Swanshurst School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school Pupils at Swanshurst are exceptionally well prepared for their future. They are happy, well cared for and secure excellent academic and personal outcomes. The positive and purposeful learning culture within the school characterises the work of staff and pupils.

Pupils make outstanding progress in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Key stage 4 outcomes have improved year on year since the last inspection. Disadvantaged pupils often make better progress than other pupils nationally from their different starting points.

Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are exceptionally well sup...ported and make similar rates of progress to other pupils at the school. The headteacher is highly effective and well supported by governors and staff. Leaders work together cohesively, combining their expertise and different areas of responsibility very well.

Teaching, learning and assessment are highly effective and ensure good or better outcomes. Pupils are exceptionally well cared for. Pupils' conduct is exemplary.

They are polite, respectful and courteous. Incidents of poor behaviour are very rare. Pupils value their education and attend very regularly.

The curriculum places good emphasis on academic achievement while also ensuring pupils' entitlement to enriching and extra-curricular opportunities. Pupils' social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is effectively nurtured by staff. The school's sixth form provides an excellent range of academic and applied general qualifications.

Highly effective leadership is rapidly improving rates of progress. Students currently achieve good outcomes in academic and applied general qualifications. Students are successful in securing higher education or training places that are right for them.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school is much larger than an average secondary school and has a sixth form. Many of pupils are of minority ethnic heritage.

Just over half of pupils are of Pakistani origin. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much higher than the national average. Half the pupils are supported by pupil premium funding.

This proportion is higher than the national average. There is an above-average proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities in school. A below-average proportion of pupils have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health or care plan.

A very small number of key stage 4 pupils attend alternative provision at Reach School, TLG South East Birmingham or Flexible Learning Centre. The school met the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 11 and by the end of 16 to 19 study programmes in 2016. This information is not yet available for the 2017 cohort because progress information for Year 11 and Year 13 has not yet been validated.