Moor Park High School and Sixth Form

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Moor Park High School is a small, friendly school where everyone is welcome regardless of their race, gender or culture.

Pupils are happy and safe. They care about each other and treat each other with respect. Parents and carers, teachers and pupils all agree that leaders deal effectively with the rare acts of bullying that take place.

Pupils typically comment, 'In this school, happiness and safety are paramount.'

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of their pupils. Pupils understand what is expected of them and behave well.

Most pupils achieve well at this school.

Corridors are calm. Pupils move purposefully around the building..../>
Teachers' clear routines ensure that classrooms are quiet and orderly.

Leaders offer pupils a comprehensive programme of clubs and activities. Older pupils and students have already started The Duke of Edinburgh's Award this summer.

Younger pupils can join a drone building club, a chess club and a butterfly club. Leaders are proud of their offer of music tuition for all pupils in Year 7. This continues through Years 8 and 9 for those that wish to do so.

As a result, the school has excellent instrumental and choir groups.

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

Leaders and governors have brought about considerable improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils enjoy a high-quality curriculum that meets the needs of all learners, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge that they want pupils to gain and the order in which they should learn this content. This helps pupils achieve well across key stages 3 and 4 and in the sixth form. However, leaders' work has not been as successful in a small number of subjects.

This means that teachers are less clear about what essential knowledge pupils must know. This stops pupils from deepening their knowledge over time.

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is broad and ambitious in key stage 3 and 4.

This has had a positive impact on the proportion of pupils studying the full suite of English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects over time. For example, improvements to the Spanish curriculum mean that more pupils are following a languages GCSE programme than was the case previously.

Teachers help learners to know more and remember more of the curriculum.

Teachers make sure that they check on what pupils have learned before moving on to new content. They use assessment information effectively.

Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified accurately.

Teaching assistants have received an extensive training programme to enable them to provide more effective support for pupils with SEND in the classroom. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with teachers and teaching assistants to make sure that these pupils can access the curriculum. This allows pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers and achieve well.

Pupils who are struggling to read receive appropriate support from a specialist reading teacher. These pupils also read on a regular basis with teachers and sixth-form students. The books that they read are matched to their ability.

Pupils enjoy reading and are catching up quickly.

Teachers work as a team to improve their teaching skills and subject knowledge. They are using the latest research to consider how the quality of education across the school can be improved further.

Teachers enjoy working at the school. They feel valued and supported by senior leaders and governors.

Leaders plan careers advice and guidance for all pupils from Year 7 to Year 13.

There are opportunities to talk to all local further education providers and employers. Pupils and students receive independent careers advice. All learners move on to appropriate destinations after GCSEs and sixth form.

Pupils learn about the cultures and beliefs of others. This helps them to understand the diversity of the world in which they live. Pupils value the democratic society they live in and understand that prejudiced-based behaviour is unacceptable.

Most pupils are keen to learn. However, the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have had an impact on the behaviour of some pupils. Some find it hard to concentrate in class.

Teachers' consistent use of the behaviour management policy is helping these pupils to rediscover their love of learning and to help them work hard in lessons.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have worked hard to help vulnerable pupils attend school. Overall, attendance is not as strong as it was before the pandemic.

Leaders and staff support pupils who are reluctant to attend school. As a result, attendance is improving. Leaders use alternative provision well for pupils who benefit from vocational training.

Pupils attend these providers regularly and achieve well.

Governors are proud of the school. They recognise the considerable improvements that have been brought about by leaders.

Governors value the training they have had to improve their skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff and governors are well trained and know what to do if they have a concern about a pupils' safety or well-being.

Leaders have made strong links with agencies that can provide help. They move quickly to provide pupils with the help that they need.

Pupils are well trained on how to keep themselves safe.

They are aware of the main concerns in the local area and know who to go to when they need help.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not well planned and sequenced. Leaders have not thought carefully about the core knowledge that they want pupils to learn in these subjects.

This prevents pupils from knowing more and remembering more. Leaders need to ensure that curriculum plans in these subjects are of the same high standard as other subjects in the curriculum. This will help pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding.