St George’s Church of England Foundation School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St George's Church of England Foundation School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

This school ensures pupils are happy, well rounded and prepared for life ahead.

Pupils are positive about the high-quality care they receive to develop their confidence and self-pride. Staff and pupils form positive relationships built on mutual respect. Pupils trust adults to help them if they need it and behave in a mature way, taking responsibility for their actions.

A culture of kindness and respect ensures everyone feels part of one big community.

As soon as children start in Recepti...on, the school cultivates their thirst for learning. They quickly learn important skills and knowledge through exciting and interesting topics.

As pupils move through the primary phase, lessons spark interest and pique curiosity.Continuing into the secondary phase, pupils learn a broad and diverse curriculum. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, achieve very well in vocational subjects.

However, pupils' achievement in some subjects such as mathematics and the sciences is less developed. Leaders have recognised this and are taking swift action in response.

Pupils behave very well because staff are clear and consistent with their high expectations.

The school raises pupils' aspirations for the future. Classrooms are places where pupils pay attention and focus on learning. This is because the school is successful in motivating most pupils to try their best.

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

The school recognises the challenges that many pupils have faced following the COVID-19 pandemic. Published outcomes at key stage 4 reflect some of the work that the school has taken to close the gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills. The school carefully identifies pupils who need additional help to catch up on missed learning.

Leaders systematically check that support helps to close gaps in pupils' understanding. Teachers receive clear information about pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Most staff use this well to adapt learning to meet pupils' needs so they can engage well with learning.

The school is in the process of reviewing some aspects of its curriculum, including the time allocated to learning different subjects at key stage 4. This work is focused on helping more pupils learn and achieve well across the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects. This includes developing the modern foreign languages curriculum to encourage more pupils to choose a modern foreign language GCSE.

Pupils achieve well in the primary phase. As soon as children start in Reception, staff expertly help them to read well through learning phonics. Children quickly learn to apply their learning, reading with increasing confidence and fluency.

Primary-phase pupils who need additional support to read receive daily targeted support. The same systematic approach helps secondary pupils develop comprehension skills and reading confidence. Regular guided reading sessions are times for staff and pupils to explore a range of engaging texts together.

This further promotes a love of reading across the school.

Teachers design engaging lessons that build on pupils' prior learning. However, in some lessons, teachers do not consistently check that pupils have fully grasped important concepts before moving on to new topics.

This means the gaps in pupils' knowledge get larger, meaning some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

Careers provision is a real strength of the school. In the primary phase, pupils learn about different workplaces through visits to local businesses.

Pupils in the secondary-phase and sixth-form students receive regular careers guidance. This raises aspirations and helps pupils map out their own ambitious destinations for the future. Pupils who struggle to engage positively with education receive targeted help to plan for their future.

Regular visits to colleges, universities and training providers expand pupils' horizons beyond the local area. Consequently, the vast majority of pupils sustain ambitious destinations post-16 and 18.

The school has a secure understanding of the barriers that prevent some pupils from positively engaging with school life.

A large pastoral team works closely with parents and professionals to help pupils to regularly attend school. The school effectively uses internal and external alternative provision. This ensures pupils continue to receive a balanced education, while receiving therapeutic support.

Pupils across all phases behave in an exemplary fashion, treating each other and staff with courtesy and respect.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Regular visits from representatives from the local community, such as the police, help pupils to learn how to stay safe.

Pupils learn to debate current societal and political issues. The school models concepts such as democracy by holding school council elections or by pupils casting votes on important school decisions. Empowered pupils make tangible contributions to school life.

A shared ambition to see pupils thrive underpins all that the school strives to achieve. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the leadership of the school. They are so proud of the work they do and feel part of one big team.

The governing body understands the school's priorities. Governors provide effective challenge and support to ensure that the school continues to provide education that sees pupils flourish.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not routinely check that pupils understand concepts in sufficient detail. This can limit how well pupils can apply what they know to new learning. The school must ensure that all staff have the skills they need to help pupils know and remember more over time.

• Too few pupils achieve well enough in the full range of EBacc subjects at GCSE. Pupils do not learn at sufficient depth to prepare them well for examination success. The school must continue to evaluate and implement important changes to EBacc subjects to ensure pupils achieve well.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2019.