Abbey College, Ramsey

Inspection of Abbey College, Ramsey Abbey Road, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire PE26 1DG

p.1

Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 October 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Abbey College are happy, kind and friendly. Their interactions with adults and other pupils are very respectful. It is normal to open doors for others, or to listen carefully while pupils express their thoughts. Pupils understand that other people may have different views or beliefs. They have the knowledge and skills they need to discuss differences with confidence and maturity.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Routines are clearly understood and followed. Pupils benefit from an orderly, calm environment. Pupils queue up sensibly at the start of the day and before lessons. They move around the school very considerately. Transitions between lessons and social time are made in a calm manner. Pupils have a variety of different areas to use at social time. They can sit and talk with friends, or go outside to play games such as football. These established routines ensure that pupils feel safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including students in the sixth form, know that the adults have high expectations of what they should achieve. They are well prepared to realise their potential because they study a rich and varied, well-taught curriculum. Pupils have an excellent understanding of the leadership opportunities that are open to them once they finish school, and how to achieve them.

p.2

better?

The school has ensured that pupils study an ambitious curriculum that is well suited to their needs. There are a broad range of subjects that pupils benefit from. For example, the vast majority of pupils study Spanish until Year 11.

p.2

better?

Within the curriculum plans, the skills and knowledge that pupils need to learn are clearly mapped out. Teachers have the appropriate subject knowledge to teach the curriculum well. Teachers routinely check what pupils remember and understand. Teachers are skilled at adapting their teaching if there are gaps in what pupils remember. In a few instances, a small number of teachers are not as skilled in delivering the curriculum as the school intends. This means a minority of pupils do not achieve as highly as they should.

p.2

better?

The school has prioritised reading. Pupils who are at the earliest stage of learning to read receive expert support that is precisely matched to their needs. Dedicated staff are well trained in a range of strategies, such as phonics teaching or paired reading, to ensure that pupils quickly learn the skills they need to read fluently and with confidence.

p.2

better?

There are clear processes to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers have high expectations of what pupils should achieve. They are well trained to adapt their teaching to support pupils with SEND. Their adaptations are closely matched to pupils’ needs. Where required, pupils benefit from a calm learning environment outside of class called ‘The Bridge’. Here, they receive specific support which ensures they are ready to learn. As a 11 and 12 October 2023

p.2

3

result, pupils with SEND access the school’s ambitious curriculum, achieve well and keep up with their peers.

p.3

3

The school has a clearly understood behaviour policy that teaches pupils how to conduct themselves well. Within lessons, disruption is rare. If it happens, pupils respond well to the support they receive to manage their behaviour in future. Staff are generally consistent at implementing the rules. This ensures that pupils feel a sense of fairness in how they are treated.

p.3

3

Students in the sixth form benefit significantly due to an ambitious curriculum and expert teaching. The school has very high expectations for what students should achieve. Staff know their students well and monitor closely how well they are doing. They quickly intervene if a student is struggling. This means students keep up. Students speak passionately about the varied and interesting careers guidance they receive. They are extremely well prepared for future study or work.

p.3

3

Pupils, including post-16, benefit from a rich and diverse personal development curriculum, which is carefully designed to meet their needs and to prepare them for life after school. The school has carefully considered how to develop pupils’ character as well as their skills and interests. There are a wide range of enrichment opportunities on offer, which the majority of pupils participate in. Pupils are actively involved in the wider community. Pupils gain resilience and confidence. They talk with pride about the additional skills they learn that prepare them well for their adult lives.

p.3

3

Governors fulfil their role and statutory duties with skill and dedication. They support and challenge leaders to ensure that all pupils are at the centre of their decisions and actions to improve the school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are a few instances in the curriculum where teachers do not have the full range of skills to deliver the curriculum in the way that the school intends. When this happens, curriculum content is not taught as well as it should be. Sometimes, teachers miss opportunities to clarify, or further deepen, pupils’ understanding. The school needs to ensure that all staff are sufficiently supported and trained to deliver lessons that enable all pupils to make good progress throughout the curriculum. 11 and 12 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). 11 and 12 October 2023

p.4

provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,044

p.5

sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

sixth form

Chair of governing body Madeleine Jackson

p.5

sixth form

Date of previous inspection 17 March 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school receives support from Meridian Trust.  The school currently uses two alternative providers for a small number of pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 11 and 12 October 2023

p.5

6

 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, history, modern foreign language (MFL) and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about 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 the school special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and scrutinised SEND support plans from a sample of pupils across different classes.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

p.6

6

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors also reviewed documentation relating to school improvement work.  An inspector held discussions with a representative from Meridian Trust, which provides support to the school.  An inspector held a meeting with governors, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s behaviour and attendance records and met with leaders with responsibility for these areas.  An inspector met with leaders responsible for pupils studying an alternative curriculum or who are in alternative provision.  Inspectors spoke to a range of pupils from different classes across both days of inspection.  The lead inspector considered the 215 responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including 109 free-text responses. The

p.6

6

lead inspector also considered 45 responses to Ofsted’s survey of staff, and 82 responses from pupils to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Bessie Owen, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sarah Fowler Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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