A school which is filled with "joy and smiles" where "pupils flourish" has maintained an outstanding rating from Ofsted.

Hollinwood Academy, on Roman Road, was inspected on April 16 and 17 by the education watchdog having previously received an outstanding rating in July 2018.

According to the inspection report, "a real sense of enjoyment, purpose and positivity permeates through" the school, which is "filled with joy and smiles".

The staff are said to know the pupils and their individual needs and "plan meticulously" to address them.

Hollinwood Academy is a special school, with all students having special educational needs and/or disabilities.

The report says that staff are highly skilled at noticing when a student may have increased anxiety and step in effectively to calm them down and support them.

Staff are also said to understand each pupils' interests and ambitions and are able to personalise activities for them.

Meanwhile, students are said to be frequently exposed to the local area, visiting shops, cafes and entertainment venues to help them practice communicating outside of school.

The report describes the curriculum as "highly ambitious and meticulously designed" which is shaped by the staff's "comprehensive understanding" of the pupils' needs.

Communication is said to be a high priority at the school, with different methods used for different students, which allows non-verbal children to feel included and integrated.

The report also praised staff's behaviour management, the careers advice provided to the pupils, the activities that are carried out and the "relentless" drive to deliver the highest quality of education to the students.

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Hollinwood Academy Headteacher Laura Millard said: "We were delighted that Councillor Ali could join Hollinwood Academy this week to see why we have maintained our outstanding judgement from Ofsted.

"I am extremely proud of the positive outcome from Ofsted, which is a testament to the dedication, hard work and commitment of our staffing team, the support of our parents and carers, and of course our wonderful children and young people.

"I have always maintained that Hollinwood Academy is an outstanding school and I am so pleased to see that the inspection report rightly recognises the real strength of the school.

"Hollinwood Academy will continue to build on our successes and uphold our high expectations, so we get the best offer, outcomes and destinations for our children and young people."

Cllr Mohon Ali, cabinet member for Education and Skills, said visiting the school, it was clear to see the commitment of the staff and the " joy and happiness" in the students' faces.

He added: "Walking around the corridors you can see purposeful and driven teachers working hard to help these children get the best start in life."