The Serendipity School, Southampton

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers cite the transformative experience this school has had on their children, one referring to The Serendipity School as having gone 'above and beyond for me and my child' and another calling it: 'our light at the end of a very dark tunnel.' As a result of the expert care and support pupils receive, they feel increasingly engaged in school and hopeful about their futures. This is especially important as, for many pupils, their prior experiences in school and education have not always been as positive.

Pupils are known exceptionally well by staff, who are expert in adapting their approaches to meet the needs of the pupils in their care. For example, by knowing the signs that mean they might be struggling, pupils are supported not just in the moment but also longer term in being able to identify and pre-empt these elements themselves. This personalised and adapted support develops their self-esteem, confidence and personal and social skills. Opportunities for 'gem time' and 'talk about' sessions are used expertly to develop pupils' increasing awareness of their impact on others, supporting their resilience and mental health. Over time, these support pupils in knowing how to regulate their own behaviour. As a result, relationships across the school are highly positive.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

There are high aspirations for what pupils can achieve in this school, and these are shared by everyone. The school has a thoughtful and ambitious curriculum, which supports all pupils to do well. The knowledge and skills that pupils need to develop have been carefully sequenced across subjects so that pupils are able to apply this growing understanding in their work. An increasing focus on pupils attaining qualifications that support their futures continues to reap rewards. This means that pupils feel increasingly positive about what is possible for them. The school works well with local colleges to further supplement the range of opportunities on offer to support pupils' development.

In lessons, staff are adept at knowing how to present information in a way that engages pupils and supports their learning. Due to the nature of the provision, many pupils arrive at this school with significant learning gaps. Staff are expert at being able to identify what pupils know so that pupils can make effective progress from these differing starting points.

Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.

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