Sir Harry Smith Community College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection.

However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

The principal of this school is Dawn White.

This school is part of Aspire Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Duncan Ramsey, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Zoe Botterill.

What is it like to attend this school?

The ma...jority of pupils want to do well.

They understand that their teachers want them to achieve high standards. Pupils trust the teachers who have developed positive relationships with them. They work hard for these teachers and produce high-quality work.

Consequently, their learning is generally secure. However, many pupils endure a diet of temporary and substitute teachers. Here, sometimes aspiration and expectation is low.

Pupils and parents are aggrieved as they see at times a lack of learning. This causes disillusion about school for some, including for some sixth-form students.

The vast majority of pupils are polite and engaging.

They focus on their work and try to complete it to the best of their ability. However, learning is regularly disrupted by the behaviour of others. Pupils feel safe, although around school the behaviour of some is overly boisterous.

Although pupils say that it has recently improved, a few continue to move around in a way that is not always considerate of others.

Pupils and parents are frustrated about how the school communicates with them. When systems change it is not clear how and why.

This makes it difficult for pupils to conform and parents to support the school.

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

The school has redesigned its curriculum. It has thought carefully about how to inspire pupils.

The school has a well-planned and ambitious programme of learning. The school has ensured that the curriculum reflects the diversity of modern life. Pupils explain how they celebrate difference.

The school has planned so all pupils have access to the curriculum without limitation. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The majority of teaching is well delivered.

In more effective lessons, teachers routinely revisit prior learning. They also teach subject specific vocabulary clearly and explicitly. However, too often teachers do not consistently arrange learning activities that enable pupils to learn the knowledge they need.

In such instances, teaching focuses on ensuring pupils complete tasks rather than learning the curriculum. As a result, pupils do not always learn about subjects in depth.

Similarly, in the higher quality lessons, teachers regularly check what pupils know and understand.

They provide timely support when needed. However, this is not always the case. Too often teachers use inexact assessment methods.

This results in teachers not realising when pupils forget or misunderstand something. When this happens, teachers do not provide the support these pupils need so they fall behind.

The provision for pupils with SEND suffers from the same inconsistencies all other pupils experience.

Where teaching is strong, pupils benefit. Well-considered explanations, or additional thinking time to process information helps pupils understand important information. They learn well.

However, where teaching is less strong, the impact on pupils with SEND is magnified compared to others. This causes them to, sometimes, fall behind their peers.

The provision for students in the sixth form is strong.

Teachers' expert subject knowledge and delivery ensures students learn well. Students develop deep understanding of complex and abstract concepts. Students confidently apply these to different situations, effectively drawing together what they know.

The school has recently changed its approach to managing behaviour. The school has high expectations. However, pupils do not understand the changes.

They are confused about what values they should be demonstrating. Some staff are unclear about what they should be doing and why. The agreed protocols to manage behaviour are not applied consistently.

Pupils are not routinely challenged when they fail to meet the expectations set. Parents are highly vocal about what they perceive as embedded poor behaviour in the school.

The school understands the importance of pupils attending school regularly.

It monitors pupils' attendance and works closely with families to overcome the underlying issues. As a result, the overall levels of attendance are beginning to improve.

The careers curriculum is well planned.

Pupils access a range of activities, organisations and institutions that give them key information. This helps pupils make informed choices about their next steps.

As a consequence of the changes the school has made, a small number of staff feel workload is an issue.

However, the majority of staff feel their workload is well managed by the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not arrange effective learning activities that enable pupils to learn the curriculum well enough.

As a result, some pupils are falling behind. The school should ensure that teachers deliver effective learning activities across the curriculum that ensures pupils achieve well. ? Some teachers do not routinely check what pupils know and understand.

As a result, teachers do not realise when pupils have forgotten or misunderstand what they have been taught and fall behind. The school should ensure that all teachers are trained and routinely check pupils' understanding, using this information to address gaps and misconceptions. ? Staff do not have a shared understanding of the school's expectations of behaviour and do not deal with unacceptable behaviour consistently well.

As a result, a small, yet significant number of pupils fail to meet the school's expectations. The school must ensure that all staff understand the school's expectations and use the behaviour policy consistently when dealing with unacceptable behaviour.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2014.