Stafford Hall School, Halifax

What it's like to be a pupil at Stafford Hall School

Staff at Stafford Hall School greet pupils warmly each morning. Clear lines of communication between staff and pupils' chaperones, taxi drivers and parents and carers help to ensure that pupils are safe. All pupils at the school have an education, health and care plan. Pupils have various special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff effectively support and tailor the curriculum to pupils' learning needs. This allows pupils to enjoy their learning. Pupils make progress from their very individual starting points. These bespoke pathways support pupils to be ready for the next stage of their learning journey. Positive relationships between pupils and staff are integral to ensuring that pupils have a sense of belonging. Lunchtime is a joyful experience. Staff and pupils eat alongside each other. Adults engage in purposeful conversation, using every opportunity to reinforce the school's behaviour expectations. Adults skilfully help pupils to manage their own behaviour. They intervene sensitively to support pupils to make suitable choices. The school provides pupils with a safe sensory space. For example, the environment has equipment such as soft crash mats, large inflatable exercise balls and textured materials. It effectively supports pupils to manage sensory overload, reduce anxiety and improve focus. Pupils understand the different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying, and have adults they trust who they would talk to. Most pupils attend regularly. They take an active role in shaping and improving the school environment. For example, pupils are planning to design an accessible garden area for use at social times. This begins to foster leadership and responsibility. Pupils enjoy using the library in the outdoor space. It contains books that appeal to all reading levels. For example, it includes picture books, current authors and non-fiction texts. This promotes pupils' love of reading.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should continue to review and adapt their strategies to improve pupils' attendance.
• Leaders should further improve the implementation of their handwriting curriculum to ensure that all pupils write with increased accuracy.
• Leaders should continue their work to ensure that staff's expertise in phonics teaching develops, to further support pupils who are at the early stages of reading and writing.

Stafford Hall School excels at understanding each child as an individual and building learning around their unique starting points and needs. Staff create a warm, inclusive environment where pupils develop confidence and independence through tailored pathways, practical life skills, and real vocational opportunities. The school's commitment to preparing pupils for adulthood - through activities like swimming, food preparation, budgeting, and public transport training - gives children genuine skills for independent living.

Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Walks in the locality, singing at events with other schools, swimming lessons, concerts, vocational qualifications in hair and beauty, bowling, skating

Bus Stops