Ellesmere Port Church of England College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors that this school is a happy and safe place to learn.

Pupils are proud of their achievements. The celebratory 'Fantastic Fridays' are popular with most pupils. New pupils are well supported when they join the school.

This helps them to settle in well.

Pupils rise to leaders' high expectations for their learning and behaviour. Pupils get on well together.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Most lessons are calm and purposeful. Leaders deal with incidents of bullying effectively.

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. This contributes to their good achievement over time.

Sixth-form studen...ts are excellent role models for younger pupils in the school.

They take on positions of responsibility, including running the student leadership team. Pupils across Years 7 to 11 are motivated to take full advantage of the wider experiences that are offered through the trust award scheme. For example, pupils enjoy the murder mystery and rock climbing clubs.

Pupils learn about local and national issues through the curriculum. They value and respect the different groups in their community. They support the local food bank and raise awareness of problems such as human trafficking through school events.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. For example, leaders are further developing the modern foreign languages curriculum to increase the number of pupils completing the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects at key stage 4. In most subjects, leaders' curriculum thinking is clear and coherent.

Learning is well organised so that teachers know the essential knowledge to teach and when this should happen. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across the curriculum.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They benefit from regular subject-specific training. As a result, they are able to explain new concepts clearly to pupils. In most subjects, teachers have effective strategies in place to check what pupils know and remember.

This helps pupils to retain important subject knowledge.

In a few subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge for pupils to learn. In these subjects, some pupils have gaps in their prior learning.

Teachers do not identify and address these gaps effectively enough. In these subjects, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

The sixth form is small in number.

However, the curriculum remains broad for all students. Leaders have made considerable improvements to the subject curriculums for sixth-form students. Moreover, they have ensured that lessons in the sixth form are personalised to meet the needs of each student, including those with SEND.

Current students have benefited from these changes. The published outcomes for the previous cohorts of key stage 5 students do not reflect these recent improvements.

Pupils with SEND learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Leaders identify pupils' additional needs effectively. Teachers receive helpful information and training so that they can support the needs of pupils with SEND well.

Leaders promote reading effectively across all year groups.

Leaders have established a library that provides a purposeful space for reading and associated extra-curricular activities. Sixth-form students act as reading buddies for younger pupils. Pupils who have gaps in their reading knowledge when they start at the school are identified quickly.

These pupils receive appropriate support to catch up so that they become confident and fluent readers.

Pupils typically behave well in lessons and around the school. That said, on occasion, there is some low-level disruption in lessons.

Teachers address this swiftly so that pupils can learn without interruption. Some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. These pupils miss out on important learning.

Leaders have designed their 'Be More' curriculum to promote pupils' personal development. Pupils learn about what makes a healthy relationship and how to keep themselves safe. Pupils benefit from effective careers information, education, advice and guidance.

This helps them to make informed decisions about their next steps.

Leaders provide a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities for pupils and students. Teachers broaden the experiences of pupils and students through local and international visits, including a planned trip to Hong Kong.

Leaders ensure that these opportunities are available to all pupils.

The governors and trustees are experienced and well equipped to provide high levels of challenge and support to leaders. Most staff feel that leaders are mindful of their workload and supportive of their well-being.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have identified local safeguarding risks.

Pupils and students are taught about these in an age-appropriate way. Pupils and students learn how to keep themselves safe, including when using social media and in the community.

Leaders and staff know their pupils, students and families well.

Teachers are trained to identify any safeguarding concerns. Leaders have effective systems in place for staff to report and record any concerns. They work closely with a range of external agencies to ensure that pupils and families receive timely help and support if necessary.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should happen. This means that pupils do not build their subject knowledge as well as they should in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that they are clear about what they want pupils to learn and by when to allow pupils to learn more successfully.

• In some subjects, leaders have not ensured that teachers effectively identify and address gaps in pupils' prior knowledge. This means that some pupils in key stages 4 and 5 are not prepared well for new learning. Leaders should ensure that gaps in pupils' knowledge are identified and addressed to enable pupils to learn and remember more of the curriculum.

• Some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. These pupils miss out on learning. Leaders should ensure that these pupils attend school more regularly.