Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy and value the friendly atmosphere around the school. They know that learning is important and want to do well in their studies. Pupils usually work hard to achieve high levels of success.

Some pupils do not behave well. A few teachers do not deal with these behaviours as well as they could. This disrupts the learning of others in their classes.

A few pupils are late to lessons or choose to skip them altogether.

Pupils are safe and feel safe at the school. If pupils feel worried about any aspects of their lives, they know that the school's behaviour support team, along with other staff, are willing and able to help.

Pupils spoken with, an...d many who responded to Ofsted's survey, feel that bullying happens occasionally, and staff quickly make sure that it stops and does not reoccur.

Pupils have opportunities to take responsibility within their school community, such as by serving in the school's 'senate'. These opportunities, however, are not well understood by many pupils so they do not get involved in them.

Students in the sixth form learn well, work hard and benefit from their teachers' expertise.

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

Over the past two years, leaders have put in place an ambitious, well-organised curriculum. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, have plenty of opportunities to study a wide range of subjects.

Leaders have taken steps to enable more pupils to study the subjects within the English Baccalaureate (EBacc).

Teachers know their subjects and how to teach them well, including the accurate use of technical vocabulary in each subject. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, use these words fluently.

Teachers provide pupils opportunities to review what they have been taught. This helps pupils remember the knowledge in the long term.

In some subjects, leaders are still establishing the best way to assess what pupils know and can do.

In most subjects, teachers correct pupils when they make mistakes or do not understand new learning. Some teachers in a few subjects do not always do this as precisely or effectively. As a result, some pupils' understanding lacks precision or sufficient depth.

Teachers teach pupils the importance of reading. Teachers encourage pupils to read widely and often. Pupils enjoy reading.

Leaders have improved the way staff support pupils who find reading hard and have fallen behind. These pupils improve their reading and catch up.

Leaders quickly identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders provide precise guidance for teachers to help these pupils learn effectively. Teachers give pupils with SEND the support they need to overcome the challenges they face and learn the curriculum well.

While many pupils learn and behave well in lessons, some do not.

Some teachers do not deal with low-level disruption quickly enough. This leads to other pupils' learning being interrupted. In a few instances, pupils are required to leave the classroom and continue their learning in other classes.

This can disrupt learning in those classes too.

Leaders' provision for pupils' personal development is developing but is not yet influencing the culture of the school as well as leaders would like. For example, leaders' promotion of diversity inspired pupils to celebrate Pride Month with activities such as parades and impressive public displays.

However, pupils say, and school records show, that incidents of pupils' use of inappropriate language about other people's differences still occur.

Leaders' programme for independent advice and guidance does not inform pupils well enough about career opportunities in all subjects. This is most noticeable in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The school meets the requirements of the Baker clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

Students achieve well in the school's high-quality sixth-form provision. Staff and students live up to leaders' high expectations.

Students complete their programmes of study and are well prepared for their next steps in employment, education or training. Students appreciate the team ethos in the sixth form and readily take positions of responsibility within the school community.

Two years ago, leaders and trustees introduced a large programme of change to address declining standards at the school.

Some staff feel unsettled by the pace of change. Some parents and carers do not feel that they get the information they need about the school. For example, some parents do not understand how behaviour is managed at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff, governors and trustees have been well trained to carry out their safeguarding duties. Staff know the signs of potential harm and act swiftly and appropriately when concerns arise.

Leaders keep meticulous records and work effectively with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils get the support they need.

Leaders ensure that background checks are undertaken to determine if staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A significant minority of pupils do not take on board what they have learned about different lifestyles, cultures and religions, to exhibit appropriate behaviours and use appropriate language.

Leaders need to ensure that the school's provision for personal development contributes positively towards the school culture and pupils' behaviour. ? Staff do not manage pupils' behaviour consistently well. As a result, some pupils experience disruptions in lessons due to unacceptable behaviour.

Leaders need to clarify their expectations of pupils' behaviour. Leaders should then make sure that these expectations are commonly understood and consistently applied by staff. ? Staff and parents raise concerns about leaders' communication and support.

Staff and parents are not being well supported to understand the changes being made at the school. Leaders need to clarify with stakeholders the vision they have for the school. They also must outline the steps that will be taken to achieve this vision, including the measures to support staff's reasonable workload.

• Teachers do not always identify when pupils do not remember or understand what they have been taught. Where this happens, some pupils do not learn the intended curriculum in sufficient depth or with sufficient precision. Teachers need to check more precisely what pupils know so that they can help pupils understand and remember what has been taught.

Also at this postcode