The Deepings School

Inspection of The Deepings School Park Road, Deeping St James, Peterborough, Lincolnshire PE6 8NF

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 14–15 January 2020

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school receive a good quality of education. Leaders and teachers are ambitious for all pupils. They want them to ‘dare to excel’. Pupils said that some of their teachers helped to make their learning fun. This was particularly so in art, physical education (PE) and mathematics. Pupils appreciate the help that they receive if they struggle. They particularly value being able to go to the pastoral hub for support.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well in lessons. Some disrupt learning for others. Pupils find this frustrating. Not all staff use the systems to manage behaviour well enough. Too many pupils are temporarily excluded from school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they feel safe. Many said they had someone in school they could turn to if they were worried. Some pupils are concerned about bullying and ‘falling out’. Most are confident that their teachers will resolve these issues. Some are not confident that incidents of bullying are dealt with quickly and effectively enough.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should.

p.2

better?

Senior leaders have ensured that pupils study a wide range of subjects. Pupils study an ambitious academic curriculum at key stage 4. The proportion of pupils entered for both modern foreign languages and a humanities subject is increasing. Currently some pupils select and begin some of their GCSE courses in Year 9. This means that they stop studying a small number of subjects. To make sure all pupils at key stage 3 study a broad range of subjects to the appropriate depth, leaders are introducing a three-year key stage 3 in September 2020. The planning for this is well underway.

p.2

better?

Skilled subject specialists teach most lessons. Leaders make sure that teachers receive the training they need to plan and deliver the curriculum effectively. Most subject leaders are clear about what they need to do to make sure that pupils know more and can do more in the subjects that they lead. This is particularly the case in art, music, PE, English and mathematics.

p.2

better?

Leaders assess and identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Subject leaders coordinate additional support for these pupils well. The achievement of pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils is improving. These pupils do not attend as well as they should. A small proportion of pupils receive their education in alternative provision. These pupils are well supported in order that they can return to school.

p.2

better?

Not all teachers implement the behaviour policy consistently. Some pupils’ behaviour in some lessons is not good. This prevents some pupils achieving well. Attendance is improving but at too slow a pace. Pupils do not attend as regularly as they should. 14–15 January 2020

p.2

3

The school aims to help pupils to become confident and independent. Pupils can take part in lots of activities to help their personal development. Leaders do not know whether all pupils take advantage of the clubs and trips on offer. The programme for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), and relationship and sex education, is not well thought out. It is not well sequenced. For example, some pupils felt that lessons linked to their health and well-being did not always match their needs. Many pupils said they would like more time devoted to careers education.

p.3

3

The curriculum in the sixth form enables students to study a broad range of subjects. Not all students achieve well. Students who need to improve their GCSE grades in mathematics and/or English are given high-quality help and consequently succeed. Careers advice and guidance is effective in preparing pupils for their next stage, but not all students do work experience. Some students are not as well prepared for the world of work as they might be. Students enjoy being in the sixth form. They appreciate the support they receive. Some students do not attend well enough. This is particularly the case for Year 13 students. Students gain many opportunities to be involved in a wide range of activities, including how to be effective citizens. Leaders have tried to improve students’ experience in the sixth form by introducing lessons on character building. However, students do not fully understand the purpose of these lessons and therefore do not value them.

p.3

3

Leaders consider staff workload. Staff appreciate this, including leaders’ actions to improve staff’s health and well-being. Staff feel well supported and are proud to work at the school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Many pupils receive effective and timely support to address difficulties. They told inspectors how much they appreciate the length some staff go to help them. Leaders and staff work well with external agencies so that pupils and their families receive the help that they need. All staff receive regular, high-quality training.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for recruiting staff are appropriate.

p.3

Safeguarding

The system to record concerns about pupils’ welfare is not as straightforward as it could be. Pupils’ safeguarding and well-being are not compromised. However, this is not an ideal situation and needs to be quickly rectified.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year’s curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it that they 14–15 January 2020

p.3

4

are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, transition arrangements have been applied in this case.  There is low-level disruption in some lessons. This impedes the learning of some pupils. The rate of fixed-term exclusions for poor behaviour is too high. Leaders need to make sure that the behaviour policy is consistently applied by all staff and is fair.  Some pupils do not believe that bullying and ‘falling out’ are effectively resolved by teachers. Leaders must make sure that the actions taken to prevent bullying are effective. The policies and procedures must be consistently applied by all staff.  Some pupils do not attend as they should. Actions to improve attendance have been effective for some pupils but leaders do not evaluate the impact of their work. They do not know which actions have been effective, and which have not. Leaders should make sure they analyse attendance information and use this to

p.4

4

improve pupils’ attendance.  The PSHE curriculum is not as effective as is needed. Pupils said that the sequence of learning was inappropriate to need. Curriculum time does not always allow for important curricular content. The implementation of the planned curriculum is not always successful. Leaders must make sure that there is enough curriculum time to deliver a PSHE programme that is appropriately sequenced.  Some pupils do not take part in the range of activities available to extend learning outside of the curriculum. Leaders are not clear who these pupils are. They do not sufficiently evaluate this provision. Leaders should make sure they analyse the information about pupils’ participation and use this to improve access for all pupils, including pupils with SEND.  The sixth-form provision is not good. Too many students fail to regularly attend in Year 13. Some students do not go on work experience. Although improving, some

p.4

4

aspects of the curriculum are not as effective as is needed. Some students do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all subjects have a clear intent for the curriculum in the sixth form. They should ensure that all staff understand this intent and implement it effectively. Leaders should ensure that all students attend well and have the opportunity to undertake work experience.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 14–15 January 2020

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.5

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. 14–15 January 2020

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10110050 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

p.6

provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1449

p.6

sixth form

Date of previous inspection 21 June 2017

p.6

Information about this school

 A small number of pupils receive their education at the alternative providers: The Pilgrim Hospital School, Build a Future and Springwell.

p.6

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. An inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator.  The lead inspector spoke to the chair of the local governing body and a representative of the trust. An inspector spoke, by telephone, with alternative providers.  The lead inspector met with the deputy headteacher, who is the designated safeguarding lead, and members of the safeguarding team. Inspectors also spoke 14–15 January 2020

p.6

7

with staff and pupils about safeguarding. The lead inspector looked at documentation relating to safeguarding, the school’s single central register and the school’s online safeguarding system.  Inspectors looked at a range of other information, including that relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Inspectors reviewed leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance and improvement plans.  Inspectors took account of 187 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. They also considered 73 responses to the survey for staff and the 422 responses to the pupils’ survey.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, including students from the sixth form.  Inspectors undertook deep dives into English, mathematics, history and art. Inspectors met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ workbooks, met with pupils and met with the teachers of the lessons they visited.

p.7

Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Chris Davies Her Majesty’s Inspector 14–15 January 2020

p.7

8

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.

p.8

8

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.8

8

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.8

8

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

p.8

8

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8