Bohunt School Wokingham

Bohunt School Wokingham Sheerlands Road, Arborfield, Wokingham RG2 9GB

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 School leaders, governors and members of the Bohunt Education Trust (BET) have a clear and uncompromising vision for the school. Leaders are determined to provide the best possible experiences for pupils. Leaders are ambitious for academic excellence and for pupils to become confident, resilient and independent.  The inspirational headteacher has established a highly aspirational culture, which develops the potential of all members of the school community. Staff are fully supportive of his vision and morale is very high.  Leadership at all levels is strong and committed to driving further improvement.  Capable and experienced governors carry out their duties conscientiously and rigorously. They visit regularly and have an accurate understanding of the school.  Teachers show secure subject knowledge and most teaching is of a high standard. There are some inconsistencies where teachers do not provide the right level of challenge and support

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

to pupils.  Well-planned training helps staff to further develop their teaching and leadership skills.  BET provides highly effective support and extensive quality assurance to ensure high standards in all aspects of the school’s work.  Pupils love coming to school. They are completely engaged in their learning and demonstrate excellent behaviour in and out of lessons. They take great pride in their school.  Highly effective relationships between staff and pupils help pupils feel secure and promote their learning and personal development very well.  Attendance is well above national levels and improving, and exclusions are very low.  Pupils throughout the school make strong progress across the curriculum from their starting points. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those who join the school after the start of Year 7.  The rich curriculum offers pupils a wide choice of subjects. The taught curriculum is enhanced

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

well by an exceptionally wide range of extra- curricular activities and trips. The vast majority of pupils participate in sporting and other clubs. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities to gain leadership skills.  Leaders ensure that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is extremely well promoted.  The overall educational experience for many pupils in the school is ‘life-changing’.  Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and appreciate its strengths.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency of teaching and learning by ensuring that: – teachers use assessment of pupils’ learning to build on what pupils already know, understand and can do – pupils receive the right levels of challenge and support in lessons – teaching enables pupils of all abilities to deepen their knowledge and express what they know and understand accurately.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The headteacher, leaders and governors have a compelling vision for an aspirational school which prepares pupils well for their next steps, based on the values of ‘enjoy, respect, achieve’. Staff share this vision. As a result, a culture of high expectations, coupled with a happy harmonious atmosphere, permeates the school. The headteacher has established a vibrant and inspiring learning community over the three years the school has been open.  Throughout the school, staff are hard-working and committed to ensuring that pupils thrive, feel safe and achieve well. Staff who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire are proud to be a member of the school and feel well supported. Parents are also full of praise for the school. Virtually all parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, would recommend the school to another parent. Parents of pupils who joined the current Year 9 during the last two years are delighted with the smooth

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

transition of their children into the school. A very few parents expressed some concerns about support for their children.  Leaders have an accurate view of what they need to do to continue to meet their high standards as the school grows. With each annual influx of new staff and pupils, leaders rapidly establish their high expectations, accurately identifying and addressing teachers’ training needs. Teachers who are new to the profession are supported extremely well. Staff value leaders’ commitment to their ongoing professional development.  Subject leaders show strong expertise and a determination to further improve the quality of teaching and learning.  Monitoring by trust and school leaders is extensive and identifies priorities for staff training, leading to comprehensive and effective responses. Sometimes, the monitoring focuses on the actions taken by the teachers, rather than evaluating how well pupils

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

are learning about a subject, which limits the sharpness of the subsequent improvement work.  The leadership of provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has stabilised this year. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that funding to support pupils with SEND is used well. The SENCo identifies and implements suitable provision so that these pupils make good progress.  Extra funding for disadvantaged pupils and those who arrive in Year 7 with below- average attainment in English and/or mathematics is well deployed. A range of extra help enables lower attainers to catch up quickly. Disadvantaged pupils throughout the school make strong progress.  The curriculum provides breadth, offering a wide range of subjects. Pupils also benefit from an exceptionally high provision of enrichment and extra-curricular activities that are designed to develop character and confidence, as well as being enjoyable. These

