Willow View School, Rochdale

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

Pupils are welcomed into Willow View by their peers and staff. Pupils feel accepted and secure because of the highly positive relationships that they have with adults at the school. Staff act quickly when concerns arise, which helps pupils trust them and feel protected. Bullying and harmful behaviour hardly ever happen, and any issues are dealt with straight away. The school environment is calm and orderly. Leaders ensure that staff understand each pupil's needs. They provide highly effective support so that pupils learn to manage their emotions with increasing independence. Staff help pupils deal with difficult situations. This builds pupils' confidence and resilience in school and at home. Pupils enjoy learning and take pride in their work. They make clear progress from very low starting points, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who disengaged previously from education. Strong foundations in reading and mathematics allow some pupils to move on to study GCSEs. In subjects across the curriculum, pupils show secure recall and understanding of key subject knowledge. The way leaders manage pupils' attendance is a clear strength of the school. Leaders' support is exceptional and focuses closely on pupils' individual needs. They act with patience and persistence to ensure that pupils who once avoided school now attend frequently, join in socially and re-engage with learning. As a result, pupils achieve very well, both academically and in their personal development. The school's wider curriculum offer enables pupils to broaden their experiences through a well-thought-out programme of activities. Pupils gain confidence and self-esteem, preparing them well for their next steps. They talk openly about how much the school's support has changed their lives. As one pupil typically explained, the school has helped them to 'feel alive again' and has given them a true sense of belonging.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should refine the humanities curriculum in key stages 2 and 3 even further so that pupils gain the same depth and precision of knowledge in humanities as they achieve in other subjects.

Willow View School excels at supporting pupils who have previously struggled with education. Staff build trusting relationships quickly, dramatically improving attendance and behaviour through a caring, values-led approach. The school provides ambitious, individualised learning that helps pupils make rapid progress and regain confidence in their abilities.

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.

Skateboarding, creative arts, equine studies, community projects, cultural visits, work experience, careers education, life skills lessons (travel, budgeting, cooking), visits to places of worship

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