King Edward VI CEVC School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher has guided the school skilfully through changing times, while bringing about significant improvements.

This is no mean feat. The sixth form is well led. A broad curriculum and extensive enrichment programme prepare students well for the next stage of their lives.

The high-quality extra-curricular programme and pastoral care give pupils an extremely well-rounded education. Pupils play a full and meaningful part in church and community life. Pupils behave well.

They embody the core values of respect, aspiration and creativity. Leaders monitor teaching and learning well. Staff benefit from useful training that allows... them to develop their craft.

Overwhelmingly, teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan interesting activities that enthuse pupils, helping them to learn well. Safeguarding is effective. Pupils feel safe.

Parents and carers agree. Bullying is rare and dealt with well if it does happen. Governors monitor the work of leaders well.

They have a clear understanding of the school's key priorities. Senior leaders know their school well. They can accurately assess the school's effectiveness and provide strong leadership across all areas.

Pupils are confident and articulate. Examples of 'courageous advocacy' highlight how they stand up for and support each other admirably. Leaders and governors adapt the curriculum to meet pupils' needs well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In the hearing impairment unit, pupils receive excellent support to help them learn. Middle leaders are an emerging strength. They know relative strengths and weaknesses and have credible improvement plans in place.

Last year, pupils' progress improved across the curriculum. They achieved significantly above national averages in a number of subject areas. Leaders' clear actions have improved pupils' attendance across most groups.

There are, however, a core group of disadvantaged pupils who continue to attend less well. In a few subjects, learning is not matched closely enough to pupils' needs. Pupils lose concentration and make less progress.

Information about this school

This school is larger than the average-sized secondary school and has grown over recent years owing to the addition of Year 7 and Year 8 pupils in 2016. There have been significant leadership changes over the last two years. These include a new headteacher, a second deputy headteacher, a change of assistant headteacher, new heads of college, new subject leaders and a new chair of governors.

Following agreement in 2015, the school's sixth form will cease to admit Year 12 students from the end of this academic year and will close in 2020. The school will become an 11–16 school. A new sixth-form centre run by Suffolk Academies Trust will open adjacent to the school.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be entitled to the pupil premium is below average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average, as is the proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan.

A few pupils are educated in off-site, registered alternative provision at West Suffolk College, Olive Academy, Albany PRU and Hampden House PRU. A specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND opened in September 2016. It caters for seven pupils who have hearing impairments.

All pupils are placed by the local authority and have education, health and care plans. King Edward V1 is a Church of England Voluntary Controlled School and received its most recent section 48 inspection in January 2019. The Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) report judged the impact of collective worship and overall effectiveness to be good.