Willow Bank School, Newton-le-Willows

What it's like to be a pupil at Willow Bank School

Many pupils join the school after experiencing a disrupted education. From the moment they arrive, staff work tirelessly to help them settle quickly and feel welcome. Adults build secure, positive working relationships with pupils so that they feel valued, supported and part of the school community. Pupils trust staff to guide them and keep them safe. Pupils understand who to talk to if they feel worried or unsafe. This sense of security helps many pupils to improve their behaviour and manage their emotions more effectively. Bullying happens rarely in school. When it does occur, leaders act quickly and deal with issues thoroughly so that problems do not continue to spread. Most pupils behave positively. However, some pupils still use offensive, unkind words at times. Staff challenge this and support pupils to use kinder words. That said, this is not having the long-term impact required. Further work is needed to ensure that these improvements last over time. Pupils work towards a range of qualifications. They usually try hard in their lessons. Staff know pupils well. They use the school's systems well to identify any additional special educational needs and/or disabilities as early as possible. By recognising these needs quickly, staff help reduce pupils' barriers to learning and give pupils the support they require. As a result, pupils attend school more regularly. Pupils increasingly benefit from a curriculum that continues to grow in quality. However, some inconsistencies in teacher's practice mean that gaps in pupils' learning are not always addressed as effectively as they could be. Beyond the classroom, pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of activities. They especially value opportunities that help them grow in confidence, independence and leadership skills such as participating in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should strengthen the effectiveness of their approach to managing unkind behaviour. They should ensure that pupils understand expectations set and that incidents continue to reduce overtime.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers routinely and accurately check pupils' knowledge and understanding during lessons and adapt teaching accordingly.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils develop a secure and accurate understanding of grammar, spelling, punctuation and handwriting so that they can communicate their ideas clearly and effectively in writing.
• Leaders should further develop leadership capacity by ensuring that the extended leadership team and subject champions have a secure understanding of their roles and are able to drive improvement in their areas of responsibility.

Willow Bank School excels at welcoming pupils and helping them settle in, particularly those who have experienced disrupted education. Staff build strong, trusting relationships and provide excellent support for pupils' emotional wellbeing and individual needs. The school offers a broad range of enrichment activities, from museum visits and theatre trips to community involvement and developing independent living skills.

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have 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.

Interhall sports competitions, subject area competitions, educational visits to museums and theatres, live orchestra performances, public speaking events, charity fundraising, visits to local colleges, practical lessons on budgeting and cooking, pupil council, school clubs built around pupils' talents and interests

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