The Coleshill School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

The Coleshill School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The head of school is Rebecca Brindley. This school is part of The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Richard Gill, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Vickers.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's values of 'work hard, be kind and take responsibility' are evident in how most pupils conduct themselves when at school. They show respect to each other, staff and visitors.

Pupils k...now that expectations have been raised through 'the Coleshill way' and that routines such as the morning line-up help them to meet these expectations. They manage themselves appropriately as they move around the site, especially in some of the small but busy shared spaces.

Most pupils are attentive in lessons, follow teachers' instructions and do not behave in a way that disrupts others' learning.

Pupils enjoy working with each other, whether in discussion tasks or group performances. Although current pupils are learning the curriculum in a way that will support future success, this has not always been the case.

Pupils' wider development is supported by a rich extra-curricular offer, including eco-club, book club and many sporting options.

Pupils value opportunities to contribute to the school and wider community through the many leadership roles available, whatever their age. Sixth-form students are proud of the voice they are given in contributing to improvements. They enjoy representing the school, for example leading open evenings and a cross-country event for local primary schools.

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

The school ensures that all pupils follow an ambitious curriculum. There have been improvements made to the curriculum since the previous inspection, particularly in key stage 3. It is carefully sequenced to enable pupils to build their knowledge over time.

Pupils are able to choose from a broad range of subjects and qualifications in key stages 4 and 5.

Despite the school's previous work to improve outcomes, pupils' achievements in the 2024 examinations were below national averages, especially in key stage 4. Many pupils, including a significant number of disadvantaged pupils, did not secure the key qualifications needed for their next steps in education.

The school has put in place focused work to help current Year 11 pupils close any learning gaps they may have. The improvements made to the school curriculum mean that pupils are now developing stronger foundational knowledge to support their future learning.

The school, supported by the trust, is working to improve how well the curriculum is implemented.

Most staff use strong subject knowledge to explain new learning clearly. The school has identified specific teaching strategies for teachers to use when designing and delivering lessons. However, there is some variation in how well these strategies are employed.

A key area is how effectively teachers check that pupils have understood their learning. Although there are times when this is done skilfully, there are occasions when these checks are not used in a way that helps move pupils' learning forwards. Leaders are taking action to address this.

There is a more consistent quality to the sixth-form provision.

The school strives to be 'ethically inclusive' and the strength of this work can be seen in the high-quality academic and social support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Their needs are accurately identified and shared with staff via helpful 'pupil passports'.

Staff are clear on what they need to do to support each pupil with their learning. Pupils with SEND achieve in line with their peers. This focused and effective support is also in place for any pupils who are not yet confident, fluent readers.

However, there is less clarity for staff around how to support some disadvantaged pupils to achieve well.

The school also provides strong pastoral support for pupils. There is a real sense that pupils are known as individuals and the school tries to remove barriers which individual pupils may face that impact on their attendance, behaviour and learning.

There have been significant improvements in pupils' attendance over the last year, other than for disadvantaged pupils. Suspensions are reducing and the internal reflection consequence is being used less often. The school's safeguarding team does all it can to help pupils receive the support they need.

The school's work on personal development is a strength. Pupils learn in age-appropriate ways about how to stay safe and healthy. Through the 'SPIRIT' points they earn, pupils develop important character traits such as perseverance and reflection.

Through the high-quality careers programme, pupils are encouraged to have high aspirations and know how they can achieve these. This includes helpful mentoring for sixth-form students when they are applying for university.

Leaders are committed to their vision of 'all of us, all the time'.

They are now working on the right things to help move the school forward. Trustees and local 'advocates' share this commitment. All are determined to ensure that their improvement work is reflected in stronger outcomes for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is inconsistency in how effectively staff use the school's chosen strategies for checking that pupils have understood their learning. Sometimes this means that gaps in knowledge or misconceptions persist.

Sometimes pupils do not receive the precise feedback they need to deepen their knowledge. The school should ensure that staff are able to check pupils' understanding more precisely and adapt teaching or tasks effectively in response. ? The school's strategy to support disadvantaged pupils is not understood well enough by staff.

As a result, some disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as well as their peers. Some do not attend school often enough and miss out on important learning and wider development opportunities. The school should ensure that staff at all levels understand their role and responsibilities in securing the best possible outcomes for these pupils.

• There has not been close enough oversight of how well pupils achieve in their examinations. As a result, a number of pupils do not leave school with the qualifications they need for their next steps. The trust should ensure that the school improvement strategy contributes more strongly towards better examination outcomes for pupils.

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 second ungraded inspection since we the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2016.