St Regis Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The King's Church of England School welcomes everyone.

Staff go the extra mile to help pupils. They support those who are new to the school well so that they settle quickly into the learning community. Pupils get along very well.

Adults work hard to resolve any bullying issues, and pupils feel safe.

The school's values drive its everyday life, and these are seen to permeate every aspect of it. Leaders have high expectations for pupils and staff alike.

They have ensured that there is a well-planned curriculum. It is broad and ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils' work builds on wha...t they can already do.

Teachers help pupils to remember in the long term what they have learned. As a result, pupils learn well.

Across the school, there is friendly respect between staff and pupils.

Pupils behave well in class and at social times. Disruption to learning is rare. Staff prepare pupils, including those in the sixth form, well for the next stage in their education.

Pupils also benefit from a good range of extra-curricular activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Leaders and governors are sharply focused on improving the quality of learning further.

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

Across the school, leaders have planned the curriculum carefully.

It is ambitious, and pupils study a wide range of subjects at key stage 3 and key stage 4. Leaders have altered the structure of the curriculum to increase the proportion of pupils studying for a GCSE in a modern foreign language. Teachers' planning enables pupils to learn topics in a sensible order.

For example, planning for expressive arts in key stage 3 prepares pupils well for the GCSE drama course. Across all lessons, teachers help pupils to draw on what they already know, and to remember their learning in the longer term.

Teachers know their subject well and use technical vocabulary to good effect to explain new learning.

They make sure that pupils follow the curriculum that leaders have set out. Work in pupils' books shows that pupils achieve well. Teachers check on what pupils have learned, and most are clear about their next steps.

Assessment in the sixth form is highly effective. However, the quality of help that younger pupils receive on how to improve their work can be inconsistent. As a result, pupils sometimes lack the opportunity to address their mistakes and misconceptions.

Pupils with SEND learn well because teachers are ambitious for them and know them well. Leaders make sure that their additional needs are accurately identified. Nevertheless, leaders have not ensured that written guidance about how to support some pupils is clear enough.

This makes it more challenging for staff to understand how to meet their needs precisely.Leaders have made reading a priority and created a positive reading culture. Pupils read across the curriculum and read fiction during form time.

Staff help the weakest readers to catch up, and a few staff have received specialist training to do so. However, there is more to do to consolidate all pupils' reading skills and confidence.

Leaders have established clear expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Staff apply these consistently well, and with good judgement. Pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. The school is calm and orderly.

In lessons, pupils concentrate and take pride in their work. The rate of suspensions, which has been high in recent years, has fallen recently. Staff work effectively to support pupils who join the school with challenging behaviour.

Pupils develop a sound understanding of personal safety, relationships and citizenship as part of a well-planned programme. The school's values of empathy, respect, responsibility and forgiveness underpin their personal development effectively. Pupils learn to value their own culture and to become accepting of others.

They have a wide range of opportunities to take responsibility and to demonstrate leadership. For example, pupils take on roles as school councillors or mental health first aiders. Staff provide an exceptional quality of pastoral care.

Students in the sixth form and pupils in the younger years benefit from a wide-ranging careers programme. Everyone has the opportunity for meaningful work experience. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to the day-to-day improvement of the school. Senior leaders use external evaluation well to provide relevant training for staff and refine policies. Recently, subject leaders have made rapid improvements to the organisation of the curriculum.

Staff believe that leaders take their workload into consideration. Less-experienced staff receive effective support when they join the school. Governors provide effective oversight of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils learn about the risks that they may face, including those originating online. Leaders make sure that staff are well trained in safeguarding, so that they know how to identify pupils who may be at risk.

They keep the staff updated about issues that might pose a threat. Leaders support those who are vulnerable with sensitivity and tenacity.

The school maintains the necessary safeguarding records.

Leaders make the right checks on the staff who join the school.

Pupils know that there is always someone to talk to. They recognise how well staff care for them and feel safe at school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasion, teachers do not use the school's assessment arrangements effectively. Where this happens, pupils lack information about what they need to do to improve their work. Leaders should ensure that all staff use the agreed assessment procedures consistently and check that pupils know how to use assessment to improve their work.

• Leaders have not made sure that all staff have the information they need about some pupils with SEND. As a result, teachers sometimes do not know how best to support these pupils. Leaders should ensure that the information teachers receive about pupils with SEND is consistently precise, so that staff, including any new to the school, are fully aware of how best to meet the individual needs of all pupils with SEND.

• The school's capacity to support weaker readers has not kept up with the demands placed on it by those joining the school. Some pupils do not receive all the help that they require. Leaders should ensure that sufficient staff are trained to provide effective reading support for all those who need it.