Conyers School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Conyers School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Conyers School is an aspirational and supportive environment where pupils are happy to attend.

The school motto is 'perseverando' and pupils are expected to work hard and give their best. Staff support them to do so. Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve, both academically and more widely.

The school celebrates the success of past pupils, alongside rewarding the efforts and achievements of existing pupils.

Pupils understand the school's expectation that they should be 'ready, respectful and safe'. These rules underpin much of school life.

The vast majo...rity of pupils behave with maturity and respect. Pupils in Year 7 talk about how well they have been supported to settle in. All pupils receive clear messages about bullying.

They recognise what it is and feel confident reporting it. Most pupils believe that teachers take reports of bullying seriously and act swiftly to stop it. A small minority of pupils disagree.

Pupils are offered a wide range of opportunities to enrich their school experience. The 'go music' and 'go sport' programmes ensure that pupils have access to specialist tuition to develop their talents. The school caters for a wide range of interests in the extra-curricular offer, from sports to creative arts, from crafts to chess.

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

The school has designed a 'destinations curriculum' so that pupils' experience at school is geared towards helping them achieve their future goals. Leaders are extremely ambitious about the curriculum that they want pupils to experience. The vast majority of pupils study a language at key stage 4 and many study two.

A large number of pupils study separate sciences. The school ensures that pupils have the right information to help pupils make the right choices for their next steps. Students at key stage 5 have a wide range of academic and technical qualifications to choose from.

The school has considered carefully what it wants pupils to learn in subject areas. For example, texts are chosen in English to develop pupils' cultural heritage but also expose them to diversity. Leaders make sure that pupils build on what they already know and make links to prior learning.

The school has equal ambition for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND are effectively supported to access the curriculum alongside their peers. Where adaptations to the curriculum are necessary, these are made in line with teachers' high expectations for pupils with SEND.

The school has prioritised creating a culture of reading in school. This has been achieved through the introduction of weekly 'we are readers' lessons. Pupils in Year 7 and 8 talk with enthusiasm about the books they have chosen to read.

Teachers are delivering the curriculum effectively. They use modelling to help pupils understand difficult concepts. Teachers circulate well and address misconceptions quickly.

Leaders have designed assessment systems that help them to close gaps for pupils and inform teaching moving forwards. This is particularly evident in history.

During lessons, pupils are engaged and focused on their learning.

There are strong relationships evident between pupils and staff. Pupils enjoy meeting the expectations that teachers set for them. Pupils are confident to discuss their learning and offer ideas.

However, some pupils' behaviour at social times is less positive. There are instances of silly and boisterous behaviour around the school site. The school are aware of this and is focusing on teaching pupils the importance of behaving well around school.

The provision for pupils' personal development beyond the classroom is a considerable strength of the school. Pupils learn a wide range of important messages that prepare them to be positive and respectful citizens. This focus on respect and tolerance is evident in how pupils treat each other.

Pupils firmly believe that this is an inclusive environment, where they are valued as individuals. Pupils develop a strong understanding of how to keep themselves safe from a range of risks, including online and physical risks such as the nearby railway lines and river.

Staff are very proud to work at this school.

One member of staff explained that 'When people come to work here, they stay here.' Many members of staff are long-standing, as they value the culture that leaders have created. This culture has the very best interests of pupils at heart.

Staff explain that their opinions are valued and they are supported to manage their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils' behaviour at social times is not as strong as their behaviour during lessons.

Some pupils do not self-regulate as well as they should. The school should intensify its actions to promote positive behaviour from pupils during unstructured times.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.