Epsom and Ewell High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key findings

This is a good school that has undergone a transformational journey in the last three years.

The amazing vision of the headteacher has created a culture where staff and students alike believe they can achieve outstandingly well. The academy is not yet outstanding as students on AS and A-level programmes do not always achieve the high grades expected of them, and because there are a few GCSE subjects where standards are not rising as rapidly as the best. Achievement has risen steeply since 2009.

The academy's data show it is improving further. Students make good progress in their lessons with outstanding progress in English. Students in the hearing resource base also progress well.

Tea...ching is good. Generally, the pace in lessons is fast and work is challenging, enabling students to learn well, but it sometimes slows, for example when work is not fine tuned to allow all students to do their best. The quality of marking is high in English, but in some other subjects does not give students enough guidance.

Behaviour is exemplary; this is demonstrated in the very few exclusions over the last two years. Attendance is rising. Students hold staff in high regard.

They treat each other with the utmost courtesy and respect. They have good opportunities to speak to leaders and staff if there are any concerns. Performance is led and managed exceptionally well.

High expectations and the phrase 'what more can we do' are the bedrock of the academy. Good professional development and the highly effective data analysis by leaders have made a strong contribution to the rise in achievement, especially in English and mathematics. The sixth form is good and improving.

Achievement fell in 2011. However, effective leadership actions have enabled the academy to improve it significantly this year.

Information about the school

The school became an academy in September 2011.

It is smaller than average for a secondary school and serves students mainly from the local community. It has an expanding sixth form. An above average proportion of students join or leave the academy part way through the school year.

The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. An average proportion of students are from minority ethnic heritages. There is a larger-than-average proportion of students who speak English as an additional language.

The academy has a specially resourced provision for students with special educational needs. This has three places for deaf students. The proportion of students who are supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is higher than average.

This includes the deaf students, those who have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, and those who have specific and moderate learning difficulties. The predecessor school was removed from special measures in March 2010. As the predecessor school, it exceeded the government's 2011 floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.

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