Risedale School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Risedale Sports and Community College because it is a caring community.

Parents spoke positively about how their children are made to feel welcome when they start school. For example, one parent said, 'I was very impressed with how the school receives new students, making them feel comfortable and welcomed.' This is important in a school where many pupils arrive after Year 7 or leave before the end of Year 11 because a parent serves in the armed forces.

Bullying is rare. Most pupils say that it is not an issue for them. If it does happen, staff fix the problems quickly.

Pupils behave well around the school and in lessons. Low-level disr...uption occurs sometimes. Pupils are eager for this to stop completely.

Leaders and staff do not give up on pupils who misbehave. They exhaust all avenues before thinking about using fixed-period or permanent exclusion as a sanction. Staff have introduced a wide range of support measures to help pupils manage their emotions and build confidence.

Pupils are happy and feel safe in school. They know that staff want them to achieve well and will provide support if they need help.

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

Leaders have thought hard about how they can help pupils achieve well and enjoy learning.

For example, leaders have recently introduced drama into key stage 3 to help improve pupils' confidence. More pupils are choosing a modern foreign language, history and geography in key stage 4. This is because the key stage 3 curriculum is now preparing them well for further study in these subjects.

Pupils are now achieving more strongly in English and mathematics. In these subjects, and in most others, teachers build pupils' knowledge carefully over time. They encourage pupils to read challenging books, plays and poetry.

Pupils enjoy choosing new library books. They like the rewards that teachers present for reading them.There is still some variation in the effectiveness of the curriculum across subjects.

In science, for example, Year 10 pupils, including the most able, achieve well. Teachers help pupils to be ready to learn complex ideas by breaking topics into small steps. However, in key stage 3 science, teachers sometimes move on to new topics before pupils have grasped a new concept fully.

Most teachers assess pupils' understanding as lessons develop. They adapt their lessons to help pupils when they do not understand. However, a minority of teachers do not do this as effectively.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. Teachers and staff provide effective support for pupils with SEND in lessons. Pupils with SEND receive effective one-to-one support in the 'hub' when needed.

Pupils' attendance has risen steadily and is now above the national average. In most lessons, pupils behave well. They respond quickly to teachers' instructions.

However, not all teachers manage behaviour in the same way. In a small number of lessons pupils misbehave for too long.Provision for pupils' personal development is strong.

For example, older pupils can become prefects. They become good role models to their peers. Pupils appreciate the highly effective careers advice they receive in lessons and from visiting speakers.

In social studies lessons, pupils learn how to stay healthy and how to be responsible citizens.Staff speak highly about senior leaders. Staff appreciate the support they receive to manage their workload.

Leaders' self-evaluation is accurate. School improvement plans reflect their determination to help all young people succeed. They make decisions with pupils' best interests in mind.

Governors take their roles seriously. They visit the school regularly and hold leaders to account. However, their actions lack precision at times.

For example, governors did not rigorously check the impact additional funding had on the achievement and well-being of disadvantaged pupils last year.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff understand well and keep their eyes open when looking for the signs that pupils may be at risk.

Staff report any concerns promptly and work closely with external agencies, including social services, when required. Pupils say that they feel safe in school. Parents who responded to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, say that they are confident that staff look after their children well.

The curriculum helps pupils understand how to stay safe, including when online.

Pupils say that they can speak to and trust an adult in school if they have a concern. They say that staff deal with bullying swiftly when they report it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Governance is improving. However, there are some important functions of governance that are not as strong as they could be. Leaders should continue to develop the role of governors, so they become more skilful in holding leaders to account, for example by challenging leaders about how additional funding is used to support disadvantaged pupils.

. The impact of the curriculum varies across the school. Senior leaders must ensure that all subject leaders plan the curriculum to the same high standard, so that learning is sequenced well in each key stage and there is sufficient time given to help pupils remember important content.

. In some lessons, teachers do not follow the school behaviour policy consistently. Leaders must ensure that all teachers follow the school's behaviour management policy so that all staff have the same high expectations and low-level disruption is eliminated.