The Minster School

Inspection of The Minster School Nottingham Road, Southwell, Nottinghamshire NG25 0LG

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Ben Chaloner. This school is part of The Minster Trust for Education, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Matthew Parris, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nigel Turner.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected The Minster School as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection of the predecessor school. 21 and 22 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the calm, orderly and focused ethos across the school. The school’s ‘WORKS’ values are lived by pupils daily. High behavioural expectations are set. These are met consistently. Pupils’ conduct is very positive. Behaviour is very good. Pupils are polite and respectful. Bullying is rare. Staff deal with it appropriately when it occurs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of what pupils can learn and achieve. Pupils learn well and achieve highly. They apply themselves well. They take their learning seriously. They take pride in their work and successes. Pupils are safe. They know who to turn to if they have any worries. Pastoral care is very strong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Junior department pupils get off to a great start. They especially value music learning and how staff care for them. Sixth-form students appreciate the support they receive. They are proud of the school. They are positive role models for younger pupils. Sixth-form students benefit from exceptional provision.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of parents and carers are very pleased with the school’s provision. They value the school’s inclusive and supportive culture. They recognise the school’s many strengths, including the extensive range of experiences provided for pupils’ personal development. These personal development opportunities are exceptional.

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better?

The school is very well led and managed. Leaders lead with a strong moral purpose. They have high expectations of pupils’ learning, attitudes and behaviour. Overwhelmingly, staff say that they are proud to work at the school. They have high aspirations for all pupils. They are committed to, and make a positive difference in, pupils’ lives.

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better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that is broad and deep in its range of subjects across Years 3 to 13. Well-planned and ambitious subject curriculums are in place. Leaders give considerable thought to the planning of subject curriculums. Staff carefully build pupils’ learning over time. For example, the mathematics curriculum builds and revisits learning systematically. Pupils gain mathematical knowledge and fluency. They skilfully learn to apply their knowledge and reason mathematically. They build deep understanding of complex mathematical concepts over time. In music, pupils benefit from a highly ambitious curriculum that is suitably demanding for all, including pupils with an aptitude for music. Pupils build theoretical music knowledge and skills excellently.

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better?

Teachers are experts in the subjects that they teach. They skilfully question and check pupils’ learning over time. They quickly identify and address errors and misconceptions in pupils’ learning. Teachers use resources effectively. Pupils have positive attitudes, relish challenge and enjoy learning. They gain considerable knowledge, depth of understanding and skills in all subjects. Pupils achieve highly, 21 and 22 November 2023

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as seen in the 2023 published outcomes for pupils at the end of key stages 2 and 4 and for sixth-form students.

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The school has gone through a period of change in its provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). A small minority of parents recognise this. Leaders are further improving processes to identify these pupils so that the needs of all pupils with SEND are fully catered for. The school is refining its provision to meet these pupils’ needs. Teachers and support staff are adept in adapting teaching and supporting pupils. For example, staff skilfully enable pupils with SEND to access the same learning as their peers. Staff benefit from ongoing training to build this provision further.

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The school sets notably high expectations of sixth-form students. Pastoral care is strong. Students value the excellent support offered. They apply themselves purposefully. They appreciate and meet the school’s high expectations. Students are taught excellently by knowledgeable and skilled staff. Students are very well prepared for their next steps in education, training or work.

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Personal development is outstanding. Pupils have opportunities to develop a mature understanding of physical and mental health and of healthy relationships. They learn to appreciate British values and the importance of diversity and equality. Opportunities to deepen pupils’ spiritual and moral development are exceptional. Pupils are very well prepared for life in Britain. Careers provision is very strong. Pupils gain from excellent work-related learning opportunities. They receive appropriate advice and guidance. They are very well prepared for their next steps.

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The school provides extensive extra-curricular activities. Pupils gain from many memorable experiences, including trips and visits. They cherish the leadership roles available, such as being sports leaders and being part of the sixth-form leadership team. Pupils’ opinions are valued. For example, pupils helped to develop the school’s diversity charter.

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Leaders strive to build on the school’s high-quality provision. They strategically focus on what needs to be enhanced. The trust provides appropriate support and challenge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has improved its provision for pupils with SEND in the last year. However, the school has not wholly consolidated its processes to identify the needs of all pupils with SEND. The school has not fully embedded provision for pupils with SEND across the main school. Consequently, not all pupils with SEND 21 and 22 November 2023

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receive the very highest quality provision. The school should ensure that these pupils’ needs are fully identified and that provision enables all pupils with SEND to gain the very best learning possible.

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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). 21 and 22 November 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,651

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The Minster School converted to become an academy in December 2018.  The school is part of The Minster Trust for Education. The school has a local governing body, which has delegated responsibilities from the trust. The chair of governors was elected in September 2022.  The school is a Church of England school with a Christian ethos. It received its Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools in November 2016.  The headteacher took up the post in November 2020. New senior leaders have been appointed since the previous inspection. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) took up the post in January 2023.  The school has a small junior department that consists of Southwell Minster choristers and pupils who are admitted because of their musical aptitude. 21 and 22 November 2023

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 The school uses the services of seven alternative provisions, of which one is registered.  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 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 met with the headteacher and senior leaders.  Inspectors met with trustees, governors and a diocesan officer. They met with trust officers.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, geography, design technology and music. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited sample lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered a wide range of other subjects, including modern foreign languages, physical education, science, drama, history, computing, art,

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Information about this inspection

economics, psychology and business studies. They visited lessons in these subjects. They also visited assemblies.  Inspectors met formally with groups of pupils to talk about the quality of education and other aspects of school life. They met with groups of teachers and support staff. They spoke with staff and pupils informally.  Inspectors met with the SENCo and reviewed the provision for pupils with SEND.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents; reviewed safeguarding records; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding that puts pupils’ needs first.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents. They looked at the school’s website and published information about the school’s provision. They reviewed the school’s policies, self-evaluation and development plan.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors considered the views of parents who completed Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments, as well as correspondence received during the inspection. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for school staff and pupils. 21 and 22 November 2023

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Inspection team

Chris Davies, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Deirdre Duignan Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 November 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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