Queen Elizabeth’s

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Queen Elizabeth's, staff expect pupils to behave well and, overall, they do. The atmosphere in lessons is very focused.

Teachers have established clear routines to make lessons run smoothly. Pupils acquire useful study habits. They are getting better at remembering what they have learned.

Staff provide effective pastoral care. They routinely check in on pupils. They ask pupils how they are getting on and whether anything is troubling them.

Leaders encourage pupils to report any concerns they may have about the behaviour they encounter around the school. Most pupils say that staff are good at resolving any incidences of bullying that occur.

Pupils ...who struggle with their learning or their behaviour are mostly supported well by teachers and other staff.

Nevertheless, for a small number of pupils, poor behaviour hampers their ability to make progress though the curriculum as well as they could.

The sixth form is well regarded by students and parents alike. Students play an active part in furthering the school's ethos of respect and tolerance.

Pupils, of all ages, are well prepared for their next steps, whether that be in securing a place at a university or further education college, or taking up an apprenticeship.

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

Leaders have kept a resolute focus on curriculum development. They have created the conditions in which pupils can learn an ambitious curriculum.

Pupils, parents and staff recognise and welcome this. As a reflection of this, pupils are showing more ambition in their subject choices for GCSE. For example, there has been a marked increase in the proportion of pupils choosing to study a modern foreign language.

The curriculum in different subjects is designed to help pupils, from Year 7 right through to the sixth form, to retain their knowledge. Teachers carefully select the ideas that are most important for pupils to remember. They give clear explanations of the subject matter and check that pupils and students understand.

Some pupils are still in the early stages of reading when they join the school. Leaders provide support but do not identify the gaps in pupils' knowledge precisely enough so that all pupils become fluent, accurate readers.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well and therefore make successful progress through the curriculum.

Leaders provide useful guidance to staff on how the curriculum can be adapted to best meet pupils' needs.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, some vulnerable pupils, including some with SEND, do not attend school as well as they should. When they do attend school, some pupils find it difficult to meet the high expectations of behaviour in lessons.

Consequently, these pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they could and become demotivated. Leaders do not yet have a fully developed understanding of how their approach to the management of pupils' behaviour helps or hinders the progress that pupils make through the curriculum.

Through the personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils learn how to build and maintain positive and healthy relationships with others.

Pupils have respect for, and interest in, people from different backgrounds. Students in the sixth form lead some of the school's work on promoting the importance of equality for different groups. Pupils participate in a range of sporting and cultural extra-curricular opportunities which enhance their social development.

Pupils and sixth-form students value the careers advice and guidance they receive. Leaders welcome feedback on their careers programme, and act on it. For example, they have strengthened governors' oversight in this area.

The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

Leaders, including trust leaders and governors, are ambitious for the school and the opportunities it provides for local pupils. Trust leaders have helped the school to bring about improvements by providing leadership capacity where it is needed.

Leaders encourage staff to learn from each other. Staff value the opportunity to challenge and support one another to improve. Leaders are considerate of staff's well-being, although some staff would like more support to manage their workload.

Nonetheless, most staff say that they enjoy working at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders anticipate risks to pupils and make them aware of these.

They make sure that pupils receive clear information about how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are encouraged to report anything that concerns them.

A range of staff are involved in making sure that vulnerable pupils and families receive early help when they need it.

Leaders work with safeguarding partners in external agencies to provide timely support for pupils at risk.

Adults working in the school are appropriately vetted. Leaders, including governors and trust leaders, continue to strengthen safeguarding practice by keeping it under review.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders do not fully evaluate how the consequences of some pupils' behaviour interfere with their ability to follow the curriculum, particularly pupils with SEND. Some pupils miss important curriculum content, leading to gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should consider more carefully the impact of their strategies on pupils' learning.

• Some pupils cannot read accurately when they join the school. Leaders do not use assessment precisely enough to pinpoint where pupils may have gaps in their knowledge of phonics. Leaders should assess reading more precisely and provide a well-sequenced phonics curriculum where needed.