Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Simon Liley Headteacher The Angmering School Station Road Angmering Littlehampton West Sussex BN16 4HH

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to The Angmering School

Following my visit to your school on 19 October 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the monitoring inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to The Angmering School

The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and has taken place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections.

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to The Angmering School

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. I discussed the ongoing impact of the pandemic with you and have taken that into account in my evaluation.

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to The Angmering School

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action in

order for the school to become a good school.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action in

The school should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action in

 ensure that leaders, including governors, rigorously monitor the quality of education; evaluate more carefully the implementation of the curriculum; and check to make sure that all pupils learn and do as well as they should  increase the numbers of pupils studying modern foreign languages (MFL) at key stage 4 so that the proportion of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) increases.

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Context

The number of pupils with education, health and care plans is higher than average. A number of these pupils are also considered to be medically vulnerable. At times, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on their attendance.

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Context

Since the last inspection in June 2019, a new student family support coordinator, restorative justice coordinator, special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and assistant SENCo have been appointed. The head of MFL and head of English are also new. There is a new chair and vice-chair of the governing body. There are also five new governors.

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Main findings

You are working with focus to improve the quality of education. You have well-considered plans for improvement. Developing the curriculum lies at the heart of this work. Across subjects, curriculum leaders have thought carefully about the order in which essential knowledge is taught. They have adapted plans to take account of the pandemic where appropriate.

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Main findings

You, other leaders and governors are ambitious for all pupils. The curriculum is broad and balanced. However, the number of pupils studying languages at key stage 4 has remained relatively low over the past three years, particularly compared to the high number of pupils who study geography and history at GCSE. Leaders have begun to take steps to increase the proportion of pupils opting for languages so that more pupils study all the EBacc subjects. This remains a priority.

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Main findings

You have rightly concentrated on training all teachers to develop their knowledge of the subjects they teach and how best to teach them. You have also helped staff to consider how to help pupils remember what they have learned. For example, you have introduced whole-school approaches to help pupils recall their prior learning. Despite this, currently, pupils are not always able to explain their ideas as well as they should. Leaders are carrying out checks to ensure that the quality of education that pupils receive is improving. However, this is not as rigorous and as effective as it should be.

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Main findings

Newly appointed leaders of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) provision are knowledgeable and skilled. Clear systems are now in place to ensure that pupils with SEND are identified appropriately. Leaders work efficiently with staff to make sure that they have the training and knowledge to support these pupils more effectively. Similarly, you have ensured that staff have a shared understanding of the barriers to learning that disadvantaged pupils may experience. As a result, staff are now more confident in addressing the learning needs of disadvantaged pupils. You are ensuring that reading is a priority. Pupils enjoy reading and use the daily dedicated time to read productively. Pupils who need to catch up are identified quickly, and support is put in place to help them improve.

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Main findings

You are firmly focused on improving pupils’ attendance. You have put clear systems in place for identifying and supporting pupils who do not attend regularly. Pupils benefit from personalised support. This is provided by your highly trained team of pastoral staff who know pupils and their families well. You and your leaders work closely with outside agencies where needed.

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Main findings

Governors’ effectiveness is much improved. However, they do not yet have a clear overview of the relative strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education and wider improvements.

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Additional support

You have made good use of the well-focused support and training from the local authority and local schools. For example, there has been leadership support and advice on curriculum development for the head of MFL. Governors also benefit from the leadership training and support they receive.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I met with you, the headteacher. I also met with other senior leaders, staff, representatives of those responsible for governance and a representative of the local authority to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. I checked the single central record and discussed procedures with the member of staff who maintains it. I considered various school documents, including the school’s improvement plan. I visited lessons with a senior leader to observe lessons and met with a group of pupils.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for West Sussex. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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