The Crestwood School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The school is well led and managed. Leaders know the strengths and weaknesses of the school, and they are using this information to make further improvements. The headteacher, supported by leaders and staff, has created a positive and ambitious culture.

Leaders have high expectations of themselves, staff and pupils. This is an inclusive school where pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders and staff openly promote equality of opportunity and diversity.

The broad and balanced curriculum helps pupils to make good progress in many subjects. It also contributes well to pupils' outstanding conduct and physical, mental and p...ersonal well-being. Teaching is improving and there is some very high-quality practice in the school.

However, not all teaching matches the quality of the best. Most pupils make good progress across a range of subjects, including music, business studies, physical education (PE) and computer science. Rates of progress are improving in mathematics, humanities and modern foreign languages and improvements in English have continued.

The progress made by the most able pupils has improved markedly but it was too slow in the past. Many groups of pupils, including girls, low- and middle-prior-attaining pupils and pupils who speak English as an additional language make strong progress in the school. However, the progress made by boys, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is slower than other groups.

Middle leadership is effective and most leaders fully assess the impact of their actions. However, some leaders do not refine their practice to make further improvements. Additional funding is used appropriately but its impact is not fully evaluated by leaders.

The multi-academy trust provides effective support and challenge. Those responsible for governance hold leaders to close account. Pupils are keen to learn and they understand how to be successful learners.

They are proud of their school and thrive as a result of the various opportunities that they are given to become caring, thoughtful and active citizens. Pupils behave very well. They respond positively to high expectations and the vast majority of pupils attend very well.

However, a small number of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils are absent too often. Safeguarding procedures are robust. There is a strong culture for keeping pupils safe.

Information about this school

The Crestwood School opened in March 2015. It is part of the Invictus Education Trust. Governance is provided by the trust and a local governing body.

The trust also provides a range of support to all aspects of the school's work. The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school but it is expanding. Most pupils are White British.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average and the proportion who speak English as an additional language is average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above average. An average proportion of pupils have SEN and/or disabilities, including those who have an education, health and care plan.

A very small number of pupils attend off-site alternative provision at Cherry Tree Home and Hospice on a full-time basis. Small groups of key stage 4 pupils attend Halesowen College to study animal care and Stourbridge College to study construction. Both groups of pupils attend for one afternoon a week.

Post-16 provision registered to Ellowes Hall, another school in the trust, is delivered on the school site. This is inspected separately. The Listen and Learn Centre, which provides Dudley's enhanced provision for deaf pupils with severe or profound hearing loss, is based on the school site.

This is inspected separately but pupils attend lessons in the school. Their results are attributed to the Crestwood School. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.