Lindon Bennett School

Lindon Bennett School

Address: Main Street, Hanworth, Feltham, Middlesex, TW13 6ST Unique reference number (URN): 102556

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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 are very well prepared for their next stages in education. The school's carefully tailored combination of the academic curriculum, personal development and therapeutic support enables pupils to achieve ambitious targets from their starting points.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils achieve well. Through the curriculum, they strengthen their social and emotional development, and their communication and language skills. Pupils become adept at using a range of resources, including eye-gaze systems, visual symbols and communication boards, and communicate effectively.

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Achievement Strong standard

Over time, pupils develop the foundational knowledge and skills they need to be ready for future learning and next steps. They become increasingly confident, resilient and independent as they move up through the years.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have developed a carefully tailored curriculum that combines education goals, therapeutic support and specific adaptations to meet pupils’ needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum sets out in detail the key knowledge and skills that leaders intend pupils to learn from their varied starting points. Curriculum content is adapted to take account of pupils’ education, health and care plan outcomes, short-term targets and personal learning objectives. Leaders identify specifically the ways in which the curriculum should be taught and set out the routines and learning conditions, approaches and resources required to help individual pupils to learn well.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The development of communication, literacy and language is woven throughout the curriculum. Well-considered sequencing helps pupils to build on their learning over time. To help pupils' early reading and transcription, leaders identify the precise steps that pupils need to achieve to develop pre-reading and writing skills before phonics teaching is introduced. The curriculum supports progression towards ambitious outcomes that are carefully tailored to pupils’ sensory, emotional and communication needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have developed the school’s assessment systems and established consistent and regular checks of pupils’ learning. This information is used to measure pupils' progression towards their targets and to make adjustments where needed. Staff communicate regularly to review pupils' needs and share responsibility for providing effective support.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders have established ambitious early years provision that is focused on enabling every child to reach their full potential. Staff have a thorough understanding of each child’s individual needs and use this knowledge to inform highly personalised curriculum planning and provision.

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Expected standard

The curriculum is carefully matched to children’s developmental stages. Key knowledge and skills are introduced carefully and sequenced to build learning over time. Children are supported to develop essential foundations for future learning, including learning alongside peers, interacting positively with adults, taking turns and developing gross and fine motor skills. This prepares them well for the next stage of learning and for a broad range of future opportunities.

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Expected standard

Assessment information is used effectively to measure and support children's successes, ensuring that learning builds progressively from each child’s starting point. Staff strike an effective balance between consolidating prior learning and introducing new challenges, enabling children to develop knowledge and skills securely over time.

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Expected standard

The indoor and outdoor learning environments are carefully organised to provide rich opportunities across all areas of learning. Well-chosen resources and thoughtfully arranged spaces create a safe, purposeful and engaging environment. Children develop confidence, independence and positive attitudes to learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders prioritise equality of opportunity for pupils across the school's work. As soon as leaders know that a pupil has a place at the school, they ensure that they and staff get to know and understand each pupil’s specific learning needs. Staff identify the most appropriate approaches to meet pupils’ needs and have the leaders ensure that staff receive training and guidance to do so.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school has developed a thorough process to help staff get to know new pupils and their families. Information from parents, carers, previous settings and professionals is carefully considered so that pupils are given the support they need to thrive. The school's 'right pupil, right place' approach to meeting pupils' needs helps pupils settle well and gives parents confidence that their child’s needs are met. Leaders ensure each pupil is settled and in a learning environment that best suits their needs. Leaders achieve a skilful balance of consistency in approaches while adapting provision to the needs of each pupil. Through frequent review and refinement of each pupils’ learning and development, leaders ensure that support remains responsive to pupils’ changing needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders’ purposeful and proactive partnership working enhances the provision for each pupil. Education, therapy and health professionals work closely together, sharing expertise and planning support collaboratively.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have strengthened the school's strategic approach to encouraging regular attendance, resulting in improving attendance rates that are broadly in line with those seen in similar special schools. Attendance information is analysed closely and used effectively to identify barriers to attendance and provide timely, targeted support. Leaders work proactively with families and external professionals to address individual needs, including those relating to housing, travel and health needs. This helps pupils to attend school regularly.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils about behaviour, built on positive professional relationships, and on principles and routines that prioritise pupils' safety and wellbeing. Staff consistently reinforce these expectations, adapting their approaches to match pupils’ developmental, communication and sensory needs. Pupils understand routines well and are guided to behave positively. Incidents of unkind and inconsiderate behaviour, including bullying, rarely occur. Leaders are swift to spot any patterns of unsettled behaviour and provide tailored support to resolve any concerns.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The consistent application of specialist approaches across the school helps pupils to regulate their emotions and manage situations they may find difficult. This contributes to maintaining safe and calm learning conditions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have successfully overseen a period of significant review and change, identifying priorities for improvement accurately. They take swift, effective action to strengthen the work of the school. This has included the introduction of revised systems and procedures, particularly in safeguarding and the assessment of pupils’ achievement, helping to ensure greater consistency and effectiveness across the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders nurture positive and productive working relationships with parents and carers. Leaders work alongside families, therapists and other professionals to provide tailored support for pupils, both at school and at home. This shared and collaborative approach helps ensure that support is responsive to pupils’ complex and changing needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Members of the governing body are knowledgeable about the school and provide effective support and challenge. They draw upon their professional expertise, experience and training to fulfil their roles and to support leaders in addressing both strategic priorities and day-to- day challenges.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

