Crowdys Hill School

Inspection of Crowdys Hill School Jefferies Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 7HJ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Crowdys Hill appreciate the nurturing environment that the school has created. They know that staff care for them and do their best to meet their needs. Pupils feel safe and well supported. As a result, they are happy and behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school makes sure that this does not limit its ambition for pupils’ achievement. From Reception Year to the sixth form, staff have high expectations of pupils. They experience a coherent curriculum that builds the life skills they need to succeed in adulthood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to respect each other’s differences. By their example, staff help pupils to treat each other with kindness. Pupils develop close, trusting relationships with staff. Skilled staff, including therapists, work together to support pupils’ development. For example, they help pupils to develop their communication skills effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wealth of activities outside of the classroom that help to expand their interests and develop independence. For example, the extensive school farm provides a rich source of experiences. It provides many opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities and raise their self-confidence. Sixth-from students take part eagerly in adventurous outdoor activities on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school provides pupils with an ambitious, well-designed curriculum. From the time children join the school, leaders strive to shape the curriculum to pupils’ particular needs. Pupils, including those with the most complex needs, learn a broad range of subjects. The school develops pathways to support pupils’ individual education, health and care (EHC) plans. This leads to most pupils experiencing learning that is well matched to their aptitudes so they achieve well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have weaved preparation for adulthood into all aspects of the curriculum. A strong emphasis on communication helps pupils to develop confidence to successfully communicate their needs, likes and dislikes with increasing independence. The school identifies and addresses the communication and early reading needs of pupils accurately. Reading skills are taught well. The reading curriculum progresses seamlessly from the primary phase into the secondary phase and beyond. Consequently, pupils build their communication and fluency in reading no matter where they start from.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Most staff skilfully adapt the curriculum and encourage creativity across all subjects. Pupils’ successes are celebrated. This motivates them to go further with their learning. However, some staff do not have a thorough understanding of the curriculum. This hinders their ability to adapt learning to precisely the right level for some pupils.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The sixth-form curriculum develops students’ confidence further. Students achieve functional skills qualifications in mathematics and English alongside other academic and vocational courses. Staff encourage teamwork. There is a rich array of activities that build 17 and 18 June 2025

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independence and prepare students for the world of work. This is largely successful, enabling the great majority of students to progress into further training or employment.

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The school is continually shaping the curriculum around pupils’ needs. Staff try to identify the next small step each pupil should take. Although staff regularly check on pupils’ learning, these checks are not being used as well as they could be to develop the curriculum further to match pupils’ needs.

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The school’s personal development programme is well thought through. It is relevant and effective. The school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum allows pupils to experience a wide range of learning opportunities. For example, secondary age pupils attend a firefighting course. These expand pupils’ horizons. Pupils’ empathy and understanding of the world are encouraged well through activities, such as helping a local homeless charity.

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Strong relationships between staff and pupils ensure that most pupils are well motivated, learn with enthusiasm and behave well. Pupils recently demonstrated their self-confidence beautifully when they presented to a large audience at a conference. They are proud to belong at the school.

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Most pupils attend school regularly. The school’s recent efforts to improve attendance have had some success. Leaders are tenacious. They place a high priority on this work. Even so, a few pupils, particularly in the sixth form, still do not attend well.

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Over the last year, the governing body has made significant improvements to the way it works. It now has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This allows governors to support and challenge school leaders effectively. Staff are proud to work at this school. Most feel they are listened to and that any concerns about their workload and their well-being are considered. The governing body is determined to ensure that the performance of the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that all staff have the depth of understanding in their subject area that they need. Consequently, they are sometimes not able to adapt learning closely to pupils’ needs. The school should ensure that all staff receive the support they need to deepen their subject understanding.  The information from regular checks made on pupils’ learning is not used as effectively as it could be to improve the curriculum in some subjects. This slows efforts to ensure 17 and 18 June 2025

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that pupils learn well. The school should ensure that assessment information is gathered and used to inform curriculum development more precisely.  In the past year, the school’s efforts to improve attendance have produced positive results. However, some groups of pupils still do not attend well. This hinders their progress through the curriculum. The school should sharpen the actions it takes to encourage regular attendance, particularly in the sixth form.

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How can I feed back my views?

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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 17 and 18 June 2025

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Appropriate authority The governing body

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Chair of governing body Bryony Hallows and Nicki Read (co-chairs)

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Headteacher Emily Hibbard (acting headteacher)

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Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 May 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes to the leadership of the school. Two co-chairs of the governing body were appointed in September 2024. The acting headteacher began her role in January 2025. An acting deputy headteacher was appointed in June 2025.  Pupils at Crowdys Hill School have EHC plans for moderate and severe learning difficulties.  The school uses three unregistered alternative provisions.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 17 and 18 June 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspection started on 17 June 2025. It was paused in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Inspectors returned on 18 June 2025 to complete the inspection.  Inspectors held discussions with the acting headteacher and other school staff. The lead inspector met with representatives from the board of governors, including the co- chairs. The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority and the school’s external improvement advisor.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in communication and early reading, mathematics, art and design and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the

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Information about this inspection

curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors listened to some pupils read to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: met the designated safeguarding lead; checked the single central record of adults working in the school; took account of the views of 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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during breaktime and lunchtime. They spoke with pupils and staff about behaviour.  Inspectors spoke with a range of staff to discuss how the school supports their workload and well-being.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start and end of the school day. They considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. They

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Information about this inspection

also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Marie Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 June 2025

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Paul Williams, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Paul Smith Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 June 2025

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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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