The Corbet School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

The Corbet School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

The Corbet School provides a happy and kind environment where pupils thrive. Pupils say that staff are friendly and approachable. They feel safe and trust staff to help them if they have a problem.

Behaviour is good and bullying is rare. If it does occur, staff deal with it well.

Leaders, want the best for every pupil.

They have designed an ambitious curriculum which is broad and balanced. Teachers deliver the curriculum well. Lessons are thoughtfully planned.

Pupils say that work is challenging, and teachers help them to do their best. As a result, pupils are achievin...g well.

The school offers pupils a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.

Examples include sports, art, astronomy, chess and drama clubs. Attendance at these activities is flourishing, with many pupils keen to get involved. For example, large numbers of pupils were seen participating in auditions for the current school production, 'Into the Woods'.

The vast majority of parents and carers would recommend the school. They praise the quality of teaching and pastoral support. Many comment that their children were well supported through the COVID-19 pandemic.

One parent summed up the views of many by saying 'I could not be happier, and neither could my child.'

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

Leaders know their school well. They have an accurate view of the school's many strengths, while being determined to make improvements where they are needed.

Leaders work well with governors, who provide an effective balance of support and challenge.

Leaders have thought carefully about the subjects that pupils study. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), follow a broad and balanced range of subjects at key stage 3.

At key stage 4, the curriculum has an academic core, including French or Spanish for most pupils. Alongside this, leaders have maintained a diverse range of GCSEs and vocational options. For example, pupils can choose to study music, drama and engineering.

Parents and pupils appreciate the range of subjects on offer.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge which they use to plan effectively. They check pupils' understanding and give useful verbal and written feedback.

However, there is some variability in how well teachers check that pupils use this feedback to improve their work. Strong practice was seen in science, where pupils are expected to respond to 'what do you think' tasks. This works well for pupils, ensuring that teachers are able to spot gaps in their knowledge.

However, in some subjects systems are not as well developed. As a result, pupils do not routinely use feedback to improve their work.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and their team of teaching assistants know SEND pupils very well.

They plan a wide range of interventions to support pupils, such as early morning reading and numeracy support. Pupils appreciate this support and were proud to show inspectors how it had helped them to improve. The SEND team works closely with pupils and their families to identify how to best support pupils' learning.

This information is shared with teachers through pupils' 'one page profiles'. Most teachers use these to adapt their planning for SEND pupils. However, some teachers do not fully take these into account when planning lessons.

Consequently, some SEND pupils find it difficult to access learning in some lessons.

The schools 'life skills' curriculum is thoughtfully planned. Pupils learn about issues such as keeping themselves safe and valuing diversity.

Every pupil receives independent careers advice and completes a one-week work experience in Year 10. Pupils are encouraged to make positive contributions to the school community. They respond well to this encouragement.

For example, a group of pupils has set up a used uniform shop to keep the cost of uniform down. Another pupil has planned and led assemblies to raise awareness of racial discrimination.

Staff say that they are proud to work in the school and feel that it is well led and managed.

They feel that leaders trust them and take their workload into account when planning improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that the school has a strong culture of safeguarding.

All staff complete regular safeguarding training. Safeguarding concerns are quickly identified and followed up. Leaders work with families and a range of agencies to put additional support in place where it is needed.

Pupils say that they are taught how to stay safe. They are confident that there is always an adult in school that they can talk to if they have a concern and that they will get the support they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not make full use of the information they receive in the 'one page profiles' detailing how to support pupils with SEND.

As a result, lessons are not always adapted to take the learning needs of SEND pupils into account. Leaders should ensure that all teachers use the information in the 'one page profile' to plan lessons which support the learning of SEND pupils. ? Pupils' response to teacher feedback is inconsistent between departments and lessons.

Consequently, pupils do not always use this feedback to improve their knowledge and understanding. Leaders should ensure that pupils respond to teacher feedback to develop their knowledge in all subjects.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good/outstanding.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 6 June 2013.