Woodlands School

General information

Respect and ambition for each pupil are at the heart of the school, alongside a belief in each child's potential.

Our pupils have a wide range of learning needs including severe, profound and complex learning difficulties and many have a broad range of additional special educational needs including hearing or visual impairments, epilepsy or other health conditions and autistic spectrum disorder.

Following inspection Ofsted said:

Woodlands provides good education and outstanding care for its students. It is held in high esteem nationally, locally and by the local authority. Parents and carers have exceptionally positive relationships with the school and a typical comment offered by one was, ‘We could not ask more from the school team.'

Woodlands School has a range of appropriate resources: the most valuable being our highly specialist staff offering individual expertise and support for each of our exceptional pupils.

The commitment and stability of an experienced staff facilitates the further development of excellence year on year. Woodlands School is one of only a very small number of schools in the country that has been recognised as outstanding in four consecutive inspections by Ofsted.

We believe that all children are individuals and plan our learning around their individuality. We make learning fun, and prioritise communication across the curriculum.

The children are endlessly caring of each other and respectful of each other's needs and the school has calm, warm and supportive relationships. Ofsted (2010) stated "Excellent relationships encourage students to trust the adults. These trusting relationships are instrumental in encouraging students to come to school and feel positive about their education."

The curriculum initiatives, the commitment by the staff to excellence and our aspiration for the children and young people results in outstanding achievements. This is expressed through the way the school plans, develops, delivers and evaluates. Woodlands School an innovative and dynamic place to be.

The school council motto, SHINE, encapsulates our ethos:

Safe and secure
Healthy lifestyle
Independent as possible
Nice to each other
Enjoy, achieve and celebrate