Sir Roger Manwood's School

Inspection of Sir Roger Manwood’s School Manwood Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9JX

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 2022

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 10 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 27 and 28 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Sir Roger Manwood’s enjoy their learning and want to come to school. They look forward to their lessons and seeing their friends and teachers. Because of this, pupils attend regularly. They work hard to meet the high expectations set for them to ‘engage, explore, and excel’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are positive role models for each other. They pick up litter in the picturesque school grounds, without prompting, and are respectful when interacting with adults. Pupils value the support that teachers give them. They know that there is always a member of staff available to share their worries with. Although bullying is infrequent, there are effective systems in place to deal with it if it occurs. Pupils are considerate of each other’s views and backgrounds.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a range of clubs on offer and many pupils develop leadership skills by taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Trips and visits are well planned to enrich the curriculum. Pupils develop an understanding of the Cold War by visiting Berlin, for example. The school ensures that trips are accessible for all, including those who are disadvantaged and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students, including those in the sixth form, benefit from high quality and independent careers advice. They feel well prepared to make informed choices about their next steps.

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious and varied overall, including in the sixth form. The school is making good progress in ensuring that the English Baccalaureate is at the heart of the curriculum. Staff are committed to making the necessary adaptations to learning, so that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers.

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better?

Subject leaders have produced a bespoke curriculum which builds on the skills and interests of their pupils. In most subjects, the curriculum is well ordered from Year 7 to 13. Leaders have identified key component knowledge that must be learned and assessed. In a small number of foundation subjects the curriculum is not always as carefully sequenced. Where this is the case, staff do not consistently assess the same key knowledge.

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better?

Across the school, teachers use their specialist subject knowledge to explain new information and explore pupils’ understanding through questioning. Pupils use and explain key vocabulary expertly, for instance ‘transformation’, in mathematics. In most lessons, activities are well chosen so that pupils can recall past knowledge and make links to new learning. However, this is planned more strategically in some subjects than in others. 27 and 28 September 2022

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Pupils take pride in their work. They make sure that their books are neat, and that work is set out clearly. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, show enthusiasm during class discussions. They are keen to share their ideas and listen to the opinions of others. They draw on securely embedded knowledge and experiences to make well-considered judgements. For example, in English, students in Year 13 masterfully compare and contrast ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘Frankenstein’.

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Leaders have implemented a clear strategy to support pupils who are less secure in their reading. Although most pupils read well, leaders are not complacent. They carefully choose a range of strategies to help pupils further improve their reading and writing skills. Pupils across the school enjoy reading. They use the well-stocked library to find books to read for pleasure in their spare time.

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Pupils develop an understanding of diversity and tolerance through thoughtfully chosen reading texts and learning in religious education. They demonstrate their leadership skills through fundraising for the local community during the harvest festival. Older pupils learn what it means to be a good citizen by supporting pupils to learn French in local primary schools.

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Students in the sixth form receive enrichment so that they learn about personal finance and writing job applications. Pupils at key stages 3 and 4 benefit from a carefully planned personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) programme. However, this has only recently been extended to the sixth form, meaning that students in Year 13 have missed out on essential learning about sex, relationships and health.

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Senior leaders listen to the views of staff and have made changes to assessment policies to reduce staff workload, for example. The governing body has a clear vision for the school and understands its roles and responsibilities. Senior leaders have not always had a strategic oversight in some areas of the school, for example curriculum planning and PSHE. Although changes are being made, senior leaders have, at times, been slow to respond to the needs of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an embedded culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff receive training so that they know how to identify and refer pupils who might be at risk. Leaders make timely referrals to seek support from appropriate agencies. They know their pupils well and keep detailed records of any concerns. However, the organisation of some records could be more efficient. Leaders complete appropriate checks to ensure that adults who work in the school are safe to work with children. Governors know their safeguarding responsibilities and hold leaders to account.

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Safeguarding

Leaders use the curriculum to teach pupils about keeping themselves safe. However, although plans are now in place, pupils in the sixth form have not yet received sufficient education about harmful sexual behaviours. 27 and 28 September 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have moved to a new system for recording safeguarding concerns. As a result, some record-keeping is not as well organised and effective as it could be. Leaders need to streamline systems for recording safeguarding concerns and updates, and ensure that all safeguarding records are centralised.  Leaders have been slow to implement a comprehensive and well-sequenced PSHE programme in the sixth form. As a result, some students have not yet received sufficient education around harmful sexual behaviours. Leaders need to ensure that newly implemented plans have sufficient and immediate impact, so that students are fully prepared for managing and maintaining healthy relationships.  Curriculum sequencing in some foundation subjects is not as well considered as it could be. This means that pupils do not always build on their knowledge in a logical way. Senior leaders need to ensure that they increase their oversight of

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

subject leadership, so that there is a consistent approach to curriculum design in all subjects.

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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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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. 27 and 28 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10247830 Type of school Secondary

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 25 and 26 April 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a selective grammar school within a single academy trust.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 11 with information about approved technical educational qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  In September 2020, the school ceased to offer boarding provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 27 and 28 September 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.  The inspection team completed deep dives in the following subjects: English, mathematics, geography, design and technology, and Spanish. To do this, they met with subject leaders, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  Inspectors also visited a range of sixth-form lessons.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, a selection of subject leaders, teachers, and support staff.  Inspectors met with trustees (referred to as governors at this school) including the chair of the trust.  The inspection team reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising

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records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  The views of pupils, parents, and staff were considered through discussions and a review of Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Zoë Harris, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Roessler Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 September 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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