Gillingham School

Inspection of Gillingham School Hardings Lane, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4QP

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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 Good 10 and 11 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Gillingham leaders expect the very best for every pupil. The school motto is ‘through teaching we learn’. Leaders and staff make sure that every pupil experiences ‘friction-free’ learning. They remove barriers to learning to ensure pupils succeed. This is particularly true for pupils with additional needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Through a well-planned curriculum, pupils learn about and understand the school values. These include treating everyone with kindness and dignity. There are positive relationships between pupils and their teachers. The classroom environment is focused and purposeful. Pupils value and take an active role in their learning. Mostly, pupils’ behaviour around the school site is calm and purposeful. However, pupils do say that some pupils use inappropriate language, which is not always challenged by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

When leaders are aware of cases of bullying, they take swift action to resolve it. Pupils know who to report an issue to, but some are reluctant to do so. Leaders have recognised this and have been proactive in explaining to pupils what constitutes bullying. They have instigated alternative ways to encourage pupils to speak up about this issue.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy and make good use of the wide range of clubs and activities available. These include sports, music, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and a snake club. They particularly value the many opportunities for pupil leadership, such as being part of the school council or by becoming head students. Pupils can see how these enable them to contribute to the further development of the school.

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better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. The knowledge that pupils need and the order in which they learn it are carefully considered. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to support and challenge pupils. Pupils’ understanding of key knowledge is checked before they move on to the next stage of learning.

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better?

Pupils who are still at the early stages of reading are well supported to catch up. However, too many pupils do not read for pleasure. Furthermore, in English, pupils study a narrow range of literary texts, which means that pupils do not read a range of culturally diverse books.

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better?

Leaders expect nearly all pupils to study a modern foreign language to the age of 16. As a result, most pupils study for the English Baccalaureate. This includes those pupils who are disadvantaged. The qualifications available to sixth-form students are well suited to their interests and future plans. 10 and 11 May 2023

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Staff know the individual needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. The curriculum is carefully broken down into small, achievable steps, and teaching is adapted effectively. This supports pupils to successfully progress through the curriculum.

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Most pupils engage well with their learning, and they attend well. However, during break and lunchtimes, a minority of pupils’ behaviour is not always mutually respectful. Leaders take deliberate steps to eliminate discriminatory behaviour and language. There is a ‘restless determination’ to create a culture of equality and mutual respect. Those pupils who find this difficult are supported to understand the impact that their behaviour has on others.

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Students are extremely positive about life in the sixth form. They take an active part in school life. For example, they support younger pupils as ‘red coat’ supervisors at lunchtime.

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Pupils follow a well-designed curriculum for personal, social and health education. The curriculum is responsive to current and contextual issues. Leaders identify and respond to patterns of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils learn about tolerance, respect and the importance of understanding how other people live. For example, some sixth- form students have worked with pupils across the school to raise awareness of those with protected characteristics.

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Pupils in all years take part in a rich and varied set of extra-curricular clubs and activities. Leaders support pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged to take part. There is a well-planned careers programme, which provides pupils with information to support their next steps.

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Leadership at all levels is a strength of the school. Those responsible for governance know the school well. They provide an appropriate balance of challenge and support to leaders. There is a shared and clear moral purpose to provide every pupil with the best opportunities in life. Leaders prioritise actions that will have the greatest impact on pupils. They have created a culture of continual reflection, which is leading to sustained improvement. Staff feel valued and are supported to implement changes successfully.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know their pupils well, and pupils feel safe. Pupils are included in discussions about how to further improve the culture of the school. This has strengthened the whole-school approach to reduce bullying and other harmful behaviours.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding team works with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families receive the help that they need. 10 and 11 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not demonstrate respectful behaviour towards others. This leads to a minority of pupils displaying discriminatory attitudes, which can result in incidents of bullying. Leaders must ensure that the strong work they have already started in this area continues to be a whole-school priority.  Many pupils do not read widely or for pleasure. Their exposure to a rich and diverse set of literature is limited. This means their knowledge and understanding of the world are not broadly developed. Leaders should encourage pupils to develop a love of reading, particularly of authors from a range of different backgrounds and cultures.

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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. 10 and 11 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256677 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,743

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 11 July 2017

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered and one unregistered alternative provider.  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

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school. 10 and 11 May 2023

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 Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, curriculum leaders and members of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, geography and art. 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, the lead inspector examined school records. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader and spoke with a range of pupils and staff about safeguarding.  An inspector spoke to the alternative providers used by the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also viewed the responses to the

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Inspection team

Simon Tong, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorraine Heath Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 May 2023

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