St Dominic's School

St Dominic's School

Address: Malthouse Lane, Hambledon, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 4DX Unique reference number (URN): 145384

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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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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils progress very well through the school's curriculum from their varied starting points. They build detailed knowledge over time and recall what they have learned confidently. Pupils produce work of high quality across subjects. They have access to a wide range of qualifications that leaders continually review to ensure these courses meet the needs and interests of individuals and groups of pupils. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieve well in national tests and examinations that they take over time.

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Achievement Strong standard

Leaders prioritise the development of pupils' underpinning knowledge, skills and independence. Therefore, pupils' written and spoken communication and their mathematical knowledge form a secure basis for their learning across the curriculum. Most pupils access mainstream provision when they leave the school, and the vast majority settle well in their destinations. The progress that pupils make across the school prepares them very well for their next steps and adulthood.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils want to attend school because staff make them feel like they belong here. For many pupils, this is the first time they have attended school regularly. Leaders analyse patterns of absence and respond quickly if they have concerns. Leaders build trusting relationships with families and provide clear communication and timely support, which helps to remove barriers to attendance. As a result of the school’s work, pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, now attend more regularly.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The school is a calm, purposeful and welcoming place. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They treat each other with kindness and move sensibly around the school grounds. Leaders ensure that there are effective, well-understood strategies to promote positive pupil behaviour. Staff apply these expectations consistently and make adjustments for pupils if they need support to self-regulate. Relationships between staff and pupils are supportive, kind and respectful. Pupils are clear that these relationships are very important to them. Behaviour incidents, including bullying, are rare and dealt with quickly. Pupils say they feel safe and know staff will listen if they have any worries or concerns. Pastoral support is highly effective. As a result, pupils learn a range of strategies to help them manage their own emotions.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have created a broad and aspirational curriculum for all pupils. Different curriculum pathways are available for pupils at each stage of their education based on their identified needs. These are a starting point and are highly flexible based on progress and individual pupils' goals, abilities and interests. Leaders ensure that the curriculum is taught consistently well across the school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum sets out a clear sequence of learning for each subject. Across each subject in the curriculum, teachers break learning down into logical steps. Leaders review the curriculum often to keep it ambitious and suitable for all pupils. Teachers demonstrate a thorough understanding of individual pupils and know how pupils' knowledge builds over time. Leaders make sure that teachers have up-to-date subject knowledge. This enables teachers to provide clear explanations and adapt their teaching so that they help pupils to understand new ideas.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Reading is prioritised across the school. Phonics is taught with accuracy for all pupils who need it. Pupils use their reading skills confidently when decoding new words. Teachers regularly check that pupils understand what they have been taught. Teachers adapt lessons and provide additional targeted support to help pupils secure the essential skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have created a highly inclusive culture in the school. They successfully remove barriers to pupils' academic and personal development, ensuring that pupils flourish. Leaders have established well-embedded systems to identify pupils' individual needs. This allows the school to put precise and timely support in place. It enables pupils to be highly successful in their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Regular, high-quality training means that staff skilfully adapt the curriculum for all pupils at the school. Individualised interventions are used consistently well across the school to support pupils to progress through the curriculum. Leaders ensure that the school's pastoral systems support pupils and their families effectively. This is enhanced by therapeutic provision that improves pupils' learning and emotional wellbeing. Use of alternative provision is very carefully considered and used appropriately to contribute to pupils' academic and social development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders rigorously check pupils' progress to ensure that the support they receive continues to be as impactful as possible. Leaders swiftly and skilfully modify help that pupils receive to enable pupils to thrive. Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used strategically to provide additional opportunities for these pupils beyond the classroom. This enables pupils to achieve high standards across the curriculum. Pupils feel a sustained sense of belonging through the school's highly inclusive practices.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leadership across all areas of the school’s work is deliberate, strategic and highly responsive to the needs of pupils. Leaders ensure that decisions are always made in the best interests of their pupils. They have embedded robust systems for tracking, monitoring and evaluating the quality of the provision. This enables them to evaluate the school very accurately. They use this information effectively and identify focused areas for improvement. The actions that leaders take as a result are highly impactful on the outcomes for pupils and students.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Multi-agency working is a significant strength. School staff collaborate effectively with external professionals and families. Leaders are powerful advocates for their pupils. Parents and carers are highly positive about the support that they have received from the school. They praise the school for its contribution to their children's academic and social progress. Governors and trustees know the school well. They have the appropriate knowledge and skills to carry out their duties and provide appropriate challenge and oversight. Staff benefit from well-planned and targeted training. This strengthens expertise and ensures consistently high-quality practice across the school. Staff appreciate the way in which their workload and wellbeing are considered. Staff are keen to praise the strength of the school’s leadership. They care deeply about the pupils and the community that they serve. They are incredibly proud to work at the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide a highly effective and comprehensive programme to support pupils’ wider development. This includes a personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education curriculum that is meticulously tailored to the diverse needs of the pupils at the school. Pupils have an appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. They have a detailed understanding of how to stay safe online and in the community. Pupils understand how to maintain their physical and mental health clearly.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders' insightful approach to supporting pupils aligns with the school’s ambitious personal development priorities. These include fostering pupils’ resilience, independence and potential to lead fulfilled lives. Alongside this, the school successfully develops pupils' self- esteem, deepens their cultural capital and promotes exemplary social conduct.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Fundamental British values are taught explicitly and woven across the curriculum. Events throughout the year support this learning through school council elections and pupil-led events, such as ‘Great British experiences’. The school also hosts ‘culture days’ to celebrate different faiths and cultures. Pupils demonstrate a detailed and secure knowledge of these aspects of the curriculum. They are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the breadth of trips and visits that are embedded within the curriculum. These include local outings and multiple international visits for older pupils. They value these residential experiences highly, recognising how these opportunities support their learning and prepare them well for the future.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The programme to support and broaden pupils’ interests and talents is planned precisely to ensure that pupils receive opportunities across the arts, music, sport and culture. This offer is wide and extensive and is available to all. The impact of the personal development programme supports pupils' academic outcomes and social and emotional confidence.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

