. In addition, the school offers numerous off-site activities that promote healthy habits and introduce pupils to new things. For instance, pupils can take part in horse-riding and kick boxing and use sports facilities at a nearby park. Staff take pupils to see castles, museums and galleries. This rich programme of activities builds cultural knowledge and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development. Importantly, it helps pupils to develop constructive interests that bring them comfort and help them find purpose.

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better?

Communication with parents is strong. Staff call home each morning for a daily update, which helps staff prepare for the day ahead. Parents are very pleased with the school and the positive difference it makes to their children’s education and futures.

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better?

Staff report high levels of satisfaction with the school. They appreciate the school’s attention to their welfare at work and feel supported to do their jobs well. They understand their safeguarding duties and what to do if they have any concerns. The safeguarding policy and other required policies are up to date and published on the school’s website.

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better?

The proprietor body has established an efficient leadership structure and effective routines for gathering and responding to information. This enables informed, ambitious oversight. This oversight supports quality assurance of all aspects of the school’s work. It also ensures compliance with statutory requirements, such as the Equality Act 2010. The school is now looking to refine its local systems for analysing information about pupils in order to spot trends over time more easily.

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better?

The school’s strong local leadership, with support from the proprietor, has successfully tackled the areas for improvement from the previous inspection, and built a culture that drives ongoing school improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 24 to 26 June 2025

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The ambition in the curriculum for scientific learning is not as well established or strong as that seen in other curriculum areas. This means that pupils’ achievements are not as high as those seen elsewhere. The school should strengthen curriculum design and ambition in this area of learning.  The school’s routines for analysing information held on records, such as those relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour, are not as effective as they could be. This makes it harder to spot trends over time. The school should refine its systems for analysing information so that leaders can evaluate the impact of their work, and target future work, with even greater precision.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 24 to 26 June 2025

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Aspris Children’s Services Ltd

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School details

Website www.aspriscs.co.uk/find-a-location/aspris- telford-school Email address telfordschool@aspriscs.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 to 23 November 2023 24 to 26 June 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is located in a rural setting near to the historic Shropshire town of Ironbridge.  The school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. They are referred to the school by local authorities.  It does not use any alternative provision.  The school was registered by the Department for Education on 5 June 2019. The previous standard inspection took place between 21 and 23 November 2023.  The school is registered to enrol pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. However, at the time of this inspection, the number of post-16 pupils was small. Consequently, the inspection did not make a separate judgement for this aspect of the school’s provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met and talked with the headteacher, staff and pupils. The lead inspector spoke with several leaders from Aspris Children’s Service Ltd.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science and vocational studies. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited classrooms, spoke to staff, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They also considered the curriculum in other subjects. An inspector visited off-site activities at a local art studio and park.

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Information about this inspection

 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 24 to 26 June 2025  Inspectors observed staff and pupil interactions. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times during the day. Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff and parents’ views.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation published on the school’s website. They checked the premises and looked at documents and records kept in school.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Smith Ofsted Inspector 24 to 26 June 2025 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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