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

include a wide selection of high-quality sports, a huge range of clubs, ambitious educational trips and outdoor activities, and high levels of participation in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Almost all pupils participate regularly in these activities, and they contribute to pupils’ highly positive attitudes to school. The school’s sports teams have had considerable success in national, regional and local leagues and competitions.  Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong and is embedded throughout the curriculum. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain through the successful promotion of British values across the curriculum and the development of a strong sense of equality and personal responsibility.  High-quality careers education is a strength of the school. It contributes well to the development of pupils’ aspirations and determination to succeed.

p.3

Governance of the school

 Both the trust board and the local governing body have high aspirations and expectations of the school. Governors bring a wide range of experience to these different levels of governance within the trust.  Governors visit the school regularly and are well informed about the school’s work. Consequently, they have a detailed understanding of its strengths, as well as those areas to be further developed as the school grows. They are passionate about the school and determined that it plays a significant role in its local community.  Governors take close account of parents’ views when planning the strategic direction of the school.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school is a caring environment in which every pupil is valued. Staff have positive relationships with pupils and know them well. This means that staff are alert to any changes in pupils that may indicate a concern. Pupils feel safe in school. They are confident in knowing that there is always a trusted adult they can speak to if they are worried about something. Staff have received appropriate training for their roles and responsibilities, knowing what to do if they have a safeguarding concern.  The school has well-developed systems in place to secure the well-being and safety of pupils. Safeguarding records are up to date, and referrals are followed up promptly and are documented in detail. Safeguarding leaders work well with other agencies to help families receive the necessary support.  Statutory procedures for checking the suitability of staff to work with children are

p.4

Safeguarding

efficiently managed. Leaders ensure that regular training and updates about safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers create a highly positive climate for learning. In class, pupils respond well to teachers’ clear expectations. Learning routines are established well. Pupils expect to work hard, and they tackle tasks in class with a sense of purpose. Lesson time is rarely wasted, and pupils use information technology confidently and independently to enhance their learning. Pupils work well together, supporting each other successfully with their learning.  Pupils benefit from teachers’ secure subject knowledge across a wide range of subjects. Teachers set tasks which are designed to engage and motivate pupils. Where teaching leads to good or better achievement, skilful questioning probes pupils’ thinking to develop deep understanding.  The most successful teaching takes close account of pupils’ individual starting points and uses a range of strategies to meet their needs. However, where teaching is less effective, teachers do not consistently stretch the most able pupils and so they do not

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

make as much progress as they are capable of making. At other times, pupils are presented with tasks which they are not sufficiently equipped to tackle because teachers do not plan well enough to provide low-attaining pupils with enough support. Occasionally, teachers move pupils on to the next task before the pupils are ready.  Questioning by teachers is variable. Sometimes, it probes pupils’ knowledge and understanding carefully. On other occasions, teachers move on to the next task without fully challenging pupils’ responses. This limits pupils’ opportunities to think more deeply or apply their learning in unfamiliar contexts.  Teachers know their pupils well. They regularly check their pupils’ progress through assessments which are moderated. There are many examples of highly effective feedback from teachers, in line with the school’s expectations. In these instances, pupils clearly understand what they have to do to improve, and they act on this

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

feedback. However, there are a few instances when the assessment policy is not being used effectively to help teachers plan the next steps in pupils’ learning.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. School leaders’ and staff’s commitment to inclusive values, mutual support and respect for others is reflected in pupils’ attitudes throughout the school.  Pupils flourish in this school. They appreciate the way teachers make learning so interesting and enjoyable and the support which staff provide when pupils need help. Pupils show high levels of determination to succeed, and are not afraid to try new things and learn from their mistakes.  Leaders place a commendable emphasis on support for mental health and emotional well-being.  Staff in the school are committed to helping every pupil overcome the difficulties they face. They make sure that vulnerable pupils receive the right emotional and practical guidance and support. The school’s pastoral support teams work effectively with a range of outside agencies to ensure that pupils receive the care and support they

