Thomas Telford School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at Thomas Telford School.

A culture of high expectations permeates every aspect of school life. From Years 7 to 13, pupils rise to the academic challenge and wealth of additional opportunities that staff provide. Leaders work in close partnership with parents and carers to ensure that pupils grow and develop into successful young adults.

Pupils' behaviour throughout the school is exemplary. In lessons, pupils show a hunger and desire to learn. They feed off teachers' enthusiasm and passion for their subject.

At lesson change-over and social times, pupils are mature and respectful of others. They carry their red folders to each lesson sensibly ...and wear their uniform and physical education (PE) kit with pride. Leaders deal with bullying swiftly if it ever occurs.

The curriculum is broad and varied. In many subjects, teachers deepen pupils' knowledge and extend their learning through activities in and outside of the classroom. The sixth-form curriculum is similarly wide-ranging and supplemented with a wealth of other meaningful opportunities.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the support it gives to their children. As one parent commented in response to Ofsted's survey, 'My child is encouraged to follow her dreams and reach her full potential.'

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

Leaders have constructed a highly ambitious curriculum.

Careful thought has been given as to how the key stage 3 curriculum successfully prepares pupils for the rigours and demands of key stages 4 and 5. In many subjects, pupils achieve extremely well in both academic and vocational qualifications.

The curriculum is impressively planned and sequenced.

Leaders have identified the smaller blocks of knowledge pupils need in order that they can make connections in what they are learning. Leaders have given a high level of thought to organising learning so that pupils build on what they know and revisit key ideas. In science, for example, leaders have constructed the curriculum around 'the big picture', enabling pupils to draw together key knowledge and deepen their understanding of important concepts.

There are similar strengths in art. The curriculum builds over five years so that pupils talk confidently and with sophistication about contemporary and historical artists. Across the curriculum, pupils make exceptionally strong progress and produce work of a very high standard.

Teachers use their subject knowledge highly effectively to implement the curriculum. In lessons, strong modelling and clear explanations ensure that pupils understand the tasks they are completing and how these connect to what they already know. Teachers use questioning extremely well to check pupils' understanding and pinpoint any gaps in their knowledge.

Additionally, teachers use a range of different assessment strategies so that pupils know what they do well and how they could improve. As a result, pupils make impressive gains in their knowledge and understanding over time.

Leaders have placed high importance on reading across the school.

Pupils in Years 7 to 9 have regular visits to the school library, which is well stocked with a range of different texts. Reading interventions are carefully planned and based on accurately identifying those who need additional support. Leaders ensure that weaker readers are part of a phonics catch-up programme to help them improve their reading.

Staff also run a highly successful peer reading scheme, where sixth-form students read to younger pupils.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported. Leaders accurately identify pupils' needs and provide clear, precise and effective support.

This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND are well integrated into school life and make similar progress to others.

Leaders' work to enhance pupils' personal development is exceptionally strong. Large numbers of pupils take part in 'Session 3' after school in sports, performing arts and academic clubs.

Pupils talk enthusiastically about the wealth of different activities they can select from and how they are actively encouraged to pursue their talents and interests. Leaders have carefully considered how pupils learn about relationships and sex education. Pupils learn about topics such as consent, healthy relationships and physical health and mental well-being in an age-appropriate way.

In personal tutorials, pupils listen to weekly broadcasts where staff share what is happening across the school, including sporting successes and 'star student' of the week.

The school's careers programme is rich and extensive. Pupils in all year groups have opportunities to engage with the world of work and increase their range and depth of experiences over time.

Leaders ensure that pupils are fully aware of the pathways available to them when they leave school, including routes into apprenticeships and further education. Sixth-form students are active role models for younger pupils and play a key role in school life. Students greatly value the support they receive in helping to complete university applications.

Many students achieve highly in the sixth form and successfully move on to Russell Group universities.

Governors are highly committed to the school and are rightly proud of its reputation in the local community. They have a strong understanding of the school's many strengths.

However, the school's variation from standard practice in the application of attendance codes means that governors do not have a clear oversight of pupils' attendance and behaviour. Therefore, they are hampered in their ability to hold leaders to account for aspects of the school's performance. In addition, the school's behaviour policy does not include all steps that leaders take to help support pupils.

Leaders are aware of this and are already starting to make changes.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all appropriate safeguarding checks are carried out on staff before they begin work at the school.

All staff receive annual and ongoing safeguarding training to ensure that their knowledge of key topics is kept up to date. Staff are aware of the systems to follow should they have a concern about a pupil. Records kept by leaders show that pupils who need help and support get this in a timely way.

Leaders are aware that some processes could be further improved to help strengthen this aspect of the school's work.

Pupils learn to keep themselves safe through assemblies, and personal tutor sessions on topics such as grooming and the sharing of inappropriate images.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not ensured that staff use attendance codes consistently to record when pupils are sent home due to poor behaviour.

This means that governors do not have a clear oversight of pupils' behaviour and attendance. Leaders should ensure that, when pupils are sent home due to poor behaviour, this is recorded in the register in such a way that enables governors to have a better understanding of attendance, especially when pupils are sent home as a disciplinary measure. Leaders should also review their behaviour policy so that it accurately reflects the interventions that are put in place to support pupils with their behaviour.