Lutterworth College

Inspection of a good school: Lutterworth College Bitteswell Road, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 4EW

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 January 2023

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Outcome

Lutterworth College continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where staff care for the pupils and want the best for them. Pupils are proud of the school and enjoy their lessons in most subjects. Teachers know the pupils well, and so they make sure that the learning is well targeted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is well planned. Leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. However, in some subjects, it is not implemented consistently.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons. They get on well together and support each other. They feel safe in school and say that bullying is rare. When they have a problem, they know that there is someone they can go to and they are confident that they will be helped.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to benefit from rich experiences that support their learning. Pupils make a positive contribution to the local community. For example, pupils work with people who have been diagnosed with dementia through the school’s partnership with an on-site local charity. Other pupils collect food for vulnerable members of the community through the Lutterworth and Villages Foodbank.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have adopted a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. Pupils understand the value of each subject and how it might help them in the future. Over time, pupils know more and can remember more in most subjects. This is reflected in pupils’ results in national examinations.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders offer a wide range of subjects at key stage 3 so that pupils can make informed choices, while ensuring that national curriculum subjects are covered by all pupils. However, the number of pupils who continue to study the full range of academic subjects at key stage 4 is below the school’s target. The school is not yet on track to meet the government’s ambition for all schools. 10 and 11 January 2023

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Teachers’ subject knowledge is good. They use it well when asking pupils questions. Teachers work together to plan the curriculum and create resources. Most teachers adapt these resources well, depending on the needs of the pupils they teach.

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In most lessons, pupils engage enthusiastically with their learning. They have good opportunities for discussion and reflection. Teachers present content clearly, using a range of appropriate strategies. They carefully check what pupils know, correcting any errors and deciding on next steps.

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The curriculum is not implemented as successfully in science as it is in other subjects. Teachers do not check pupils’ understanding or adapt the learning consistently. Some pupils do not achieve as well in science as they should. Leaders have accurately identified weaknesses in this subject and have plans in place to improve the curriculum.

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Leaders provide effective support to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have a secure understanding of these pupils’ needs. Leaders identify pupils who need help with reading. Key texts are chosen in the English curriculum to build pupils’ love of reading.

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Students in the sixth form enjoy their learning and make good progress. The relationships between staff and sixth-form students are positive and productive. Sixth-form students play a prominent part in the life of the school.

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The school is a harmonious community. Pupils’ behaviour meets leaders’ expectations. It rarely disrupts learning. Leaders have set up positive and effective systems to manage pupils’ behaviour. Pupils say that behaviour is good. Attendance is rising following the disruption caused by the pandemic.

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The school’s careers programme is extensive and well considered. All pupils have a number of opportunities to engage with employers. The school provides high-quality advice about next steps. For example, all Year 10 pupils learn how to do first aid, including resuscitation.

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Staff are well supported by leaders. Leaders make sure that staff benefit from good opportunities to improve their practice. Governors have a sound understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They offer leaders support and challenge when these are needed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that the systems to keep pupils safe are up to date and thorough. Staff are well trained so that they can recognise concerns and report these quickly. Leaders take concerns seriously and act on them. They carry out appropriate checks when new staff join the school. 10 and 11 January 2023

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Pupils feel safe at school. They learn how to recognise risks, including when online. Pupils say that sexist and derogatory language is used sometimes, but staff take it seriously when they know that it has happened.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not implemented as effectively in science as it is in other subjects. Teachers do not check what pupils know carefully enough or make suitable changes to the curriculum based on what pupils can remember. When this happens, pupils become unsettled and disengage. Leaders should ensure that the science curriculum is implemented effectively so that all pupils access a suitable curriculum.  Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum for all pupils at key stage 4 is academically rigorous. Not enough pupils choose to study a humanities subject or a modern foreign language. Leaders should ensure that pupils are supported to make ambitious choices about the courses they choose to study at key stage 4.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 10 and 11 January 2023

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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. 10 and 11 January 2023

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,585

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Date of previous inspection

21 and 22 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized secondary school.  The school uses the services of five registered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

 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. 10 and 11 January 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, science, geography, social sciences and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with a wide range of senior leaders, including the SEND coordinator and leaders responsible for behaviour and personal development.  Inspectors met with trust leaders and those responsible for governance.  Inspectors looked at information about behaviour, attendance and enrichment opportunities.  Inspectors spoke to a range of staff.  Inspectors talked to leaders in charge of safeguarding arrangements. They met with staff and pupils and looked at documentation to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding practices and procedures.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Paul Heery, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Claire Shepherd Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 January 2023

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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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