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The school is a community where everyone is treated fairly and equally, and where pupils feel valued.
Positive working relationships exist between staff and pupils. This ensures pupils feel safe. The school has experienced some turbulence, but leaders have now established stability and recent changes are having a positive impact.
Pupils behave well during lessons and around the school's site. Improved systems are in place to support staff when any low-level disruption takes place. Pupils are polite and courteous and enjoy being in school.
They are well supported by staff.
Pupils study a broad curriculum. Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including ...those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
In some subjects, pupils develop a better understanding of what they have learned. In other subjects, pupils' knowledge is more variable. This is because the delivery of the intended curriculum is inconsistent in these areas.
As a result, published outcomes, including in the sixth form, are variable.
Pupils have access to a range of wider opportunities. This includes a variety of sports teams, debating and creative clubs.
Students in the sixth form take part in weekly enrichment activities. These opportunities help pupils to develop a range of skills and prepare them for their future.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school offers a wide choice of subjects to study in Years 10 to 13.
These include academic and vocational options. The school is determined that the curriculum meets the needs of its community.
Generally, the curriculum is well-designed.
Subject leaders have thought about what pupils should learn and the order in which they learn it. The school has ensured that diversity is promoted through the curriculum. For example, in English, pupils study a range of texts from different cultures.
The proportion of pupils who study the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects is now increasing, but historically it has been low.
In some subjects, curriculum thinking is not as clear. In these subjects, pupils do not study subject content in a well-thought-out order.
This means that key knowledge and skills are not regularly reinforced. Leaders are working to improve the quality of education across subjects. Some of this work is at an early stage.
Teachers typically have secure subject knowledge and present information clearly. However, some activities in lessons do not routinely ensure that pupils practise and master what they are learning in sufficient depth. Teaching does not routinely check pupils' understanding and address misconceptions.
As a result, pupils move on to new content before they have a secure understanding of what they have learned before. This means that, in some subjects, pupils have gaps in their understanding.
Teachers are guided to support individual pupils with SEND.
However, the impact of this support is sometimes variable. The school prioritises the importance of reading for pleasure. Staff are now supporting pupils who lack confidence in their reading with more precision.
Pupils behave well in lessons but do not consistently display positive attitudes to their learning. Where curriculum delivery is strong, pupils are more likely to be engaged and contribute enthusiastically to appropriate discussion in class.
Leaders have designed a thorough personal development programme.
They have carefully considered the risks that pupils in the school may face and encourage pupils to keep themselves safe and healthy. The school organises a range of experiences and outings for pupils. For example, sixth form students have the opportunity to visit Poland.
Younger pupils can take part in the popular Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. All pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or with SEND, are supported to become involved with wider school life. Pupils can also take on responsibility through leadership roles.
These include being members of the student council or buddying with younger pupils to support them with their learning. Pupils are positive about contributing to the local community by raising money for charities.
Attendance to school has recently improved, but some pupils are still stubbornly and persistently absent.
The school is doing everything it reasonably can to improve attendance with a sensible mixture of support and challenge.
Leaders make sure that all pupils access high-quality careers advice and guidance. The school welcomes external speakers, including from universities and a range of employers.
A variety of talks and workshops ensure that pupils are well informed of their future options and build important employability skills. Students in the sixth form receive tailored guidance to support their future decision-making.
Governors know their school well and are clear about where it needs to improve.
They are working constructively with leaders to ensure that pupils receive the best educational experience. Staff speak positively about recent changes. Many parents and carers in the online survey acknowledged the strong pastoral care at the school and the support from the staff for their children.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
What does the school need to do to improve?
(Information for the school and appropriate authority)
• The precision of curriculum thinking is not consistent in some subjects and across year groups, including the sixth form. This means that sometimes teaching is not explicit about what key knowledge and skills are being taught.
As a result, some pupils are not able to connect what has been taught previously to new learning. The school should ensure that all subjects are clear about what is being taught and when, to ensure consistent implementation of the curriculum. ? There is too much variance in the implementation of the curriculum across the school.
This includes the regular checking of learning and addressing of pupil misconceptions in a timely way. This has resulted in pupils in some subjects not achieving high enough outcomes in public examinations at key stages 4 and 5. The school must ensure that teaching uses assessment effectively and consistently to help pupils embed and use knowledge fluently and reach the potential of which they are capable.
• At times, the level of pupils' engagement in their lessons is not as focused as it could be. This means that some pupils are not fully involved in their learning which results in their lower achievement in some subjects. The school should ensure that recent improvements in the behaviour of pupils extends to their attitudes to learning so that they feel more challenged and motivated to succeed.
