NeneGate

NeneGate

Address: Park Lane, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 5GZ Unique reference number (URN): 149368

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders ensure that pupils’ individual needs are identified and assessed with precision. All staff know pupils' needs well. Personal learning goals clearly identify what pupils need in order to learn successfully. Staff use these consistently to inform their practice. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged and those known, or previously known, to social care.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are highly effective in reducing barriers to learning and wellbeing. Staff make appropriate adaptations and adjustments so that pupils can access the full curriculum. A well ‑ embedded approach to support ensures that a wide range of needs are met quickly, including and beyond those relating to special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff are well trained and demonstrate expertise when meeting pupils’ needs. Support includes therapeutic approaches, which are applied consistently well by all.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders maintain highly effective oversight of inclusion. Information from assessments and school data is used precisely to evaluate the impact of support and interventions. Support for pupils is systematically reviewed over time and consistently implemented. Parents, carers and pupils are central to this process.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school works effectively with external agencies, including social care, mental health services and the virtual school. Additional funding is used very well to provide targeted support for pupils. The use of alternative provision is appropriate and precisely targeted to support pupils’ transition and readiness for their next stage.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are knowledgeable and have a precise understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. Through careful analysis, leaders identify the right actions and implement them effectively. This has led to rapid and sustained improvement across the school. This is particularly evident in the swift improvements made in attendance and behaviour. It is also reflected in the positive impact that inclusion, personal development and wellbeing support has had on pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders at all levels, including governors and trustees, strive to ensure the best provision for their pupils. Those responsible for governance know the school well. They offer effective support and challenge and hold leaders to account for the quality of the provision. Governors and trustees fulfil their statutory duties securely and maintain clear oversight of the school’s work.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders consistently take decisions that are in the best interests of pupils. Provision in the school is inclusive and carefully tailored to meet the needs of pupils. This includes support for those who face additional barriers to learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Professional learning for staff is highly effective. Leaders provide a coherent and well ‑ matched programme of training that helps staff build expertise. As a result, staff are skilled practitioners. Staff feel valued, heard and supported. Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing and ensure their workload is considered in all decisions.

