Congleton High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Congleton High School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Congleton High School is a warm, welcoming place to learn and work. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Pupils, staff and leaders embrace the vision for the school community.

They strive to 'achieve success together'. From Years 7 to 13, pupils respect each other and are considerate of each other's differences. Pupils feel happy and safe.

Relationships between pupils and staff are strong.

Pupils typically achieve well in a range of subjects. This means that they are well prepared for their next steps by the time they leave the school in Year 11 and Year 13.

Subje...ct leaders and teachers have developed well-thought-out curriculums across most subjects. This ensures that pupils build their learning from topic to topic.

Pupils learn effectively about issues they may face as they grow older.

They learn about healthy relationships, consent and the dangers of the internet. Pupils' knowledge of how to recognise and deal with sexual harassment, abuse and other forms of harmful behaviours is strong.

Pupils are polite, courteous and enjoy speaking with visitors to the school.

They behave well in lessons and around school, which results in a calm and purposeful environment.

Pupils benefit from an abundance of enrichment activities, including the eco-club, debating society and clubs to allow pupils to compete in sports events and develop their music skills. Pupils across different year groups are keenly preparing for the summer production of 'Annie'.

Pupils are confident that leaders and staff will listen to their concerns. They trust staff to sort out any issues they may have. Any incidents of bullying are resolved quickly and effectively.

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

Leaders, governors and trustees have put in place a broad, balanced and carefully considered curriculum. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are typically successful in their learning. The majority of pupils study the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects, including languages.

In addition, pupils in all key stages can learn a range of vocational courses. The curriculum is shaped well to meet pupils' needs, interests and aspirations.

In subjects across key stages 3 and 4 and in the sixth form, leaders have strengthened the curriculum so that pupils' learning builds on what they have learned previously.

Subject leaders have carefully considered what pupils should learn and the order that the subject content should be taught.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. In many subjects, they use this expertise to help pupils remember and apply the essential knowledge and skills they have been taught.

Teachers choose appropriate activities so that pupils practise and revisit what they already know. However, in a small number of subjects in key stage 3 and 4, teachers sometimes do not design activities that help pupils to remember their learning. This means that pupils' learning is less secure, and pupils cannot explain what they have learned.

Teachers use a range of assessment methods effectively to check pupils' understanding. They use assessment information well to tackle misconceptions so that pupils are ready for new learning.

Staff are keen to embrace new ideas and develop their skills.

Morale is high. Staff appreciate leaders' strategies to consider their workload and well-being.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND effectively.

Leaders provide staff with detailed training and information so that they can help all pupils to have full access to the curriculum and achieve well.

Reading is a high priority. Leaders make sure that those pupils who struggle to read are quickly identified and provided with extra support.

This helps them to catch up. Leaders have invested heavily in the whole-school reading strategy, which is supported by an increasingly successful library. However, leaders' plans to improve pupils' love of reading and to extend pupils' vocabulary are not fully implemented across the school.

Pupils typically behave well in lessons and around the school. Leaders are quick to intervene if their high expectations of behaviour are not met.

Leaders place as much emphasis on pupils' personal development as they do on their academic achievement.

All pupils benefit from highly effective wider development lessons, which are supported by assemblies and form time discussions. Pupils across all year groups benefit from an extensive range of leadership opportunities. Sixth-form students run charity events and take responsibility for keeping their school clean.

Sixth-form student leaders play a significant role in the overall leadership of their provision. Pupils and students tackle discrimination through groups such as the LGBTQ+ group. The school's careers programme is highly effective.

Almost all pupils in Year 11 and Year 13 progress to employment, education or training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that the protection of pupils from risk and potential harm is at the forefront of their work.

The experienced safeguarding team is supported by staff who are knowledgeable and alert to any issues pupils may face. Staff receive appropriate training and frequent updates.

Good relationships between pupils and adults mean that staff pick up on concerns or changes in behaviour quickly.

Clear reporting and recording systems are in place. Pupils have many opportunities in the curriculum to learn how to stay safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, teachers do not provide pupils with enough opportunities to practise, revisit and consolidate their learning.

This means that some pupils' learning is not embedded, and they struggle to remember key knowledge and skills. In these subjects, leaders should ensure that teachers provide appropriate activities to enable pupils to strengthen and deepen their learning. ? The ambitious reading strategy is not fully embedded and supported across subject areas.

This means that, in some subjects, pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop their reading skills and enjoyment of reading. Leaders should ensure that subject areas promote the benefits and enjoyment of reading so that pupils can further develop their reading fluency and increase the range of their vocabulary.

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 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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2014.