Cumberland Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils belong to an inclusive school community.

Staff value all pupils. They know the pupils well and care about them. Pupils are safe here.

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils and work hard to develop pupils' determination and ambition. They want them to succeed both in their studies and in their future lives.

Leaders insist on the highest standards of behaviour and conduct.

Pupils meet these expectations. They behave well and show respect for others. Pupils are polite and friendly and enjoy socialising with each other at lunch and breaktimes.

Bullying is rare, and when it does happen leaders deal with it effectively.

Teachers... teach without disruption. Pupils listen and respond well to teachers' instructions.

They concentrate on their work and answer questions from their teachers, when asked. Teachers help pupils to improve their work both in lessons and outside of lessons, for example at homework club and excellence club.

Pupils have opportunities to broaden their experiences and develop new interests.

Leaders are developing the range of these opportunities to increase pupils' participation. Some pupils take part in sport, music, and drama activities. Other pupils are reading mentors for Year 7 pupils or take on responsibility as anti-bullying ambassadors.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have identified the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn over time.

The curriculum is well-ordered so that pupils build up their knowledge and skills in a logical sequence. Pupils often revisit what they have learned before. This helps them to remember essential knowledge and develop their understanding.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this well to present new subject content to pupils. They frequently give pupils information about areas of their learning that need improvement.

This helps pupils to work on specific aspects of their learning by themselves. Some teachers use a range of strategies to check pupils' understanding and they adapt their teaching accordingly. This helps pupils to secure knowledge before they move on to the next stage of learning.

Other teachers do not always check pupils' understanding effectively. This leads to pupils not securing knowledge and sometimes being unable to complete their work.

Pupils with autism spectrum disorder achieve well.

They learn in a calm, well-resourced environment. Other pupils with SEND receive the help they need to access the curriculum. Teachers have information about pupils' specific needs.

Many teachers use this information well to help them support pupils' learning. Leaders provide extra support for those pupils who need help with reading comprehension. Pupils who cannot read with fluency also receive extra support, occasionally including some phonics teaching.

Pupils behave well in lessons. Leaders do not tolerate any low-level disruption. Teachers use the school's behaviour policy to maintain high standards of behaviour.

They also promote positive attitudes to learning. Pupils show a commitment to their work.

Leaders have developed a well-structured personal development programme.

Pupils learn about a range of important issues. These include healthy relationships, equality and diversity, and physical and mental health. Pupils also learn about these issues through assemblies and from external speakers.

Leaders prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education. Pupils receive appropriate careers information, education and guidance from Year 7 to 11.Leaders share a vision to transform the life chances of pupils by providing them with a high-quality education.

They have embedded clear approaches to teaching and behaviour across the school. Pupils are benefiting from teachers' consistent use of these approaches. Trust leaders support the continuous improvement of the school.

For example, they provide a comprehensive teacher development programme. This is helping teachers to acquire a wide range of teaching strategies. Staff enjoy working at the school and feel well supported.

Indeed, leaders are innovative in their approach to staff workload. Staff value this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular training and updates. This ensures that they are aware of local safeguarding risks and alert to signs of potential concern in pupils.

Staff know how to record and report concerns and do so appropriately. Leaders and members of the safeguarding team are expert and knowledgeable. They work well with relevant external agencies to secure the help pupils need.

Leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They also work with parents and families to raise awareness of the risks to their children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes teachers do not check pupils' understanding effectively before moving on to the next stage of learning.

This means that some pupils do not secure the knowledge required to complete work set. Leaders should ensure that teachers use a range of strategies to inform them of pupils' learning. They should also ensure that teachers adapt their teaching accordingly, so that pupils can use and embed their knowledge with increasing fluency.