Saracens High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school benefit from a nurturing and supportive environment. The Saracens' values of discipline, hard work, honesty and humility are promoted across the school community. Diversity is celebrated and creativity is encouraged.

In the annual 'Together We Create' weeks, all pupils participate in an ambitious programme of activities to enhance their learning across a range of creative subjects.

In lessons, pupils work hard and show respect to their teachers. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and know their pupils well.

Generally, pupils behave well, and they say that staff deal with any bullying if it does occur. Pupils feel safe in this school ...and know what to do if they have any concerns. They do not think any areas of the school are unsafe.

Leaders are determined to provide the best possible experiences for pupils. Well- established initiatives such as family lunch and family reading help pupils to enjoy a genuine sense of community in the school. Pupils also experience a wide range of opportunities beyond the school and the local area.

This includes theatre visits to the West End, kayaking at outdoor activity centres, and attending high-profile sporting fixtures.

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

Leaders are ambitious for the pupils here and have put in place a curriculum that supports their desire for all to succeed. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have access to the same curriculum and wider opportunities as their peers.

In lessons, pupils benefit from the strong subject knowledge of their teachers, who use a range of techniques to extend pupils' knowledge. Teachers break down instructions in a clear way so that pupils understand the next steps in their learning. Some aspects of the curriculum and the way in which teachers check pupils' progress are developing.

For example, in some subjects, pupils are able to refine their work through the use of improvement activities, but such systems are not consistently applied across all subjects.

Pupils who need extra help, for example those with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language, are very well supported in lessons. Teachers know the needs of these pupils well and use a range of strategies to help them access their learning, including support from very well-trained teaching assistants.

Leaders are ambitious in their drive to promote reading across the school. Pupils benefit from regular family reading sessions. Targeted support for pupils who need extra help with reading is delivered by trained staff.

Carefully considered personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons are taught by specialist teachers to all year groups. Pupils value these lessons where they find out about relationships, how to stay safe and healthy, and life skills such as how to give cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Careers information, advice and guidance are integral parts of the PSHE programme, and a variety of employers come into school to deliver workshop sessions to pupils from all year groups.

Pupils benefit from a very wide range of activities that enrich and enhance the curriculum. Leaders make sure that all pupils are able to benefit from visits to places of cultural significance in London and beyond during 'making memories week'.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and conduct.

These expectations are well known by staff and pupils, but are not always consistently applied. Pupils mostly behave well in lessons and around the school, but there are occasions when low-level disruption is evident. Pupils told inspectors that bullying is rare, and that incidents are dealt with quickly when they do occur.

Pupils attend school regularly. Leaders are proactive in encouraging good attendance, including regular home visits where necessary.

Governors know the school well and work closely with leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding.

They challenge leaders appropriately, for example by seeking additional reassurance and clarification over curriculum design. Leaders take action to promote and protect staff well-being. Staff feel valued in their work, and benefit from extensive training opportunities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding and vigilance across the school. All members of staff, including support staff, are clear about how safeguarding is managed and who to seek advice from.

Clear reporting and recording systems mean that any issues are identified quickly. Leaders work closely with local agencies to make sure that support is put in place in a timely manner.

Pupils say that they feel safe in the school, and they know who they can talk to if they have a concern.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the strategies for checking pupils' progress through the curriculum are less well developed than in others. This means that misconceptions can go unchecked or incomplete work can go unchallenged by teachers. Leaders should build on their existing work to make sure that the school's feedback and assessment strategy is fully embedded across the school.

This is so that pupils know how to improve their work and teachers routinely check that pupils are retaining what they have been taught in their long-term memory. Occasionally, pupils' behaviour does not meet leaders' high expectations, both in classrooms and around the school. Leaders should ensure that the school's behaviour policies are applied consistently so that learning is not disrupted and movement around the school is calm.