Bournemouth School

Inspection of Bournemouth School East Way, Bournemouth, Dorset BH8 9PY

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Dorian Lewis. This school is part of Bournemouth School trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is chaired by Michael Jones. 27 and 28 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this exceptional school. They are highly motivated and eager to make the most of school life. The school expects all pupils to adhere to values, such as hard work and respect. Pupils consistently live up to these expectations. They receive an excellent quality of education and, as a result, achieve highly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils conduct themselves in an exemplary manner. They are polite and considerate of others. They behave with integrity and cooperate consistently well. There are extensive opportunities for pupils to take on meaningful leadership roles, such as School and House Captains and prefects. Pupils hold these positions with pride and willingly fulfil the responsibilities they entail. Consequently, they have a highly positive impact on the life of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a rich offer for their wider development. There is a high uptake of the school’s extra-curricular programme. Many pupils participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, ‘Combined Cadet Force’ and sporting activities. Pupils develop their musical talents through orchestra, barbershop and rock bands, for instance. These, and many other opportunities, make a consistently strong contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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better?

Pupils learn an ambitious curriculum. A high number of pupils follow subjects which make up the English Baccalaureate at key stage 4. Sixth-form study programmes are ambitious and tailored to students’ needs. Pupils gain a remarkable depth of understanding in the subjects they study. They make astute connections between subjects. For instance, pupils write confident responses in English to artwork they have studied. As a result, they are very well prepared for their next steps in education and in life.

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better?

The school has designed each subject curriculum so that pupils build their knowledge and skills cumulatively. In modern foreign languages, for example, pupils quickly learn the grammatical structures they need to speak and write accurately. Teachers, in all subjects, have excellent subject knowledge. Across the curriculum, they ensure that pupils understand and use appropriate subject vocabulary. Sixth- form students read challenging academic texts which enhance their wider subject knowledge.

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better?

Staff routinely check pupils’ understanding. They swiftly correct pupils’ misconceptions where necessary. Assessment is used effectively to understand pupils’ starting points, such as those of students joining the sixth form. Teaching helps pupils retrieve and apply their knowledge successfully. The school keeps the curriculum under close review. Where pupils have gaps in their knowledge, suitable changes are made to ensure these do not persist. 27 and 28 February 2024

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The school successfully identifies, assesses and meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Consequently, pupils achieve highly and develop their independence.

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The school consistently upholds its high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, both in and outside of the classroom. Therefore, pupils’ learning proceeds undisturbed. On the rare occasions that a pupil’s behaviour falls short of the school’s expectations, intelligent and effective action is taken. Pupils readily follow well-established routines around the school site. As a result, the school is calm, orderly and purposeful.

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Pupils make a highly positive contribution to the school and wider community. Sixth- form students mentor younger pupils and volunteer in local hospitals. Pupils raise money for charities, such as to those which help children with serious medical conditions. Sixth-form students run their own clubs and societies, such as a chess club, 'biosoc' and a politics and debating group.

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Pupils debate and discuss issues respectfully. They reflect sensitively on the impact of discrimination on others. Pupils participate in democratic processes, such as voting for members of the youth parliament. They value and celebrate commonalities and differences in each other. As a result, pupils are very well prepared to be active and responsible members of society.

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Pupils receive timely and useful careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG). The school ensures that pupils have meaningful encounters with employers through work experience. Pupils receive unbiased information about next steps in their education, employment, or training. Consequently, they are well supported to make their own informed choices.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils benefit from an effective personal, social and health education curriculum. This helps pupils to gain an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. Pupils learn how to collaborate actively to support each other’s wellbeing. The sixth-form programme develops students’ independence in preparation for adult life.

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Leaders and governors share a clear and ambitious vision for all pupils. Governors fulfil their role effectively. They hold leaders strongly to account and ensure that resources are well managed. Leaders have high expectations of staff and embody these in their own interactions with pupils. They use professional development effectively to enhance the quality of teaching and ensure that staff workload is well managed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 and 28 February 2024

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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). 27 and 28 February 2024

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School details

Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1227

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 September 2011

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Information about this school

 This is a grammar school for boys. The admissions policy is selective. Girls are admitted in the sixth form only.  The school is a single academy trust.  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.  The school uses two registered alternative provisions.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 27 and 28 February 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the first 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, mathematics, science, modern foreign languages, design and technology and religious studies. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum planning, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with 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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to the questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to the online surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

James Oldham, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Barnes Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 February 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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