Windsor Girls’ School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are welcome into this inclusive and friendly school.

They celebrate each other's identity and individuality. The school promotes equality and diversity. Pupils celebrate world culture day and national recognition days.

These wider opportunities help pupils prepare for modern life in Britain.

The school has begun to raise its expectations of pupils' conduct. Pupils recognise that behaviour is better than it was previously.

Relationships between pupils and staff are becoming more positive due to the 'respect' approach that staff use. Pupils enjoy collecting reward points for demonstrating the school's values.

However, there are inconsis...tencies in pupils' attitudes to their learning and how well some pupils focus during lessons.

This is having an impact on how effectively pupils learn. Pupils know that staff want them to work hard, but not all pupils get the help they need to meet the school's raised expectations for behaviour. In addition, too many pupils are often absent from school, meaning they miss out on their important education.

Many pupils enjoy their learning and appreciate the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer. Some pupils participate in the performing arts, such as musicals, dance and choir as well as sporting clubs. Responsibilities, such as being school councillors and ambassadors, help pupils play an active role in the life of the school.

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

The school has ensured that the curriculum offered is both broad and ambitious. It has been well thought out in many subjects so that it is clear what pupils need to learn and when. However, in other subjects, the curriculum is still in the process of being developed.

In these subjects, the key knowledge and skills pupils will learn is not always identified precisely. This means that teachers are not always clear on what should be taught and when to ensure pupils learn and remember the intended curriculum. School and trust leaders share a keen determination to continue to make the necessary subject improvements.

To support this, they recognise the need to develop the expertise of curriculum leaders. This will help them prioritise the most important improvements that need to be implemented to help pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Most teachers are subject specialists.

They present new information clearly to help pupils understand important ideas. However, some activities in lessons do not always help pupils learn as much as they could. As part of this, improvements to the identification of pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and ensuring these needs are met in lessons has been prioritised.

Many pupils are beginning to benefit from appropriate support. When needed, the 'nurture' groups are particularly effective in offering bespoke support for pupils with SEND. This is helping them to learn how to regulate their emotions and develop increasing levels of independence and confidence.

Pupils benefit from opportunities to read with staff. Pupils who need extra support with their reading are beginning to get some help. However, this support has only recently been introduced and, therefore, the impact of this is not yet fully evident.

Sixth-form students demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Teachers ensure that students are well supported to help them learn and achieve well. Attendance, punctuality and engagement in the sixth form are high.

Students learn how to work independently and produce high-quality work.

The positive attitudes seen in the sixth form are not seen consistently across the rest of the school. Some pupils do not show a positive attitude to their learning.

Staff do not consistently challenge this behaviour, meaning pupils are not consistently learning well. The attendance and punctuality of some pupils is also too low. Leaders have systems established to support pupils in attending regularly.

However, these are not always effective, meaning too many pupils continue to miss too much of their education.

The personal development curriculum is comprehensive. It covers topics to help pupils learn how to look after themselves and stay safe.

Strong community links are helping pupils to become responsible and active citizens. Pupils benefit from quality careers education and guidance and the majority move on to suitable education or training when they leave school.

Most staff are proud to work at the school and feel well supported.

Staff morale is high. They appreciate the many opportunities that they have to develop their knowledge and skills to help pupils learn. Leaders' approach to school development, however, is not yet consistent enough.

They do not always follow up on plans with the rigour and precision needed to support improvements. Committed trustees and governors continue to help leaders evaluate what is working well and what needs to get better.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is planned and implemented, across different subjects and key stages. These inconsistencies mean that pupils do not always achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum is planned and delivered consistently well in every subject.

Pupils across the school are not yet attending school as regularly as they should. The rates of absence remain persistently high for some pupils. As a result, they are missing out on vital learning.

The school and trust should maintain a sharp focus on reducing rates of absence. They must continue to devise and persist with effective strategies that secure sustained improvement in pupils' attendance. ? Pupils' attitudes to learning are not yet consistently positive across the school.

Some pupils lack confidence in what they can achieve and in their ability to do well. They do not always engage as well as they should in learning in lessons. The school should ensure that there is a consistent and coherent approach to ensure pupils have a positive attitude to their learning.