The Broxbourne School

Inspection of a good school: The Broxbourne School Badgers Walk, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire EN10 7FU

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Outcome

The Broxbourne School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The Broxbourne School is an exceptional place for pupils to learn. They thrive due to leaders’ expectation that everyone is ‘respectful, responsible, aspirational and supportive’. Pupils experience a vibrant and caring community. Parents are very positive about the school and say it is ‘a great environment for learning’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the diversity which exists within the school. Those from many backgrounds mix together happily. From the moment they join Year 7, the curriculum teaches pupils in depth about areas such as difference. They quickly develop a rich and mature understanding of tolerance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils feel safe and respected by peers. Bullying is very rare. If it happens, it is dealt with immediately. Pupils have high attendance and very strong levels of motivation for learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a vast range of extra-curricular opportunities. They talk with enthusiasm about the superb jazz band and enjoy multiple sports and trips overseas. Participation rates in activities are extremely high, including for disadvantaged pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils continue their studies in the school’s sixth form. Sixth-form students are excellent role models. They ‘give something back to the school’ by supporting younger pupils, as mentors, leading clubs or in lessons.

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

The curriculum is aspirational. Leaders aim for all pupils to achieve the same high outcomes. In the sixth-form students follow ambitious courses. This enables very high proportions to progress to the destination of their choice. 25 and 26 April 2023 Leaders plan the curriculum meticulously. They identify the exact subject knowledge they want pupils to learn. Subject leaders skilfully ensure that new content spirals back to revisit prior learning. For example, in languages, pupils return to topics, learning more vocabulary, new tenses and more complex grammar each time. This supports them to become assured linguists. Teachers make regular and carefully considered links between subjects. As a result, pupils’ understanding becomes a web of interconnecting strands of knowledge.

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

Teachers deliver the curriculum with high levels of skill. They have expert subject knowledge. Teachers are adept at helping pupils to understand new learning. For example, they ask challenging questions and rectify misunderstandings. Teachers model and check learning effectively. For instance, in design and technology (DT), excellent instruction and feedback leads to high-quality work. Consequently, pupils make exceptional progress. They build their knowledge in increasing depth and complexity.

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

Leaders are relentless in their ambition for all pupils to learn what they need to be successful. This includes the most disadvantaged. For example, leaders have put in place a highly effective reading programme. They check that pupils can read accurately and fluently when they join the school. The weakest readers receive high-quality interventions. This quickly helps them to read more confidently.

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

Pupils with SEND receive excellent support. Rigorous staff training ensures that pupils’ needs are identified quickly and accurately. Teachers have all the information they need to adapt learning effectively so that pupils with SEND can access the full curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

Leaders have a clear vision for how pupils should conduct themselves. Staff understand and implement this consistently and effectively. Consequently, standards of behaviour are very high. Pupils concentrate hard and participate enthusiastically in class.

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

The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is wide-ranging. Pupils develop a rich understanding of the importance of areas such as healthy relationships. Pupils, including in the sixth form, benefit from an extensive careers programme. This enables them to feel highly prepared for their next steps. As a result, pupils are effectively equipped to make informed choices about their adult lives.

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

Staff feel valued as leaders listen and are mindful of their workload. They have excellent opportunities for training.

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

Governors have a secure, relevant set of skills and support. They challenge leaders effectively. They make regular checks on the well-being of pupils and staff. They ensure that the school fulfils its safeguarding duties.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25 and 26 April 2023 Leaders have ensured that safeguarding is embedded in the school’s culture and community. Safeguarding actions are exceptionally robust and staff are well trained. Pupils know who to talk to if they have concerns. Staff have highly positive relationships with children and understand their responsibilities to act quickly. Pupils are confident that staff will resolve any issues they have.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum provides pupils with the information they need to stay safe. For example, pupils learn to understand risks such as the nature of consent and how this can be impacted by the use of drugs and alcohol.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2013.

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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.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268591 Type of school Secondary

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,340

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Date of previous inspection 17 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The Broxbourne School uses one registered alternative provider.  The new school building has been open for two years.  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 education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with governors, the headteacher and senior leaders. They telephoned the school improvement partner and the alternative provider.  Inspectors did deep dives in English, mathematics, history, modern foreign languages, and DT, as part of this inspection. Inspectors spoke to subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at a range of pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils for these subjects. 25 and 26 April 2023  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, including single-sex groups of pupils, and spoke to pupils informally at breaktimes.  Inspectors scrutinised documents, including those relating to curriculum planning and development, safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, exclusions and the school’s development plan. They also looked at minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors talked to staff, including some early career teachers, about their experience of the school, including their workload.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors considered the 360 responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and the 209 free-text comments from parents. Inspectors also considered 104 responses to the staff survey and 682 responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Kathryn Herlock, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Polly Lankester Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 April 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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