Burstow Park School, Burstow

What it's like to be a pupil at Burstow Park School

Pupils are warmly welcomed into Burstow Park's nurturing and highly supportive environment. Many pupils who have previously had a difficult and unsettled time in education are happy to come to this school. Pupils typically arrive at the school with negative views of learning and poor self-esteem. The school provides a calm environment in which pupils feel they belong and enjoy learning. Pupils who struggle to re-engage with learning are supported effectively through a range of carefully considered, flexible provisions. The school's blended learning offer is adapted to cater for individual pupils' needs. Staff are experts at building pupils' trust through friendly and professional relationships. Pupils feel that they belong in the supportive community that leaders and staff have built. This helps them thrive. Pupils feel well supported by the way that staff understand their needs well and anticipate the emotional support that they need. They recognise that leaders have an ambitious vision for their futures. They benefit from the specialist teaching and the way that staff work out how best to support each individual. Pupils achieve well from their starting points at the school and are prepared for their next steps in education, training and employment. Pupils benefit from the broad range of experiences on offer. For example, they develop their confidence and character through opportunities to experience life beyond school, such as going to the local shops to buy food within a budget. They also enjoy the many visits from speakers from outside the school such as people who help in the community. Pupils are also supported to develop their communication and interactions through social times out of lessons. These small additional events are carefully shaped by staff and help to prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• The school should continue to further refine and embed the curriculum so that it is taught equally well across all subjects and phases of the school.
• The school should ensure that all staff have the subject knowledge necessary to work with pupils who struggle with reading and spelling so that all pupils receive consistent and effective support.

Burstow Park School excels at welcoming pupils who have had difficult experiences in education and helping them rediscover their love of learning. Staff are skilled at building trust and understanding each pupil's individual needs, providing flexible support that helps them overcome barriers and achieve well. The school creates a calm, belonging community where pupils develop confidence, self-esteem and are well-prepared for their future.

Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and acted upon.

Trips to local shops, visits from community speakers, assemblies celebrating faith and cultural diversity, Black history and women's history special days

Bus Stops