Rainworth school's delight as residential provision hailed by inspectors

An inspection of the residential provision at Dawn House School, Rainworth, by education watchdog Ofsted found the overall experience and progress of its students, aged seven to 18, was good.

Their newly published report also praised how well the pupils are protected and the effectiveness of leaders and managers was good.

The school, on Helmsley Road, has 72 children on roll, all of whom have have difficulties with speech, language and communication, with capacity for up to nine children to reside on site during term time.

The report said: “Children enjoy spending time in the residential provision. For some children it means not spending lots of time travelling to and from the school. This means they are

better able to access their learning because they are less anxious or tired from travelling.

“Staff have warm and nurturing relationships with children. The children have trusted adults who they can turn to and share any concerns they may have.”

“Children make significant progress with their independent living skills, communication and social skills. This means children are better equipped to move successfully into adulthood when they leave the school.”

The report also hailed the friendships students make and the range of activities theyenjoy in the residential provision, including fishing, swimming, walks and cinema trips.

To further improve, the school was urged to ensure compliance with the national minimum standards for residential special schools and to “consider reviewing the residential dining environment to ensure that it supports the sensory needs of all children who access it”.

Jenny McConnell, school principal, welcomed the report.

She said: “We are delighted Ofsted has recognised the schools’ hard work towards ensuring our young people enjoy their residential school life. whilst also working towards developing their independence skills.

“We are proud of our residential provision and how it supports Nottinghamshire children by providing extended days and overnight stays, as well as being available for children from neighbouring counties.

“Being in the centre of the county means Dawn House can provide services for many children from Nottinghamshire and the surrounding counties with complex or severe speech and language challenges and provides a safe, encouraging and dynamic environment to allow all of Dawn House’s children to reach their full potential.”