St John’s Marlborough

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St John's Marlborough is built on the ethos of 'Kind, Supported, Happy'. The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve highly. The qualifications pupils and students in the sixth form achieve prepare them well for their next steps.

The school has clear expectations for pupil behaviour. The new behaviour policy has been appreciated by staff and pupils because increasingly, it enables lessons to take place without disruption. The school does not tolerate bullying.

It is proactive in providing avenues for pupils to raise concerns with adults. This means that pupils and staff have positive and mutually respectful relationships.

Pupils take part in a range of ...extra-curricular activities to develop their talents and interests.

Pupils are enthusiastic about performing in school productions and concerts. They are proud to represent their school in sporting competitions. Experiences such as visits to literary festivals and workshops about artificial intelligence bring the curriculum to life for pupils.

The school has recently launched a new house system and a student forum. These are giving pupils the opportunity to take on further leadership roles. Pupils are excited about the chance to help to shape the future of the school.

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

The curriculum is broad and deliberately designed to be inclusive for all pupils. The school actively promotes the value of studying a wide range of subjects at each stage of education. Consequently, the proportion of pupils who study the suite of qualifications known as the English Baccalaureate in key stage 4 is very high.

Subject curriculums set out what pupils will learn in each year to build their understanding. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They are passionate about sharing their subject with pupils, particularly at post-16.

Pupils relish being challenged in their learning. For example, when writing their own writing computer programs or devising scientific experiments.

Teachers frequently check what pupils know and can do.

However, sometimes this information is not then used to adapt the curriculum to help fill gaps or resolve misconceptions. This can hinder pupils when learning the subsequent topics. Equally, when teachers do not identify that pupils' learning is already secure, they do not move them onto more challenging concepts quickly enough.

The school is raising the importance of reading. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 read regularly. Pupils who need to improve their reading skills are helped by well-trained adults.

Sixth-form students read with younger pupils to help develop their confidence and fluency. Book clubs and events draw pupils to the library and encourage them to explore texts for pleasure.

The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Teachers are provided with the information that they need about pupils to adapt the curriculum effectively. When these adaptations are provided pupils with SEND learn as well as their peers.

Attendance is a priority for the school and trust.

The school makes its expectations for attendance clear to pupils and families. New systems for tracking absence mean that timely support is put in place. This has resulted in improvements in attendance and a reduction in persistent absence.

Pupils are prepared for adult life through 'well-being' lessons and wider enrichment activities. For example, driver safety workshops in the sixth form. Pupils learn about healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way.

They know how to look after their physical and mental health, as well as how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils understand the fundamental British values and their role in respecting others. They particularly enjoy the opportunity for philosophical debate about religions and moral issues.

This reinforces the inclusive culture of the school.

Pupils in all year groups learn about the world of work, including apprenticeships. Careers fairs, work shadowing and mock interviews help to raise pupils' aspirations.

Sixth-form students value the individual support they receive when applying for higher education. This means that pupils move successfully on to destinations that align with their ambitious future goals.

Leaders work with staff to make changes while being considerate of staff's workload and well-being.

Staff value the professional development opportunities and support provided by the trust. They are proud to work at the school.

The school, with the support of the trust, has made many recent changes to further enhance the provision for pupils at the school.

Many of the changes are already beginning to lead to improvements, such as those relating to pupils' attendance. However, until these plans are fully embedded and reviewed, leaders and those responsible for governance will not be assured of their full positive impact on young people.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment within the classroom sometimes does not help adults accurately identify pupils' starting points or gaps in their knowledge and understanding. This means that some pupils do not receive the support or challenge they need to learn as well as they should. The school and trust should make sure that assessment routines check for un-derstanding and that the curriculum is adapted accordingly in response.

• The changes the school has implemented to improve the quality of provision are recent. They need further embedding to have the full positive impact on pupils that the school. The school and trust should ensure that the ongoing plans are implemented and reviewed to provide leaders and those responsible for governance with assurances that they are having the desired positive impact.