Pupils enjoy coming to school. It is a friendly, safe place to be. Its small size means everyone knows each other well and takes care of one another. Pupils attend regularly and behave well. They feel free from bullying and harassment. They told inspectors ‘in other schools pupils of different ages don’t mix, but we do here’. Small class sizes ensure they receive regular, one-to-one support to help them learn. The school is inclusive. It welcomes international students as boarders, and pupils who have not had a positive experience in their previous school. This year, the school has focused on accepting day students, and has increased the range of subjects taught. Staff help them to feel safe and ready to learn. Pupils and parents who provided their views during the inspection would recommend the school to others. The curriculum has been changed to provide pupils with more choice and give them a broader range of experiences. These arrangements are new. Leaders have begun to monitor these changes. More time is needed to gauge their full effectiveness. Pupils do not build on their learning across all key stages because coherent planning is not fully in place. Some staff do not have sufficient specialist knowledge to lead improvements in their subjects.