Students in the post-16 provision receive a curriculum that is ambitious, personalised and closely matched to their aspirations. Study programmes are carefully designed and refined to reflect students’ interests and long-term goals. Learning activities are consistently well chosen to best support the students to progress well through the curriculum. As a result, students successfully access a broad and ambitious range of accredited qualifications that support their next steps.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

There is a continued focus on developing reading, writing and mathematics that supports students’ access to mainstream education when they are ready. Students receive highly personalised support that fosters their independence and life skills. The effective provision supports students, including those with complex needs, to be very well prepared for adulthood.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

Careers education is well planned and personalised. Students receive meaningful guidance, employer encounters and practical support with applications and interviews. They speak confidently about their next steps in education, training or employment. The school’s work to provide opportunities for vocational learning and real-world skill development supports students' transition into further education, training or employment. This ensures that students are very well prepared for their next steps.

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

Pupils thrive and are valued as individuals at this school. Leaders and staff take great care to understand individual pupils' interests and aspirations. Pupils are safe and know adults will listen to them. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm, respectful and trusting. Leaders develop positive relationships with parents and carers. These relationships underpin the work of the school.

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

Pupils follow a curriculum that is both broad and allows them to study specific areas that match their interests in depth. Across the curriculum, pupils recall prior learning well and build on it successfully. Pupils are well supported in their learning, and staff successfully reduce any barriers to their learning. This support includes skilled work by additional staff who work alongside teachers. Pupils across the school achieve high outcomes from their starting points over time. Careers education supports pupils well to make ambitious and well-judged choices about their next steps. Pupils are provided with the support that they need to be well prepared for their next steps and adulthood.

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

Pupils behave courteously and meet the school's high expectations of their conduct. They attend school regularly. Bullying is rare and dealt with well when it does occur. Learning proceeds uninterrupted across the school. Pupils move around the school site in a calm and orderly manner. This makes for a friendly and relaxed environment, where pupils feel safe and typically at ease. Older pupils, including those in the sixth form, act as excellent role models for younger pupils.

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

Pastoral support is highly responsive to pupils' circumstances. This helps to foster an environment where pupils feel a sense of success and belonging. The school is successful in its mission to give 'everyone a pathway to achieve ambitious goals and live life to the full'.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to refine and embed their identified priorities for improvement, overcoming barriers and challenges, in order to drive a transformational impact for all pupils.

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Team inspectors:

Darren Aisthorpe, Ofsted Inspector Alan Johnson, Ofsted Inspector

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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 Orchard Hill College Academy 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), Ian Valvona, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Raymond Leclercq.

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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 principal and other senior leaders, including the designated safeguarding lead, during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with a group of trustees, the CEO and representatives of the local governing body.

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About this inspection

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.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is a specialist setting. Pupils typically have a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum condition and/or a speech, language and communication need. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 9 unregistered alternative provisions for a small number of pupils.

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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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