The school welcomes pupils who have not had a positive experience in their previous schools. They are helped to re-engage in learning and enjoy school again. Strong relations between staff and pupils underpin much of the school’s work. Pupils say that ‘the best thing about the school is that we get along with our teachers, and each other’. They enthuse about the special events organised for them, such as World Food Day celebrations and off-site visits. Pupils feel safe, free from bullying and harassment. Good pastoral care and regular personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons ensure that they gain a good understanding of staying safe, healthy relationships, diversity and life in modern Britain. Academic lessons in the mornings and vocational learning and activities in the afternoons develop pupils’ interest in learning and enriches their lives. Reading is not promoted well enough. There is no clear approach to teaching early reading, including phonics. There are too few opportunities for older pupils to catch up on their reading. Pupils’ spelling, grammar and use of punctuation is underdeveloped. Most pupils behave themselves. Some younger pupils who have recently joined the school do not behave well enough. Adults do not apply the school’s procedures for managing pupils’ behaviour consistently well, and this stops some pupils from learning to behave well.