Setting

Mike Garlick, Executive Principal, and Stuart Edwards, Head of School The Regis School Westloats Lane Bognor Regis West Sussex PO21 5LH

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of The Regis School

Following my visit to your academy on 11 December 2015 with Sir Robin Bosher, Regional Director for the South East, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and the time you took to discuss behaviour in your academy.

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of The Regis School

The inspection was a monitoring inspection carried out in accordance with the no formal designation procedures and conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was carried out because Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about behaviour at the academy.

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Evidence

Inspectors considered evidence including:

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Evidence

 observations of pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning in lessons  observations of pupils’ behaviour throughout the day, including discussions with pupils  documentary evidence  discussions with academy leaders and staff.

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Evidence

Having evaluated all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Context

The Regis School is a much larger than average-sized secondary school. The large majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is half the national average. Most of these pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special Ofsted

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Context

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk educational needs is average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs is low. Just under a third of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is in line with the national average. Almost nine out of 10 pupils join the academy at the start of Year 7 and complete Key Stage 4 at the academy. This is a little lower than the national average. About one quarter of the teaching staff left and were replaced in the summer. You report that at times recruitment can be challenging. However, the academy is almost fully staffed with teachers who are specialists in the subjects they teach and only two teachers are leaving at the end of this term.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Leaders and teachers are working together effectively to secure increasingly high standards of behaviour. The academy is a calm, well-ordered environment, conducive to learning. Pupils typically behave well in lessons and around the academy. They arrive on time, properly equipped and ready to learn.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

In class, pupils listen attentively and engage well in discussion and the tasks at hand. Disruptions to learning are rare. When disruption does occur, teachers deal with it quickly and effectively, in line with your behaviour policy. Lesson changeovers are smooth and lessons start promptly. Teachers attend their classroom doors, effectively ensuring orderly departure and arrival and keeping an eye on corridor behaviour. Behaviour at break and lunchtime is well ordered and friendly. Pupils socialise happily in the school canteen and outside. They queue sensibly. Staff keep an eye on proceedings. Pupils say they feel safe in all parts of the academy.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Bullying is rare and dealt with effectively. The harm reduction team makes sure that all issues of concern are investigated thoroughly. Its staff work effectively with victims, perpetrators and parents to stop bullying, involving external agencies when necessary. Robust records are kept of all incidents and how they are resolved. All seemingly resolved cases are reviewed at least once a term to double-check that no further incidents have occurred. Leaders also keep rigorous records of rewards, behaviour incidents, exclusions and attendance. This helps you evaluate how effectively you are managing these issues and adapt your approach when needed. However, you do not routinely consider how the attendance and behaviour of disadvantaged pupils or those with special educational needs compares with their peers. As a result, you are not as well-placed as you need to be to evaluate the impact of your work with these pupils.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

You have recently strengthened your behaviour policy. Previously, pupils who disrupted learning had three chances before being sent to another class. Now teachers only give pupils one chance before sending them to the academy ‘study room’, where they work in silence for the rest of the day. This ‘zero tolerance’ approach has helped to further raise the standard of behaviour in class. Some pupils are still adjusting to these higher expectations. However, reassuringly, so far the number who have reoffended more than once is small. You are keeping note of these pupils and making sure that if they continue to fall foul of these new tighter procedures, they will receive support to help them moderate their behaviour. This includes access, when necessary, to professional counselling and support from the academy’s health and well-being manager. Those who are severely disengaged or at risk of permanent exclusion spend time at the academy’s A Right To An Education

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Centre (R2E), where they are effectively supported to develop their communication and social skills and to look at issues such as anger management and self-esteem. The positive accounts from pupils who have benefited from the support you provide, together with your increasingly low levels of exclusions, are testament to its effectiveness.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

The right of children to have an education and the importance of treating everyone equally and with respect permeates all aspects of academy life. Pupils are typically tolerant and accepting of difference. However, some pupils do not have a good enough understanding of what is and is not acceptable language. Although they may not mean to, some are, at times, behaving in a discriminatory manner. Some pupils spoke of having heard others make comments that most people would consider racist. One pupil remarked, ‘I don’t think they know where the line is.’ The use of the word ‘gay’ as part of what is considered ‘friendly banter’ by some of the younger boys is quite common. One older pupil said, ‘I don’t think they realise how hurtful it can be.’ As part of your work to sharpen the way you prepare pupils for life in modern Britain, Year 9 pupils will study discrimination and prejudice next spring. Year 10 pupils have studied some of these issues this term. However, further action

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

is needed to ensure that pupils who currently use language that can leave people feeling marginalised, refrain from doing so.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

You are keen to make sure that you consider pupils’ views when you make decisions that affect them. Presently you are consulting pupils on what the reward should be for the positive behaviour points they collect. Some pupils spoke positively about discussions that have taken place in tutor time about this. They are clear that their views will be taken forward to the student council by their elected form representative. However, a few have not had this opportunity and feel that their tutors lack commitment to such matters. Some pupils also do not feel that they can turn to their tutor if they need support.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Routinely evaluate the impact of your work on the behaviour and attendance of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.  Ensure that pupils do not use discriminatory language, because they understand the negative impact such language has.  Make sure that all form tutors consistently meet the expectations you set them.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the Director of Children’s Services for West Sussex, to the Secretary of State for Education and the Chair of the Governing Body. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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