Headteacher 'delighted' as Newark school celebrates 'good' Ofsted rating after inspection

Staff, parents, and pupils at a Nottinghamshire school are celebrating after Ofsted rated it ‘good’. Newark Orchard School, a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school, has been judged following its inspection in November.

A spokesperson for Ofsted said: “Staff make sure pupils’ safety and well-being are at the centre of everything they do,” adding that the school environment is "calm and welcoming.” The inspection report also included praise from parents, with one saying: “The staff at Newark Orchard have been wonderful since my daughter started in September 2023. I couldn’t wish for better people to be looking after my daughter.”

All of the pupils at the school have an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the school caters for pupils with a broad range of SEND, including autism, speech, language and communication needs, moderate learning difficulty or profound and multiple learning difficulties, a spokesperson for the school has said. The 170 students are aged between three and 18 years old, with Ofsted saying that from the early years to the sixth form, pupils enjoy attending the school. According to the inspector, some of the key highlights from the inspection include:

• Pupils in this school, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), say that staff are caring and supportive.
• Pupils’ communication is also central to the curriculum. Staff work together to find the best methods for pupils to communicate and develop their language skills.
• The school is doing all it can to ensure that all pupils attend as often as possible.
• The school prioritises pupils’ personal development and teaches pupils how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy.

Pupils in this school, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), say that staff are caring and supportive.
Pupils’ communication is also central to the curriculum. Staff work together to find the best methods for pupils to communicate and develop their language skills.

The school is doing all it can to ensure that all pupils attend as often as possible. The school prioritises pupils’ personal development and teaches pupils how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy.

Cabinet member for education and special educational needs and disabilities, Councillor Ben Bradley, said “I want to congratulate everyone at Newark Orchard School for this fantastic report. It recognises the hard work of staff and students to make learning a success for everyone.

“Staff are focused on doing their best for the children and young people at the school to improve their experiences and outcomes, and this report shows that. Pupils should also be immensely proud of their excellent behaviour and attitude towards learning.”

Headteacher, Matt Joyce, said: “I am delighted with this latest report from Ofsted. Our hard-working staff create a great environment for pupils to succeed in, and this is something we will continue to do. I am very proud of the students and their hard work. It is great to hear they feel safe, and that staff are caring and supportive.

“I am extremely grateful to staff and pupils for being so welcoming to me. I’d also like to thank parents and carers for their continued support and for their comments in the report.”