Blenheim High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Blenheim High School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Anthony Bodell. This school is the only school in the Blenheim High School single academy trust.

The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Katherine Herbert.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a broad and balanced curriculum from Year 7 to Year 13. Pupils are eager to rise to teachers' high expectations.

Consequently, they achieve well, both in school and in public examinations. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school's systems a...nd high expectations for behaviour mean that pupils' conduct is excellent in lessons and social time.

Generally, pupils are positive and respectful with each other and with staff. They are confident that staff will resolve any issues very swiftly. Pastoral staff know pupils very well.

They provide bespoke help to those who find meeting the school's high standards challenging. Staff, parents and carers, and pupils are positive about the school's calm and orderly environment.

The school provides a raft of inclusive and ambitious experiences to help all pupils to 'achieve their full potential' as set out in its vision.

Staff offer an impressive range of extra-curricular activities. These are enhanced by partnerships with Chelsea Football Club and the golf and dance academies. The school takes care to break down any barriers to participation.

These activities help to develop pupils' character and nurture new and existing interests. They contribute to most pupils being happy and proud of their school.

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

The school's curriculum in each year group prepares pupils effectively for their next steps.

Subject options in Years 9, 10 and 11 have a strong academic core. Increasingly, pupils follow the school's English Baccalaureate 'pathway'. Pupils in Years 11 and 13 benefit from extended days, which supplement the main timetable.

These sessions provide pupils with additional instruction and guided practice to help prepare them for examinations. A few pupils follow bespoke curriculums. These are carefully organised in the best interests of the individuals.

In each subject, staff have thoughtfully considered how to ensure that pupils build up their knowledge and skills over time. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They work to the school's principles for teaching and classroom routines.

These help pupils to prioritise learning in lessons. New content is introduced gradually, and pupils practise what they have been taught at each step. Teachers regularly check understanding before moving on.

The school identifies pupils' needs precisely. Staff receive helpful information about how to support pupils with SEND. They use this effectively so that these pupils learn successfully alongside their peers.

Pupils respond readily to teachers' feedback and gain confidence with familiar tasks. Many can draw on what they have learned with increasing spontaneity, even when faced with more demanding activities. Pupils produce work of a high standard, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

This is equally so in the sixth form.

The school's reading approach is embedding successfully across the school. It includes a programme to support the weakest readers.

Staff identify pupils' gaps precisely and target support accordingly. This helps them to catch up with their peers. Consequently, pupils develop the skills and vocabulary they need to read appropriately ambitious texts, including in the sixth form.

Behaviour and attendance remain strengths. Most pupils understand and follow the school's well-established behaviour systems consistently. However, some parents and pupils find the approaches too strict.

The school is actively listening to feedback. For example, pupils have already helped the school to develop more inclusive rewards. Consequently, a wider range of achievements and contributions are celebrated.

Pupils value this recognition and wear badges and ties with pride. Some pupils are keen to have more opportunities to demonstrate how they can manage their behaviour and attitudes more independently. The school is committed to ensuring that behaviour approaches reflect the needs and voices of the whole school community.

Personal, social, health and economic education is very thoughtfully organised. Pupils learn how to manage relationships and keep themselves safe, including online. They explore questions of equality and fundamental British values.

They are positive about these sessions. The high-quality careers programme is enhanced by partnerships with a wide range of local education and training providers and employers. Staff take great care to ensure that all pupils can participate in the careers programme, including work experience.

Bespoke support is provided where necessary. Pupils go on to a range of meaningful destinations, whether after Year 11 or Year 13.Trustees know the school and its context extremely well.

They are focused on continuous development and take their statutory duties very seriously, not least safeguarding. Overwhelmingly, staff feel valued and are confident that their welfare and workload are taken seriously. They are proud to work at the school.

Parents are mostly very positive about the school, especially its high standards.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's behaviour approach is not always as helpful as it could be in supporting pupils to take responsibility for themselves.

Consequently, some pupils are reliant on the school's systems and high levels of supervision to help them behave positively. The school should continue its work to maintain its very high standards of conduct. It should also provide pupils who need them with additional tools and strategies to develop greater independence in managing their behaviour and attitudes towards education.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2019.

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