p.5

Personal development and welfare

require.  Pupils feel safe and are confident to say what they think in a trusting atmosphere. Pupils know who to turn to if they have any worries. They report that, on the rare occasions that bullying takes place, they are confident that it will be dealt with appropriately.  Transition arrangements for pupils joining the school from primary schools or from other secondary schools are highly effective.  Careers education and guidance are of high quality. Leaders have devised a programme to raise pupils’ awareness, from Year 7 onwards, of the range of opportunities available to them.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  The atmosphere around the school is purposeful and orderly, with pupils settling quickly into their routines. Pupils understand what adults expect of them and respond appropriately to any reminders they may need so that high standards are maintained. Just occasionally, when teaching is not well matched to their needs, a few pupils lose interest.  Pupils are polite, showing respect and consideration for others. They are punctual to lessons, fully equipped, and are ready to get on with their learning as soon as they arrive.  Pupils value their education highly, and attendance is well above national levels and improving. Exclusion rates are very low.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

 As a member of BET, the school sets highly ambitious targets. No pupils have yet completed GCSE courses, so there are no published outcomes for this school. To check that information about pupils’ outcomes is reliable, leaders ensure that pupils’ assessments are moderated by subject experts within the trust.  The school’s performance information, along with pupils’ work in books and pupils’ responses during lessons, shows that progress is good overall. In many cases, it is very good or outstanding. The strong progress made by disadvantaged pupils is in line with that made by other pupils with similar starting points. The vast majority of pupils who have moved into the school after the start of their secondary education are making good or better progress.  Overall, the subject coverage in pupils’ written work is set at an ambitious level and work is of a high standard. Work produced by some pupils, including the most able, is

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

excellent, showing great insight for their age. Teachers regularly use detailed feedback to extend pupils’ thinking and pupils typically respond fully, as they are eager to improve. The way pupils are expected to reflect on their work and act on the advice given to improve is a particular strength of the school.  However, the accuracy and depth of pupils’ knowledge and understanding vary between and within subjects, depending on the effectiveness of the teaching. In some classes, pupils’ learning is not being fully extended or supported. Sometimes, a lack of skilful questioning limits the extent to which pupils gain a thorough understanding of subject content. In other cases, pupils do not draw securely on prior learning or explain what they know precisely. Occasionally, some lower-attaining pupils get left behind and do not complete their work.  Pupils with SEND make strong progress from their different starting points. Additional

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

support enables these pupils to make rapid gains because it caters well for their individual needs and teaching assistants provide effective support in class.

p.7

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.8

Information about this school

 The school opened as a new academy in September 2016. It is sponsored by BET and has a local governing body.  The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school at this stage as it currently has pupils in Year 7 to Year 9.  No pupils attend alternative provision.  The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language are below the national averages.  A below-average proportion of pupils with SEND attend the school. The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is also below the national average.

p.8

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 56 lessons. Eight of these lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors also scrutinised a wide sample of pupils’ books during lessons and with school leaders.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, other school leaders and staff new to the school. Inspectors also took account of the views of the 57 staff who completed Ofsted’s online staff survey.  The lead inspector met the chief executive officer of the trust and inspectors met other trust representatives. The lead inspector spoke to two trustees over the telephone and met the chair of the local governing body and two other governors.  Inspectors spoke with pupils in lessons and around the school. They also met formally with groups of pupils and considered the views from the 614 pupils who responded to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  Inspectors considered the views of parents. They took account of the school’s parental

p.9

Information about this inspection

survey, the 369 responses to the online Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View, and the 210 free-text responses.  A wide range of documentation was reviewed, including information available on the school’s website and records relating to pupils’ attainment, progress, attendance and behaviour. Information on governance, including minutes of governors’ meetings, was examined. The school’s self-evaluation summary and the school improvement plan were scrutinised, along with records of the school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe.

p.9

Inspection team

Theresa Phillips, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.9

Inspection team

Sharon Cromie Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.10

Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.10

Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

p.10

Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10