Eastbourne Independent School receives ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted

Schools are judged on five categories – the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and does the school meet the independent school standards.

Anderida Learning Centre in Neville Road was inspected in February and March and scored 'Good' in all categories. It is an alternative independent school for SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties) pupils, aged 11-18. The school offers provision for pupils who have been excluded or find it difficult to be successful in mainstream schools.

This was the first routine inspection the school received since Covid.

Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

The report stated: "The school is ambitious for its pupils, with a clear and unrelenting focus on making sure that pupils are as fully prepared as possible for the next stage of their education and employment.

"Pupils want to do well, rediscovering an interest in learning. They gradually grow in confidence and self-esteem, develop plans and

aspirations for the future, and achieve success. "

Staff were also praised in the report. It stated: “Leaders are rightly proud of the school’s strongly inclusive culture. Pupils get on well together and behave well most of the time.

"Warm and good-humoured relationships with staff help pupils to feel valued, comfortable and relaxed in school. They make friends and chat sociably during breaktimes and lunchtimes.

"Staff respond calmly, sensitively and consistently when pupils become angry, agitated or upset, so that pupils feel secure.

“Staff morale is high and there is a strong sense of teamwork in the school. Staff feel well supported by leaders and value developments since the previous inspection to support career progression, including improvements in the quality and range of staff training to strengthen aspects of their knowledge and practice."

The report also stated how the school could improve, stating: "The vocational curriculum is less well developed than the academic curriculum.

“As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects. Leaders should continue with work to develop these aspects of the curriculum.

“The careers programme is not as fully developed as it could be. This means that pupils are not as well informed about future education and employment options as they could be. Leaders should implement existing plans to develop the careers programme.”