Sir William Romney’s School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Sir William Romney's School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Will Ruscoe. This school is part of The Athelstan Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Dr Tim Gilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Keval Shah.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's purpose of 'striving for excellence together' is evident throughout the school. Pupils respond well to the school's high expectations, both academically and for their conduct.

The 'strong star...t' routines help pupils to be ready for their learning. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum.

The local post-14 offer means that some pupils move to and from the school throughout the academic year.

When this happens, pupils are well supported in their transitions between schools. Pupils, parents and carers highlight the strong community-feel of the school. Pupils know that staff care about their well-being.

If pupils have a concern, they are confident to share this with the pastoral team. A minority of pupils may use derogatory language towards others. When this happens, the school acts robustly.

Through discussions, workshops and a well-designed personal development programme, most pupils are empathetic and respectful of others.

The school designs a broad programme of clubs, trips and speakers for pupils. It is ambitious for pupils to have a wide experience as part of their curriculum learning.

Most pupils engage well in this, such as attending lunchtime clubs, like debating. Pupils recognise and appreciate the varied enrichment programme the school provides for them.

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

The school's curriculum considers what pupils will learn and when.

This means pupils build their learning based on their prior knowledge. Few pupils study the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of subjects. The school makes sure pupils are well-informed when making decisions about the subjects they choose to study in key stage 4.

In Year 10, more pupils now study the EBacc subjects.

Teachers carefully adapt teaching of the curriculum for pupils when they need it, such as extending learning for pupils when they are ready to move on. However, in a few parts of the curriculum, teaching strategies to adjust the learning for some pupils are not well implemented.

When this happens, pupils don't progress as promptly as they might.

Teachers check how well pupils recall their learning. They revisit the gaps in pupils' understanding.

For example, in English, younger pupils revisit their grammar learning from Year 6. This helps pupils to improve their knowledge and application of grammar.

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are skilfully identified.

Pupils with SEND are well supported with appropriate interventions and provision to support their learning. The recent opening of the school's 'SEN hub' provides additional structure and help for pupils.

The school is thorough in checking how well pupils can read.

Intense teaching helps pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read, such as learning phonics or building fluency. This helps pupils to progress their reading skills well.

The school's revised behaviour routines have led to an increase in suspensions for a small number of pupils.

This is reducing as most pupils understand and respect the higher expectations. Some pupils do not come to school regularly. The work of the school to help pupils and their families is thorough.

This has led to much-improved attendance for many of those pupils. However, several pupils continue to have too many days off school. This hinders their progression through the curriculum.

The school's personal development programme is designed to help pupils to be well-prepared for the future. The school has designed an ambitious programme about careers. For example, through 'Futures days' pupils from Years 7 to Year 11 experience a day in the workplace.

Pupils make the connections between the subjects they learn and how this might inform future career pathways.

Staff workload is carefully considered by the school and the trust. For example, staff positively highlighted the approach to evaluating collaboratively and time given for change to become established.

The local governing body and the trust provide support and challenge to the school. This helps the school to prioritise its work to sustain improvement with pupils at the centre of the decisions it makes.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasions, in a few parts of the curriculum, pedagogical strategies to adapt the learning for pupils are not put into effect in a timely way. This means that some pupils do not proceed with their learning as promptly as they could. The school should make sure that its strategies to adapt learning of the curriculum for pupils are well-implemented.

• Some groups of pupils do not come to school regularly enough. When this happens, these pupils are hindered in their learning of the curriculum. The school should continue its work to improve pupils' attendance.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in February 2016.