Broadwater School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Broadwater School has continued to improve since the previous inspection. Pupils are proud to be members of their community. They are confident, enjoy school, and always want to improve.

Pupils behave well and feel safe. They are polite to everyone. Staff do not accept bullying.

If it happens, they do everything they can to stop it. Staff make sure everyone is allowed to express their views and these are respected. At break and lunchtime, pupils get on well with one another and there are always people to talk to.

There is a positive atmosphere in the dining hall and outside in social areas.

There are high expectations for all children. In lessons, pu...pils follow instructions straight away.

They understand routines and respond well to their work. Pupils are proud of their achievements and are getting better examination results.

The school is an exciting place to be.

Throughout the day there are opportunities for pupils to support each other and there are a wide range of activities for pupils to take part in, such as sports and leadership clubs, school production group, coding club and various extra study groups. Pupils make the most of these activities and attend them regularly.

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

The headteacher has made some real improvements to the school.

She is making sure that the quality of teaching is improving so that pupils' learning is constantly made better. Leaders and staff want all pupils to achieve well. Leaders have planned what pupils will learn in each subject in detail.

Staff training has helped to improve teaching and the curriculum. Senior leaders and governors use most policies well. They must continue to involve the wider staff in developing them further.

In most subjects, teachers have thought hard about what pupils need to know. They sequence lessons carefully and use thoughtful ways to recap and review knowledge. This is helping pupils to know and remember more.

Most pupils talked confidently about important ideas or concepts from their lessons. For example, pupils described how to use movement to create space in netball and football. Pupils in English gather ideas and use questions to make judgements to plan essays.

However, in some subjects afforded less lesson time, pupils are not able to build knowledge in the same way.

Effective teaching and a well-planned curriculum mean pupils are learning more in most subjects. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities also do well.

They make at least as much progress as other pupils. This is because all staff really care and give them the right extra help. Everyone is, and feels, a part of the school community.

This makes a considerable difference.

The school has a resourced unit for pupils with additional speech and language needs. It offers very high-quality support and meets pupil needs by using mainstream lessons where appropriate.

Pupils from the unit are seamlessly included in the school community. They focus on what they can achieve and have high expectations for their future. All of the pupils have the opportunity to take part in extra-curricular activities, including residential trips.

Pupils behave well in the majority of lessons. They concentrate and work well together, supporting each other. If pupils misbehave, most teachers follow procedures consistently.

The staff help pupils to get better at managing their behaviour. Most pupils respond well because they feel teachers treat them fairly. The number of times that some pupils get excluded is still high.

Leaders are working hard to support these pupils, though their actions have yet to work fully. The staff feel leaders give them good advice and support with challenging pupils.

Pupils' personal development is exceptional.

Topics covered help pupils to keep themselves safe. The school's commitment to everyone being creative, caring, collaborative and critical has transformed how pupils view themselves and their learning. Prefects are trained to help other pupils overcome anxiety or stress by offering drop-in sessions at lunchtime.

The school has active groups who raise awareness about a range of issues, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual and questioning. Pupils are very accepting of differences and so are confident to express their views. Pupil leadership is extremely strong, whether that is on the sports field or in the classroom.

Pupils are prepared extremely well for their next steps in education and are given clear impartial advice to support their career choices.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure all members of staff are vigilant and know what to do if they have a concern.

Pupils say they are confident to talk to staff if they are worried or unhappy. Leaders offer very strong support to parents and carers and refer cases to social care or the police when necessary. Records show that staff work tirelessly on all concerns until they resolve them.

Leaders have appointed key staff to ensure that vulnerable pupils get excellent help and support. The curriculum includes lessons about safety, so pupils know about risks, such as when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Behaviour in school has improved considerably.

Most pupils who have experienced sanctions say they have learned and are now more able to moderate their behaviour. However, some pupils, including some who have transferred to the school during the year, do repeatedly cause disruption. Leaders recognise this and should continue to monitor this carefully, intervening earlier if necessary, by using similar, already successful, systems and support from other areas of school such as in safeguarding.

. Senior leaders use most of their policies effectively to bring about progress. This practice now needs to be shared to involve middle leaders and the wider staff so that there is more consistency in how they applied.