Ellesmere Park High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this vibrant and inclusive school. They are happy and they enjoy learning.

The pride that pupils have in their school community is tangible, for example, through the work that they do to raise money for charities.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' learning and behaviour. They have ensured that the positivity of the school's ethos is woven into school life.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. This helps them to achieve well. Pupils in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND also achieve well.

Pupils feel safe at school.... Pupils, including pupils with SEND, told inspectors that they feel protected from bullying. If discrimination or derogatory language occurs, leaders deal with it swiftly.

Most pupils treat each other respectfully and with kindness. They develop positive relationships with each other and with staff.

Leaders encourage pupils to participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

Many pupils enjoy and benefit from these. For example, pupils prepare excitedly for the annual Ellesmere Parklife music festival where they perform on stage for their friends and families.

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

Leaders have fostered an aspirational culture where all pupils, including pupils with SEND, benefit from a good quality of education.

An increasing number of pupils choose the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects in key stage 4. Many pupils achieve well. They are successful in their applications to an ambitious range of post-16 destinations.

The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the published examination results for some pupils at the end of Year 11 in 2022. However, current pupils have overcome gaps in their learning. They are making the progress that they should through the curriculum.

Leaders have recently enhanced the curriculum, particularly in key stage 3. In most subjects, leaders have carefully organised the knowledge that they want pupils to learn. However, in a few subjects, these improvements are at an earlier stage.

Leaders in these subjects have not defined exactly what pupils need to remember in the long term. This hinders teachers in designing effective learning.

Nevertheless, many teachers use effective strategies to ensure that pupils remember what they have learned.

They successfully identify and address any gaps in pupils' learning. In the small number of subjects where the curriculum is less well defined, these strategies are not as successful. At times, there is a disconnection between what is taught and what learning is assessed.

Therefore, teachers are sometimes unaware of pupils' misconceptions. This makes subsequent learning more difficult for pupils in these subjects.

Leaders quickly and accurately identify any additional needs that pupils have.

This ensures that pupils with SEND receive the help that they need. Leaders ensure that teachers understand the best ways to support these pupils to access the same curriculum as their peers. As a result, pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, learn well alongside their peers.

Leaders have identified those pupils who are not reading as well as they should. These pupils are beginning to catch up because of the appropriate support that leaders provide.

Pupils conduct themselves sensibly around school.

They typically treat each other with respect. Leaders deal with any disruption to learning effectively. Most pupils attend well.

Leaders are working successfully with a group of disadvantaged pupils to help them to improve their attendance.

Leaders have designed a comprehensive programme of personal development. Most pupils recognise the importance of this learning.

They are well informed about life in modern society. Pupils also benefit from a thorough careers programme. This supports pupils to aspire highly and make informed choices about their future.

Trustees understand the school well. They work closely with leaders to provide both challenge and support. Staff told inspectors that leaders support them well and have appropriate expectations of their workload.

Teachers value the development opportunities that the trust provides. Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, teachers and staff follow clear and appropriate procedures to keep pupils safe. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained. They are alert to any signs that pupils may be at risk of harm.

When staff report any concerns, leaders act swiftly. They work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the right kind of help. Leaders follow this up tenaciously until they are sure that the help is effective.

Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. For example, they learn about the potential risks linked to misusing social media.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders have not fully defined the most important knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember.

This means that teachers in these subjects sometimes lack clarity about the knowledge that they should emphasise when they deliver the curriculum. This hinders pupils in building up their knowledge in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that they are precise about what they want pupils to know, and provide appropriate support for teachers to help them to deliver this curriculum faithfully.

• In some subjects, teachers do not have a secure enough understanding of how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge of these subjects that teachers are unaware of. Leaders should ensure that assessment strategies are well matched to the knowledge in the curriculum, so that teachers can accurately identify any learning that pupils have missed.