Woodcote High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Woodcote High School continues to be a good school.

The principal of this school is Kirstie Woodcock.

This school is part of The Collegiate Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Soumick Dey, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Phil Hogan.

What is it like to attend this school?

The values of 'excellence, responsibility and aspiration' are at the heart of the school's work.

The school is inclusive and ensures that pupils treat each other with respect. Most pupils enjoy coming to school.

Leaders have high aspirations for the pupils.
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They provide a curriculum that is ambitious and designed to meet the needs of all pupils, including those in the sixth form. A wide range of academic and vocational subjects are on offer. The school ensures that by the end of their studies, pupils have achieved well in most subjects.

Pupils are provided with a broad range of opportunities. They enjoy taking part in a wide range of clubs and contribute well to the school. Students in the sixth form support younger students with reading.

Some pupils act as peer mentors.

Leaders are raising their expectations of pupils' behaviour. This has included making recent changes to the school day and implementing a revised behaviour policy.

These initiatives are improving the attitudes of pupils to be more engaged and enable them to settle in their learning. Pupils feel safe in school and know who to report any concerns to. If bullying occurs, the school deals with the issues quickly to resolve any concerns.

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

The curriculum is organised well and sequenced in a systematic and logical way that enables pupils to be confident in their learning. Leaders have carefully considered and identified the important knowledge that should be learned. In most of the areas of the curriculum, pupils achieve well.

In Years 10 and 11, leaders have been successful in increasing the proportion of pupils studying modern foreign languages, with pupils achieving well in French and Spanish at GCSE and taking on opportunities to study at A level. In the sixth form, students follow an academic or vocational curriculum that meets their needs.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge which they use to design and implement suitable learning activities.

They carefully consider pupils' prior knowledge and experiences to select activities that build on what pupils already know bit by bit. This means that pupils know, do and understand more over time.

The school has ensured that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified carefully, and their needs are supported effectively.

They achieve well. Pupils with physical disabilities are fully integrated into the school, and they are positive about their learning and support.

Most of the time, teachers question pupils skilfully, allowing pupils to think hard about what they are learning.

For example, in food technology, teachers encourage pupils to think about how to eat healthily and achieve a balanced diet. However, sometimes teachers do not check what pupils have learned sufficiently and, therefore, do not identify when pupils have misunderstood. This results in some pupils developing misconceptions or gaps in their learning.

When this happens, teaching moves on too quickly to the next piece of new learning.

The school has prioritised reading. While some of the initiatives are new, there is a targeted approach to supporting those who have fallen behind in their reading to catch up with their peers.

The school has introduced a programme to enable pupils to be more confident in their reading.

Pupils' attendance is improving. The school understands the reasons that cause those who are persistently absent to miss school.

A range of strategies are used to tackle poor attendance, and these are making a difference. Pupils recognise the efforts that the school makes to ensure that they attend.

The school has raised expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Leaders have ensured that rules and routines are more consistently implemented. This has resulted in a temporary increase in suspensions but also in lessons being typically calm and orderly. Pupils say that behaviour has improved, and there are a range of rewards in place for those who behave well.

However, there is a perception within the wider school community that behaviour is not of a high enough standard. Leaders continue to work with the wider school community to demonstrate these improvements.

The school has carefully considered pupils' wider development through the personal, social and health education programme.

Pupils receive guidance on living healthily and being safe in different contexts and situations. Students in the sixth form participate in an enrichment programme to broaden their horizons. Pupils have access to sports, arts and homework clubs.

The school's careers programme raises pupils' aspirations and interests in a range of careers. Students in the sixth form appreciate the opportunities to learn about universities and apprenticeships. These students participate in work experiences appropriate to their interests and needs.

The school has taken action to reduce the number of meetings, taking into account staff workload. Leaders ensure that systems are working effectively. The school, supported by the trust, makes sure that checks on their work are robust and effective.

For example, the local authority was commissioned to review the school's safeguarding systems and structures.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes teachers do not check effectively what pupils have learned or remembered from the curriculum before moving on to teach new subject content.

When this happens, teachers do not have a full picture of pupils' knowledge, and pupils develop gaps or misconceptions. The school should ensure that pupils' understanding is systematically checked so that any gaps or misunderstandings can be rectified.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2018.