Shaftesbury special school's results praised in report
MD says exam grades show success at Coombe House
Exam results at Dorset’s Coombe House special school have been praised – with three older pupils now returning to mainstream schools.
Managing Director Andy Holder told the Dorset Council shareholders meeting on Monday that fourteen pupils gained 26 GCSE passes, some which were described as “good strong passes at higher grades” by him.
He said that because of a relatively small cohort at exam stage the school, near Shaftesbury, was only able to offer a limited number of GCSE exam courses, which included Maths and English.
He said that at the moment the school had been unable to offer science subject but Mr Holder said it would remain open to demand and is there were subjects wanted by future pupils the school would do what it could to offer those, using its own staff if possible, or commissioning online learning.
Mr Holder said the school had started the new term four pupils below the target number, although more might yet join the school which he said was “a really good space”.
He said that some pupils had transitioned back to mainstream schools which he said was quite rare for a special school, with at least five school graduates moving on to sixth form or non-specialist courses. He said the moves were prompted by a strong motivation from the pupils themselves, supported by the school, parents and carers.
Mr Holder said that school had increases its adventurous activities and had been busy with recruitment and staff retention which, he said, was “in a good place.”
He told the panel of councillors that the school had continued to progress its woodland management and biodiversity programmes and had seen great results from its solar panels.
Cabinet education portfolio holder Cllr Clare Sutton, described the move of pupils back into mainstream schooling as “fantastic news” while Chickerell councillor Gill Taylor described the exam results as “outstanding”.
The meeting heard that some outstanding questions around financial arrangements had delayed a set of accounts which should have been before the meeting.
Councillors were told that the position of the school, which is owned by Dorset Council, had led to queries about who gains and losses were accounted for.