Residential care at Coln House School is 'outstanding' (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting WGS NEWS to 80360, or email
us
An Outstanding Ofsted for Fairford's Coln House School
8:00am Wednesday 16th January 2013 in School News
By Charlotte Shepherd
Members of the Coln House School Care Team celebrate their outstanding Ofsted report
COLN House School in Fairford has once again been praised by Ofsted for its ‘outstanding’ residential provision.
Inspectors awarded the school ‘outstanding’ in all four categories, including outcomes for residential pupils, quality of provision and care, pupils’ safety and the quality of its leadership.
Coln House is the only residential special school in Gloucestershire run by the county council and caters for 35 boarding pupils in five separate house areas.
Inspectors praised the school headteacher Chris Clarke and head of care Sandra Rogers, saying they provide “clear leadership and direction and are progressive and forward thinking.”
Crucially the report found a link between the quality of care and the performance of pupils. “Care staff contribute greatly to the role the school has to play in helping pupils to achieve their potential,” the report said.
There was praise too for the quality of the pastoral support and the positive outcomes of an innovative 24-hour curriculum, where staff support residential pupils with their reading in the evening.
Mrs Rogers said: “This is the third year running we have had an outstanding report, but the first time we have received outstanding in all four categories. It is great that all the hard work has been recognised. The care team are really pleased.”
As well as Ofsted inspectors, the school also played host to local MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown. He said: “I was delighted to visit Coln House School and I am not surprised that the school had such an excellent Ofsted report.
“The care and dedication given to some of Gloucestershire’s most challenging children was outstanding.
Coln House School chair of governors, Richard Wilkinson said: “Our recent Ofsted success just goes to prove the amazing job our staff do - the report commended the standard of accommodation, the professional and caring staff and the variety of activities available to our young people.”
