Driffield School and Sixth Form

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Driffield School and Sixth Form is a friendly and happy place. It provides a good quality of education to its pupils and sixth-form students. The new headteacher and his senior leadership team have made significant improvements to the school.

Pupils, parents, carers and staff have noticed the many improvements and are pleased with them. As a result, pupils and students achieve well here.

Pupils are happy at the school and say that it feels safe.

Pupils behave well and are positive about their school. They told us that if bullying happens, it is quickly dealt with by the teachers. Pupils move around the large site in a calm and orderly manner.

They sh...ow respect for each other and staff.

Leaders and staff have created a positive environment based on the school's motto 'Believe, Achieve'. Staff ensure that all pupils feel welcome within the school.

Pupils value each other's differences. Staff and pupils work well together. This is particularly the case for students in the sixth form.

They work very hard to achieve their ambitious goals.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, including a range of sports, to develop their talents. Pupils are proud of the production of shows such as 'Oliver' and 'Grease'.

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

The quality of education is good. Leaders have created a broad and ambitious curriculum. The curriculum meets the needs and interests of most pupils.

In Year 10, pupils can choose from a wide range of subjects and qualifications. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help they need to overcome their difficulties. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education or employment.

Leaders ensure that in all subject areas, curriculum plans show what pupils need to learn at each stage of their education. In some subjects, for example mathematics, science and history, there is a clear sequence of what pupils will learn and when. Leaders are currently further refining the sequence of learning for some year groups in English and business studies.

For each subject, leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum so that pupils' knowledge builds up over time. Pupils use their prior knowledge when learning something new. For example, when students in Year 12 learn about managing finance, they use what they have learned about financial planning.

Leaders are at the early stages of ensuring that pupils use their knowledge from one subject when they are learning something new in another subject.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They revisit key facts regularly and use questioning well to check if pupils remember what they have learned.

In many subjects, pupils could tell us what they were learning and how their knowledge is building up from previous lessons.

School leaders recently introduced a new behaviour policy. As a result, the behaviour and conduct of pupils has greatly improved.

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils say that when bullying happens, teachers deal with it effectively. There is a clear process for dealing with bullying incidents.

Inspection evidence confirms this. A very small minority of parents expressed some concerns about how leaders deal with bullying.

Pupils attend school well and behave well.

The number of fixed-term exclusions is below the national average. However, not all teachers apply the school's policy of rewards and sanctions consistently. As a result, pupils do not experience the same level of expectations in every lesson they go to.

Students show very positive attitudes to learning in the sixth form, both in lessons and in private study. They enjoy their time in the sixth form and feel challenged and supported. The range of courses is ambitious, and students make good progress.

Leaders' provision for students' career guidance is a strength at the school. Leaders build useful partnerships with external agencies so that all students and pupils have rich experiences of the workplace. In 2019, all students in Year 13 left the school to train with an employer or continue their education at college or university.

The school offers a wide range of opportunities for personal development within lessons. It also provides many activities at the end of the school day, including sports clubs. Pupils value these opportunities.

Trust leaders and governors are key in driving the school forward. The governors are well informed and hold the headteacher and leaders to account. The support from the trust has been instrumental in the rapid improvement of the school.

The school is quickly gaining the confidence of its community. Staff feel valued and supported and proud to be working in this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding leader and her team are knowledgeable, vigilant and take safeguarding very seriously. Teachers and pupils know what to do if they have any concerns. Staff receive regular training in safeguarding and, as a result, they know the potential risks in the area and what to do if they have concerns about pupils.

Pupils know what to do to stay safe, including when online. Leaders also make sure that pupils who attend alternative education provision are safe. Leaders ensure that safeguarding records are accurate.

Recruitment checks are thorough and ensure that staff are safe to work with pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In most subjects, the sequencing of content is logical and carefully planned. As a result, pupils' knowledge builds up over time.

Leaders should continue the work they are doing to further refine the order in which important content is taught to pupils in some year groups, particularly in English. . The school curriculum is well thought out and planned.

However, the school is at the early stages of developing links between different subjects. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is refined further so that, where appropriate, pupils can use their prior learning from one subject when learning new content in another subject. .

The new behaviour policy has recently been introduced and has had a very positive impact on improving the behaviour and conduct of pupils. However, not all teachers apply the behaviour policy, including sanctions and rewards, consistently. Leaders must ensure that all staff follow and apply the school behaviour policy consistently so that all pupils experience the same expectations in all lessons.