Lord's School, Bolton

What it's like to be a pupil at Lord's School

Pupils achieve well in many aspects of their education. However, in some subjects, pupils' achievement is limited because teachers do not explain new learning clearly. Most pupils join the school part way through their education. Many have gaps in their prior learning. Leaders have recently improved how they identify and address these gaps more precisely, but this work has not had time to fully improve pupils' learning. Nevertheless, pupils are generally well prepared for their future lives. Many achieve success in national examinations, opening the door to future education and training. Many pupils who join the school have experienced difficulties in their previous education. From the moment that pupils arrive in school, skilled staff help them to feel like they belong. Staff rapidly gain pupils' trust. Pupils quickly become ready to learn as a result. Pupils feel safe in this school. Pupils benefit from the many new experiences that leaders plan for them. For instance, pupils visit a local museum and the fire station. These visits enhance pupils' learning. Leaders make sure that everyone accesses these opportunities. Most pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Many face additional barriers to their wellbeing and learning. Leaders and staff use their positive relationships with pupils to provide carefully considered support that improves pupils' wellbeing and helps them to be ready to learn. Pupils typically behave well. Staff help them to learn how to manage their own feelings and behaviour. For instance, pupils learn techniques to help them to manage stress or anxiety. If pupils struggle to manage their behaviour, staff provide effective support. Bullying is rare and taken very seriously. Leaders' actions to prevent bullying and discrimination are effective. However, leaders' record-keeping about behaviour varies in detail and quality. This limits their oversight and understanding of behaviour across the school. Typically, pupils attend well. If pupils face barriers to their attendance, leaders provide support that helps them to attend more often. However, leaders have not made sure that attendance registers are completed consistently.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should improve their checks to make sure that the independent school standards are consistently met.
• Leaders should make sure that their records of pupils' attendance and behaviour are accurate and consistent.
• Leaders should make sure that high-quality risk assessments are in place for the school premises and grounds.
• Leaders should continue their work to make sure that checks on pupils' prior knowledge are precise so that these checks can be used to help gaps in writing and mathematics close more rapidly.
• Leaders should make sure that all staff receive professional development so that, in each subject, new learning is explained clearly so that pupils acquire and remember the knowledge that they need.

Lord's School excels at helping pupils who have struggled elsewhere to feel welcomed, safe and ready to learn through the strong relationships staff build with them. The school provides excellent careers guidance and support to ensure all pupils progress into appropriate further education and training. Pupils benefit from a rich range of clubs, trips and experiences - such as visits to museums and the fire station - that broaden their horizons and enhance their learning.

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Sewing, art, chess, museum visits, fire station visits

Bus Stops