The Chantry School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel well cared for at The Chantry School.

They enjoy coming to school. Pupils say that their teachers know them well and that they can talk to staff about any concerns they may have.

Leaders have designed the curriculum carefully.

Pupils build on what they learn in lessons through meticulously planned and well-chosen activities and trips that help bring their learning to life. Teachers carry out regular checks that pupils understand what they have learned. As a result, pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. These high expectations are mostly realised. However, in a few lessons, teachers do not man...age behaviour well enough, and this disrupts learning for some pupils.

Leaders deal well with bullying when it happens.

Pupils have extensive opportunities to participate in a wide range of clubs, trips and visits. Pupils on the student council consult their peers to make sure that the clubs reflect their interests and aspirations, and as a result, leaders provide extra clubs.

These clubs include rock climbing club, cooking and 3D printing. Pupils put on two musical shows each year, and they have many sporting opportunities to be involved in. Pupils are encouraged to contribute to the life of the school and the local community.

As a result, pupils are confident and respectful of the views of others.

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

Leaders have developed a thoughtful and well-planned curriculum. The curriculum is ambitious, and in many subjects, it provides pupils with many opportunities to challenge and extend their thinking.

Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need to know, and they have sequenced this information carefully so that pupils build their knowledge over time. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. In most lessons, they provide pupils with activities that carefully match the curriculum.

As a result of this, most pupils produce work of very high quality. Leaders have identified those pupils who need more help to be able to read fluently and have put a programme in place to support them. This is in its early stages.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They make sure that teachers have the information they need to support pupils with SEND well. Teaching assistants support pupils effectively in lessons.

Pupils with SEND achieve well.

Pupils have good relationships with each other. In social times and around the school, they behave well.

Leaders monitor pupils' attendance and support those pupils who need help attending school regularly. However, leaders do not make sure that they look at trends and patterns of behaviour and attendance data rigorously enough, and this limits the actions that leaders take to address any issues.

After the pandemic, leaders have further prioritised pupils' personal development.

There is an extensive enrichment programme for pupils. Leaders monitor this well to make sure that all pupils participate in activities that match their talents and interests. Pupils apply to lead 'pupil action groups'.

These develop the school's wider priorities such as diversity and charity and involve all pupils in their actions. Pupils are taught how to consider sensitive topics and how to discuss different viewpoints with respect. They learn about a range of different religions.

Pupils use the local census data to learn about the different faiths followed in their local area, including less practised religions. Local employers and colleges attend the school to help pupils learn about different careers and education pathways. Pupils are prepared very well for their next steps.

The headteacher is committed to making sure all pupils achieve the very best that they can. He, along with senior leaders, knows the pupils well and understands their needs. However, now the school population is growing in size, this limits senior leaders' ability to have full oversight of all areas of the school.

Governors have recognised this and have provided additional leadership capacity to the school. Leaders support staff well. They make sure that all staff have the training they need to do their job well.

Staff value this support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff receive the training they need so that they know about the risks that pupils face.

As a result, staff identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff record their concerns, and leaders follow these up and make appropriate referrals to external agencies.

Pupils learn how to keep safe through the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum, in tutor time and assemblies.

However, pupils do not have the opportunity to learn about some information in sufficient depth and this limits their understanding of important topics.

Leaders do not always ensure that they have sufficient oversight of the trends that emerge from safeguarding information. This limits their ability to take some strategic actions.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders do not have a clear enough oversight of some aspects of their work such as safeguarding, attendance and behaviour. This limits their ability to easily identify patterns and trends and to use these to guide their next steps. Leaders should consider how best to ensure that they gain and maintain full oversight of all aspects of the school's work and use this well to direct their future actions.

Expectations of pupils' behaviour in lessons and the management of behaviour in lessons are not fully consistent. As a result, on a few occasions, there is some low-level disruption in lessons. Leaders should ensure that all staff have equally high expectations of how pupils should behave and that all pupils understand these expectations, so that behaviour in lessons is of a consistently high standard.

• The taught curriculum for PSHE, including relationship and sex education, does not give pupils the opportunity to learn about some important topics in sufficient depth. This means that pupils' understanding is sometimes not as well developed as it might be. Leaders should consider how best to ensure that pupils are able to develop their understanding of these important topics in appropriate depth, building on their learning over time.

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