The Thomas Lord Audley School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school This is a rapidly improving school. Pupils are achieving well in a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Pupils are making good progress in key stage 3 and key stage 4.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good across both of these key stages. Pupils behave well and they develop positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education or employment.

The effective leadership of the headteacher and her senior team is valued by pupils, staff and parents alike. Achievement is improving because school leaders and governors focus effectively on strengthening th...e quality of teaching. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Over time pupils do not experience enough outstanding teaching and as a result outcomes are not high compared to national figures.

Some teachers do not always plan sufficient challenge in their lessons. Numeracy skills are not developed across the curriculum outside of mathematics lessons. The progress made by pupils in off-site provision is not monitored carefully enough.

Persistent absence, although improving, is greater than the national average.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding (additional government funding to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after) is above average.

Most pupils are White British. The proportion of minority ethnic pupils and pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is slightly higher than the national average.

The school does not meet the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress at Key Stage 4. A proportion of Year 11 pupils take part-time vocational courses at the Colchester Institute. A small number of key stage 4 pupils undertake full-time off-site provision at the North East Essex Additional Provision School, Essex Youth Service and the New Approach Programme, which are all based in Colchester.