A CONTROVERSIAL college in Launceston has been praised for its support of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Staff at Launceston College’s Area Resource Base are celebrating following a positive report from the Local Authority, following a monitoring visit.

All Area Resource Base (ARB) students have Education, Health and Care Plans for a range of learning difficulties. The recent visit by the Local Authority sought to review the effectiveness of provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

In the report, the authority stated that the ARB demonstrated ‘a strong commitment to inclusive practice’ and that ‘leaders have established a clear culture in which pupils in the ARB are known well as individuals and are supported to participate meaningfully in both specialist and mainstream aspects of school life’.

Staff were also praised for knowing pupils well and adapting teaching effectively, and support assistants were described as knowledgeable. In addition, the report stated, "work in pupils’ books was often of a strong standard".

Work to support children’s personal development and well-being was defined as a notable strength, and the report ended with the statement that "it was fantastic to see so many happy and engaged young people and enthusiastic and supportive staff".

The news comes only a number of weeks after the school was issued with a formal ‘notice to improve’ from the Department for Education for breaching a number of governance requirements.

The Department for Education told Athena it is not implementing the required changes with sufficient speed or detail.

Following the notice, Mark Blackman, the interim lead at Athena Learning Trust, in a letter to parents said that the notice to improve related to the historical approach to behaviour management, specifically relating to suspensions and exclusions prior to the implementation of the change programme that it had implemented in response.

Mr Blackman told parents that considerable work had taken place since June with the changes to the trust school improvement team and the support it offers to students at its schools.

A spokesperson for Athena Learning Trust said: “We are committed to working openly and collaboratively with the Department for Education following their Notice to Improve (NTI) to the trust and appreciate their acknowledgment that progress in strengthening the leadership of behaviour, inclusion and SEND arrangements has been made in recent months.

“Trustees are complying with all the terms of the NTI and work is already under way to address the areas identified. We have commenced a review of governance and are mobilising additional change and support across our schools, with a clear focus on strengthening them and ensuring every child can thrive.

“Every child deserves to feel safe, supported and respected, and we take our responsibility for their wellbeing, inclusion and learning seriously.”

Following the Local Authority review, school staff will be celebrating the recognition.

Emma Hall, manager at the Area Resource Base at Launceston College, said: “We’re really pleased that the report recognises the commitment of our staff and the inclusive environment we work hard to create for our children. Getting to know each young person as an individual, understanding their needs and helping them feel safe, supported and ready to learn is at the heart of everything we do.

“We want our students to feel that they belong, have opportunities to develop their independence and take part in school life in ways that work for them. It’s particularly lovely to see the report recognise how happy and engaged our young people are, as well as the dedication of the team supporting them every day. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and will continue to build on this work.”