Wadham School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

They have worked hard to improve the areas identified in the previous inspection. As a result, the progress that pupils make by the end of Year 11 is improving. Leaders and governors share a sense of commitment and purpose to continue to improve the standard of education that the school provides.

However, while there are many actions taking place, leaders do not systematically evaluate their impact. Middle leaders are developing in their roles to support senior leaders in securing further improvement. Overall, teaching is good.

Leaders provide s...uitable training for staff to develop their practice. However, there are variations in the quality of teaching and the use of assessment, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and boys. Pupils' attendance remains a key focus because : rates of absence are too high overall.

Leaders have implemented suitable interventions which are beginning to improve the rates of attendance for those pupils who miss school regularly. Disadvantaged pupils do not make the progress that they should. This is because leaders have not precisely identified the barriers to learning these pupils face.

There is strong pastoral support for such pupils, but this is not aligned closely enough to academic outcomes. Leadership of the sixth form is effective. There is an improving understanding of the progress that students are making.

Students who fall behind are offered good support and are now making better progress in this phase of their education. Staff promote pupils' personal, social, health and economic education well. The values of the school are explicit, and the curriculum is thoughtfully designed to support these.

Pupils regularly consider the issues involved in keeping themselves safe, both in the community and when they are online. The school is an orderly environment within which pupils feel safe. Pupils are appreciative of the school's open and inclusive culture.

Behaviour in lessons and during social time is positive, overall. Sometimes, behaviour slips when activities are not appropriate, or expectations are not high enough.

Information about this school

The school received a short inspection in May 2018.

Although the school was judged still to be good, the inspector identified some priorities for improvement. The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school, catering for pupils from Year 9 to Year 13. The headteacher was appointed in October 2018.

There have been substantial changes to the leadership of the school, including the appointment of two deputy headteachers at the start of this academic year. The proportion of pupils with SEND is lower than the national figure, including those pupils with an education, health and care plan. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is lower than the national average.

Most pupils are White British, and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than the national average. The school received a Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools in October 2014 to assess the school's distinctiveness and effectiveness as a church school. At this time, the school was judged to be good.