Oak Lodge School - Residential Provision
Following an Ofsted inspection in February 2024, Oak Lodge Residential can announce that the residential provision was graded as 'Good'. Click here to read the full report
Ofsted Comments
''Staff enable children to make excellent progress in their communication, behaviours, social skills and independence. Children receive very good care from a dedicated staff team. Staff understand children’s individual communication needs and spend time getting to know children to understand their views. Staff are creative and use a range of resources to find out children’s wishes and feelings. They have translated these resources into British Sign Language to help children access them, to encourage communication. For example, children are helped to use colours to express how they are feeling.''
''Children move between residence and school seamlessly. Staff work well with education staff to ensure that children have good transitions. Staff from both sides of the school communicate well with each other and handovers are clear and detailed.''
''Staff work hard to support children to develop their individual independence skills.
They use a life-skills programme to set individual targets to help children develop
their independence skills. Some children who are due to leave the school have
developed excellent skills and can manage their own day-to-day activities, which will
enable them to live independently. There is a clear reward system that motivates
children to engage positively and achieve their individual targets. Staff have high
aspirations for children and want to help them to achieve.''
They use a life-skills programme to set individual targets to help children develop
their independence skills. Some children who are due to leave the school have
developed excellent skills and can manage their own day-to-day activities, which will
enable them to live independently. There is a clear reward system that motivates
children to engage positively and achieve their individual targets. Staff have high
aspirations for children and want to help them to achieve.''
Ofsted Comments
This residential special school is good because:
''Children have built strong relationships with the staff who care for them. Relationships between the staff and children are warm, affectionate and loving. Staff are child-centred and supportive of children’s individual needs. They respond to children sensitively and with compassion, as well as providing consistent, individualised support. This helps children to build trust and feel safe and relaxed in their surroundings.''
''Leaders ensure that there is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. Safeguarding procedures are clear and staff know the processes to follow if any concerns arise, including working with external professionals. This contributes to an all-round effective safeguarding approach. Residential staff work well with the school pastoral team and use every opportunity to help children understand risks, including those online.''
''Children have built strong relationships with the staff who care for them. Relationships between the staff and children are warm, affectionate and loving. Staff are child-centred and supportive of children’s individual needs. They respond to children sensitively and with compassion, as well as providing consistent, individualised support. This helps children to build trust and feel safe and relaxed in their surroundings.''
''Leaders ensure that there is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. Safeguarding procedures are clear and staff know the processes to follow if any concerns arise, including working with external professionals. This contributes to an all-round effective safeguarding approach. Residential staff work well with the school pastoral team and use every opportunity to help children understand risks, including those online.''
''Parents have confidence in the school and the care that their children receive. Staff communicate frequently with parents and adapt this to suit the families. Staff use online messaging and phone calls to keep families up to date. All parents spoken to gave positive feedback about the care provided to their children. Effective communication with families enables children to have consistency in the care provided and to maintain their progress at home and in school.''
