Chosen Hill School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Chosen Hill School provides a welcoming and ambitious environment for all pupils. The school has high expectations of them and balances this with a nurturing approach, when needed. From the time pupils start in Year 7, to when they leave after Year 11 or Year 13, the school focuses on their next steps.

This means that the majority of pupils see the value in their learning and have positive attitudes towards school.

Recent improvements to the way the curriculum is delivered are helping pupils to know and remember more. This is mostly reflected in the school's published outcomes.

Pupils enjoy learning a broad range of subjects. The sixth form has also undergone... a number of changes. Expectations of students are now higher.

Students have responded well to this. They have highly positive attitudes towards learning and their role in creating the strong sense of community that characterises the school.

The school offers a broad range of opportunities to develop pupils' talents and interests, including a school magazine, a well-established link with a school in India and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

There is a strong focus on mental well-being. As a result, pupils, and students in the sixth form, have trusting and respectful relationships with staff.

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

In each subject, the school has identified the most important knowledge pupils need to learn, and in which order.

This helps pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. Staff have worked together to create a 'blueprint' for learning. This means that they carefully consider how pupils learn best in each subject.

As a result, pupils learn effectively. For example, most of the time, teachers skilfully question pupils to deepen their understanding. They present information clearly and provide lots of opportunities for pupils to practise and demonstrate what they have learned.

This is reflected in their written work and is a particular strength in the sixth form. However, this is more effective in some subjects than in others. Occasionally, teachers do not check that all pupils have understood before they move on.

This means that pupils do not have the depth of understanding or the confidence to apply what they have learned in new contexts.

Recent changes in the sixth form have had a positive impact, although this is not reflected in published outcomes. Students now spend more time in lessons with their expert teachers.

They receive more support to help them use their independent learning time effectively. Students remember what they have learned and produce high-quality written work. Staff support them effectively into their post-18 destinations.

Many students take on positions of responsibility, including leading the much-loved house music event and supporting pupils in Year 7 through the school's 'Boost' programme.

The school has recently improved the way it supports younger pupils who have fallen behind in reading. These pupils now have extra help with phonics and comprehension.

Pupils are encouraged to read for pleasure with their tutors, though this work is not consistently effective.

The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. The school accurately identifies these pupils' needs and puts additional support in place.

When appropriate, pupils access enhanced support through 'The Hub' or 'CHoiceS'. These provisions also support pupils with low attendance to reintegrate back into school. The school's work to improve attendance is highly effective.

Leaders work with strong moral purpose to ensure the school is inclusive for all.

The school is calm and orderly. Fundamental British values are lived out in the behaviour of the vast majority of pupils.

Pupils know what is expected of them and staff apply the behaviour policy consistently. The majority of pupils describe the school as respectful and tolerant.

Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy, including online.

This part of the curriculum is often supplemented with assemblies and workshops. For example, sixth-form students have taken part in a workshop about consent. Many pupils enjoy taking part in sports clubs and competitions.

There is on-going work to increase participation further. All pupils receive helpful careers information and guidance. This is a strength of the school.

Governors have a strong oversight of the school and provide meaningful challenge and support to help the school bring about improvements. The impact of this work is evident in many areas, however the information that the school gathers about some aspects of its provision is not analysed sufficiently. Where this is the case, the school cannot evaluate the impact of its work.

It knows that there is still work to do to ensure all pupils are well-prepared for life in modern Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The oversight and analysis of some of the school's work is not consistently robust or widely understood.

This means that leaders do not always have a clear understanding of its impact. The school must sharpen its oversight and evaluation of these areas of its work, so that this information informs further improvements where needed. ? Sometimes, assessment in lessons is not used effectively.

This means that teachers do not consistently check that all pupils have understood before moving on, so some pupils do not develop a secure understanding of what has been taught. They are subsequently unable to apply their learning in new contexts. The school must ensure that teachers use assessment effectively in lessons, so that all pupils develop a secure understanding of the content.

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