Mansfield head's rewarding send-off as R.E.A.L. school is rated 'Good' by Ofsted

Nikki Purcell is leaving after being at the helm of R.E.A.L. Independent School, which teaches pupils described as “lost to learning” or “hard to place”, since 2013.

But one of her last acts was to welcome a glowing report by Ofsted inspectors, who have given the school, based across two sites at Blidworth and Mansfield, a ‘Good’ overall rating.

It was even ranked ‘Outstanding’ in the category headed behaviour and attitudes, while receiving ‘Good’ ratings for the three other categories.

Mrs Purcell said: “It was an honour to lead the team through its third Ofsted inspection since 2013 and showcase what we do.

"The inspectors recognised the outstanding progress our learners make with regard to their behaviour and attitudes, which was a really emotional moment for our team.

"Parent and learner feedback was very positive and sometimes overwhelming. Their comments show what a positive impact we have on the lives of our learners and their families.

"We have now started the next part of our journey towards becoming a school that is rated ‘Outstanding’.”

The special school, based at The Old Fire Station, Mansfield Road, Blidworth and Concorde House, Kestral Road, Mansfield, is owned by R.E.A.L Education Ltd, of Mansfield, and has about 50 pupils on its books.

R.E.A.L. stands for re-thinking engagement and approaches to learning. It educates youngsters, aged seven to 19, who have previously had a poor experience of mainstream schools.

Some pupils have been excluded permanently from other schools, while others have been serial truants. Some have autism or social, emotional or mental health needs.

The Ofsted inspectors found that the school’s vision of ‘every child has a future’ was justified. “Pupils enjoy learning in a safe and welcoming environment,” their report said.

"They develop strong working relationships with staff, who are skilled at motivating pupils and keeping them focused on learning.

"Pupils learn to manage their emotions and feelings very successfully. They are overwhelmingly positive about their experiences. They say staff listen to them, care about them and give them the confidence to be successful.”

One parent told the inspectors: “Since coming to R.E.A.L., my child’s confidence has skyrocketed.” Another described how the school had given their child “a sense of worth”.

Ofsted discovered that R.E.A.L. placed a strong emphasis on personal development, with pupils encouraged to get involved in the local community.

They had raised funds to send to Ukraine and provided afternoon tea for elderly residents at a care home. They had also received visits from authors and a local footballer.

The inspectors found that pupils “studied a broad range of academic courses”, often relating to their interests.

"Almost all pupils secure an appropriate education, employment or training placement when they leave school,” the report said.

"They benefit from a well-developed careers programme, and also learn about living independently, including how to budget and shop.”

Only three areas needed improvements, the Ofsted inspectors said.

Leaders needed to do more to help pupils in the early stages of learning to read, and also had to provide better support for teachers in certain subjects.

Also, they must complete a review of some subjects on the curriculum so that learning was planned thoroughly.