Teignmouth Community School, Exeter Road

Inspection of Teignmouth Community School, Exeter Road Exeter Road, Teignmouth, Devon TQ14 9HZ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 30–31 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and well cared for at Teignmouth Community School. In recent years, there has been a high turnover of senior staff. This has resulted in pupils not receiving a good quality of education in some subjects. However, pupils have noticed that the school has begun to improve since the new principal was appointed. Behaviour has got much better and they say that everyone now gets on well with each other. Bullying is rare but when it does happen, staff deal with it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers listen carefully to pupils’ views. This is leading to changes such as the reintroduction of an awards evening. Many initiatives are only just getting off the ground, but pupils are positive about their learning and want to succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most staff have high expectations of pupils but some do not think carefully enough about meeting the needs of all pupils in their classes. This is particularly true for disadvantaged pupils and those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities that pupils enjoy. These include music, drama, sports and leadership activities such as the Ten Tors challenge.

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better?

In the most effective subjects, such as English, the teaching of the curriculum is well developed. Well-chosen books, plays and poetry are challenging and ambitious. This helps pupils to achieve well. There is a strong reading culture in the school and pupils of all ages are encouraged to read for enjoyment. Some subjects are improving, such as mathematics. Pupils are beginning to remember more and apply their knowledge. In other subjects, such as geography, the aims of the subject are unclear.

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better?

Leaders have begun to review the curriculum but in Years 7 and 8 the curriculum is too narrow. Pupils begin their GCSEs in Year 9, which reduces the number of subjects they study. This results in teachers covering a broad range of topics, but not teaching subject content in depth. This leads to gaps in pupils’ understanding. However, pupils do have a good range of optional subjects to choose from at key stage 4.

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better?

Despite signs of improvement, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The quality of teaching, though improving, can vary. Senior leaders have developed strong approaches to support pupils with SEND. However, staff do not use these approaches consistently across the curriculum. This means that teaching is not matched well to their needs. Senior leaders have designed strategies to help disadvantaged pupils succeed. These approaches are not yet consistently applied in every subject area. 30–31 October 2019

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Pupils receive high-quality careers guidance. This enables them to make informed decisions about future employment or education. Pupils have opportunities to do work experience. In addition, they learn about the world of work and education from visitors.

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Pupils’ attendance has declined in the past few years. Staff are working with pupils and their families to explain the importance of good attendance. This is having some impact, although disadvantaged pupils are still absent more often than their classmates. The number of fixed-term exclusions is high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. However, the new behaviour policy is beginning to have an impact on reducing the number of exclusions.

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Sixth-form provision is good. The sixth form is small, which means that students have lots of opportunities to receive support and advice. This helps them to achieve well in A levels and in applied general courses. Carefully constructed subject plans ensure that students are taught well. Students are heavily involved in a wide range of leadership activities. There is a well-planned and well-resourced tutorial programme which helps them understand the world and prepare for their next steps.

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The new principal provides clear leadership for the school. As a result, staff morale is strong. Staff told inspectors how much they valued the clear direction that he provides. However, he is not always supported effectively by some members of his senior team. Trustees are aware of this and a review of the leadership structure is planned. Trustees have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The establishment of the multi-academy trust led to some confusion over the role of the trust and the local governing board, but this has now been resolved.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

School leaders ensure that those pupils who are vulnerable are kept safe. All necessary pre-employment checks on adults in school are thorough and comply with all the legal requirements. Staff and governors are regularly trained in safeguarding.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Pupils feel safe and they are confident that staff will support them and help them with any concerns. Year 11 pupils have been trained by the safeguarding leader to help and support pupils lower down the school. This means that safeguarding is taken seriously at all levels in the school. 30–31 October 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The content in foundation subjects at key stage 3 is narrow. Leaders should identify where subject content has been left out and ensure that pupils receive a broad curriculum in key stage 3.  In some subject areas, the curriculum is not coherently planned and sequenced, and curriculum leaders do not routinely check the quality of education they provide. Senior leaders should provide training for curriculum leaders to monitor the quality of education and to plan more effectively.  Pupils with SEND are not always given the academic support they need. Pupils have support plans, but teachers do not modify their planning carefully enough to support individual pupils in their classes. Leaders should ensure that teachers adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils.  Pupils do not attend school regularly enough, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. The school needs better systems for encouraging pupils to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

attend well.  The principal has a clear vision for the school. However, some middle leaders and some members of the senior leadership team do not support him sufficiently to ensure that strategies are implemented consistently. Trustees should monitor the effectiveness of school leadership and ensure that leadership roles are defined clearly.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 30–31 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111551 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,027

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 22 March 2018

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Information about this school

 Teignmouth school is larger than the average-size secondary school. It is part of the Osprey Learning Trust, which comprises five schools, four primary schools and one secondary school. The trust was formed in June 2019 following the dissolution of the Teignmouth Learning Trust. The chief executive officer of the trust was appointed at that time.  The current principal was appointed in January 2019. In the three years prior to that, three people held the post of principal in quick succession, two in a caretaker capacity.  Currently, the school does not use alternative provision. 30–31 October 2019

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the principal, senior leaders and curriculum leaders. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body.  Inspectors scrutinised the checks that the school makes on adults who work in the school. Inspectors talked to senior leaders responsible for safeguarding and looked at records of the actions they have taken to protect pupils at risk. Inspectors held discussions with staff and pupils as well as with the designated safeguarding leader for the school.  We did deep dives in English, mathematics, science and geography. Inspectors visited lessons, talked to the curriculum leader for each subject, held discussions with the teachers and pupils from the lessons visited, and scrutinised pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Richard Steward, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Collins Ofsted Inspector 30–31 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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.

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