New Woodlands Special School in Downham has been rated “Outstanding” in every Ofsted category following an inspection earlier this month.
The school, for pupils with emotional, social and behavioural difficulties, achieved the highest possible marks in all five categories.
The five key areas given the top grade are:
- overall effectiveness of the school
- achievement and standards
- personal development and well-being
- quality of provision
- leadership and management.
Duncan Harper, Headteacher, said: “We are all thrilled with the Ofsted judgement of Outstanding.
“We were judged Outstanding by Ofsted in March 2006 but since then have taken on the Key Stage 3 Provision for 11-14 year olds. To be judged as Outstanding again is a tribute to the excellent staff team we have at New Woodlands School.”
Councillor Robert Massey, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "Duncan, his talented team of teachers, parents and pupils at New Woodlands make up an extraordinary school.
“To get the highest possible marks across the board shows how hard he and his team work - and just how much they achieve. My congratulations to all of them."
Some of the best features identified by Ofsted include:
- outstanding teaching, which takes full account of pupils’ needs, ensures that all get off to a flying start and by the time they leave they have made outstanding progress
- an exemplary level of care is given to pupils who say, ‘that staff listen to us and help us’
- pupils’ greatest needs are in the area of personal, social and emotional development and staff seize every opportunity to reinforce the school’s high expectations
- the vision, energy and enthusiasm of the headteacher and senior team are driving New Woodlands forward on a path of continual improvement.
In 2007, New Woodlands was granted the ‘power to innovate’ by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. This has enabled the school to admit pupils without a statement of special educational needs and create a flexible, individual service for them.
The supportive, short-term programmes are designed to address behavioural and learning needs and to prepare pupils for a successful return to mainstream school.
New Woodlands also has an outreach service and works with many primary and secondary schools in Lewisham.