Blythe Bridge High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Blythe Bridge do well socially and academically. Leaders promote the school's culture and ethos, including the values of pride, respect, and kindness (PRK) effectively in all aspects of school life. As a result, pupils develop into respectful, active citizens who contribute positively to society.

Students in the sixth form describe the quality of the relationships between staff and students as strong. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. If behaviour occasionally interrupts learning, there is a fair system in place to address this.

Pupils are not worried about bullying. They say if they are upset about something, they trust staff to sort it ou...t.

Leaders have high expectations for what pupils can achieve.

These expectations are realised. All pupils successfully go on to employment, education, or training.

All pupils have access to a rich set of experiences.

The school offers a wide range of clubs. This includes sport, music, drama, and chess. Pupils are proud of their garden and the vegetables and fruit they grow.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the subjects pupils can study. This includes a wide range of subjects at key stage 3. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study the full range of courses.

This prepares them well for the choices they make at key stage 4. The school offers a range of academic and vocational courses at key stage 4 and 5, but the number of pupils with SEND who continue into the sixth form is relatively low. Leaders have plans to address this.

They are looking to increase the number of courses on offer. For example, next year they are introducing a BTEC National Diploma in finance into the sixth form.

Leaders provide pupils with highly effective careers education, advice, and guidance.

This starts in Year 7. Pupils have many experiences linked to the world of work. This includes external speakers coming in to speak to pupils from a range of jobs, apprenticeships, and further education.

Consequently, all pupils sustain a place in education, employment, or training.

Leaders give priority to improving pupils' literacy and numeracy. Pupils read in tutor time, Year 11 listen to younger pupils read and staff donate books to the school library.

As a result, more pupils are reading for pleasure. However, there is still work to do. Leaders' information shows that girls are far more likely than boys to borrow a book from the school library.

The school provides staff with a wide range of training opportunities. This includes leading on teaching and learning projects and sharing good practice across the school. As a result, teachers' subject knowledge is strong.

Teachers deliver lessons that support the planned curriculum. Pupils regularly recap their prior learning. This means that they can remember more and do more.

In mathematics, for example, this is leading to pupils becoming more independent in their learning. Sixth-form students appreciate the specialist teaching they receive. Consequently, almost all students in the sixth form complete their courses.

Staff have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Usually, pupils realise these expectations. But in geography, and design and technology, sometimes the curriculum is not ambitious enough and pupils find some of the work too easy.

The school provides good care for pupils with SEND. Classroom support plans provide staff with advice about how to support pupils' learning. However, the plans are not precise enough.

This means that teachers and teaching assistants are not always clear about the best way to help pupils learn. This limits their progress.

Staff apply the school's behaviour policy well.

Pupils engage well in their learning. Staff adopt a consistent approach to dealing with any inappropriate behaviour. This includes the use of the refocus room.

As a result, the number of repeat suspensions is reducing over time.

Pupils say they appreciate how much 'extra' they get at Blythe Bridge. This includes being a student ambassador, a member of the PRK committee or organising fundraising events.

Students in the sixth form can become a higher sports leader or take part in the young enterprise scheme.

All staff speak highly about the support they get from leaders. This includes those who are new to teaching.

Leaders are mindful of staff workload. For example, they changed the way in which detentions were organised. This significantly reduced the number of times staff must be on duty.

Staff morale is high.

Governors are committed to the school and its pupils. They provide an effective balance of support and challenge to leaders.

For example, they make sure that pupils who are unable to attend school due to ill-health are set appropriate work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff take pupils' welfare seriously.

Leaders make sure that staff receive the appropriate training. Staff know how to report concerns. Leaders follow these up effectively.

The school has strong links with external agencies. Families get the right help at the right time because of these good links.

Appropriate checks are completed on all adults who work at, or visit, the school.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online through computing lessons, tutor time and assemblies. Students in the sixth form learn about how to stay safe at festivals. As a result, pupils say they feel safe.

Parents agree.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils' classroom support plans are not as helpful as they could be in promoting effective learning. This means that teachers and teaching assistants do not always know which strategy to use that will best support pupils' learning.

This limits pupils' progress. Leaders should ensure staff are provided with sufficiently clear and precise advice to support the learning of pupils with SEND so that they achieve the best possible outcomes. ? In a couple of subjects, the planned curriculum is not as ambitious as it should be.

This means that some pupils find the work too easy. These pupils are therefore not fulfilling their potential. Leaders need to make sure that the curriculum is appropriately demanding across all subjects and supports pupils to build their knowledge well over time.

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