Solway Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders are ambitious for staff and pupils. Since the previous inspection, leaders have secured considerable improvements in the school.

Pupils now benefit from a good-quality education. There is a broad and academic curriculum that caters to pupils' individual needs and aspirations. Most pupils make good progress across a range of subjects, including English, mathematics and science.

Improvements in the quality of teaching mean that outcomes for pupils are improving rapidly. Some pupils in key stage 4 are not working at the high standards of which they are capable. This is because weaker teaching in the past has left them with gaps in th...eir learning.

Leaders know their school well. They check regularly on the impact of their actions. Leaders use additional funding effectively.

The progress made by disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is improving strongly. A strengthened governing body supports and challenges leaders effectively. Pupils are well informed about their post-16 options.

All pupils go on to further education, employment or training. Middle leadership is strong. Middle leaders play an important role in improving the quality of teaching.

Senior leaders support middle leaders and hold them to account effectively. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to plan learning that builds on pupils' prior learning and develops their understanding. Teachers know pupils well.

Teaching ensures that those pupils who fall behind in their learning receive help to catch up. Teaching is effective at identifying the gaps in pupils' learning. Nonetheless, there are occasions when some pupils do not commit fully to improving their work.

Staff ensure that vulnerable pupils and pupils with social and emotional needs receive carefully tailored and highly effective support. The high proportion of pupils who join the school partway through their secondary education settle well and make good progress. Staff provide pupils who struggle to attend school regularly with a range of appropriate support.

Nonetheless, rates of absence remain above the national average. Pupils behave well and display positive attitudes to learning. They are courteous towards staff and each other.

The school is a safe, calm and inclusive place for pupils, where they are cared for well.

Information about this school

This school is much smaller than the average-sized secondary school. It has high levels of pupil mobility.

Most pupils are of White British heritage. No pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than the national average.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is higher than the national average. A small number of pupils attend alternative provision at the West Cumbria Learning Centre. Since the previous inspection, the school has joined the Cumbria Futures Federation.

This is a hard federation with a local school. In September 2018, a new governing body was formed and a new chair of governors was appointed. There have been staffing changes at middle leadership level.

New teachers have been appointed in history and science. The school has been receiving support from a national leader of education (NLE). A specialist leader of education has also been providing support in the English department.

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