Greenacre

Staff and students at a Wellspring special school in Barnsley are celebrating after being rated Outstanding by Ofsted for the third consecutive time.

In its latest Ofsted report, released over the summer, Greenacre School on Keresforth Hill Road was praised for maintaining its high standard of education and working well with external professionals to ensure pupils get the right support and are well prepared for adulthood.

Inspectors reported that: “The mission to ‘nurture, empower and prepare’ pupils for life is at the heart of this welcoming and inclusive school. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and nurturing. Leaders listen to pupils. They ensure pupils have a ‘voice and choice’ in their education.”

They also praised the school’s approach to behaviour, stating: “Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. Highly proficient staff support pupils to manage their behaviour very well. There is a strong ethos of respect for others. They have excellent attitudes to learning. They feel safe and are very well looked after.”

The school’s approach to developing its curriculum and the calibre of its teachers were also highlighted with inspectors reporting that: “The curriculum meets the needs of the range of pupils very well. The ‘access’ curriculum strongly underpins learning across the whole curriculum. It is thoughtfully designed and planned. Pupils, particularly those with complex needs, can engage with learning and develop personally…Teachers are highly skilled. They know individual pupils very well. They check frequently the progress pupils make. They use this information to plan pupils’ next steps effectively.”

Sarah Wilson, Executive Principal at Greenacre School, said: “Greenacre is a wonderful school where staff go above and beyond every single day to ensure our pupils receive the highest quality education and care. Whilst the verdicts of our pupils and parents will always be our most important judgement, it is a great achievement to be rated Outstanding yet again by Ofsted, and we are very proud.

“As we look ahead, we are determined to build on our successes and continue to develop the services, resources and opportunities that we can offer Greenacre pupils. They deserve the very best and the best is what we are committed to providing.”

Mark Wilson, CEO at Wellspring Academy Trust, added: “We are very proud to have had Greenacre School as part of our school community for the last five years. It continues to go from strength to strength, and delivers the quality of education that all our children and young people should enjoy. Sarah and the Greenacre team set the standard for SEND education and ensure that the Barnsley community has an incredible local resource to support some of their most vulnerable residents.”

Established in 2012, Wellspring Academy Trust is a family of mainstream primary and secondary schools, and SEND and Alternative Provision settings operating across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Wellspring’s mantra is ‘We Make A Difference’ and it is committed to providing the best possible education and improving life chances for all its students. By sharing best practice, resources, and expertise, the Trust supports schools to deliver exceptional education and serve the communities in which its academies operate.