Farlingaye High School

Inspection of Farlingaye High School Ransom Road, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4JX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected since April 2013. 1 and 2 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Farlingaye High School is a community where pupils feel safe and say they are happy. Students say their sixth form is ‘one big happy family’. Pupils appreciate how their teachers take exceptional care of them. Everyone feels accepted and welcomed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of subjects. They learn well and remember much. This is because everyone wants them to excel. They know that their teachers will support them and help them when they make mistakes. Students in the sixth form achieve highly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very positively. They are lively, confident, enthusiastic and kind. They look after each other and will not tolerate any form of bullying. Should bullying ever occur, it is dealt with quickly by teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that their teachers are very proud of them and their achievements. Pupils’ magnificent artwork decorates the school. They dance, sing, act and hone their sporting skills. Pupils have opportunities to travel and visit other parts of the world. Pupils develop many important skills that will be useful for them throughout their lives.

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better?

Leaders have constructed a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils. They have supported teachers well so that they have very strong subject knowledge. This enables them to sequence learning very well. Pupils learn knowledge in small steps. As a result of this, they fully understand what they are learning. They gain knowledge which builds on what they have learned before. Teachers give pupils much practice of what they have learned. This helps pupils to remember more and recall ideas quickly.

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better?

Teachers systematically spot mistakes in pupils’ learning and show them how to improve their work. As a result of their skilful questioning, teachers identify when pupils do not understand as clearly. They re-explain to help pupils to understand better. Teachers make regular checks on what pupils are learning. Teachers and leaders therefore know how pupils are gaining knowledge over time.

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better?

All pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well throughout their time at the school. Leaders make sure that pupils’ needs are identified quickly. Teachers know how to adapt what they are teaching so that everyone can make progress. Additional staff know their pupils’ needs well. This enables them to provide appropriate support. 1 and 2 March 2022

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Teaching in the sixth form is highly effective. Teachers use a variety of approaches to encourage students to think deeply, to make connections and to support their views and ideas. These are essential skills for the next stage in their lives. Students go onto a range of academic and professional destinations.

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Leaders’ work to promote pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Teachers help to nurture rounded, open minded and conscientious young people. Pupils value and respect difference and diversity. Teachers plan personal, social and health education well. Pupils develop their understanding about sexual health and relationships in an age-appropriate manner from Year 7 until the sixth form.

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Pupils, including those with SEND, participate in a range of clubs and out of school activities involving the arts, drama and sport. This helps enrich pupils’ wider development. Pupils care tremendously about their local community and demonstrate compassion and empathy. They organise charity events to help those less fortunate than themselves. Sixth-form students are wonderful ambassadors for the school. They willingly support younger pupils who need help with their learning.

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Teachers provide high-quality advice around careers and next steps, which ensure the elements of the Baker Clause are met. In the sixth form, there are strong links with higher education institutions, local and national employers, and apprenticeship providers. This ensures that students make fully informed choices about their future. Students participate in meaningful work experience.

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Teachers say they feel well led and supported by leaders. Leaders have very high expectations. Trustees and governors understand the school well. Leaders of the sixth form strive to provide the best education possible. Despite many rigorous systems in place, leaders do not always check on some areas of school life often and rigorously enough. As a result, they are not always precisely aware of how well some areas of school life are functioning .

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide high-quality training so that all staff know how to ensure pupils are kept safe. Teachers know their pupils well and have their well-being at the forefront of their minds. There are thorough systems in place to report and manage any concerns. Timely referrals are made to safeguarding partners, if and when necessary. Pupils understand the benefits and the risks of using the internet. They know how to stay safe when not in school.

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Safeguarding

There are rigorous checks on all new staff. They fully understand the school’s safeguarding expectations before they join the school. 1 and 2 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders do not evaluate some of their actions in a timely or rigorous manner. As a result of this, leaders do not precisely know how well a small number of areas of school life are working or if their actions are making the difference they intended. Leaders need to ensure that there are robust quality assurance systems in place across the school.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 1 and 2 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212550 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,960

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 25–26th April 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than average.  Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above average.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is below average.  The school makes use of part-time alternative provision for a small number of pupils. 1 and 2 March 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, middle leaders, members of the governing body and the trust and the chief executive officer of the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into English, mathematics, science, geography, languages and art. This included discussions with subject leaders, visits to lessons, meetings with staff and pupils, and scrutiny of pupils’ work.  Inspectors scrutinised the single central record and met with the leader for safeguarding.  Inspectors considered 377 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey, 132 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey, and 272 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted

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Information about this inspection

Parent View, together with 259 free-text responses from parents.

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Inspection team

Adam Cooke, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Russell Ayling Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 March 2022

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