Bungay High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bungay High School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Bungay High School is a friendly community where the pupils are proud of their achievements.

A group of pupils said, 'It's inspiring here. Don't be afraid to ask for help; there are plenty of friends.' The school environment is lively.

Pupils are enthusiastic about lessons.

Leaders have high expectations. A wide range of academic and vocational subjects are available to all pupils.

Pupils say they are not afraid to make mistakes and try again as they learn. Most pupils achieve well at school.

Pupils feel safe at school.

Staff and pupils are proud of ...their relationship and honest conversations. Pupils appreciate that teachers are willing to help them deal with issues outside school. Bullying does not happen often.

Pupils and most parents say that staff deal with bullying when it does occur.

Following the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders are rebuilding the programme of activities and events. Pupils who joined recently in Year 7 are settling well, after a year of disruption and lack of usual transition arrangements from primary school.

There is a strong sense of togetherness at the school.

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

Senior leaders have a structured approach to curriculum design. Subject leaders plan curriculums in line with this.

They create colourful 'snake journeys'. Pupils enjoy using these to look back at what they have learned and what is coming next. Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They use this to teach the ambitious curriculum well. Therefore pupils study challenging work and achieve well. Assessment is a strength in the school.

Teachers check carefully what pupils have learned and what they have struggled with. Teachers set bespoke tasks which help individual pupils learn content they are unsure of.

The proportion of pupils entered for the range of qualifications that make up the English Baccalaureate (EBACC) is low.

Leaders' plans to address this are hindered by a low uptake of modern foreign languages (MFL). The curriculum design has not secured the same impact in MFL as in other areas. Pupils do not achieve well enough.

The school has a growing sixth form. Leaders have taken the same level of care in planning the sixth-form curriculum as they have elsewhere. Sixth-form students are positive about their experience and are mature in the way they approach their work.

Many have leadership positions within the school community and support younger pupils.

Reading is a priority for leaders. This works well in Years 7, 8 and 9.

All lessons in these year groups contain reading time. This encourages pupils to read and develop a love of reading. However the same strengths are not as evident in Years 10 and 11.

Some older pupils do not have the same enthusiasm for reading.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support and access the same curriculum as everyone else. Teachers make adaptations to the lessons to ensure these pupils are able to achieve as well as they can.

The school has a resource base for deaf pupils. Assistants translate with sign language, allowing deaf pupils to integrate in the lessons. Pupils with SEND are ambitious for the future.

They enjoy school and value the positive relationships with their teachers.

Behaviour has improved since September 2021. Pupils, staff and parents are positive about this change.

This has made a difference to lessons and low-level disruption is rare.

Pupils learn about healthy relationships. Pupils say their teachers are honest and open with them, so they can talk about any issues.

Teachers are skilled in having sensitive conversations with pupils. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme is extensive. Leaders have ensured the curriculum goes beyond academic study.

Clubs and wider school events have resumed following the pandemic restrictions. Many pupils attend these activities. They are proud of their achievements, including representing the school at the British Taekwondo Championships.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a culture of vigilance. Staff are trained on the priorities for safeguarding in their local area.

Pupils feel safe in school. Leaders have made it easy for staff, pupils and parents to make their concerns known. Leaders work well with outside agencies to support vulnerable pupils and diligently follow up all concerns raised.

They employ other partners and groups to give talks or workshops for staff and pupils on safeguarding issues, such as youth crime. Leaders have ensured that all adults working in the school are vetted and suitable to work with young people.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The culture of reading is not fully embedded in key stage 4.

Fewer older pupils are enthusiastic about reading for pleasure than pupils in key stage 3. Leaders should ensure all staff follow the reading programme. ? The take up of MFL is lower than leaders intend.

This hinders leaders' ambitions for the number of pupils achieving the qualifications needed for the EBACC. Leaders need to improve the provision in MFL and encourage pupils to study it as GCSE.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we inspected the school in September 2016.