Maiden Erlegh School in Reading

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Maiden Erlegh School in Reading continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Will Graham.

This school is part of Maiden Erlegh Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jonathan Peck, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nicholas Jones.

What is it like to attend this school?

From the minute they join the school, pupils are encouraged to 'aim high, work together and be inclusive'.

The trust's vision to 'develop a diverse and inclusive community' underpins the positive relationships that exist between staff and pupils at this school..../>
Staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils rise to meet these expectations.

Pupils know and understand the 'MER dream', which encapsulates the culture of high aspirations. As one pupil explained, 'The support I have been given by the school has given me hope for my future.'

The school is calm and orderly.

Pupils get on well with each other and with their teachers. Pupils appreciate the strong academic and caring pastoral support that they receive from staff. Pupils value the focus on promoting positive mental health.

Older pupils relish the opportunity to take on positions of responsibility, such as house captains or joining the student leadership team. A diverse range of clubs fosters pupils' interests and develops talents in activities such as chess, debating and board games. Pupils value the opportunity to participate in challenging projects, such as the gold and silver programmes.

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

The school has constructed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. The needs of pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well known by staff. This enables staff to adapt the curriculum effectively and give appropriate support where needed.

In most subjects, the school has designed a full and comprehensive curriculum in key stage 3. Knowledge and skills are carefully sequenced and gradually build over time. For example, in mathematics and computer science, pupils revisit content in a logical sequence, which progressively builds in complexity.

This enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and deepen their understanding of key skills and content. However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not completed their curriculum refinements in key stage 3 to enable pupils to learn and remember key concepts in depth. This means that the impact of the curriculum in these subjects is not as strong as in other subjects.

Teachers, in most subjects, use assessment effectively. They check the knowledge and skills pupils need to know and remember before they move on. In some subjects, such as mathematics, teachers use 'exit tickets' to identify misconceptions and gaps in pupils' knowledge.

This helps to inform the next steps in pupils' learning. Pupils who have fallen behind or are at the earlier stage of learning to read, receive appropriate support. Specialist teaching in small groups helps pupils catch up quickly.

Similarly, pupils who require support in mathematics receive specialist individual instruction. This helps pupils to embed crucial skills and builds vital confidence.

The school prioritises the wider personal development of pupils.

Well-trained staff deliver a thoughtfully constructed programme of lessons and tutor-time activities. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) incorporates key knowledge and skills that helps to deepen pupils' understanding of critical concepts. A sharp focus on pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is skilfully embedded in the curriculum.

Relationships and sex education is age-appropriate. Pupils relish the wide range of trips and visits that enhance the curriculum. Support for making appropriate and informed choices about where to study at the end of Year 11 is strong.

Pupils value the independent careers advice and guidance that they receive.

The trust's commitment to providing 'opportunity, diversity and success for all' underpins leaders' high aspirations for the school. Trustees are involved in the growth of the school effectively.

They know the school well and hold leaders to account robustly. Trust staff provide critical challenge and appropriate support. Staff benefit from thoughtful continual professional development.

Regular subject meetings deepen teachers' specialist knowledge which underpins their work in lessons well. Support for teachers at the start of their career is strong. The school prioritises well-being.

Staff appreciate leaders' approach to managing workload and cherish the individualised support that they receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subjects in key stage 3 need strengthening further.

In a few subjects, pupils are not learning as deeply as they could. The trust should ensure that the curriculum refinements are completed and staff check pupils' learning closely to support them to achieve highly.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2018.

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