Nicholas Chamberlaine School

Inspection of Nicholas Chamberlaine School Bulkington Road, Bedworth, Warwickshire CV12 9EA

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The head of school is Peter Gilbride and the executive headteacher is Alison Ramsay. This school is part of the Griffin Schools Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Anne Powell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike McCreedy. 23 and 24 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Nicholas Chamberlaine School (NCS) staff and pupils share the same high aspirations. Pupils understand and follow the ambition to be ‘Successful learners: World citizens’. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful . The majority of pupils work hard and show a determination to achieve well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). One parent’s comment, ‘School is a safe environment, with a great ethos combining care and achievement,’ captured the views of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a purposeful atmosphere around the school. During lessons and unstructured times, such as breaktimes and lunchtimes, most pupils behave sensibly. Where pupils’ behaviour is not acceptable, staff speak quickly and efficiently with these pupils to explain the school’s high expectations. Pupils feel safe. They know who to talk to about any concerns they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

NCS places a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. Year 12 students are proud to mentor Year 7 pupils with their learning. All pupils in Years 7 to 9 learn a musical instrument and many pupils regularly take part in a range of clubs, such as choir and sports. Pupils value being able to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and school productions. These opportunities enhance the curriculum well.

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better?

The school has undergone a significant period of change and development since the last inspection. This includes a new head of school and changes to staff in other senior, subject and pastoral leadership roles. The school has raised expectations around learning and behaviour and has developed a highly ambitious and well- sequenced curriculum. All pupils follow this curriculum and are now beginning to make better progress.

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better?

Most teachers use assessments and check what pupils know well and ensure that they understand what they have to do. For example, Year 8 pupils in art can explain how their previous learning of artists and different styles was helping them to produce their own work effectively. However, there are times when some teachers do not check pupils’ understanding well enough. They do not know if pupils remember what they have learned before. This means that some teachers do not consistently adapt the learning to address any wrong ideas or missing knowledge. It also means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to complete their work. This can limit the progress they make.

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better?

The school quickly identifies any special educational needs that pupils may have. Teachers use ‘student support sheets’ effectively in order to adapt their teaching. Leaders ensure that all pupils access the same ambitious curriculum and that teachers adapt the curriculum, if necessary, to meet pupils’ needs. The school has effectively developed strategies to support pupils who are not confident readers. 23 and 24 April 2024

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Specialist teachers rapidly address weaknesses in pupils’ phonics, grammar and comprehension. Teachers model reading and encourage pupils to read during tutorials and outside school. The school continues to effectively promote pupils’ reading widely and often.

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The school understands the importance of attendance and takes effective action to work with families to address this. Despite this, the number of pupils absent from school is higher than it should be. Attendance remains a key priority for the school and community.

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Pupils’ well-being is at the forefront of leaders’ vision, including promoting pupils’ positive mental health. The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Pupils learn about important topics, including healthy relationships, fundamental British values and online safety. All pupils and sixth-form students receive unbiased information on potential next steps and high-quality careers guidance. This prepares them well for the next stages of their lives.

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All leaders, including those responsible for governance, understand how the school’s local context impacts pupils’ learning and attendance. New policies have brought a rapid improvement in how pupils learn. However, the school has not fully evaluated precisely which actions are the most effective in addressing shortcomings. For example, the school does not have a good enough understanding of why the progress of disadvantaged pupils is not as strong as it should be.

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The trust has invested time and resources to develop the school. Trustees and governors provide challenge and support. This has helped the school to improve. Leaders have implemented a well-thought-out professional development programme for staff. Staff feel very well supported and consulted about policy changes. Leaders carefully consider staff workload, of which staff are appreciative.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not use assessments well enough to check what pupils know and remember over time. This means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not identified and addressed consistently. The school should ensure that all teachers use assessments consistently to ensure that any gaps in learning are closed to enable pupils to make better progress.  The school has not reviewed or analysed some of its improvement actions as carefully as it should. This means that it does not always know the effectiveness of its strategies to support pupils’ progress and development. The school should ensure that it precisely analyses the effectiveness of improvement strategies to 23 and 24 April 2024

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ensure it makes a positive difference to all pupils’ education, including disadvantaged pupils.

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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 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). 23 and 24 April 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,369

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Executive headteacher

Alison Ramsay Website www.nicholaschamberlaine-gst.org

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Executive headteacher

Date of previous inspection 18 July 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The head of school was appointed from 8 September 2023.  The school is part of the Griffin Schools trust, which contains twelve schools.  The school makes use of six alternative providers for fourteen 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. 23 and 24 April 2024

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 ’Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors focused on the following deep dives: English, mathematics, French, 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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed informal times of the day as part of their evaluation of safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspectors held meetings with the chief executive officer, school improvement executive and the chair of one trust board; the chair of the governor improvement board and other governors, the head of school, executive headteacher and other senior leaders, teachers, 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

Tim Bassett Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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