Ormerod receives 'glowing' report

Headteacher Clive Peters plays a game with pupils Brandon and Katie

Inspectors who visited Ormerod School failed to find a significant area where the school could be improved and praised its record for including children in mainstream education.

The school, for children with physical disabilities from nursery age to 16, is based on two sites in Waynflete Road, Oxford, and The Marlborough School, Woodstock.

There are also a small number of Students with special needs who may have learning, communication or perceptual difficulties.

When they start at the nursery, the attainment of pupils is below the national average. But by the time they start secondary studies they are broadly performing at the national average.

Students are admitted to the school from all over Oxfordshire and from outside the county.

The inspectors described the leadership of headteacher Clive Peters as very good and said his example had resulted in excellent commitment from staff.

They added that pupils made good progress as a result of the high standard of teaching. Teachers also had a very good understanding of pupils' special needs.

The inspectors noted that the teachers ensured nursery-age children developed physical skills which helped them participate in activities. High expectations of pupils' achievement was translated into good results.

The quality and range of the curriculum, is described as good while the provision for pupils' personal development and how well the school cares for its pupils were described as very good.

Mr Peters said he had anecdotal evidence that Ormerod's Ofsted report was in the top five per cent in the country.

He said: "There have been really big changes in the school in recent years. We've included many children into mainstream schools and been very successful.

"Ofsted highly praised the inclusion policy of the school and our provision has been described as outstanding, which is very gratifying."