Bracknell

Pupils, students and staff at Bracknell Kennel Lane School are pleased and delighted after Ofsted paid a visit.

The school in Kennel Lane, Bracknell, was visited by school inspectors in May and the report has now been released.

The inspection evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and the report gave Kennel Lane a grade one, outstanding. Grade one is the highest possible grading and the school joins four other Bracknell Forest schools in achieving this grade so far.

The report said: "Kennel Lane is an outstanding school. It is, as its headline statement begins, 'an inclusive school' that is fast becoming an essential and integral part of the local community.

"The headteacher is highly successful in involving all staff in taking responsibility for making improvements across the school.

"Robust monitoring arrangements ensure that all pupils make at least good progress and they do outstandingly well in the primary part of the school.

"All pupils make excellent progress in personal, social, health and citizenship education and improve their communication skills exceptionally well."

The report noted that:

• Pupils' personal development is outstanding.
• The care, guidance and support of pupils is outstanding. Child protection and safeguarding procedures are rigorous.
• The school has established itself in the local community as an outstanding source of enterprise for helping pupils with autism spectrum disorder and those with behavioural difficulties.
• New staff, who may have come from mainstream, are extremely well supported and they are trained effectively so they quickly gain the necessary expertise.
• School council members take their role very seriously and are proud of the changes they have made. Many fundraising activities during the year contribute to charities in the wider community.

In common with many Ofsted reports the inspectors identified the need to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently high. Although a very significant proportion is outstanding, this needs to be consistent throughout all age groups.

Headteacher Andrea de Bunsen said: "I am very pleased the Ofsted inspectors recognised the commitment our staff make to ensuring pupils are happy, supported and safe.

"At Kennel Lane we view each pupil as an individual and therefore take into account his or her specific educational needs and individual learning styles.

"I would like to thank all the staff, pupils and students, parents and governors who have all contributed to Kennel Lane achieving this wonderful grade from Ofsted."

Cllr Alan Kendall, Executive Member for Bracknell Education, said: "Kennel Lane is a specialist school for pupils with moderate to severe learning difficulties and those with autism spectrum disorder.

"Congratulations to Andrea and her team for the wonderful and worthwhile job they are doing at the school.

"Kennel Lane is an outstanding school and it very much deserves its grade one, outstanding school rating."

Bracknell Forest Council