Chipping Sodbury School

Inspection of Chipping Sodbury School Bowling Road, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol, South Gloucestershire BS37 6EW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 8 and 9 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Chipping Sodbury is a nurturing and inclusive school. There are strong relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils enjoy school and feel safe. Parents agree that staff will go the ‘extra mile’ for pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for every child. The school’s core values, such as responsibility and aspiration, run through all aspects of school life, for example in the school’s ‘Life’ lessons or through the texts chosen for the ‘Literacy Legends’ reading sessions. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education or employment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning. However, a minority of pupils display disruptive behaviour in lessons. Pupils say that bullying is rare. If incidents do occur, they have confidence in staff to resolve them. There are, however, some incidents of derogatory language between pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide extra-curricular offer. This includes trips, such as a recent one to New York for students in the sixth form. Some pupils make contributions to school life through being a member of the senate council or as a learning mentor in the sixth form. Other pupils choose to be a mental health ambassador, for which they receive appropriate training.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have made significant improvements to the curriculum offer. It is now broad and ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Students in the sixth form value the wide and varied choice of courses available to them. Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum, which has been shared with all stakeholders. In most subjects, the knowledge pupils need, and the order in which they will acquire it, has been carefully considered. However, in some subjects, long-term planning is not detailed enough.

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better?

Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. Teachers’ use of assessment, across the curriculum, is used effectively in order to track what pupils know and can do. Teachers use this information to inform the next steps for pupils. Overall, pupils demonstrate that they understand important knowledge. However, some pupils find it difficult to remember this over a longer period of time.

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better?

Pupils in the ‘Access Centre’ benefit from a curriculum that is well suited to their needs. Across the wider school, pupils with SEND are well supported by staff. There has been a recent change in the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, but leaders have ensured a smooth transition for pupils, staff and parents. Pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read receive the support 8 and 9 November 2022

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they need. This allows them to catch up with their peers quickly and follow the wider curriculum successfully.

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Most pupils enjoy their lessons and listen attentively to staff. However, a minority of pupils are removed from lessons due to persistent disruptive behaviour. Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to managing any unacceptable learning behaviours. This is starting to show some early impact. Parents appreciate that they feel more informed about the learning attitudes of their child. Pupils move around the school site calmly and sensibly. They interact positively with their peers during social times. Pupils are respectful of the environment.

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Pupils benefit from a well-planned curriculum to support their personal development. They learn about topics such as consent, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and road safety. Pupils are taught about different beliefs and cultures. This prepares them well for living in a diverse society. The pastoral programme supports pupils to learn about British values, such as democracy.

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There is an effective careers programme in place for pupils in Years 7 to 13. Students in the sixth form are very positive about the careers advice and guidance they receive. Leaders consider the interests and needs of individual students. This means they provide the most appropriate support. The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause.

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There has been a significant strengthening of the effectiveness of governance. Members of the local governing body, trustees and trust leaders now apply greater challenge and hold leaders to account. The trust has provided a range of effective training opportunities for governors and the wider staff body. The impact of these can be seen in policies and practices across the school. Those responsible for governance take their responsibility for staff workload seriously. Most staff agree that leaders take positive steps to reduce their workload. They say that their well- being is considered when changes or new initiatives are introduced.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders quickly identify pupils who need additional help or support. They work effectively with external agencies when required. This secures the help that pupils need.

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Safeguarding

There are robust processes in place for the safe recruitment of staff. Leaders ensure that all staff and governors receive appropriate safeguarding training. As a result, staff are confident in how to report any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Through the curriculum, pupils receive clear guidance about how to keep themselves safe. This includes online safety. They know where they can go for further support. There are appropriate school-wide policies in place to recognise and tackle any harmful sexual behaviours. 8 and 9 November 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the knowledge that pupils need to learn over time is not planned in sufficient detail. As a result, pupils cannot always build effectively on what they already know. This can lead to gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that the core knowledge pupils need to learn is explicit in all subjects of the curriculum.  A minority of pupils do not show a positive attitude to learning. This causes disruption to their learning and that of others. Leaders should ensure that they review the impact of behaviour systems and ensure that all staff implement them consistently.

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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. 8 and 9 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10247345 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Chipping Sodbury School converted to become an academy in April 2021. When its predecessor school, Chipping Sodbury School, was last inspected by Ofsted, in June 2018, it was judged to be requires improvement overall.  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.  The school uses four unregistered alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 8 and 9 November 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 discussions with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, a group of governors, the chair of trustees and the chief executive officer for the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, history, geography and science. 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 at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record of adults working in the school. The lead inspector met with the

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designated safeguarding leader 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 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff survey and responses to the survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Kelly Olive, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Naylor Ofsted Inspector Duncan Millard Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Tim Redding Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 November 2022

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