Bridgnorth Endowed School

Inspection of Bridgnorth Endowed School Northgate, Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV16 4ER

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Michael Penn. This school is part of the 3–18 Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, David O’Toole, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gary Turner. 13 and 14 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy an inclusive and aspirational environment at Bridgnorth Endowed School. They are encouraged to live out the school values of kindness, trust, aspiration, resilience and respect. Pupils work together effectively in the classroom. They develop positive relationships with the adults working with them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has worked effectively to improve the quality of the curriculum and pupils’ outcomes. They have also increased the range of opportunities for pupils to grow beyond the academic. All pupils take part in the wider activities every day which enhances their school life. They participate in lunch clubs which range from a variety of sports to astronomy. After-school clubs include support for curriculum learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well throughout the school day. They focus on their learning in lessons. There is a calm atmosphere throughout the school day. Younger pupils settle in well. Older pupils have opportunities to contribute to the wider life of the school as house and sport captains.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff take bullying seriously. They have put systems in place to capture pupils’ concerns. This includes any concerns that may arise over harassment. Pupils feel safe in school. They say that staff take issues seriously and deal with problems that arise.

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better?

The school has strengthened the curriculum in recent years and it is now more ambitious. In all subjects the learning is carefully sequenced. Staff give pupils opportunities to regularly revisit work. However, on some occasions, teachers move pupils on to new learning before their knowledge has been checked. This leads to gaps in pupils’ understanding and, at times, misconceptions developing.

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better?

Pupils experience an effective curriculum. This helps them to know and remember more. While published outcomes are low, the impact of the curriculum seen by inspectors shows a different picture. Pupils can make clear links to prior knowledge across a range of subjects. Their work shows that they use prior learning to do more difficult things.

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better?

Pupils benefit from the school’s focus on reading and writing. They are exposed to a variety of literature and diverse reading material. Pupils’ reading ages are assessed on entry to the school and appropriate support is put in place for those who need additional help to read fluently. The school continues to track and encourage the pupils’ reading. This happens both in lessons and in form time.

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better?

There is some variability in how well teachers adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is due to the specific needs of some of those pupils not being identified. Leaders are aware of this and 13 and 14 September 2023

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have support from the trust to improve the identification of pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Most of them are having their needs met effectively.

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Pupils explore issues around healthy relationships and online safety well. They experience a planned programme of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. The school has built the PSHE programme within the strong culture of safeguarding. It prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils work with external partners to deepen their knowledge of important issues as they arise. They receive well-planned moral and cultural education through the combined use of form time and assemblies. For example, pupils develop an understanding of race and equality through their work during Black History Month.

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Careers education helps pupils to prepare for their next steps after school. Pupils speak positively about work experience and helpful one-to-one interviews. However, the requirements of the provider access legislation are not met at present. The school is aware of this and is taking action to address this issue.

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Behaviour in lessons is positive. The school has set high expectations for behaviour. Pupils know and follow the routines and expectations for break and lunchtimes. Leaders record and analyse incidents of poor behaviour. Effective preventative action is taken where appropriate to address any poor behaviour. Attendance is currently in line with national figures. The school is proactive in its approach to securing good attendance.

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Leaders remain mindful of staff’s workload while driving improvement. They provide training and resources to support staff to do their jobs. Staff talk highly of the collaborative and open working culture. They enjoy working in the school.

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The school has recently joined the 3–18 Education Trust. Trustees and members of the local governing body know the school and have high ambitions for it. Trustees and the chief executive officer have systems in place to check improvement and support developments.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ understanding is not always checked well enough before moving on to the next part of the curriculum. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge or misconceptions. Leaders at all levels should ensure that teachers check pupils’ understanding consistently well. This will enable pupils to build knowledge more effectively over time. 13 and 14 September 2023

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 The needs of some pupils with SEND are not identified accurately enough. This means that they do not receive the support they need to make sustained progress through the planned curriculum. The school needs to ensure that initial assessments reflect the pupils’ needs. Leaders at all levels should then ensure that the resulting actions to support pupils with SEND are implemented effectively.  The school does not currently meet the requirements of the provider access policy for careers education. As a result, pupils are not exposed to a wide enough range of opportunities to develop an understanding of all the routes available to them as they enter the workplace. The school needs to ensure that the requirements of the policy are fulfilled, aiming to ensure that pupils gain a better understanding of how they can make a successful start to their careers.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 13 and 14 September 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 April 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has recently joined the 3–18 Education Trust.  Since the last inspection the school has closed its sixth form provision.  The school uses no alternative provision for any of its pupils.  The school does not meet 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 13 and 14 September 2023

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, members of the trust and governors, senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils. They also talked informally to pupils and staff to gather general information about school life.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, science, physical education and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, 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 inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum plan, spoke with the curriculum leader and visited form time. An inspector also reviewed the support provided for pupils with regard to reading.  Inspectors looked at records and spoke to staff in relation to behaviour, bullying and attendance.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including leaders’ plans to improve the school and their self-evaluation of the school’s work.  Inspectors took account of responses to the pupil and staff surveys, as well as Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Richard Wakefield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jacqueline Newsome Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 September 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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