Peacehaven Community School

Inspection of Peacehaven Community School Greenwich Way, Peacehaven, East Sussex BN10 8RB

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Rachel Henocq. The school is part of Swale Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by chief executive officer, Mike Wilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Paul Goodson. There is also an executive headteacher, Liza Leung who is responsible for this school. 3 and 4 October 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of ‘aspire, believe, contribute, achieve’ are well established in daily life in this very inclusive school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including pupils in the special provision, are fully immersed in the same learning and enrichment activities as their peers.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ achievement is now improving. Staff are ambitious for their pupils and support them to do well. Most pupils enjoy school and value their learning. Parents and carers recognise the many improvements that the school has made.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils live up to these expectations. They conduct themselves respectfully. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils say that bullying happens occasionally. They trust staff to quickly respond to any concerns raised. Pupils’ welfare is a priority for the school. Staff go the extra mile to make sure pupils are safe, happy and well supported.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with an impressive range of extra-curricular opportunities. Pupils are encouraged to participate in productions, sporting events and a wide selection of clubs. Pupils in all year groups take on important leadership roles. They take pride in serving their community.

p.2

better?

All school staff have a shared ambition for pupils. Over recent years, leaders, well supported by the trust, have put in place many actions to improve the school. These are now coming to fruition and are resulting in an increasingly positive educational experience for pupils.

p.2

better?

All pupils study a wide range of subjects in key stage 3. This gives them a strong foundation for later learning. At key stage 4, a low proportion of pupils study the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of subjects. Leaders have plans in place to address this. More pupils are now beginning to take EBacc subjects.

p.2

better?

Leaders have prioritised designing a curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. They have ensured that there is an ambitious and well- sequenced curriculum in place for all subjects. Subject leaders have thought carefully about how to build pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Teachers understand the importance to returning to previously taught topics to ensure pupils have remembered the learning. Pupils with SEND receive a high-quality, adapted curriculum that successfully allows them to complete similar learning as their peers.

p.2

better?

Pupils benefit from teachers’ strong subject expertise. Some subjects, like English and physical education, are particularly strong because they are expertly taught. A few subjects are not quite at this level. Leaders prioritise developing staff’s knowledge of how to teach most effectively by providing high-quality training. As a 3 and 4 October 2023

p.2

3

result, most staff present information clearly and use appropriate activities to help pupils learn. However, this is not yet consistent across all subjects.

p.3

3

The school recognises that high levels of literacy are key to pupils achieving well. Pupils are encouraged to read widely and often. Leaders give extra support to pupils who find reading difficult and many are now more confident readers.

p.3

3

During lessons, most pupils focus well on their learning. Calm, purposeful classrooms are rarely disturbed by poor behaviour. Around the school, almost all pupils conduct themselves with maturity. Staff nip any occasional unwanted behaviour in the bud. Pupils appreciate the rewards they receive for showing positive behaviours. Nearly all pupils attend school regularly and are punctual to lessons.

p.3

3

The trust and those responsible for governance understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They support and challenge school leaders well. School staff are proud to work here. They feel valued by leaders and are committed to the pupils.

p.3

3

The school carefully considers the education of the whole child. There is an impressive personal development programme, from which pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged benefit significantly. Pupils are taught about healthy relationships, managing risk and ways to stay mentally and physically healthy. A strong careers programme is in place. This includes work experience, links with employers and timely advice. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps and for life in modern Britain.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ ambition for pupils’ achievement is not yet fully realised across all subjects at key stage 4. This means that some pupils may not take courses and subjects that will support them with ambitious next steps. Leaders should ensure that all pupils are able to access ambitious and appropriate courses in key stage 4.  A few staff do not have the same level of pedagogical knowledge as the strongest. This means that pupils do not always have the most appropriate teaching to learn as effectively as they could. Leaders should continue to provide high-quality professional development to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently high across all subjects. 3 and 4 October 2023

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 3 and 4 October 2023

p.4

School details

Chair of local governing body Patricia Metham

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of Swale academies trust. The trust runs 19 primary and secondary academies in the southeast. The school joined the trust in 2019.  The headteacher has been in post for three years.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with autism and those with speech, language and communication needs. Currently, 22 pupils attend this provision.  The school currently uses four alternative providers. Two are registered and two are unregistered.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Year 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical educational qualifications and apprenticeships. 3 and 4 October 2023

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with academy leaders, including the headteacher, interim executive headteacher, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders.  The lead inspector spoke to the trust’s chief executive officer and met with the trust’s director of secondary education.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the local governing body.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: English, science, modern foreign languages, geography, art and design and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons,

p.6

Information about this inspection

spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed the quality of education in mathematics.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils, and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive safeguarding culture that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors gathered evidence to explore the impact of pupils’ behaviour and attendance, and the school’s wider curriculum.  Inspectors spoke to the four alternative providers used by the school.  Inspectors talked to pupils and staff throughout the inspection to gain their views about the school. This included the views of pupils and staff submitted via Ofsted’s confidential surveys.  Inspectors considered the views of parents submitted via email and telephone,

p.6

Information about this inspection

and the 86 responses via Ofsted’s parent survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Maria Roberts, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Christopher Doherty Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 October 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7