Stalham High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a real sense of community within the school. Pupils are articulate and confident. They interact positively with staff.

They demonstrate pride in their school and the part they play in supporting each other. Through roles such as anti-bullying ambassadors and autism ambassadors, pupils show respect for one another and genuinely want to ensure an inclusive school community. The ambassadors are role models for their peers, and they are clearly committed to the school.

The expectations of pupils at Stalham High School are high. The school is increasingly establishing routines which the pupils follow. This results in a community where pupils work hard and see the ...value in their achievements.

During unstructured times, pupils enjoy playing football and chatting with each other. They take pride in their environment and ensure the school field is tidy when they leave it. They show respect to supervising adults.

Activities such as the Year 8 camping trip support the strengthening of relationships across the school. They also provide the opportunity to develop independence. Pupils enjoy rewards visits.

They are valued because they recognise pupils' progress.

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

The quality of education in the school has improved since the last inspection. The school has focused significant resources on developing the curriculum across the school to ensure that historical gaps in knowledge and skills are closed.

In some subjects, this has had a substantial effect. Subject content is now delivered effectively by subject specialists. While pupil outcomes in public examinations are not yet where the school wants them to be, they have improved between 2022 and 2023.

In a smaller number of subjects, curriculum planning is at a much earlier stage and has yet to ensure that pupils' understanding is detailed.

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is now clearly defined. Inclusive practice is at the centre of what the school does.

The school's specially resourced provision for pupils with autism, 'The PAD', has a significant and positive impact on the learning of the pupils that attend this resource. Skilful and effective support from adults ensures pupils achieve well. Teachers have a thorough understanding of the needs of pupils with SEND and make appropriate adaptations to lessons.

Pupils at Stalham enjoy reading. There is a large and effective staff team responsible for ensuring pupils who struggle to read are identified and supported to catch up quickly. The school library is well resourced and well used by pupils.'

Rallo' the reading dog is on hand to offer support where pupils lack confidence in their reading.

The atmosphere in the school is calm and purposeful. The overwhelming majority of pupils behave well, particularly younger pupils.

They understand classroom routines well. However, too many pupils do not attend school frequently enough. As a result, they miss out on both learning and social activities provided by the school.

The school's systems for addressing behaviour are now more rigorous.

Pupils talk very positively about the relationships between themselves and staff. They feel listened to and respected.

Pupils describe the school as an inclusive environment in which they thrive. Pupils can take on leadership roles, such as form ambassadors and eco-councillors. They have access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.

Pupils' personal, social, health and economic education curriculum provides them with opportunities to strengthen their understanding of positive relationships, mental and physical health, as well as the world of work. Pupils engage in work experience and appreciate this is an important experience for them. The careers programme is highly effective.

Leaders at all levels have implemented and sustained rapid improvements since the previous inspection. These changes have resulted in a higher standard of education for pupils. Leaders evaluate accurately the strengths and areas for development of the school.

The systems and structures they have implemented are robust. Over this period of change, staff have been, and continue to be, on board with the direction of the school. There is a shared aspiration among the school community for pupils to achieve their very best.

Appropriate and effective development opportunities are available to staff to ensure increasingly consistent practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not yet achieve as highly as they could.

This is because the curriculum in some subjects is not yet sufficiently well established to provide them with the knowledge and skills they require to learn and achieve well. The school should ensure that the existing curriculum development model applied in some subjects is used to strengthen practice in those subjects where progress is less developed. ? Not all pupils attend school as often as they should.

Pupils missing school mean they cannot benefit from the quality of education provided, reducing the opportunities for them to achieve well. Pupils also do not experience the routines of school life as a result. The school should ensure that it promotes robustly the importance of regular attendance through its existing structures and processes.