Solway Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and kind. Through their actions, they are proud to act out the school's values of respect, courtesy and compassion.

Pupils make a strong contribution to the calm and respectful atmosphere that exists at the school.

Pupils respond well to the high expectations that the school has of their achievement and conduct. They appreciate the help that they receive from staff, who care for them well.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school.

The school provides pupils with access to activities that help them to develop their talents and interests. These include sports, art an...d drama clubs and the school's brass band.

Trips to places of interest help to deepen pupils' understanding of the subjects that they study. For example, pupils visit art galleries, places of worship and they enjoy trips abroad. The school ensures that all pupils benefit from these opportunities.

Pupils learn to make a positive contribution to their community. For example, they run sports festivals for primary school children and raise money for local charities. These help pupils to become confident and resilient young people.

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

The published data does not reflect the strengths of the educational offer at this school. In 2023, the attainment of pupils at the end of Year 11 was significantly below the national average. A high proportion of pupils in this year group joined the school at various stages throughout Year 10 and 11.

In addition, the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that that these pupils did not have time to benefit from the school's well-designed curriculum. Most current pupils achieve well.

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum.

It has thought carefully about the important knowledge that pupils should learn. Most pupils are well prepared for each stage in their education. The school takes great care to ensure that pupils in Year 11 move on to appropriate destinations.

These include further education, apprenticeships or employment with training.

Typically, staff use their subject knowledge to design activities that help most pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding securely over time. On occasion, the activities that some staff create do not help pupils to build their knowledge sufficiently well.

When this happens, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

Staff make regular checks on what pupils know and remember. They appreciate the recent improvements to the school's assessment strategy, which has supported their well-being.

At times, staff do not promptly address the gaps and misconceptions that some pupils have about their learning. When this happens, some pupils move on to new learning before they are ready.

The school accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND.

It provides staff with clear guidance about how to support these pupils effectively. Staff use this information well to ensure that these pupils can learn successfully alongside their peers.

The school identifies and addresses the reading needs of pupils with precision.

For some pupils, this includes help to fill any gaps that they may have in their phonics knowledge. Books are well matched to each pupil's stage in their reading development. The school provides pupils with the support that they need to become confident and fluent readers.

The books that pupils read make a meaningful contribution to their understanding of the world. For example, pupils read books that help them to appreciate the differences that exist between people, to spot and to challenge views that may be considered extreme and to recognise the features of a healthy relationship.

The school provides well-considered support to a small number of pupils that need help to manage their own behaviour.

These pupils respond well to this help. In lessons, pupils are well motivated and they engage positively with staff about the work that they are given. The school provides effective help to pupils who may need to improve their attendance.

For example, the school has successfully addressed the barriers that have prevented some pupils from attending regularly. This has reduced the number of pupils that are persistently absent from school.

The school's personal development provision prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

Pupils know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. They know how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils benefit from an extensive programme of careers education.

They take part in work experience that is well matched to their interests and aspirations. This helps pupils to make informed decisions about their futures.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times, staff design activities that do not help pupils to develop sufficient depth of knowledge in the subjects that they study. This prevents some pupils from achieving as well as they could. The school should provide staff with the training that they need to design learning activities that prepare pupils well for each stage of their education.

• On occasion, the school is not quick enough to rectify the gaps and misconceptions in some pupils' knowledge. This means that these pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. The school should ensure that staff address pupils' misunderstandings in a timely manner so that pupils build their knowledge securely over time.

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