The Warriner School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the time staff take to listen to their views and to get to know them. Relationships between pupils and staff are good.

Pupils are particularly positive about the recent changes made to the school's pastoral systems. This means that they can more quickly report their concerns or get the support they need. The sixth-form students are keen to explain that they chose to stay at Warriner because they appreciate their teachers and the individualised help that they receive.

As a result, they, alongside pupils in the lower years, feel supported and happy in school.

The school's spacious site means that at break and lunchtime, pupils have room to spread o...ut. Those who like a quiet space with friends have a place, as do those who want to run or play sports together.

Clubs and activities mean pupils can participate in music and performance, such as rehearsing for the schools' regular shows.

Most pupils achieve well in their key stage 4 and A-level courses. The school has a thoughtful curriculum, with a range of courses on offer.

This gives many pupils, including sixth-form students, the confidence to pursue ambitious goals, such as application to the best universities or to highly competitive apprenticeship programmes.

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

The school's continuing curriculum development means learning is ambitious and well-sequenced. Pupils can confidently recall what they have learned, meaning many of them achieve well.

In many subjects, the most important knowledge is clearly identified, and teachers frequently review previous learning. This helps pupils link key ideas and concepts. However, in some subjects, the vocabulary pupils need to explore their learning is not precisely identified.

Pupils therefore do not always develop as deep an understanding of topics as they could.

Pupils study a wide variety of subjects. The school's farm provides a hands-on setting for the popular vocational animal management qualification.

Pupils enjoy experiencing the daily routines of farm life. The school offers a wide range of enrichment activities, including trips, clubs and performance. These activities help develop pupils' understanding of themselves and the world around them.

The sixth-form subject offer is matched to students' needs. Teachers' expert subject knowledge helps engage students in discussions. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is less precisely planned than in the lower school.

The school recognises the need for further improvements to help students build the detailed knowledge required to achieve well. Alongside their academic learning, sixth-form students appreciate the flexibility built into their personal development curriculum. They relish the time given for them to explore different aspects of their lives outside of school, such as staying safe when out with friends.

While many pupils achieve well, this has not always been the case for the most disadvantaged pupils. Procedures to provide much-needed support have recently been improved. The school recognises the need to strengthen this work to ensure all pupils have what they need to achieve.

Further support is also being put in place for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). While pupils with SEND already achieve well, the school is strengthening how learning can be further adapted through improving the use of individual targets.

Lessons regularly include a focus on reading.

In many subjects, reading activities help pupils use technical vocabulary to interpret subject-specific texts. Pupils who find reading difficult are supported with intervention sessions, including phonics. Reading activities continue in the sixth form, such as a weekly session reading biographical texts.

The school has continued to ensure that it listens to the voice of its pupils. Action has been taken to strengthen relationships across the school community. A new pastoral care system has resulted in staff increasing their knowledge of individual pupils.

This helps them to provide specific support when needed. Pupils recognise these changes and value the positive relationships highly. One pupil remarked that, 'Because teachers really care about us, we really care about them.'



Behaviour in lessons is calm. This means that pupils are free to concentrate fully on their learning. Activity choices help support positive behaviour.

The school tracks attendance closely. Where it is low, the school is proactive in offering support to improve it.

Most personal, social and health education teaching is delivered by specialist teachers.

This curriculum is carefully planned, considering what pupils need as they grow up. This helps pupils to be well prepared for life in modern Britain. Careers education is effective.

Lower school careers education is developing to ensure it is as helpful as the provision in the sixth form. Pupils are confident that they receive the information they need to consider their next steps.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Disadvantaged pupils do not always achieve as well as their peers across the curriculum and in examinations. Additionally, some of these pupils do not always gain as much from the wider personal development opportunities offered by the school. The school must monitor the impact of their initial developments in supporting disadvantaged pupils to achieve well.

• In some subjects, the post-16 curriculum is not as well developed as it is in key stage 3 and 4. This means that while students do learn effectively, they could achieve even better. Leaders have recognised this and must continue to ensure the post-16 provision is equally of high quality.