Abbot’s Way School provides a calm and nurturing environment for pupils to learn. Pupils feel safe and valued by staff. They enjoy the school’s impressive natural grounds, which stretch back to the River Brue. Staff want the best for pupils. They know pupils, their families and their interests well. Pupils have settled at the school and attend well. Leaders prioritise making sure that pupils are ready to learn. They have achieved this goal. Pupils are now ready to be challenged and to thrive. However, expectations of what pupils can achieve are not aspirational enough. Pupils behave well and show respect to their peers and members of staff. Pupils focus well in lessons, and bullying is rare. However, they are less enthusiastic about some subjects than others, particularly when work lacks challenge. Teachers know what they want pupils to achieve, but have not given enough consideration to the smaller steps needed for pupils to reach these goals. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive high-quality specialist support. Knowledgeable staff provide therapy sessions that are precisely matched to pupils’ needs. Academic targets are less precise, and teachers use these less well in lessons to tailor the curriculum to individual need.