Brentwood County High School

Inspection of Brentwood County High School Seven Arches Road, Brentwood, Essex CM14 4JF

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 7 and 8 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have high aspirations for themselves and each other. They know that learning and doing well are important. Pupils work hard to achieve high levels of success. Lessons are calm and purposeful. Pupils enjoy each other’s company during social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They appreciate and benefit from the many positive changes that have taken place in recent years.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe. The school is a caring environment where pupils’ well-being is a top priority. If pupils feel worried about any aspect of their lives, they know that staff are willing and able to help. Bullying is not common. If bullying does happen, staff act quickly and make sure that it stops and does not reoccur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and live up to the trust’s core values. For example, they readily demonstrate ‘self-help’ when facing difficult tasks in lessons. Pupils have also shown admirable resilience in learning in the face of the challenges presented by the school’s large building project. Many pupils proudly take up positions of responsibility. Students in the sixth form make many positive contributions to school life such as reading with younger pupils.

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better?

The trust and school leaders are making the necessary improvements. Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-structured curriculum. Teachers usually teach knowledge in logical steps with links to what has been previously taught. At times, however, this is not the case, so pupils forget or do not understand parts of the curriculum.

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better?

Previously, the number of pupils entered for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) has been low. Leaders have improved the provision for modern foreign languages so that more pupils can study the subjects within the EBacc.

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better?

Teachers give pupils lots of opportunities to apply knowledge and practise new skills. This helps pupils understand and remember what has been taught. Teachers check that this is the case before moving on in lessons. When pupils do not have a firm grasp of what they should already know, teachers provide effective support.

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better?

Leaders make sure that pupils who find reading hard receive the additional help needed. Most pupils learn to read fluently. Leaders are putting in place extra support for the small number of pupils who continue to struggle.

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better?

Staff and leaders effectively identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders provide guidance to staff that helps them adapt their teaching. Leaders do not help staff adapt teaching in all subjects for 7 and 8 June 2022

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pupils with SEND. This means that the quality of learning for pupils with SEND is uneven and for some pupils their needs are not met well in all subjects.

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Pupils are clear about the expectations for behaviour. Learning often takes place in a calm and productive atmosphere. When necessary, teachers use the school’s behaviour policy to deal with the rare occasions of unacceptable behaviour. In such instances, learning quickly returns to normal.

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Leaders have carefully coordinated opportunities for pupils’ personal development across the curriculum. Pupils understand and maturely discuss contemporary issues. They value diversity and enjoy opportunities to learn about different lifestyles in society. Leaders ensure that pupils have access to high-quality careers guidance which helps pupils make informed decisions about their next steps in education or employment.

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The sixth-form provision is strong. Students approach their studies with determination and focus. Leaders’ transition programme from Year 11 helps students take positive first steps into post-16 education. Staff support students well to learn the study skills necessary to be successful. Sixth-form students serve as excellent role models for younger pupils.

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The trust has provided the necessary support and challenge to ensure that leaders bring about improvements. The trust has modelled effective leadership practices for governors and leaders. This has steadied previously unsettled leadership and provided the necessary focus for improvement to take place. Most staff report being well supported by leaders, including when managing workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff, governors and trustees at the school have the necessary training to carry out their safeguarding duties effectively. Staff are on the lookout for signs of potential harm. They act swiftly and appropriately when concerns arise.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that background checks of adults are undertaken to determine if they are suitable to work with children.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always teach knowledge that clearly links to what has already been taught. This leads to pupils not understanding some parts of the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that teachers consistently make connections with 7 and 8 June 2022

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previously taught knowledge so that pupils build their understanding in all areas of the curriculum.  Leaders have not given guidance to teachers that is appropriate for making adaptations across all subjects in the curriculum. This means that some pupils do not receive what they need in some subjects. Leaders need to outline for teachers in all subjects suitable provision and adaptations for pupils with SEND.

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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. 7 and 8 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212047 Type of school Secondary

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Osborne Co-operative Academy Trust in September 2017.  In January 2022, the headteacher started in this role.  In April 2022, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) started in this role.  The school uses three alternative providers, two of which are registered and one which is not registered.  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.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 7 and 8 June 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, SENCo, governors, representatives from the local authority, subject leaders, teachers, members of support staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, geography, history, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.  Inspectors scrutinised safeguarding policies, the school’s record of background checks of adults at the school and a sample of child protection files. Inspectors

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also spoke with governors, leaders and staff about safeguarding practices at the school.

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Inspection team

Al Mistrano, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Duncan Ramsey Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 June 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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