A SCHOOL for pupils with special needs has been told again that it must improve.

Homewood College in Brighton has 46 pupils between the ages of 11 to 17.

The school in Queensdown School Road, off the Lewes Road, teaches pupils who have social, emotional and mental health needs.

The school was previously told to improve when Ofsted visited in 2017.

It was given the second lowest rating that inspectors can give, which is “requires improvement”.

Inspectors who visited in November, nearly three years later, praised school bosses for improvements already made.

But they stopped short of improving the rating from the second lowest grade.

Since its previous inspection, there has been a new leadership team.

A new executive headteacher, who started in April 2018, and head of school, who started in July 2019, are in place.

The report said: “In subjects like art and PE the curriculum is well thought out and is allowing pupils to develop the skills they need to be successful.

“In other subjects, such as English and mathematics, the curriculum plans have just started to be implemented and need time to be embedded.”

Many pupils have poor literacy skills, inspectors found.

The report said that there were no subject leaders in place, there is not a “whole-school approach” to encourage pupils to read and attendance is “not strong enough”.

However, inspectors believe leaders at the school are beginning to turn its fortunes around and parents said staff are “lovely and understanding”.

They said leaders recognise that the pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs can prevent them from engaging in lessons and are working to put them in the “right frame of mind to learn”.

Inspectors also found that safeguarding measures were effective and staff know and follow the correct procedures for passing on concerns.

The report states: “The school offers pupils a wide range of opportunities.

“For example, football competitions, building their own go kart, trips to museums and a residential to a farm.

“However, not all pupils can access these activities, particularly if they do not take place on the school site.”