Hillingdon Grange School, Slough

What it's like to be a pupil at Hillingdon Grange School

Leaders and staff maintain a calm, peaceful and welcoming atmosphere across all three school sites. Classrooms are generally settled and pupils behave well during break times. They enjoy using the play equipment, playing quietly on their own, or joining in with organised games, such as tag or water play. Staff establish warm, attentive and good-humoured relationships with pupils. They are alert to signs that pupils are feeling worried. The school's commitment to ensuring that all pupils have ‘a voice and a choice' is central to its work. Pupils learn how to use different strategies to communicate their views successfully. Their needs mean that pupils can sometimes become anxious and unsettled. Staff respond with kindness and an abundance of patience when this is the case. These factors make a valuable contribution to pupils' sense of security and belonging. Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils have often been outside formal education for extended periods of time prior to joining the school. Leaders ensure that pupils receive the nurturing support they need to progress and develop. As a result, pupils achieve well from their starting points, both personally and academically. They are increasingly well prepared for the next stage of their education and for life in the future.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should continue work to identify the content of the curriculum in subjects such as history and PE and ensure that systems for checking pupils' progress in these subjects are securely established.
• Leaders should strengthen the quality of communication to ensure that parents have consistently high levels of confidence in the school's work and that all staff understand their role in developing the school.

This school excels at combining education with therapeutic support for pupils with autism, recognising that learning and wellbeing go hand in hand. Teachers will tailor learning to each pupil's individual needs and progress, while the school actively celebrates difference and helps pupils understand their own emotions. Strong safeguarding and a well-maintained, purpose-built environment ensure pupils can learn and thrive safely.

Safeguarding arrangements are appropriate and effective, with rigorous processes in place, staff trained at appropriate levels, and comprehensive induction including contextual safeguarding and SEND-specific safety training.

lunchtime clubs, trips and visits, visits to local places of worship

Bus Stops