Benfield School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school and its wider community have experienced significant turmoil since the last inspection. Some pupils, staff, parents and carers have been let down and continue to feel so. They struggle to trust the vision and improvements that new leaders are bringing about increasingly well.

After a period of decline in educational standards, behaviour and attendance, leaders are taking effective steps to address these areas. There are green shoots of improvement. However, some of the actions previously taken by leaders have alienated key stakeholders, including some staff and parents.

New leaders know that there is much to do to build bridges. Many staff say that the cul...ture has improved recently.

Many pupils say that behaviour is improving and bullying is increasingly rare.

Leaders' records confirm their views. However, some older pupils and many parents who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire continue to have concerns. Many pupils behave well, both in lessons and around school.

However, too many pupils do not attend school often enough. They do not benefit from the increasingly strong curriculum that is in place.

Leaders have ensured that a varied programme of extra-curricular activities and wider opportunities are available.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills. Members of the pupil leadership group are proud of how the group helped to design and resource the new reading area. These pupils are keen to work with leaders to improve the school further.

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

Leaders have taken the right steps to strengthen the curriculum. They have highlighted the important knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. In many subjects, this knowledge is broken down into small steps that build on from what pupils have learned before.

This helps pupils to learn about the subject itself and what it means to be a subject expert.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and are determined to help pupils succeed. They share leaders' vision of ensuring that pupils benefit from their time at school, both academically and pastorally.

In many lessons, pupils are engaged and listen attentively to their teachers. Sometimes, teachers are not sufficiently ambitious for what pupils can achieve. This includes in the sixth form.

Many pupils, including pupils eligible to receive pupil premium funding, are capable of making greater progress and learning more. In a few lessons, low-level disruption sometimes slows pupils' learning.

Teachers are kind and caring.

They know that some pupils need more help and support. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have ensured that pupils with SEND have support plans, which set out how teachers can help them best.

However, some teachers do not use the strategies set out in the support plans consistently well. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not always receive the help they need. Some struggle to access new learning.

Pupils who are at the earliest stages of learning to read are swiftly identified when they join the school. Trained staff help pupils to read with increasing accuracy and confidence.

The great majority of pupils are polite and respectful.

They rarely hear derogatory language in school. For the most part, lessons are calm and purposeful. Pupils enjoy social times and talking with their friends.

A minority of pupils continue to be disruptive. Leaders and staff are working together increasingly well to ensure a consistent approach to helping all pupils to behave as leaders expect. The behaviour policy, recently re-launched, includes a relational approach which aims to help pupils to self-regulate their behaviour.

The number of more severe behaviour incidents has reduced dramatically. Many within the school community acknowledge the positive changes that the new leadership team are bringing about. However, some parents continue to be concerned about the behaviour of some pupils at this inclusive school.

Some pupils do not attend school often enough. They do not benefit from the increasingly strong curriculum that is now in place. Leaders know how important it is that pupils attend school more regularly.

A Department for Education (DfE) attendance partner is supporting leaders with this work. As with other areas of school development, leaders' focus on this area has shown steady improvement recently. The Aspire provision which opened in the spring term, helps pupils who struggle to attend school.

There are already a number of pupils who have been successful accessing this provision.

Some pupils, including those in the sixth form, do not remember much of what they have been taught from the wider curriculum. For example, many pupils do not know much about the different world religions or about fundamental British values.

Some older pupils are rightly concerned that they have not learned much about healthy relationships. New leaders have recently reshaped the personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) curriculum. There is now a regular timetabled lesson for PSHCE.

Leaders have taken steps to strengthen careers provision, including for the sixth form. In the spring term, all pupils had the opportunity to attend a careers fair, meet a range of employers and learn about different options for their next steps in education, employment or training.

Governors and trustees are skilled, experienced and determined strategic leaders.

They have an accurate understanding of the school, its strengths and where it must improve further. They work together with the trust to support and challenge school leaders to be the best that they can be for the benefit of pupils. Governors and trustees are committed to ensuring that staff feel listened to and supported.

The culture of the school has recently changed. Many staff are pleased with the change. There remains work to be done to rebuild the trust and confidence of some staff, pupils and parents who have been let down in the past.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are keenly aware of the dangers that pupils may face. Leaders ensure that staff have the training they need to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm.

Staff report any concerns promptly and leaders swiftly follow these up. However, on rare occasions, important safeguarding records do not always contain sufficient detail about the steps that leaders have taken to ensure that pupils are kept safe. Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

They know the importance of using electronic devices, including mobile telephony, sensibly.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teaching staff do not use the teaching strategies that are outlined in SEND support plans consistently well. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not receive the help that they need.

These pupils struggle to make sense of new learning. Leaders should ensure that all teaching staff have further training and support, so that all pupils are able to access and learn the taught curriculum. ? Some pupils do not attend school often enough.

Persistent absence remains too high. These pupils miss out on important learning and do not make the progress of which they are capable. Leaders should closely monitor the impact of their strategies to improve attendance and take action where needed to ensure the regular attendance of all pupils.

• Pupils do not have a strong knowledge of some aspects of the PSHCE curriculum. Consequently, some pupils are not sufficiently well prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that the new PSHCE curriculum provides pupils with the opportunity to regularly revisit the important knowledge that leaders have identified, so that pupils remember this knowledge over time.

• Some parents and some staff continue to have concerns about the school. They struggle to trust that leaders are taking the right steps to bring about much needed improvements. Leaders should continue to further develop relationships with parents and other stakeholders.

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