Riverside Education, Birmingham

What it's like to be a pupil at Riverside Education

School days begin with the calm, predictability and care that the pupils at Riverside need. The school has rightly prioritised the importance of building positive relationships with pupils once they arrive. This helps pupils to build a sense of safety and trust in their new school. Most pupils attend school well. They are warmly greeted on arrival and swiftly move to their classrooms, where their routine continues. Classrooms are well prepared so that pupils can transition smoothly into meaningful activities tailored to their individual needs and interests. Staff manage behaviour well and assist pupils in identifying and controlling their emotions. Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils feel safe in school and are proud of what they achieve. Pupils talk about previous experiences in education where their needs were not met effectively and, as a result, some pupils faced being bullied, overwhelmed in school and not wanting to attend. Pupils and parents say this school has helped pupils to overcome these barriers and to learn. One parent, typical of others, said: ‘Riverside has given my child their life back.' Learning is typically delivered well. The curriculum is clearly thought out and matched to pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities. Lessons are designed to capture pupils' interests and develop understanding. Pupils develop their skills in practical subjects. For example, they learn to use professional equipment to prepare food, to lay bricks and to dig roads. This prepares them well for independence and employment. Leaders have ensured the personal development programme is carefully designed and responsive to meet pupils' individual needs. Safety education is explicit, systematic and woven into routines. For example, pupils learn about online safety and how to navigate the community safely. Pupils access rich wider development activities through many sports, arts, music and trips that build life skills and independence. Pupils also engage with national celebrations, as well as key theme weeks that develop respect and understanding of others.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should secure and then maintain high levels of attendance over time, for all pupils across all three sites, by further strengthening their work with families and external partners.
• Leaders should ensure that all staff sharpen their checks on pupils' understanding and provide feedback which deepens pupils' skills and knowledge.
• Leaders should ensure that all pupils secure the foundational knowledge they need, particularly in literacy and numeracy, to successfully access and develop their learning across the curriculum.

Riverside Education excels at helping pupils who have experienced disrupted education to re-engage with learning and feel positive about school. The school delivers an ambitious, broad curriculum with particular strengths in personal development, practical skills training through carpentry and farm work, and preparing students for their next steps. Staff are deeply committed to giving every child a fresh start, and parents speak highly of the transformative difference the school makes to their children.

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Sports, arts, music, performing, therapeutic activities, carpentry, cookery, animal care on farm, peer mentoring, educational visits

Train Stations

Bus Stops