Glebelands School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a very well-planned, broad and aspirational curriculum that helps them to learn well and prepares them for success in their next steps. Pupils appreciate the range of learning they have.

They enjoy coming to school and display positive attitudes in lessons and around the school. They relish the wide range of enrichment and extra-curricular activities on offer and are proud of the new interests and skills they are supported to develop.

Pupils feel safe because of carefully considered safeguarding arrangements and the 'Learning for Life' pastoral curriculum.

This successfully promotes pupils' well-being and helps to create a community where ...respect for others, including those who hold different opinions and beliefs, is embedded. Pupils show courtesy and consideration for each other, and bullying is rare. If it does occur, pupils are confident that staff address it quickly and successfully.

Pupils also appreciate the strong local links with other secondary schools and the sixth-form college. They like the mentoring opportunities and can see how these help them to consider their options and be ambitious. Leaders aim to widen horizons for all, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), through cultural trips and careers education.

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

Leaders and governors have high ambition for all pupils and have created a well-designed curriculum overall. Leaders have worked to ensure that all staff have the knowledge to deliver this effectively so that pupils achieve well in examinations. Leaders ensure that the scope of the curriculum meets the needs and aspirations of all groups of pupils well.

This includes those with SEND. These pupils achieve as well as their peers. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that staff know pupils with SEND and their needs well.

Staff understand and cater for all pupils. For example, they make adaptations to activities so that pupils with SEND make secure progress through the planned curriculum. The SENCo keeps a close eye on how pupils are doing and supports staff as needed.

Teachers check carefully on how well pupils understand and remember their learning. In most subject areas, staff use this information very effectively and help pupils to fill any gaps in knowledge. The painstaking attention that leaders have paid to sequencing learning in the majority of subject areas supports staff well to do this work.

Where this curriculum thinking is embedded, pupils learn well and can see how their knowledge develops over time. Leaders know where this work is still to be strengthened.

Leaders take appropriate steps to identify and support pupils joining the school who have fallen behind with their reading.

This work helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers who can access the whole curriculum. Leaders have prioritised reading. They have ensured that the school's Learning Resource Centre has engaging and inspiring books that help to promote a love of reading through the school.

Staff prepare pupils carefully for transition to their post-16 courses, whether A levels, vocational courses or apprenticeships. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 have useful careers advice, information and guidance, with a range of events that help them understand their options. However, these opportunities do not extend to pupils in the lower year groups.

Leaders acknowledge this gap in provision. They have plans in place to remedy this rapidly.

The 'Learning for Life' curriculum, along with well-planned assemblies, tutor group and enrichment programmes, ensures pupils' wider development.

Pupils enjoy the rich opportunities to consider important topics, including equality of opportunity and understanding and tolerance of the beliefs of others. They are proud of the inclusive nature of their school.

Leaders know the school well and have well-considered plans for further improvement.

Staff feel valued by leaders and supported with workload. They believe leaders protect them from bullying and harassment. Governors build their knowledge of the school through regular visits and dialogue, as well as through specific links with school and subject leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established clear procedures to ensure that all staff know how to identify safeguarding issues and report them swiftly. This culture of safeguarding means that pupils are helped effectively and that concerns are appropriately managed.

Leaders work well with external agencies and follow up all work carefully. They make sure that pupils and families get the help they may need. The single central record is efficiently maintained, and safer recruitment practices are followed meticulously.

Experienced designated safeguarding leads understand their roles and responsibilities well.

Pupils are taught how to recognise risk. They are confident to report any worries and know that they will receive effective support.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? In a minority of subjects, the approach to delivering the agreed curriculum is not yet fully embedded. This hinders the learning of some pupils over time. Leaders should continue their work to ensure that delivery of the whole curriculum is consistently as they intend it to be.

• Pupils in Years 7 to 9 do not receive the careers information they should, especially from different providers. This limits their understanding of the different options available. Leaders must ensure that this requirement is met as set out in the provider access legislation.

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