Medina College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Medina College can see that the school is on its way to getting better.

They believe that their learning is improving because they have a more settled team of teachers. Pupils also now have more subjects they can take as GCSEs. This is especially true for younger pupils.

Their knowledge is growing and widening.

Most pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe and supported by staff.

Pupils say that bullying is rare and is dealt with well if it happens. A minority of pupils do not attend school often enough. This has a negative effect on their learning.

Learning in lessons is calmer and more purposeful than it has been. Teachers s...how greater ambition for their pupils. Most encourage them to believe that they can achieve more.

These higher expectations are not yet consistent across the school. Therefore, what pupils achieve is still variable. Sometimes pupils' learning is interrupted because of poor behaviour in class.

Parents and carers value the wider opportunities that the school now offers their children. The Medina Maestro initiative to support young musicians is an example of this. In the sixth form, teachers encourage students to expand their horizons.

However, not all pupils have their interests and talents developed.

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

Leaders have focused their energies on the development of the curriculum. They see that it has not served the pupils' learning well.

Pupils' GCSE outcomes have not improved since the last inspection. Leaders now consider the previous curriculum as being too narrow. Over the past year they have put in place important improvements.

Subject leaders have now implemented clear curriculum plans. These focus much better on what pupils learn, when and how in each subject.

In mathematics, the curriculum has been well established for some time.

Pupils' learning here and in physical education, for instance, is successful. This is because teachers have delivered the content of the curriculum well. Teachers have been thorough and consistent.

In English, improvements are now taking better effect. The revised content gives pupils better challenge in their learning. However, across the school, reading does not have a high enough profile.

Leaders are still addressing the unevenness in the quality of the curriculum. For instance, in history, learning is well structured but not always well delivered. In science, pupils' work shows considerable variation.

Here, pupils' learning is not always systematic and coherent.

Teachers do not have a sharp enough focus on making sure that pupils remember what they learn over time. Too often, pupils are unable to recall key learning.

They may recall what they have learned before, but cannot always remember what it means or how to apply it.

The school is mostly calm and orderly. On occasions, pupils' behaviour becomes boisterous.

Most pupils want to learn. They feel disappointed when poor behaviour disrupts their learning. Leaders have made strenuous efforts to improve some pupils' attendance.

There have been some small improvements. Leaders are building on these with sharply focused strategies.

Leaders take seriously their work to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Teachers receive detailed information about pupils with SEND. Support staff are knowledgeable and capable. 'The Wave' provides a safe and nurturing environment for vulnerable pupils.

Staff prepare them well for their return to main school classes.

Leaders have ensured that the sixth form offers a wide and relevant range of courses. Students can make choices that suit their interests and starting points.

Teaching in the sixth form is strong. Students receive well-informed support about future destinations.

The school offers a widening range of opportunities for pupils' personal development.

Nonetheless, nearly half of pupils say that they do not often take part in these activities. Pupils' belief in the values of respect and understanding is well developed, but leaders have not ensured that pupils have a strong grasp of what makes up life in modern Britain. This means that pupils are not able to form a rounded view of the world.

Leaders have set about implementing much-needed changes in the last two years. These have improved pupils' attitudes towards learning as well as the quality of the curriculum. Leaders have also ensured that staff have the training to be effective.

There is more to do, but a determined start has been made and the teams and plans are in place to make further improvements. Staff say that leaders have been mindful of their well-being. Staff share the vision for the school.

Everyone understands what needs to be done to secure higher standards across the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Records of those that work at the school are well maintained.

Leaders make the required checks when appointing new staff. Experienced safeguarding staff work together to keep pupils safe. They act when pupils are vulnerable and are diligent in securing help for families in need.

Leaders ensure that staff receive up-to-date training. Staff are well informed about their responsibilities. They take them seriously, passing on the smallest concerns.

Leaders have tightened up systems for recording bullying so that they have a much more accurate picture of incidents. This has helped them tackle issues earlier and more effectively.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have made a promising start to address the sequencing of the curriculum content across the range of subjects.

Leaders and teachers should continue to revise and strengthen each subject so that pupils build their knowledge, skills and understanding in a coherent and consistent way. Leaders should focus on monitoring how consistently and effectively plans are being implemented and the impact on pupils' learning. .

Rates of attendance have been too low for too long. While leaders have been successful in bringing about some improvement in the attendance of pupils with SEND, this has not been true of other groups, such as disadvantaged pupils. Leaders now need to review their strategies and put in place revised methods of reducing absence.

They should do this swiftly. . The personal development programme and strategy at Medina College is not broad enough to include aspects such as life in modern Britain.

Neither does the programme cover topics in enough depth to fully support pupils' understanding. Leaders' recently produced plans are a step in the right direction but have not yet been given sufficient time or delivered well enough to be meaningful for pupils. To further build and strengthen the talents, character and aspirations of the pupils, leaders should ensure that pupils experience worthwhile and high-quality personal development.