Education for ill and very vulnerable pupils in Gloucestershire is 'outstanding', a recent Ofsted inspection has shown.
Gloucestershire Hospital Education Service, which is managed by the county council, has been given the top rating by Ofsted in all four areas – achievement, teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management.
The service provides education for pupils admitted to Gloucester Royal Hospital and children and young people who are unable to attend school for medical reasons, including young people with social, emotional or psychiatric difficulties, as well as pregnant teenagers and young mothers. Many of the pupils the service supports will have missed time at school for a variety of reasons.
The Ofsted inspector was impressed by how pupils of all ages and abilities, despite the difficulties they face, make 'outstanding progress from individual starting points' while they are away from their own school.
Their exam results are far better than pupils educated in similar services across the country. Almost all pupils who have left at the end of Year 11 continue in further education, training or employment.
Outstanding teaching helps pupils to 'learn to the very best of their ability', whether in the hospital schoolroom, at home or in the new classroom base at the service's headquarters in St George's Road, Cheltenham. Teachers work closely with medical staff to provide 'high challenge' in learning while ensuring that pupils' medical needs are met and recovery is fully supported.
Behaviour is also outstanding as teachers are skilled in supporting pupils to become active learners, giving them good support emotionally as well as in learning. The leadership team also shows 'drive, vision and ambition for the pupils' and is well supported by the county council.
Mary Holland, the county council's lead for inclusion, said: "We are delighted that Ofsted has recognised the excellent standard of education our service provides to some of the most vulnerable young people in Gloucestershire.
"These young people all have special educational needs and our tutors use their considerable skill to adapt their teaching to match their abilities and to meet their individual medical and emotional needs. They pride themselves on the excellent relationships they build with pupils and their families.
"Young people who come to us can have missed a lot of time at their own schools, which can make them quiet and withdrawn. The biggest reward for our staff is seeing their self-confidence grow and supporting them to make good progress, achieve well and reach their potential."
Cllr Jackie Hall, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: "It is excellent news that Gloucestershire Hospital Education Service has achieved an outstanding rating under Ofsted's new, tougher inspection regime, demonstrating its success in providing a good quality education to some of the most vulnerable young people in the county."
Gloucestershire Hospital Education Service, which is managed by the county council, has been given the top rating by Ofsted in all four areas – achievement, teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management.
The service provides education for pupils admitted to Gloucester Royal Hospital and children and young people who are unable to attend school for medical reasons, including young people with social, emotional or psychiatric difficulties, as well as pregnant teenagers and young mothers. Many of the pupils the service supports will have missed time at school for a variety of reasons.
The Ofsted inspector was impressed by how pupils of all ages and abilities, despite the difficulties they face, make 'outstanding progress from individual starting points' while they are away from their own school.
Their exam results are far better than pupils educated in similar services across the country. Almost all pupils who have left at the end of Year 11 continue in further education, training or employment.
Outstanding teaching helps pupils to 'learn to the very best of their ability', whether in the hospital schoolroom, at home or in the new classroom base at the service's headquarters in St George's Road, Cheltenham. Teachers work closely with medical staff to provide 'high challenge' in learning while ensuring that pupils' medical needs are met and recovery is fully supported.
Behaviour is also outstanding as teachers are skilled in supporting pupils to become active learners, giving them good support emotionally as well as in learning. The leadership team also shows 'drive, vision and ambition for the pupils' and is well supported by the county council.
Mary Holland, the county council's lead for inclusion, said: "We are delighted that Ofsted has recognised the excellent standard of education our service provides to some of the most vulnerable young people in Gloucestershire.
"These young people all have special educational needs and our tutors use their considerable skill to adapt their teaching to match their abilities and to meet their individual medical and emotional needs. They pride themselves on the excellent relationships they build with pupils and their families.
"Young people who come to us can have missed a lot of time at their own schools, which can make them quiet and withdrawn. The biggest reward for our staff is seeing their self-confidence grow and supporting them to make good progress, achieve well and reach their potential."
Cllr Jackie Hall, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: "It is excellent news that Gloucestershire Hospital Education Service has achieved an outstanding rating under Ofsted's new, tougher inspection regime, demonstrating its success in providing a good quality education to some of the most vulnerable young people in the county."