Sponsored by
Praise on menu for innovative school cafe
A CAFE which gives young people with autism with the chance to gain work experience at their school has been praised by inspectors.
Education watchdog Ofsted has given the Robert Ogden School in Barnsley an outstanding rating in its latest inspection – singling out its sixth-form cafe as an innovative way of delivering work-related learning.
The school is owned and run by the National Autistic Society (NAS) and provides specialist education to children with autism from around the country.
It has 80 students from the age of five to 19, runs a sixth form, has a 52-week residential care service and employs 188 staff.
The Ofsted report says: “The quality of education at the Robert Ogden School is outstanding. The school successfully meets its aims, providing an environment in which young people feel at ease and are enabled to make outstanding progress in their learning.
“The quality of the curriculum, teaching and assessment are all outstanding. The curriculum is highly personalised so that it meets individual students’ needs exceptionally well.
“The students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. The provision for students’ welfare, health and safety is outstanding.”
Last month Dr Jacqui Ashton-Smith, who also runs an NAS school in Kent, became the South Yorkshire school’s executive principal while deputy principal Dr Khursh Khan is now the head of the Robert Ogden School.
Dr Jacqui Ashton-Smith said: “I am immensely proud of the hard work and dedication of the staff and students at the Robert Ogden School that has led to the school achieving this outstanding Ofsted result.
“Having worked with the NAS for 18 years, I’m delighted to be taking on a new role and helping develop another school.
“We want a world where people living with autism get to lead the life they choose and I look forward to helping play a part in this for all the students at the school.”
Gillian Roberts, previous principal of the Robert Ogden School left in December last year.
She said: “I will take many fond memories with me. I’ve worked with Jacqui for many years and she is highly regarded within the international autism community and I’ve no doubt she will be a great asset to the students, staff and parents of The Robert Ogden School.”
Email to a friend
Print this page- Leeds lose Ward to Palace: Is there anyone they can afford now?
- Sheffield Wednesday leaving it late to hijack Leeds United over Ward
- As Snodgrass dithers over Leeds, Warnock throws a lifeline
- Ball is in Leeds United’s court over contract - Snodgrass
- Police turning blind eye to Asian voter fraud, says MP
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.