(UK) Lancs: Special school praised; plans to add 18 places

Sept 6, Lancashire Post: School that helps special needs pupils across Lancashire is praised by Oftsed - and reveals future plans

Young people from across Lancashire, including Sefton, Lancaster and Morecambe, as well as from Rochdale in Greater Manchester, attend Aurora Brooklands School in Preston, because of the specialist education it provides.

In its report, Ofsted said: “The school places great importance on pupils’ mental wellbeing. With the help of staff, pupils demonstrate impressive resilience in overcoming past challenges and focusing on their learning and their futures."

Principal Sarah Gregory said Ofsted’s ‘good’ grading was confirmation that the school was on the right road but added that there was more work to be done. . .

There are currently 62 pupils at Brooklands aged between nine and 16 and it’s Sarah’s ambition to increase the school roll to 80, its full capacity.

Describing the school as having, “high expectations of what pupils can achieve”,

Ofsted’s gradings were:

• The quality of education: Good

• Behaviour and attitudes: Good

• Personal development: Good

• Leadership and management: Good

• Overall effectiveness: Good . . .