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Expected standard

The school engages closely with parents and carers. This includes regular communication and structured support from external agencies, including family liaison professionals. This well ‑ considered work has a positive impact on pupils and their families.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious and effective personal development programme. It is closely matched to pupils’ needs and prior experiences. Curriculum areas such as 'my wellbeing', careers and preparation for adulthood are well planned and sequenced. Pupils build secure knowledge over time in these areas. They learn important topics such as consent, healthy relationships, and online and community safety. They also learn about different cultures and traditions and develop a clear understanding of difference and respect. Pupils are taught about democracy and the rule of law, all of which supports them to engage positively with life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development programme has a positive impact on pupils’ development. Pupils build effective social skills and learn to work cooperatively with others. In addition, they develop self ‑ belief, confidence and resilience. This reflects the progress pupils make from their personal starting points. Preparation for adulthood is a key strength of the school. Pupils take part in personalised activities that develop pupils' independence and life skills. The 99 things programme and wider enrichment activities broaden pupils’ experiences and build their cultural capital.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Careers education is well designed and ambitious. Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities that introduce them to work ‑ related environments. These include school enterprise projects and work with external organisations that provide exposure to the workplace. Planning for those leaving the school is robust and carefully tailored. This ensures that pupils are fully prepared for their next steps. Almost all pupils move on to appropriate education, employment or training. Some pupils make such rapid progress that they are able to reintegrate into mainstream education.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Support outside of the classroom, including therapeutic support, is effective. The school provides targeted support for families that is sensitive and helpful. All of this contributes to pupils and their families maintaining positive mental health.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils achieve well from their starting points. This is particularly significant given that many pupils have experienced disrupted education prior to joining the school. Pupils progress securely across all phases of the school. They are supported by a personalised approach that enables them to access a range of ambitious qualifications matched to their needs. There is no ceiling placed on what pupils can achieve.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils’ basic foundational knowledge in English and mathematics is generally secure. This enables them to access the wider curriculum successfully. Leaders are working to ensure greater consistency in securing pupils' writing knowledge, so that their outcomes improve further.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are very well prepared for their next steps in life. They develop as independent and self ‑ confident learners. They are able to articulate their aspirations for the future. They gain valuable life, learning and employability skills, which means that they are ready for their next steps.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of pupils' patterns of attendance. This is informed by leaders' detailed analysis of attendance information. Historically, the school has faced significant challenges regarding high levels of absence and pupil suspensions. Effective action has been taken by school leaders, as a result of analysis, to secure rapid improvement in both of these areas. This includes precise and targeted support for pupils and their families. Pupils' attendance is generally positive and has improved markedly over time. This reflects the school's reduced reliance on alternative provision and part ‑ time timetables, which are used appropriately. Leaders monitor individual pupils closely and can demonstrate notable improvements in their attendance, including for those who remain persistently absent. Leaders continue to refine strategies to further reduce persistent absence.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent across the school. Leaders have established a calm, orderly and purposeful environment. This is underpinned by positive relationships between staff and pupils. Staff know pupils well. They respond effectively when pupils become dysregulated. Skilled support enables pupils to re ‑ engage with learning quickly. Reports of bullying and suspension rates have reduced significantly. Where incidents occur, they are managed appropriately. Staff are trained to apply behaviour policies consistently. Where necessary, staff make appropriate adaptations to the behaviour policy so that they can support pupils in the best way possible.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand the strengths in the curriculum well. They continually evaluate and refine it to ensure it meets the specific needs and experiences of pupils. The curriculum is coherent and well sequenced. A personalised curriculum model is offered to all pupils through the well ‑ defined 'flow' pathways. Pupils are grouped effectively based on their social, emotional and mental health needs. This enables a precise approach to teaching and support.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is ambitious and broad. Subjects such as classics are used to engage pupils and broaden their experiences. Leaders ensure that teachers have secure subject knowledge and a clear understanding of pupils’ needs. Learning is generally matched to pupils’ starting points. Teachers make effective adaptations to activities to remove barriers to learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils are generally supported to develop their foundational knowledge. This is embedded across the teaching of early mathematics and phonics. Phonics is planned and delivered by expert staff. Books and resources are matched accurately to the words and sounds that pupils already know. Leaders have identified the need to further strengthen staff’s teaching of early writing. This ongoing work is needed to ensure that pupils' gaps in foundational literacy, for example in early reading and writing, are identified and closed.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Assessment is used effectively across the curriculum. Information from checks on pupils’ learning informs future teaching and learning activities.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils achieve well and enjoy their learning. Many arrive having had disrupted or negative experiences in education. They benefit from a fresh start where staff know them well and take time to understand their individual needs. The school's consistent use of personal learning documents ensures that pupils and staff know what success looks like for each individual. As a result, pupils make secure progress from their starting points. High ‑ quality support is in place to meet pupils' academic and personal needs, including for those with multiple challenges and needs. Pupils develop increasing confidence in their learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel a sense of belonging here. They are fully included in all aspects of school life. They benefit from highly positive, respectful relationships with staff and with one another. These relationships underpin the improvements that pupils show in their conduct and attitudes to learning while they are at the school. Pupils value the opportunities that staff arrange for them beyond the classroom. A wide range of extra ‑ curricular activities, alongside the 99 things project, helps pupils experience opportunities they may not otherwise access. This broadens their horizons and supports their personal development.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are positive, and attendance rates have improved. Pupils thrive in a safe and supportive environment. They feel safe and know which adults they can speak with if they wish. They are confident that concerns will be taken seriously and acted upon. Bullying has reduced significantly and now rarely happens. When it does occur, it is dealt with quickly and effectively.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are well prepared for their next steps. Highly effective transition support ensures that they move onto their next stage with confidence. They are well equipped with the knowledge, skills and experiences that they need to contribute positively to their community and life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders should further strengthen the teaching of pupils' foundational writing knowledge, so that all pupils build securely on what they already know and achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders should continue to refine their work to reduce persistent absence further, so that all pupils have consistently high levels of attendance.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Meridian Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Mark Woods, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Shirley Jamieson.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other members of the school's senior leadership team, the executive director of special educational needs and/or disabilities for the trust, members of the governing body, the chair of trustees and the CEO of the trust during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school is a special school. It provides specialist provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and for autistic pupils. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. All places are commissioned by the local authority.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 2 alternative provisions, including one that is unregistered.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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