Studley High School

Inspection of Studley High School Crooks Lane, Studley, Warwickshire B80 7QX

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

This school was last inspected 13 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

From then 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 inspection.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of the school is Richard Eost. This school is part of the Shires Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lee Gray, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Thake. 19 and 20 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Respectful, caring and supportive relationships are at the heart of Studley High school (SHS). An overwhelming sense of community and mutual respect greets you as you arrive. Pupils are happy in school and support each other’s needs. Pupils understand and follow the SHS values. These include being aspirational, charitable and resilient. These values run through everything the school does. Pupils feel safe and say that poor behaviour is rare. A typical parent comment is: ‘The school has a real, family atmosphere coupled with high standards and expectations of the pupils.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has set very high expectations for pupils’ future academic achievements and their wider development. Staff relentlessly focus on helping pupils to meet these high standards. Remembering key knowledge is a focus in every subject. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well throughout their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school places an exceptionally strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. The school puts itself at the centre of the local community to celebrate and support pupils inside and outside school. Pupil leadership opportunities include well-being and fundraising ambassadors. The majority of pupils take part in an extensive range of high-quality enrichment opportunities. Musical theatre, STEM and coding clubs enhance pupils’ wider experiences.

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better?

There is exceptional leadership of this school. Leaders have designed a highly ambitious and rigorous curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum successfully encourages and enables pupils to achieve their academic potential. In all classes positive relationships between staff and pupils help pupils to learn the most important skills and knowledge across the curriculum exceptionally well.

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better?

The school has precisely identified the important things that pupils need to know to succeed. Teachers present new subject matter clearly and consistently in every department. Teachers use ‘recall’ activities at the start of lessons to help pupils recall and build on their learning. Teachers routinely check what pupils know and ensure that they understand what they have to do well. Pupils confidently talk about what they know and understand in a range of subjects. For example, in English, Year 8 pupils could recall their knowledge of persuasion techniques from previous learning to use in their current work.

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better?

The school identifies pupils with SEND exceptionally well. ‘Pupil Passports’ provide precise information for staff about pupils’ individual needs. Teachers use this information very effectively to adapt their teaching to meet their needs. The school has implemented an extensive range of strategies to support pupils who are not confident readers. These include specialist teachers who rapidly address weaknesses in phonics, grammar and comprehension. Pupils value reading. The library’s use, including from pupil book champions, is extensive throughout the week. 19 and 20 March 2024

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils display excellent self-control and highly positive attitudes to learning. Staff and pupils share highly respectful relationships. This creates an open and encouraging culture where everyone is equally valued. School attendance is high with robust systems in place to support absent pupils to catch up on their work quickly. The school communicates exceptionally well with parents and carers about the importance of pupils being in school.

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The school ensures that pupils’ personal development is a high priority. An extensive personal development curriculum promotes the development of pupils’ character and interests exceptionally well. All pupils spoken to have a detailed understanding of healthy relationships and respecting the views of others. Pupils regularly discuss careers, university aspirations, and apprenticeships. This prepares pupils extremely well for the next stages of their education and careers.

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Trustees and governors know the school exceptionally well. They support and challenge appropriately in meetings and during school visits. They hold the school to account well for all aspects of provision, including exceptional safeguarding and the quality of SEND provision. Leaders have implemented a well-thought-out professional development programme for staff which staff welcome. Ongoing encouragement, praise and an openness to research are key to this. The school supports all staff with both their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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). 19 and 20 March 2024

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School details

Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Academy converter

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Shires Multi Academy Trust which contains six schools.  The school makes use of six alternative providers, three of which are registered and three are unregistered.  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. 19 and 20 March 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors focused on the following deep dives: English, mathematics, science, art and geography. The inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked with pupils about their learning. The inspectors also looked at the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspectors reviewed a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the school’s curriculum and improvement planning. The school’s website was also checked.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed informal times of the day as part of their evaluation of safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspectors held meetings with the chair and chief executive officer of the trust, the chair of the local governing board and other governors, the headteacher and other senior leaders, teachers, teaching assistants, support staff and pupils. The inspectors also talked informally to pupils, staff, parents and carers to gather information about school life.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View and the free-text comments. The inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Stuart Clarkson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Mike Onyon Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 March 2024

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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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