Risedale School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Published outcomes show that pupils' achievement is significantly below national averages and is declining. The new headteacher has raised standards and expectations. The school has high expectations of what pupils will achieve.

Pupils' achievement does not currently match these expectations.

Pupils build positive relationships with staff at the school. Most pupils enjoy attending Risedale School.

They have trusted adults to speak to if they have any concerns. Pupils feel safe at the school.

A small number of pupils display boisterous behaviour at social times.

These pupils do not always respond to staff's requests to meet basic behaviour ex...pectations. However, the school has raised expectations for standards of behaviour. Staff apply the behaviour system more consistently across the school.

As a result, pupils' behaviour is improving. Classrooms are calm and purposeful most of the time.

Pupils have access to a range of extra-curricular clubs, such as sports, board games and crafts.

Pupils have opportunities to take up leadership roles, such as school ambassadors, librarians, pupil mentors, mental health ambassadors and student councillors. The pupil mentors act as role models for younger pupils who may be struggling with their behaviour.

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

In some subjects, the school has not identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn.

Teachers do not consistently provide pupils with activities that help them to build their knowledge. As a result, pupils' knowledge of the curriculum is inconsistent. They struggle to recall their learning and deepen their understanding.

In other subjects, the curriculum makes it clear what pupils should learn and is well sequenced. In these subjects, the delivery of the curriculum is more effective, and pupils can recall their learning.

The school is increasingly ambitious for its pupils.

Leaders have identified areas for improvement across the school. These include changes to the curriculum and new systems for behaviour and attendance. Staff are positive about these changes.

There is an air of optimism about the future.

The school is beginning to prioritise reading. The school accurately identifies pupils who are struggling to read.

Pupils have only recently begun to receive support to improve their reading. The school has not evaluated the impact of the strategies it has introduced to help pupils to read accurately. Pupils in key stage 3 take part in guided reading lessons.

These lessons help to promote a love of reading.

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school trains staff to use different strategies to support pupils with SEND in the classroom.

Staff do not consistently apply strategies that help pupils with SEND to successfully learn the curriculum.

Rates of absence are high, particularly for pupils with SEND. The school has a coherent and structured system in place to tackle this.

As a result, fewer pupils are persistently absent this year than last year. The school plans to refine this system further in the near future. Rates of suspensions are high.

The school has responded to this by adopting a more supportive approach to pupils who do not meet behaviour expectations. As a result, suspensions have reduced this year.

The school's personal development offer is inconsistent.

The school does not help pupils to develop character traits such as resilience and self-regulation as well as it might. Some pupils are passive learners in the classroom. Pupils access a well-planned personal, social, health and economic education curriculum.

They understand tolerance and respect. Pupils learn about online safety and about relationships. Most pupils in Year 10 take part in work experience.

The school does not have the information it needs to evaluate the impact of the strategies it uses. Leaders have identified the right areas for improvement. The changes made need time to embed.

Leaders take staff's workload into account when making decisions. Governors have a realistic view of the school. They provide support and challenge where appropriate.

The school is working with support from the local authority on its journey of improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not accurately identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn.

As a result, some pupils do not learn or retain the key knowledge that is needed to achieve well in these subjects. The school should ensure that in all subjects important knowledge is identified and sequenced coherently. ? Teachers do not consistently ensure that pupils receive work and activities that help them to learn the curriculum.

As a result, some pupils cannot recall recent or prior learning. The school should ensure that teachers provide pupils with activities that help them to build their knowledge. ? Rates of pupil absence, particularly for pupils with SEND, are high.

As a result, some pupils miss out on important learning. This impacts on how well they achieve. The school should continue its work to improve attendance and reduce persistent absenteeism.

The school does not currently support pupils effectively to develop positive character traits, such as resilience, self-regulation and social responsibility. As a result, some pupils are passive learners in the classroom and a small number of pupils display boisterous behaviour at social times. The school should evaluate and develop its new character education programme to ensure that these positive character traits are nurtured more effectively in its pupils.

• The school has not had sufficient time to embed the recently revised systems to evaluate the quality of provision. As a result, it is difficult to celebrate achievements and identify further areas for improvement. The school should ensure that these revised monitoring and evaluation systems provide the information it needs to be able to continue the improvement work that has begun.