King Edward VI Community College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The principal has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. He has taken effective action to improve behaviour and teaching and learning. Governors are astute in their knowledge of the school.

They are challenging leaders appropriately to ensure that further improvement takes place. Senior leaders have a clear grasp of their role in overseeing the accountability of staff. They are relentless in their pursuit of better outcomes for pupils.

Middle leaders are being trained effectively in holding teachers to account. Although there is variability in teaching still, there are pockets of strong practice from which ot...her colleagues are learning. The curriculum caters for pupils' needs and aspirations.

Option subjects in key stage 4 provide a broad range of choice in academic and artistic subjects. Pupils receive a considered personal, social, health and economic education. As a result, pupils know how to keep themselves safe and become well-balanced citizens.

Leaders provide pupils with enrichment activities that develop them as healthy individuals. Also, every pupil visits higher education institutes to raise aspirations of what they can achieve in life. Pupils' progress is in line with that of others nationally.

However, teaching does not stretch the most able pupils consistently. Equally, pupils with lower ability are not provided regularly with the support and structure to enable them to reach their potential. Too many pupils, especially in key stage 3, do not show pride in their work and this is not challenged well by a few teachers.

Since the implementation of the behaviour policy, conduct has improved. Pupils are ready to learn and engage well with staff. The attendance of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is close to the national average.

However, despite many initiatives to arrest the low attendance overall, improvements are still incremental. Leadership of the 16 to 19 study programmes is strong. Students' progress is improving in both A levels and applied qualifications.

Information about this school

King Edward VI Community College is an average-sized secondary school. The school is a foundation school and a member of the cooperative trust and the Dart Valley Learning Trust. There are more girls than boys in the school.

The proportion of pupils who qualify for pupil premium is slightly lower than average. There is a greater proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan than average but a lower proportion of pupils with SEND. The school uses Chances and Wave Multi-Academy Trust as alternative providers for pupils.