Deyes High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They are proud of their new building and facilities. Staff frequently invite pupils to share their views about school.

For example, students in the sixth form appreciated being consulted about the design of some of the new student spaces. This helps pupils to feel valued. Pupils, of all ages, spoke warmly of their positive relationships with staff.

The school's 'your best Deyes' passport sets pupils a series of challenges to complete each year. These encourage pupils to make a positive difference to the school community and to develop their character. They take pride in these achievements, for instance pupils help to organise fundra...ising activities for charity.

Typically, pupils conduct themselves sensibly as they move around the school. They are well mannered and respectful. Classrooms are calm and orderly environments where learning is not usually disrupted.

The school has high aspirations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It has ensured that the curriculum is suitably ambitious. However, there are weaknesses in how well the curriculum is taught in key stages 3 and 4 which have hindered some pupils' learning.

Pupils in these key stages, including those with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should.

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

The trust and the school have worked together to strengthen the curriculum. As a result, subject curriculums are logically organised, from Year 7 to Year 13.

It is clear what pupils should learn and when this should happen. Teachers value the time that they are given to develop and review the curriculum. They said that this helps them to manage their workload well.

Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. The school has introduced strategies that are designed to promote effective learning. However, at times, teachers do not make best use of these to help pupils to embed their learning.

In addition, some teachers do not use the school's assessment strategies consistently well to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. On occasions, teachers move learning on before some pupils are ready.

In the main, students in the sixth form do not experience the same weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum as younger pupils.

In sixth form lessons, most teachers draw on their specialist knowledge to carefully check what students know. Teachers design learning activities that build from students' starting points. Students in the sixth form typically achieve well.

The school has strengthened its systems for identifying any additional needs that pupils may have. It ensures that staff have appropriate information about those needs. However, at times, staff do not use this information effectively to support pupils with SEND.

Some of these pupils do not achieve well.

The school has ensured that pupils of all ages read widely and often. Pupils eagerly described the books that they have enjoyed reading in 'Project L' time.

Students in the sixth form frequently engage in wider academic reading. This helps to deepen their understanding of different subjects. Most pupils read well.

The school has prioritised identifying and supporting those who do not. These pupils benefit from strong support to help them to become fluent and confident readers.

Through the school's 'Peak' programme, pupils learn important information which helps to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.

For instance, the school's 'no to negativity' campaign reinforces pupils' learning about tolerance and respect of difference. Pupils embrace the raft of extra-curricular opportunities that are available, from heavy metal club to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

The school's comprehensive careers programme begins in Year 7.

This supports pupils to make well informed decisions about their next steps. Pupils in key stage 4 and students in the sixth form spoke positively about what they had learned through their work experience.

Pupils are attentive in lessons.

Typically, they are proud to exhibit the positive attitudes to learning that their teachers expect. Students in the sixth form are positive role models for younger pupils. However, the school's expectations of the punctuality of these older students does not match the high expectations that it has of them more generally.

Most pupils across the school attend frequently. Where this is not the case, including for the most vulnerable pupils, the school is taking effective action to reduce absenteeism.

The trust and the school have a strong shared commitment to providing a high-quality education.

However, the school's processes for monitoring the effectiveness of this education are not sharply focused on how successfully pupils, including those with SEND, are learning the curriculum. This has hampered the school in accurately identifying the areas in need of further development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not use the school's agreed learning strategies and assessment processes as effectively as they should. This makes it harder for pupils to build a secure understanding in some subjects. The school should ensure that teachers benefit from appropriate guidance and support to enable them to deliver and assess pupils' learning of the curriculum consistently well.

• Some pupils with SEND do not benefit from consistently high-quality support to access the curriculum. Consequently, some pupils with SEND do not achieve well. The school should ensure that it carefully evaluates and improves the support that pupils with SEND receive to ensure that they learn successfully and can fulfil their aspirations.

• Some of the school's processes to evaluate its quality of education do not provide it with sufficient oversight of how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Therefore, on occasions, the school does not accurately identify the most appropriate actions that are needed to improve. The school and the trust should review their approach to quality assuring the curriculum to ensure that they gather the information that they need to continue to drive the improvement of the school.

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