The Broxbourne School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a highly purposeful and happy place to be. Pupils interact very pleasantly with one another around the school.

At lunch, some pupils share conversation using their tablets, some play football and others sit out on the grass chatting. Pupils treat each other with the highest levels of respect and tolerance. This is because it is such an important part of school culture.

Pupils take responsibility for doing the right things, including behaving well, even when no one is watching.

Pupils produce exceptional work and attain extremely well because they benefit from highly skilled and expert teaching. They develop a complex and deep understanding of th...e subjects they learn.

Staff care about forming highly positive relationships with pupils. As a result, pupils have lots of people they can talk to if they ever have any worries. Pupils know there is always someone they can turn to either for academic or personal reasons.

This keeps them safe.

Pupils benefit from a wealth of wider opportunities that promote personal development. These include choirs, exchange visits, regular sporting fixtures and competitions and school productions.

Pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils access all these opportunities equally.

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

Longstanding leaders have grown and developed the school over time. They have carefully nurtured staff and grown their expertise.

Consequently, there is a consistency of excellence in teaching across the entire curriculum.

The school has developed an extremely ambitious curriculum. This curriculum enables pupils to study and achieve well in both academic and vocational courses.

The school has also ensured the curriculum caters precisely for the local context. For example, as part of the 'super curriculum', pupils develop their understanding of vocational pathways, which prepares them highly effectively for apprenticeships or entering trades. The school goes to great lengths to ensure that sixth-form students can study courses that match their interests, even if this means small class sizes.

Pupils attain extremely well in both the main school and sixth form. However, in a small minority of subjects, pupils did not make the progress they might in the 2023 GCSE examinations. The school has precisely identified the reasons for this and taken the steps needed to address these fully.

For example, the school identified that in languages, pupils' speaking skills were not as highly developed as other aspects. The school reviewed the languages curriculum and included extensive opportunities for pupils to practise their speaking skills. For example, in the sixth form, students speak in depth and detail in French about the complex novels they study.

This means current pupils are achieving highly.Teachers use the information they have about pupils with SEND precisely to ensure they achieve highly and access the curriculum fully. Teaching assistants support pupils with higher levels of needs to fully access residential trips.

They ensure those pupils at the earlier stages of reading, including pupils with SEND, get the targeted support they need to become fluent readers.

Staff have created a culture where pupils have highly positive attitudes to learning. Pupils participate fully in lessons.

Staff regularly praise and reward pupils who show positive attitudes. This has created a culture of positivity right across the school where everyone respects each other. It is just part of the culture to behave well at all times.

Consequently, pupils want to come to school and attendance levels are high.

Leaders have ensured pupils benefit from comprehensive careers education and guidance. Sixth-form students get precise guidance about their next steps.

This involves careers fairs, one-to-one meetings and work experience. Many students have gone on to successfully complete studies at prestigious universities or apprenticeships as a result.

The breadth and depth of the school's work to promote pupils' personal development is a stand-out feature.

Leaders promote raising aspirations, through working in partnership with colleges from Oxford and Cambridge University. They provide opportunities for disadvantaged pupils to work with post-graduate students through the 'Brilliant Club'. There is a wealth of opportunities that extend pupils' knowledge and cater for their talents and interests.

For example, sixth-form students performed highly in a national mathematics competition. Leaders ensure sporting opportunities are available for all. School teams have achieved success in national competitions, which truly extends pupils.

Trustees have a precise understanding of the school. They have guided the school through the complexities of a site move and have worked with the headteacher to enable smooth changes in leadership. Leaders at all levels are highly effective due to the training and development they have had.

School leaders are extremely mindful of staff workload and well-being. However, staff value the supportive culture, positive environment and development opportunities the most.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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