Peacehaven Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's values of 'aspire, believe, contribute, achieve' are well established in daily life in this very inclusive school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including pupils in the special provision, are fully immersed in the same learning and enrichment activities as their peers.

Pupils' achievement is now improving.

Staff are ambitious for their pupils and support them to do well. Most pupils enjoy school and value their learning. Parents and carers recognise the many improvements that the school has made.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Most pupils live up to these expectations. They conduct themselve...s respectfully.

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils say that bullying happens occasionally. They trust staff to quickly respond to any concerns raised.

Pupils' welfare is a priority for the school. Staff go the extra mile to make sure pupils are safe, happy and well supported.

The school provides pupils with an impressive range of extra-curricular opportunities.

Pupils are encouraged to participate in productions, sporting events and a wide selection of clubs. Pupils in all year groups take on important leadership roles. They take pride in serving their community.

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

All school staff have a shared ambition for pupils. Over recent years, leaders, well supported by the trust, have put in place many actions to improve the school. These are now coming to fruition and are resulting in an increasingly positive educational experience for pupils.

All pupils study a wide range of subjects in key stage 3. This gives them a strong foundation for later learning. At key stage 4, a low proportion of pupils study the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of subjects.

Leaders have plans in place to address this. More pupils are now beginning to take EBacc subjects.

Leaders have prioritised designing a curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

They have ensured that there is an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum in place for all subjects. Subject leaders have thought carefully about how to build pupils' knowledge and understanding. Teachers understand the importance to returning to previously taught topics to ensure pupils have remembered the learning.

Pupils with SEND receive a high-quality, adapted curriculum that successfully allows them to complete similar learning as their peers.

Pupils benefit from teachers' strong subject expertise. Some subjects, like English and physical education, are particularly strong because they are expertly taught.

A few subjects are not quite at this level. Leaders prioritise developing staff's knowledge of how to teach most effectively by providing high-quality training. As a result, most staff present information clearly and use appropriate activities to help pupils learn.

However, this is not yet consistent across all subjects.

The school recognises that high levels of literacy are key to pupils achieving well. Pupils are encouraged to read widely and often.

Leaders give extra support to pupils who find reading difficult and many are now more confident readers.

During lessons, most pupils focus well on their learning. Calm, purposeful classrooms are rarely disturbed by poor behaviour.

Around the school, almost all pupils conduct themselves with maturity. Staff nip any occasional unwanted behaviour in the bud. Pupils appreciate the rewards they receive for showing positive behaviours.

Nearly all pupils attend school regularly and are punctual to lessons.

The trust and those responsible for governance understand the school's strengths and weaknesses. They support and challenge school leaders well.

School staff are proud to work here. They feel valued by leaders and are committed to the pupils.

The school carefully considers the education of the whole child.

There is an impressive personal development programme, from which pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged benefit significantly. Pupils are taught about healthy relationships, managing risk and ways to stay mentally and physically healthy. A strong careers programme is in place.

This includes work experience, links with employers and timely advice. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps and for life in modern Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders' ambition for pupils' achievement is not yet fully realised across all subjects at key stage 4. This means that some pupils may not take courses and subjects that will support them with ambitious next steps. Leaders should ensure that all pupils are able to access ambitious and appropriate courses in key stage 4.

• A few staff do not have the same level of pedagogical knowledge as the strongest. This means that pupils do not always have the most appropriate teaching to learn as effectively as they could. Leaders should continue to provide high-quality professional development to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently high across all subjects.