Abbey College, Ramsey

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Abbey College are happy, kind and friendly. Their interactions with adults and other pupils are very respectful. It is normal to open doors for others, or to listen carefully while pupils express their thoughts.

Pupils understand that other people may have different views or beliefs. They have the knowledge and skills they need to discuss differences with confidence and maturity.

Routines are clearly understood and followed.

Pupils benefit from an orderly, calm environment. Pupils queue up sensibly at the start of the day and before lessons. They move around the school very considerately.

Transitions between lessons and social time are made... in a calm manner. Pupils have a variety of different areas to use at social time. They can sit and talk with friends, or go outside to play games such as football.

These established routines ensure that pupils feel safe.

Pupils, including students in the sixth form, know that the adults have high expectations of what they should achieve. They are well prepared to realise their potential because they study a rich and varied, well-taught curriculum.

Pupils have an excellent understanding of the leadership opportunities that are open to them once they finish school, and how to achieve them.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has ensured that pupils study an ambitious curriculum that is well suited to their needs. There are a broad range of subjects that pupils benefit from.

For example, the vast majority of pupils study Spanish until Year 11.

Within the curriculum plans, the skills and knowledge that pupils need to learn are clearly mapped out. Teachers have the appropriate subject knowledge to teach the curriculum well.

Teachers routinely check what pupils remember and understand. Teachers are skilled at adapting their teaching if there are gaps in what pupils remember. In a few instances, a small number of teachers are not as skilled in delivering the curriculum as the school intends.

This means a minority of pupils do not achieve as highly as they should.

The school has prioritised reading. Pupils who are at the earliest stage of learning to read receive expert support that is precisely matched to their needs.

Dedicated staff are well trained in a range of strategies, such as phonics teaching or paired reading, to ensure that pupils quickly learn the skills they need to read fluently and with confidence.

There are clear processes to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers have high expectations of what pupils should achieve.

They are well trained to adapt their teaching to support pupils with SEND. Their adaptations are closely matched to pupils' needs. Where required, pupils benefit from a calm learning environment outside of class called 'The Bridge'.

Here, they receive specific support which ensures they are ready to learn. As a result, pupils with SEND access the school's ambitious curriculum, achieve well and keep up with their peers.

The school has a clearly understood behaviour policy that teaches pupils how to conduct themselves well.

Within lessons, disruption is rare. If it happens, pupils respond well to the support they receive to manage their behaviour in future. Staff are generally consistent at implementing the rules.

This ensures that pupils feel a sense of fairness in how they are treated.

Students in the sixth form benefit significantly due to an ambitious curriculum and expert teaching. The school has very high expectations for what students should achieve.

Staff know their students well and monitor closely how well they are doing. They quickly intervene if a student is struggling. This means students keep up.

Students speak passionately about the varied and interesting careers guidance they receive. They are extremely well prepared for future study or work.

Pupils, including post-16, benefit from a rich and diverse personal development curriculum, which is carefully designed to meet their needs and to prepare them for life after school.

The school has carefully considered how to develop pupils' character as well as their skills and interests. There are a wide range of enrichment opportunities on offer, which the majority of pupils participate in. Pupils are actively involved in the wider community.

Pupils gain resilience and confidence. They talk with pride about the additional skills they learn that prepare them well for their adult lives.

Governors fulfil their role and statutory duties with skill and dedication.

They support and challenge leaders to ensure that all pupils are at the centre of their decisions and actions to improve the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are a few instances in the curriculum where teachers do not have the full range of skills to deliver the curriculum in the way that the school intends.

When this happens, curriculum content is not taught as well as it should be. Sometimes, teachers miss opportunities to clarify, or further deepen, pupils' understanding. The school needs to ensure that all staff are sufficiently supported and trained to deliver lessons that enable all pupils to make good progress throughout the curriculum.