Winchcombe School

Inspection of Winchcombe School Greet Road, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 5LB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 29 and 30 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community at Winchcombe School. Parents and carers say that pupils are well cared for. Pupils describe being well supported by the school and say that they have a voice. They take advantage of the different ways in which they can express their views to leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make their high expectations clear for pupils. They encourage pupils to live out the school’s values. For example, pupils learn about the principles of integrity and responsibility. These ideas are woven through the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour around the school site is calm and purposeful. Most pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. However, on occasions, lessons are disrupted by a small minority of pupils who find it difficult to focus on their learning. When incidents of bullying are reported, leaders act swiftly to resolve these. As a result, pupils say that they feel safe at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a wide and varied curriculum that also prioritises their personal development. The school provides a range of interesting extra-curricular opportunities, including drama, music, sport, stand-up comedy and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. There is something for everyone, and pupils participate well.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have strengthened the curriculum. In most subjects, leaders sequence learning carefully. This helps pupils to know and remember curriculum content successfully. In a few subjects, leaders have not identified and sequenced the specific knowledge that it is important for pupils to learn. This makes it difficult for teachers to check exactly what pupils know. Therefore, pupils in these subjects do not always have the secure understanding that they need in order to learn the next idea.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading and encourage pupils to read often. Pupils understand that there is value and pleasure in reading, although some admit that they have fallen out of the habit of reading regularly. When pupils fall behind with their reading, leaders ensure that they catch up. They provide an appropriate phonics curriculum and regularly check pupils’ understanding.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school. Most participate well in lessons. Teachers use the information that leaders provide about pupils’ needs to plan learning carefully. Pupils with SEND receive particularly effective support from teaching assistants who understand their needs well.

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better?

Nonetheless, a small minority of pupils with SEND do not behave as well as they could in lessons. This sometimes disrupts the learning of others. Leaders support 29 and 30 March 2022

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these pupils to improve their behaviour, and many do. However, some pupils spend too much time out of the classroom because their behaviour does not improve quickly enough.

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The proportion of pupils studying GCSEs in the suite of subjects for the English Baccalaureate is rising. Leaders are encouraging more pupils to study for a GCSE in a modern foreign language. This is proving successful. The vast majority of pupils continue to study humanities subjects in key stage 4.

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Leaders have planned a curriculum that supports pupils’ personal development and their understanding of the world. Pupils value learning about topics such as consent and keeping safe when online. Some pupils learn about responsibility by being a member of the school parliament. There are also senior prefects who work with the headteacher to make improvements in the school.

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Pupils benefit from a wide range of information and useful experiences as part of a well-designed careers programme. The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. Year 7 pupils also learn about career choices, and this gives them an early understanding of future opportunities.

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Most staff say that they feel well supported by leaders and are proud to work at the school. Governors are actively involved in school life. They share the headteacher’s vision for the school. For example, they consider the well-being of staff and work with leaders on key issues, such as behaviour.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

As part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have strengthened the pastoral support available for pupils. Staff act quickly to support pupils who are vulnerable. The school has formed strong links with a range of service providers that support families.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have clear processes to manage safe recruitment. Staff receive training on important safeguarding issues, including sexual harassment and the use of sexualised language. Pupils are also taught about these issues.

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Safeguarding

There are strong relationships between staff and pupils. Most pupils have a trusted adult whom they can approach if they have a concern. 29 and 30 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, leaders have not clearly identified exactly what they want pupils to learn. Where this is the case, teachers are not able to check that pupils know and remember what they need to in order to make progress through the curriculum. As a result, pupils do not always build a secure understanding. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is well planned and sequenced in all subjects.  A small minority of pupils with SEND find it difficult to manage their behaviour. This sometimes results in disrupted lessons. The school’s approach to managing behaviour is not working well enough for these pupils. Leaders should develop a system for managing behaviour that meets the needs of these pupils more effectively.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10201003 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered alternative providers.

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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

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team (including the special educational needs coordinator), curriculum leaders and a group of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, religious education and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum planning, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked 29 and 30 March 2022

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at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke with leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record of adults working in the school. The lead inspector met with the deputy designated safeguarding lead to consider how well the school identifies pupils who are at risk and engages with external services. Inspectors also spoke with a range of pupils and staff about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered 84 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, Parent View, including 64 free-text comments. Inspectors also considered 46 responses to the staff survey and 155 responses to the survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Kelly Olive, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gill Hickling Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 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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