While some leadership actions initially responded to the school's rapid growth and emerging needs, leaders have increasingly established a clear long-term strategic plan for the school. This is evident in the continued refinement of the curriculum, assessment systems and wider provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders nurture a culture of positivity, mutual support and collaboration among staff, while creating greater opportunities for shared responsibility. For example, leaders have worked closely with staff to shape and refine the curriculum over time, ensuring it remains responsive to pupils’ needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

As the leadership structure continues to become established, leaders are embedding a growing sense of stability and ensuring the school remains well placed to meet the needs of its pupils and families.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils’ personal, social and emotional development is woven through all aspects of school life and shapes the support pupils receive. Staff prioritise developing pupils’ skills for life, nurturing their growing independence, confidence and communication. The well-established daily routines provide pupils with valuable opportunities to develop personal and social skills, including turn-taking, personal self-care and positive interactions with others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders are highly responsive to the changing needs of different groups of pupils. They have a consistent focus on helping pupils stay safe, both in the community and online. Pupils are supported to recognise and express their feelings, understand concepts, such as safe and unsafe situations, likes and dislikes, consent and personal boundaries. Staff ensure that approaches are adapted to pupils' communication needs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Relationships, sex and education (RSE) is tailored to pupils’ developmental needs and helps pupils to understand the changes associated with growing up. Staff work closely with families and healthcare professionals to provide support and guidance where needed. Leaders are developing the delivery of personal, social and health education, including RSE, through further specialist training and resources.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that broaden their outlook beyond home and school. The assembly programme and special events help pupils to recognise, understand and respect differences. For example, on ‘autism day’, pupils celebrate helping each other. Guest speakers boost pupils' awareness of different types of jobs and people who help them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

From the early years onwards, pupils are helped to be well prepared for their next stages, when they move to new classes and provision. Staff adapt communication to support pupils to prepare them for moving to a new school when the time comes, including travel arrangements and meeting new people. For example, an outing to a nearby park, helps pupils to plan what they need to take with them in a backpack. Opportunities are carefully planned and build up pupils' knowledge and skills over time.

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

Pupils look forward to coming to school, where they are surrounded by caring and supportive staff who help them with their individual needs. As they arrive in the morning, pupils are greeted by familiar faces and welcomed into well-established routines while they settle into the school day.

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

The school provides a calm and nurturing environment, where pupils’ communication, sensory and emotional needs are well understood. Positive professional relationships between pupils and staff help pupils to feel listened to, respected and valued. Staff know pupils very well and respond quickly when additional support is needed.

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

Learning is carefully tailored to each pupil. Education, therapeutic support and personal targets are brought together within an ambitious curriculum. Pupils achieve well from their individual starting points. Pupils develop confidence, communication skills and independence, so that they are well prepared academically and personally for the next stage of their education and future opportunities.

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

Leaders work closely with parents and carers. By working closely with families and external specialists, the school helps to ensure that pupils receive consistent support at home and at school, enabling them to engage successfully in learning and development opportunities. Events such as sports morning bring families and staff together to celebrate pupils’ achievements. These joyful occasions strengthen the sense of the school's collaborative community.

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

Pupils benefit from a range of experiences that broaden their outlook and their understanding of the world. Leaders plan these experiences carefully to develop pupils' independence and prepare them for life beyond school. For example, younger pupils build confidence through walks in the local area before progressing to visits within the wider community. Older pupils take part in train travel, curriculum-linked visits and opportunities to work with major cultural organisations, such as a national orchestra.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to develop the consistent use of newly introduced systems, such as for the recording of attendance and assessment, to further strengthen their strategic oversight of all aspects of the school's work. Leaders should implement their plans for further specialist resources and training to support the delivery of personal, social, health and economic education, including relationships and sex education.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Sarah Baker.

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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 school leaders, including the interim headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the team leaders for the upper and lower schools and the early years, and members of the governing body, including the chair. Inspectors also spoke with staff, pupils, parents and carers. An inspector met with a representative of the local authority. Inspectors considered responses to surveys completed by staff and parents. Inspectors also considered correspondence received by the school from parents to be forwarded to inspectors.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Team inspectors:

Emma Watford, Ofsted Inspector Celeste Fay, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 2026

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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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192

The school specialises in provision for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.

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192

The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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192

The school has undergone significant change since the previous inspection, with several changes to the leadership of the school. At the time of the inspection, the school was led by an interim headteacher. The school operates on 2 sites.

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192

At the time of the inspection, there were 180 pupils on roll. The school's capacity is 192 pupils.

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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 6 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 needs support 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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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

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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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