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Welcome to our School
Portal House School is a Special School for pupils who experience Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. (SEBD)
In September 2004, the School was redesignated as a day school for secondary age pupils with the above needs. Currently, the age range of pupils spans from National Curriculum Year 7 to Year 11.
Portal House is a good school that successfully supports pupils' learning and enables them to manage their behaviour and improve their social skills. As a result, pupils achieve well and make excellent progress in their personal development. The very effective systems that help pupils to understand the impact of their behaviour on others and the much valued rewards systems support pupils extremely well. A key to the school's success is the high expectations of all staff in terms of pupils' behaviour and, as a result, behaviour is excellent. There is a consistent approach to working with pupils; for example all staff use the points systems effectively, rewarding pupils when they do well. Pupils have a very good understanding of their targets for personal development and know how well they are doing in meeting these. Pupils and parents comment very positively about how much the school has done for them and their views can be summarised by one parent who wrote, 'Portal House is a fantastic school, offering life skills and education to all its pupils'. (Ofsted 2009).
GENERAL INFORMATION
Address: Portal House School
Sea Street
St Margaret’s at Cliffe
Dover
Kent
CT15 6SS
Tel: 01304 853033
Fax: 01304 853526
E-mail: office@portal-house.kent.sch.uk
Head Teacher: Mrs R. Bradley
Type of School: A day school for secondary age pupils who experience Social,
Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties
Age Range: 11-16 years
Chair of Governors: Mrs E Talbot
01303 893148
Area Education Office: East Kent Area Education Office
Clover House
John Wilson Business Park
Thanet Way
Whitstable
Tel: 01227 772992
Ofsted Inspection March ‘09
Portal House was last inspected by Ofsted in March 2009, and was graded as a ‘Good’ school. The following extract is taken from the Summary of the Inspection Report.
Effectiveness of the school
Pupils are proud of their achievements and clearly really like school. This is reflected in their good attendance at school and the fact that they do not want to go to mainstream because, as one said, 'this school is better'. They talk very enthusiastically about all the activities they can do and how this has benefited them. One commented that his legs were a lot more muscular because of all the sport he was now doing! Many have taken up sports out of school, for example sailing. Pupils talk positively about how their school dinners are well balanced and that they can choose salad if they want to. Pupils relate very well to each other within the school community. They consider that behaviour is mostly very good in school and that it is a very safe place to be.
Here are some of the most important findings of the report:-
· Teaching is good and teachers have high expectations that you will gain accreditation by the time you leave school.
· You make excellent progress in your personal development and behave extremely well.
· You are very involved in all the sporting activities within the schools and show a very good understanding about how to stay healthy.
· You clearly like school and your attendance at school is good.
· The school is well led by the headteacher and there is a strong commitment amongst the staff to ensure that the school improves further.
· Your school has very good links with other school both locally and abroad, and you clearly enjoy your trips across the Channel.
The full 2009 Ofsted Report can be viewed at http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/display/(id)/107929 alternatively a copy can be obtained from the school office.
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Our School