Worle Community School

Inspection of Worle Community School Redwing Drive, Mead Vale, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset BS22 8XX

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The principal of this school is Mark Tidman. This school is part of The Priory Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the interim chief executive officer, Will Roberts, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Katie Dominy. 14 and 15 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school aims to make pupils PROUD (prepared, respectful, optimistic, understanding and determined). Pupils understand the school’s aims. Expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they behave have increased substantially. Most pupils now understand what is expected of them and why. However, pupils do not achieve well enough. When pupils’ behaviour disrupts learning, it is not consistently well managed by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils enjoy school. Bullying is not a widespread issue. However, some pupils feel that bullying is not stopped promptly enough. The environment is largely calm and orderly. Most pupils are friendly and courteous. They feel safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some pupils thrive as a result of the opportunties they have to develop their characters, talents and interests. There are clubs for music, art, drama and sports. Pupils are proud of the leadership roles they hold. Some become young journalists in the on-site news centre. However, the school does not ensure that all pupils benefit from the personal development offer that it provides.

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better?

The school has recently improved the rigour and ambition of the curriculum. The key knowledge that pupils should learn has been identified. Leaders have considered how new knowledge will build on what pupils have learned before. This work has not yet had an impact. Pupils do not achieve well enough.

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better?

The school is at an early stage of making sure that teaching enables pupils to follow the more rigorous curriculum that is now in place. Most teachers present information clearly, using secure subject knowledge. However, they do not consistently check pupils’ understanding of new learning, or their existing knowledge. Consequently, teachers are not always aware of gaps in learning, so they are unable to close these gaps. This means that pupils do not learn effectively.

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better?

Staff receive training and information to ensure they know how to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, they do not always apply this. They do not make sure that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum. Consequently, pupils with SEND do not achieve well.

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better?

Pupils who do not read well enough are identified. However, the support that they receive is not prompt. This means that they do not catch up with their peers quickly. Most pupils read regularly in school. Reading time aims to improve pupils’ vocabularies and confidence.

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better?

Recent changes to how staff manage behaviour have reduced low-level disruption. As a result, pupils are more able to focus on their learning. However, poor behaviour is not challenged consistently well. The school does not always identify and tackle the root causes of poor behaviour. 14 and 15 November 2023

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There are new systems and staff in place to improve pupils’ attendance. However, too many pupils continue to miss school. As a result, they do not achieve as well as they should.

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The programme for personal, social, health and economic education covers suitable content. For example, pupils are taught about healthy relationships, physical and mental health, and safety, including online safety. Assemblies and the reading programme expose pupils to other cultures and perspectives. However, some pupils can recall little of what has been taught.

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The comprehensive careers programme helps pupils to consider their future options. Almost all pupils move into education, training or employment at the end of Year 11.

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The trust has supported the school to ensure that it has the right staff and resources to bring about positive change. However, too much of this work is in its infancy and has not yet had sufficient impact.

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Governors and trustees support and challenge the school. Engagement with parents is not always effective. Many have frustrations about the way the school responds to concerns that they raise.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not taught consistently well. Teaching does not always check what pupils understand. As a result, misconceptions and gaps in knowledge remain, and pupils do not learn effectively. The trust needs to ensure that teaching is effective in helping pupils know and remember more.  Some pupils, particularly those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, are frequently absent from school. This means they miss out on learning. The trust needs to ensure that the school takes effective action to improve pupils’ attendance.  Some pupils and parents lack confidence in the way that the school deals with concerns they have, including about bullying. Issues that are raised with the school sometimes persist for longer than they should. The trust needs to ensure that communication with parents and pupils, and the timeliness of actions it takes, improves.  The school does not always check the impact of its actions, or that all staff are

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

following agreed strategies, including how they support pupils with SEND. This means that the school does not always know what progress is being made and where weaknesses remain. The trust needs to ensure that the school’s actions 14 and 15 November 2023

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have impact and approaches are adapted to bring about more rapid improvement.

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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). 14 and 15 November 2023

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,450

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered alternative provisions.  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.

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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.  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: history, physical education, art, English and mathematics. 14 and 15 November 2023

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 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.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  An inspector contacted the alternative provisions used by the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders from the school and the trust, including the CEO and director of secondary education.  An inspector met with trustees and members of the local governing body, known as the academy council.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online surveys. Inspectors also spoke

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to pupils and staff in meetings and around the school site.  Inspectors visited reading time, assembly, and some lessons in subjects beyond the deep dives.

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Inspection team

Sarah Favager-Dalton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lydia Pride His Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 November 2023

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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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