Bright Fields School, Retford

What it's like to be a pupil at Bright Fields School

Pupils describe this school as somewhere they belong. They feel happy, supported and able to succeed. Many have previously refused to attend school or have had multiple suspensions previously. They arrive at the school with very negative experiences of education. Here, they are given a second chance and begin to rebuild their confidence. They explain that they now attend more often and feel calm because staff take time to understand them and build trusting relationships. There is a clear emphasis on helping pupils understand their role in the wider world. Over time, pupils begin to develop a sense of their place within school and wider society. Pupils say that staff know them as individuals and use their interests, such as fishing and aviation, to help them engage with learning. This helps pupils enjoy learning and feel successful. They talk positively about their learning, often referring to subjects that they like in particular. Opportunities beyond the classroom are purposeful and prepare pupils for life outside of school. However, some pupils lack the skills they need to decode unfamiliar words. This limits their confidence and independence when reading. Pupils learn to build friendships. They show increasing kindness and begin to understand how to manage difficult emotions. Pupils value the support they receive when they feel anxious or unsettled and trust staff to deal with their worries and concerns. They understand the school rules and can explain what bullying is, saying it is taken seriously. Through the curriculum, they learn about different types of safety, including the risks of vaping and how to stay safe online. Most parents and carers share positive views of the school, particularly given their children's previous experiences. As one parent typically explained, 'My child is thriving in an environment that understands him, not because he has autism but for who he is'.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders must ensure that all staff have the expertise to support pupils who have gaps in their reading knowledge, particularly those at the early stages of reading. This includes helping pupils to build fluency and develop secure decoding skills so that they become confident and independent readers over time.
• Leaders must ensure that the curriculum is taught consistently well, according to each pupil's age and stage of development. Leaders must also ensure that teaching is adapted precisely to pupils' starting points, needs and aptitudes so that knowledge builds logically and pupils recall learning securely over time.
• Leaders and those responsible for governance must strengthen their oversight of the provision, so that they have an accurate understanding of the impact of their work, ensure that evaluation is precise, and identify trends over time to inform swift action and secure effective accountability.

Bright Fields excels at helping pupils who have previously refused school or been excluded to rebuild their confidence and love of learning. The school's caring staff take time to understand each pupil as an individual, build trusting relationships, and use pupils' interests to engage them with learning. Pupils report feeling happy, supported and like they truly belong - a genuine second chance at education.

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils are kept safe and feel secure.

Community visits, enrichment activities, community-based experiences

Bus Stops