Pupils at Riversides have often had significant disruption and negative experiences in their education prior to joining the school. Staff are determined that every pupil really does matter here. Staff have a precise understanding of pupils’ interests and social and emotional needs. They provide pupils with positive educational experiences. Pupils appreciate the rich opportunities staff give them outside school, such as fishing, walking the Malvern hills and visiting theatres. This approach successfully re-engages pupils in education. Staff have the highest expectations of what pupils can achieve academically. They plan learning that is closely matched to pupils’ needs. This helps pupils to catch up with much of their missed learning and make strong progress across the curriculum. Staff understand pupils’ behavioural difficulties extremely well. They ensure that situations that could potentially upset pupils are identified and take swift action to avoid any possible issues. When pupils do demonstrate challenging behaviours, staff skilfully support and reassure pupils. Consequently, there is a calm and orderly atmosphere across the school. Pupils are very tolerant of one another’s behaviours and difficulties. They know that there is always someone they can turn to if they have any concerns, and they know that staff will deal with any bullying quickly.