Bury St Edmunds County High School

Inspection of Bury St Edmunds County Upper School Beetons Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 6RF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Inadequate 15 and 17 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

School life at Bury St Edmunds County Upper school has improved for many pupils. Pupils, across the school, feel safe and well-looked after. There is a renewed trust in staff to deal with derogatory language and bullying. Leaders deal with these incidents robustly when they occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Despite pupils’ new confidence in leaders, there are concerns about pupils’ behaviour. Many of the pupils across the school, particularly in the sixth form, are well behaved. A significant minority of pupils, however, do not behave well around the school and, sometimes, in lessons. Their behaviour is spoiling the school experience for everyone else and remains an issue.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and students in sixth form, access a high-quality education. A range of carefully chosen subjects supports an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, regardless of their ability or background. Additionally, there is a vibrant programme of enrichment experiences, clubs and societies available for all year groups. Sixth-form students act as excellent role models for younger pupils by, for example, leading charity weeks and participating in competitions, trips, and visits with younger year groups.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, of all ages benefit from a well-planned personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum called ‘beliefs and values’. The ‘beliefs and values’ curriculum covers a range of topics and supports pupils well to debate complex issues in a mature and respectful way.

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better?

Much of the school has changed since the previous inspection. Some aspects of the school have improved at a faster pace than others. School leaders have worked determinedly to review the school’s curriculum and improve the school for everyone. They have a clear understanding about where further work is needed to continue to improve the curriculum.

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better?

There is a vision, shared by all staff, to provide a high-quality curriculum for all pupils, including in the sixth form. Curriculum leaders carefully consider the important knowledge they want pupils to know. This content is laid out in a clear way from Year 9 into Year 11 and beyond into the sixth form. Teachers take time to work out what pupils in Year 9 already know. This informs their curriculum thinking and new learning builds up step-by-step. This means that pupils have the knowledge for the next stage of their course. For example, in mathematics, Year 10 pupils apply their knowledge of probability from earlier years to construct ‘tree diagrams’.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They choose appropriate activities in class that support pupils’ learning well. Teachers’ checks in class quickly spot gaps in 15 and 17 March 2022

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knowledge or address any misconceptions that pupils may have. Pupils quickly build their confidence and knowledge. As a result, they achieve well.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their friends. In class, teachers make careful changes to lessons, so that pupils with SEND are not disadvantaged in any way and make similar progress to their peers. There are well-thought-out systems in place to identify pupils who find reading tricky. Staff support these pupils well to catch up and read as confidently as their peers. For these pupils, reading is not a barrier in accessing the high-quality curriculum.

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Leaders recognise that pupils’ behaviour is not as good as it needs to be. Some pupils struggled to readjust to school life when returning from the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of term in September 2021, swift changes were made to counter the increase in pupils finding good behaviour tricky. While small improvements in behaviour have been noticed, pupils and parents report that this is not enough. Behaviour systems and processes are not used consistently by all staff. Not enough pupils behave well.

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Pupils’ attendance, while improving, remains a focus for leaders. Even when taking into account the context of the pandemic, persistent absence remains high for the most vulnerable groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. While leaders have made small steps in improving the attendance for some pupils, too many pupils are not attending regularly.

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The ‘beliefs and values’ programme is carefully considered and comprehensive. The topics teach pupils and sixth-form students how to stay safe and develop an age- appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. There is a renewed high-quality careers programme across the school, including in the sixth form. Pupils get effective, impartial advice about their next steps, whether to university, apprenticeships, or the workplace.

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Leaders and the trust have an accurate view about what is now more effective and what needs to improve in the school. They are mindful of how their changes impact on staff workload and well-being. While leaders and the trust have been strengthening the school’s provision, the pandemic and changes in leadership have hindered effective collaborative working with parents. Leaders have tried hard to communicate with parents. However, a number of parents are not fully onboard with the changes being made and would not recommend the school to others. Some parents remain unhappy with the provision their children receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a positive safeguarding culture across the school. Staff are well trained to spot if a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff, across the school, know and 15 and 17 March 2022

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use the clear safeguarding systems to report concerns about pupils. Detailed safeguarding records show how leaders quickly follow up any worries about pupils.

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A comprehensive, well-considered set of lessons, assemblies and external visitors teach pupils, and students in the sixth form, how to keep safe in the community and online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The new behaviour systems are not well established and, equally, are not always applied consistently and fairly. Consequently, a significant minority of pupils in some year groups are not behaving well and are disrupting the learning of others around the school. Leaders need to review the work they have done to manage behaviour, evaluate what is working and then ensure staff implement the policy consistently and fairly.  Persistent absence remains high, particularly for groups of vulnerable pupils, for example, disadvantaged and pupils with SEND. These pupils are missing learning. Leaders need to work with pupils and their families to ensure all pupils attend school regularly.  Despite their efforts, leaders have not successfully re-established effective, positive working relationships with the parental community. This means that a minority of parents do not see and have a secure knowledge of the good work

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

leaders are doing and, consequently, feel their voices and concerns are not heard. Leaders need to work more closely with parents, taking their concerns into account, so the school re-establishes itself as an important part of the local community.

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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. 15 and 17 March 2022

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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. 15 and 17 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211955 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy converter

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 30 June – 1 July 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Unity Schools Partnership in July 2020.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2021.  An interim board (IB) has been in place since October 2021.  The school uses alternative provision for a small number of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. 15 and 17 March 2022

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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 his evaluation of the school.

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 Due to exceptional circumstances communicated with the leaders, the inspection was paused for 24 hours to allow for transition between one lead and another. Damian Loneragan, Her Majesty’s Inspector, led day one of the inspection and Tracy Fielding, Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector, led day two.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, mathematics, science, geography and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils about learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also viewed curriculum plans in PSHE and religious education.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors looked closely at safeguarding records, procedures and processes. They talked to leaders, trustees, other staff, and pupils about safeguarding in the school.  Across both days, inspectors met with a wide range of pupils from different age

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groups to talk about their experiences of the school.  Inspectors met with trustees, the chief executive officer, and members of the IB.  Inspectors considered the 69 responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including 68 free text responses. Inspectors also considered the 60 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire and 177 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Damian Loneragan, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector Tracy Fielding, lead inspector

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Inspection team

Ofsted Inspector Shan Oswald Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

John Mitcheson Her Majesty's Inspector 15 and 17 March 2022

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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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