James Marks Academy, Welwyn Garden City

What it's like to be a pupil at James Marks Academy

Pupils, who all have special educational needs and/or disabilities, flourish in the school's nurturing and highly ambitious community. Pupils trust staff because they take the time to understand each pupil's needs. Pupils know they are valued as individuals. Staff thoughtfully tailor the support they provide to pupils to make a marked difference to their confidence and resilience. As a result, pupils' anxieties reduce, so they become ready to learn. For many pupils, this is their first positive experience in a school environment. The ambitious curriculum aligns closely with pupils' needs and interests. Pupils enjoy school. They benefit from expert teachers and respond well to teachers' consistently high expectations. From their different starting points, pupils produce high-quality work. They achieve successfully across year groups, including in Year 10 GCSE studies and at A level in the sixth form. Alongside their academic learning, pupils enjoy activities such as horticulture and nature walks. They can explain how lunchtime clubs help to build their social skills. Pupils appreciate the extensively positive interactions with staff and their peers. They speak highly of the support and the range of opportunities on offer. Classrooms are well ordered and purposeful. Pupils feel safe and well supported by the caring staff team. Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils are proud of their school, so they want to attend. Pupils who find it harder to come to school get the help they need to continue to improve their attendance. Pupils learn key skills about future employment through work experience and well-planned interactions with employers. They build their understanding of the range of opportunities open to them, including apprenticeships. Visits to careers fairs and other education providers enhance their learning. Pupils become increasingly confident, independent and responsive to opportunities to learn in different situations. They are very well prepared to take the next steps in education, including to progress to university.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain the effectiveness of their work as they continue to refine and address their identified priorities for improvement, including to promote reading more widely across subjects beyond English, in order to secure a consistently transformational impact for all pupils.

James Marks Academy excels at helping pupils build confidence and self-esteem in a calm, caring environment. With expert staff trained in autism and mental health support, the school removes barriers to learning and helps pupils catch up from significant gaps. Parents speak warmly about the considerable difference the school makes to their children's and families' lives.

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Flight simulation, circuit training, nature walks, dungeons and dragons club, chess club, crochet club, horticulture, practical cookery, theatre visits, university visits, work-related learning visits

Bus Stops