A Suffolk special school is celebrating its first ever Ofsted report after inspectors graded them as a ‘Good’ school.

The Sir Bobby Robson School in Lindbergh Road, Ipswich, was found to be ‘Good’ across all five Ofsted levels including quality of education, behaviour, personal development and leadership.

The school, named after the legendary Ipswich Town and England manager, opened in September 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic – making their achievements as a new school all the more impressive.

Proud headteacher Adam Dabin said: “We are delighted that our first Ofsted report reflects the hard work and commitment of our amazing pupils and incredible school community.

“We have seen some phenomenal progress thanks to staff, pupils and families coming together to create something that we feel is a really special place to be.

“On behalf of myself and the leadership team, we would like to thank the incredible staff who go above and beyond for all of our pupils every day, our amazing community for their humbling support and most of all our brilliant pupils for making Sir Bobby Robson School what it is today.”

Ofsted inspectors paid tribute to pupils, acknowledging the progress they had made after many had joined the school after long periods out of formal education, and also the way the school builds a personal curriculum.

“Pupils trust staff because they take the time to get to know them and want the best for them.”

Ofsted report – July 2023

The report said: “Expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement are high. Pupils understand the boundaries and they respond very well.

“Leaders have acted to continue to improve the school’s offer and to ensure that it meets pupils’ changing needs.

Many pupils arrive with low self-esteem, little confidence and a distrust in an education system that they feel has let them down.

“Over time, the sharp focus on their well-being and interests means that they settle in quickly. In turn, this builds their willingness and readiness to engage in learning, including in English and mathematics while ensuring pupils learn to read accurately and fluently is of the highest priority.

“Their success in reading is often the key to unlocking their interest in other subjects. As a result, pupils typically make good progress overall.”

Sir Bobby Robson School currently has 60 pupils, with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs and Autism.

The school’s commitment to providing life skills in and outside the classroom was also highlighted, with inspectors commenting: “Experiences beyond school, such as shopping, swimming and kayaking, are popular.

“Pupils enjoy learning to cook. They tackle enterprise activities with enthusiasm, for
example making cakes and selling them at fundraising events.

“Pupils on the school council make useful suggestions about how to continue to improve the learning environment, including ideas for changes to outdoor areas.

“Classrooms are typically calm and purposeful learning spaces. Many speak proudly of the Sir Bobby Robson School community, saying that this is the best school that they have ever been to. Most parents feel this way too.”

Click here to view the full Sir Bobby Robson School Ofsted report.