Swavesey Village College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Swavesey Village College is a welcoming, inclusive school with high ambitions for all. All pupils enjoy many excellent opportunities. They praise the range of clubs, such as robotics, rock climbing and multiple musical bands.

Pupils exhibit beautiful works of art. School teams compete in and often win local sporting competitions. Pupils won a national languages competition.

Exciting trips extend learning, for example a mathematics trip to Paris. The house system develops deep leadership skills. Through this, older pupils help younger ones settle and thrive.

Pupils build up their character in a rich way, such as developing high levels of respect.

The ...school is a supportive community that pupils enjoy attending. They benefit from positive working relationships with adults and learn in a safe environment.

Behaviour is calm and orderly. Pupils are friendly and polite. They conduct themselves well around the school and in social times.

In lessons, they focus very well on their learning. Pupils are kind to each other.

Pupils learn a very well-designed curriculum.

They appreciate their teachers. Many pupils achieve very high outcomes. Pupils learn what they need to be successful in their next steps.

As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress on to positive destinations.

Parents and carers greatly appreciate all that the school provides for their children.

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

Leaders have created a vibrant, successful school, where all are welcome and all can succeed.

The curriculum is broad and well planned. For example, Year 9 pupils learn key content in depth as they move towards GCSEs. There is a wide and interesting range of GCSE and equivalent courses from which pupils can choose.

High proportions of pupils choose ambitious courses, such as languages. Subject leaders identify what pupils should learn and when. Comprehensive planning ensures that learning is regularly revisited.

Pupils build up detailed knowledge throughout their time at the school.

Staff teach the curriculum well. They have strong subject knowledge.

The trust helps the school provide effective training. Teachers use well-crafted activities so pupils understand and remember the most important content. When pupils have misconceptions, teachers check and rectify these.

As a result, pupils develop confidence and produce high-quality work.

The school has worked systematically to adapt their provision for pupils with SEND as the needs of their cohort have changed over time. Staff receive pertinent information about each pupil, which they use to help them to make whatever adaptations are needed in lessons.

There is a regular programme of training for staff to help them to meet the needs of pupils with SEND well, and this is added to and adapted depending on what leaders learn about staff's work and pupils' needs. Careful attention is paid to moving from Year 6 to Year 7 so that pupils with SEND settle quickly. A few parents and carers have not, in the past, always felt that their children with SEND have been well supported.

Leaders have extended and enhanced their communication with parents so that parents are well informed and consulted.

The school has a range of well-established programmes to boost pupils' reading skills, including buddy reading, reading tutoring and early morning reading for pupils with SEND. In response to having more pupils who need intense support with reading, the school has introduced a phonics programme for some.

Staff receive frequent training on how to develop pupils' reading. All pupils benefit from the continual emphasis on reading in lessons.

Leaders have established clear expectations and processes for behaviour.

Staff apply the behaviour policy well. For example, rewards are used effectively to motivate pupils. Pupils respond very well and sanctions are rarely needed.

The school has strong and effective systems to understand attendance patterns and trends. They use this information very well to take swift action to stem any decline, as well as to find out what the barriers are for those whose attendance is low. For pupils who find it difficult to attend, the school uses a range of thoughtful and responsive strategies to help them.

The school is tenacious about attendance: when something does not work, they try something else. For a few pupils, it takes a long time before their attendance improves significantly, but the school does not give up.

The curriculum for personal development is exemplary.

The school's values and 'PLEDGES' system consistently underpin this. Pupils learn important content in way that they find interesting and relevant. For example, they discuss with considerable maturity their understanding of healthy relationships.

Female pupils learn about signs of breast cancer. The curriculum teaches them how to stay safe. Pupils know a lot about staying safe online.

Pupils get high-quality guidance about their next steps. This wide and coherent programme prepares them excellently for life in a changing world.

The trust monitors and supports the provision closely.

Trustees and governors check carefully on the well-being of leaders and staff. The trust keeps effective oversight of safeguarding.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.