The Burgate School and Sixth Form

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

The Burgate School and Sixth Form has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is David Pover. This school is the only school in the Burgate School and Sixth Form single academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by James Edward Mowbray.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this welcoming and happy school. The school's relational and inclusive approaches are at the heart of all it does. Pupils are known well and treated as individuals.

Consequently, they trust staff to listen to them and help them if necessary. Behaviour is exemplary in lessons and in ...social time. Pupils are respectful and polite to adults and to each other.

Sixth-form students are excellent role models for younger pupils.

The school offers an ambitious curriculum in all years which goes beyond preparing pupils for examinations. The Year 9 'exploration' activities provide opportunities for pupils to apply learning from a range of areas to cross-curricular projects.

For example, film studies in French and Spanish, to a helicopter project in design and technology. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are successful in public examinations and are rightly proud of their achievements.

The school offers a rich and varied extra-curricular programme which develops character and nurtures pupils' talents and interests.

Staff ensure that the activities are open to all. Pupils value these and participate widely in them. Parents value the balance struck between striving for high academic standards and the personal development of each pupil.

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

The school's vision underpins its drive for continuous improvement and is supported by all those involved. Trustees provide strong support and challenge and take their statutory responsibilities very seriously, not least safeguarding. Staff are very proud to work at the school.

They appreciate the development and support they receive, including in relation to their workload.

Teachers benefit from high-quality professional development which has strengthened curriculum and subject thinking. Learning content is sequenced carefully so that important knowledge builds up coherently and securely from Year 7 onwards.

Teachers have a clear understanding of the curriculum for their subject. Most teachers use the school's specific approaches for teaching effectively. Staff create calm and purposeful classrooms which are focused on learning.

To support pupils with SEND, the school identifies any additional needs swiftly and precisely. Staff are provided with helpful information which they use wisely. They make appropriate adjustments for pupils in lessons which benefit all pupils, but especially those with SEND.

Occasionally, pupils follow bespoke programmes which are organised to meet their specific needs and interests.

It is common and consistent practice for teachers to check for pupils' understanding and provide helpful feedback. Pupils respond readily to this so that, in most cases, errors and inaccuracies are ironed out over time.

In many subjects, pupils participate in high-quality discussion and application activities. In these subjects, pupils demonstrate a deep understanding of what they have learned and apply it spontaneously and precisely to increasingly complex questions. Overall, all pupils achieve well.

However, this depth of learning and thinking is not yet consistent across the curriculum.

The school has a clear approach to supporting pupils who are not yet fluent readers. Staff identify reading gaps precisely and provide targeted support.

These pupils catch up quickly with their peers. Teachers use consistent strategies in lessons to ensure all pupils understand the texts selected. More widely, pupils read a diversity of texts, both for pleasure and in tutor sessions.

The school is rightly very proud of its high-quality pastoral and inclusion support. Staff do not compromise on high standards, for example for behaviour or attendance. However, because staff know pupils extremely well and approach issues with empathy, pupils meet these expectations.

For those pupils who need more help, staff provide very effective and targeted support.

The school's motto is 'Learning for Life'. This has informed its new 'exploration' curriculum but also its personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) programme.

PSHE is very carefully organised from Year 7 to Year 13. Pupils learn about important themes age-appropriately. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and nurture positive relationships, including online.

They explore issues of equality and misinformation in the media. The school's warm and inclusive environment is in a large part due to the successful PSHE programme. Pupils enjoy positive relationships with staff and their peers.

They also show a natural and spontaneous understanding and respect for diversity. The careers programme is equally strong. Through its varied links with partners from education, training and employment, pupils are supported towards a wide range of high-quality destinations, both at ages 16 and 18.

Staff take great care that all pupils receive the PSHE and careers education that they need. The school provides sensitive and bespoke support for pupils who need additional support when considering their next steps.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's strong pedagogical approaches are not always used as consistently across the curriculum. This means that sometimes, pupils are not supported to think deeply as they could, or apply their knowledge to more complex tasks. The school should continue its work with staff to refine their understanding of different pedagogical approaches, so that they are used equally well in all areas.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2019.