Oakwood Learning Centre, Darlington

What it's like to be a pupil at Oakwood Learning Centre

This school provides a voice, an education and a future to vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils who have experienced the most challenging start to their lives. The school is unashamedly led by its pupils. It is about what pupils need and what will help them to thrive. Leaders have created a highly inclusive school community in which pupils flourish, both academically and personally. Exceptionally strong relationships between pupils and staff underpin this work. Therapeutic support significantly enhances pupils' educational experience. The school operates like an extended family, one that is safe, nurturing and highly adaptable to pupils' changing needs and interests. The education and pastoral care pupils experience at this school shape the rest of their lives. Many pupils join the school having struggled in almost every other educational setting they have attended. This school gives them a fresh start, every day if needed. Staff understand pupils' needs precisely and enable them to grow into successful young adults. High-quality relationships, built on trust and mutual respect, encourage exceptional levels of attendance. This, in turn, enables pupils to achieve highly and feel that they are valued. The sense of belonging, of community and of shared purpose leads to pupils enjoying their learning. Pupils gain a sense of real achievement, often for the first time in their lives, whether that be success in lessons, on the sports field, in learning a new skill or in simply being able to have open and honest dialogue with adults they trust. This school makes that happen. Because the school has created a strong sense of community, bullying is incredibly rare and pupils are increasingly respectful and understanding of each other's differences. Older pupils are role models of success for younger ones. Enrichment activities provide opportunities to strengthen peer relationships and enable pupils to experience success in new ways. Staff are incredibly proud of what pupils achieve every day.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should ensure that their transformational work to enhance pupils' attitudes to education, personal development opportunities and life chances is sustained over time so that exceptional standards are achieved in all areas of their work.

This school gives vulnerable pupils a fresh start and second chance at education. Staff understand each child deeply and provide exceptional therapeutic support alongside teaching, resulting in pupils achieving highly and feeling valued for the first time. The school transforms lives by building pupils' resilience, self-worth and ambitions for their future.

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

Sports, bushcraft, photography, robotics, outdoor adventurous activities, visits to places of worship and cultural significance, student council, workplace experiences