Bestwood Village School

Inspection of Bestwood Village School School Walk, Bestwood Village, Nottingham NG6 8UU

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bestwood Village School has established a caring and nurturing learning environment. In the past, many pupils have faced failed school placements or had lengthy periods of time when they did not attend school. Now, they are happy to come to school, and their attendance has improved.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff make sure that pupils know what is happening at each point in the school day. Pupils follow daily routines. They have fun as they learn. Outdoor sessions are a favourite part of the school week. For example, pupils enjoy making shelters in the school garden. They smile and laugh as a member of staff pours water over their shelters to check they are waterproof.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff take time to get to know pupils well. They recognise the signs that indicate pupils need help to stay calm. Staff step in promptly to offer support and keep pupils safe. Over time, pupils’ behaviour has improved. They learn to consider the feelings of others and begin to look out for each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious that pupils will do well. Preparing pupils for the next steps in their education and later life is at the heart of the school’s work. Increasingly, pupils experience success and grow in confidence.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious and well-considered curriculum that meets pupils’ needs. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Each pupil has an education, health and care (EHC) plan that identifies their various needs and any significant barriers to learning. As pupils join the school, staff take great care to check what pupils already know and where they have gaps in their learning. Staff piece this information together well to place pupils on one of the three curriculum pathways that is right for them.

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better?

Each pathway identifies the essential knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. This knowledge is set out in a logical order, so pupils’ knowledge builds up over time. Teachers break pupils’ learning down into small, manageable steps that are personalised for them. Teachers use a wide range of resources to help pupils learn well. In English, for example, pupils use a visual prompt to help them write a sentence about a dinosaur, including an adjective and appropriate punctuation. Pupils benefit from real-life experiences that help them to make sense of their learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils have the chance to practise their skills in money and measures as they go shopping and learn to cook. Pupils develop their knowledge well across a range of subjects.

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better?

On the whole, staff support pupils well as they acquire new learning. Occasionally, however, staff do not draw on a range of effective strategies quickly enough to help pupils stay focused during lessons. When this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could. 8 to 10 July 2025 The school prioritises teaching reading. Staff are determined that pupils will learn to read in order to manage everyday life. Pupils are provided with tailored reading support, including phonics sessions. The school promotes a love of reading effectively. Pupils enjoy books and have access to a school library. The school seeks pupils’ views on the book stock. Pupils recommend new books based on their preferences.

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better?

Pupils learn to communicate with increasing confidence. The speaking and listening curriculum is ambitious. Pupils also receive support from a team of specialists to develop their speech and language skills. As a result, pupils learn to communicate effectively, from single-word responses to joining in with group discussions.

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better?

Staff model positive behaviour. They treat pupils with kindness and respect. Expectations of pupils’ behaviour are high and, largely, the school is calm and orderly. On a small number of occasions, pupils’ behaviour is not acceptable. When this happens, these incidents are not addressed consistently by staff. As a result, some pupils do not learn about appropriate and inappropriate behaviours.

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better?

The school’s personal development offer is strong. There is a clear ambition for pupils to develop characteristics that will stand them in good stead in later life. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about diversity, including a range of faiths and cultures. Pupils understand what it means to have a say and how democracy works. They are provided with plenty of opportunities to prepare for safe and healthy lives. They contribute to their school community as well as wider communities. For instance, pupils raise money for charities and visit a local care home to play games with the residents. The curriculum is enriched through a wide range of trips and events. These are often based on pupils’ interests.

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better?

Leaders, including representatives of the proprietor and governors, know the school well. Together, they have identified the right school improvement priorities. They make intelligent decisions with pupils’ best interests in mind. They have ensured that the independent school standards (the standards) are securely met, including the requirements under schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

Staff appreciate the training and professional development opportunities they receive. They describe the ways in which they are supported to maintain a positive work–life balance. Staff unanimously agree that they feel valued and are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 8 to 10 July 2025

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Sometimes, staff do not respond quickly enough using effective strategies to ensure that pupils engage fully in their learning. On these occasions, pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff have a wide range of techniques at their fingertips to support pupils in actively participating in lessons.  Occasionally, staff do not address incidents where pupils’ behaviour does not meet the school’s high expectations. As a result, pupils do not learn that some of their actions are inappropriate. The school should ensure that staff know which behaviours should not be overlooked and how to respond when they occur.

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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. 8 to 10 July 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Acorn Care and Education Limited

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £64,000 to £94,000

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School details

Email address info@bestwoodvillageschool.co.uk 8 to 10 July 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is an independent special school operated by Acorn Care and Education Limited. The school was registered by the Department for Education in July 2024. This is the school’s first standard inspection.  The school is based at School Walk, Bestwood Village, Nottingham, NG6 8UU.  The school is registered for pupils aged seven to 16 who have a primary diagnosis of autism. Other special educational needs may include cognitive and learning needs; speech, language and communication needs; social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate, specific and severe learning difficulties. All pupils have an EHC plan.  The school is registered to admit up to 36 pupils.  The school does not use alternative 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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team. The lead inspector met with the chair of governors and held a remote meeting with a representative of the proprietor.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum documentation, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to staff and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector also looked at curriculum plans, reviewed evidence of pupils’ work and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 8 to 10 July 2025 considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector made a tour of the school site to gather evidence about compliance with the standards. Inspectors also reviewed a range of other documents and policies, including on the school’s website.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times, as well as the school’s arrangements for supervising pupils.  Inspectors met with members of the student council to gather pupils’ views of the school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments, and spoke to parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and met with a group of staff.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz Moore Ofsted Inspector 8 to 10 July 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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