At The Orchard School, everyone matters and everyone cares.
We want every pupil to feel safe, valued and able to grow. This page brings together our School Performance Summary and our School Improvement priorities so families, partners and visitors can see how the school is doing and what we are working on next.
Our School Improvement Plan sets out what we are focusing on this year. These priorities are rooted in our Mission, Vision and Values and support pupils’ academic, social and emotional development.
Our School Improvement Plan sets out what we are focusing on this year. These priorities are rooted in our Mission, Vision and Values and support pupils’ academic, social and emotional development.
We review our performance throughout the year and evaluate our work against the Ofsted framework. The summary below reflects our current position.
Safeguarding – Effective
Safeguarding is strong. Staff are well trained, pupils know how to get help and systems are used consistently. Online safety and digital awareness are taught proactively.
Inclusion – Strong
Inclusion is a key strength. EHCP outcomes are monitored closely, provision for SEND and disadvantaged pupils is improving and all pupils are supported to access learning and enrichment.
Curriculum and Teaching – Expected with Strong Features
The curriculum is ambitious and increasingly well sequenced. Reading has improved through the introduction of systematic phonics. Teaching continues to strengthen through coaching, learning walks and reflective practice.
Achievement – Expected Standard
Pupils make good progress from low starting points. Reading, communication and vocational outcomes are improving. All pupils move on to education, employment or training.
Attendance and Behaviour – Expected Standard
Behaviour is calm and purposeful, shaped by Therapeutic Thinking. Incidents continue to reduce. Attendance remains a priority, with personalised support for pupils who face the greatest barriers.
Personal Development and Wellbeing – Strong
Pupils develop confidence, resilience and belonging through enrichment, cultural capital experiences, outdoor learning and a strong values-led curriculum. Staff wellbeing is supported through coaching and shared problem-solving.
Leadership and Governance – Strong with Emerging Exceptional Features
Leadership is ambitious and reflective. Governors offer effective challenge. The school has moved from intervention to stability and improvement with a clear direction of travel.
National Performance Data
The Orchard School is a maintained special school for pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. As a result, national performance measures do not always fully reflect the individual starting points, personalised pathways and wider outcomes that are central to our pupils’ progress.
For transparency, statutory performance information published by the Department for Education can be accessed via the national school comparison website:
Compare School Performance – The Orchard School
Alongside national data, we evaluate our effectiveness using a broader range of measures, including academic progress, reading development, attendance, engagement, emotional regulation and readiness to learn. These indicators provide a more meaningful picture of progress and inform our ongoing school improvement work.
We have summarised the key points for families on this page, but you can also read the complete School Improvement Plan here: