Howard of Effingham School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the educational opportunities they receive at this school. They are ambitious and want to succeed. They engage well with their teachers and peers and behave well in classes and around school.

Pupils talk confidently about feeling safe and happy in this school. They know that they can talk to the adults in the school about any concerns they have.

There is a strong ethos of pupils supporting each other well, modelled consistently by adults in the school.

Sixth-form students support the younger pupils to improve their reading, for instance. Bullying is rare. Most pupils feel well supported by staff if bullying does occur.

Team sports are po...pular. Some pupils are very committed to the sports activities available at the start of every school day. Dedicated pupils start their day with these, come what may.

Leaders have the highest ambition for pupils to succeed. They are determined to help all pupils achieve the best possible outcomes by the time they leave the school. Students in the sixth form are exceptionally well prepared for their future steps into further education or employment.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. They have designed this well to ensure that pupils learn and remember the important knowledge they need to succeed in the future. In history and geography, pupils remember the subject knowledge they are taught very well.

Leaders are taking the right actions to ensure that the curriculum content of a small number of less well-developed subject areas improves quickly. For example, leaders are taking effective steps to develop the English curriculum further. They gain useful support from leaders of the trust to develop the quality of provision pupils receive in this area.

As a result, English has improved quickly.

Leaders ensure that pupils study a wide range of subjects. They expect all pupils to study modern foreign languages.

Currently, a high proportion of pupils do so. More pupils are achieving better outcomes in modern foreign languages than in recent years. Nevertheless, there is more to do to secure the best outcomes for all pupils studying a modern foreign language.

Teachers use their good subject knowledge well to plan learning that tests pupils' knowledge well. For example, in Year 13, biology students are pushed to learn the intricate details of how the kidney functions. Teachers use thoughtful questions to challenge pupils to apply the knowledge they have.

This is particularly the case in mathematics.

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported suitably. Teachers know the needs of these pupils accurately.

As a result, most pupils with SEND achieve well.

Pupils attend school regularly. However, the persistent absence rates of a few disadvantaged pupils remain too high.

Pupils behave well. They listen well to their teachers' instructions. As such, learning is rarely affected by low-level disruption.

Pupils have many opportunities to learn about life in modern Britain. They have an age-appropriate understanding of the risks of using the internet and other technology. Leaders have ensured that there are a wide range of opportunities to support the personal development of pupils.

Leaders have developed a 'learning for life' curriculum that is highly valued by pupils. Through this, pupils learn about dealing with age-appropriate issues, such as preparing for examinations. Pupils develop personal and academic resilience well.

Sixth-form students enjoy an exceptional quality of provision. Leaders have designed a very effective curriculum to support students in their academic subjects and wider sixth-form experiences. Teachers have the highest expectations of students to achieve to the best of their ability.

One-to-one and small-group work give students the personalised support they need to help them succeed. Consequently, they are highly engaged with their learning and a very high proportion go on to education or employment.

Sixth-form student leaders help organise school events, support local charities and arrange visits to the school.

For example, local politicians have been invited to the school in the run up to the general election. As such, sixth-form students are strong ambassadors for the school.

Trustees, governors and trust leaders work well together to support the school.

They know the strengths and priorities of the school accurately. They are well placed to support the school to improve further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a culture where the safety of all pupils is of the utmost importance.

Leaders and staff are well trained and knowledgeable about safeguarding matters that affect young people. Staff are aware of any local contextual issues that might affect pupils' safety.

They know when to inform leaders of concerns they have with a pupil's welfare or safety. They know that concerns will be dealt with swiftly by leaders.

Trustees carry out their safeguarding duties properly.

They make regular checks to ensure that the culture of safeguarding remains strong.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders review the quality of the curriculum continuously. They have helpful procedures in place to identify where things need to be better.

As such, they have taken the right steps to strengthen and remove some weaknesses in the English and modern foreign languages subject areas. Leaders need to ensure that this work continues so that the curriculum in these subject areas is even better planned and more ambitious to improve pupils' outcomes. .

Leaders identify and support pupils whose attendance needs to be better. This work is improving the attendance of many of these pupils. Leaders need to continue these efforts to reduce rates of persistent absence further.