Robertsbridge Community College

Inspection of Robertsbridge Community College Knelle Road, Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5EA

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Previous inspection grade Good 23 and 24 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils do not achieve well at this school. This is particularly true of those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum lacks ambition and is not delivered consistently well. This prevents pupils from reaching their potential.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations of pupils’ behaviour are low. Lessons are routinely disrupted, and many pupils are concerned that this gets in the way of their learning. It is common for pupils to ignore sanctions for misbehaviour because they know that adults in school are unlikely to follow up.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Derogatory language and boisterous behaviour have become normalised in the corridors and playground. This behaviour often goes unchallenged by staff. Some pupils are concerned about bullying and say that this is not always dealt with effectively. Despite these issues, most pupils say they feel safe in school and they know there is somebody they can talk to if they have a problem.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the fact that their teachers know them well. Some benefit from enrichment activities, such as clubs and trips, and the school is seeking to expand these opportunities further. There are some pupil leadership positions, but many are unsure about how to express their views about the school and feel frustrated by this.

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better?

There has been a serious breakdown in this school’s leadership. Leaders lack capacity and have failed to prevent a decline in standards of education and behaviour. Parents and staff rightly lack confidence in leaders’ ability to make necessary improvements. Staff morale is low, but they are fully committed to supporting the school. They do not feel well supported by leaders, particularly in managing challenging behaviour.

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better?

Published outcomes at this school have been poor over time and are not improving. Pupils who are disadvantaged achieve well below their non-disadvantaged peers nationally. The school’s curriculum is not consistently coherent or ambitious. Only a small proportion of pupils in key stage 4 study a broad and ambitious curriculum as represented by the English Baccalaureate. The school is in the very early stages of making improvements to the curriculum and the way it is delivered. However, it will take time before the impact of this work is seen.

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better?

Pupils with SEND are not supported well at this school. Plans to support these pupils lack the required precision and detail. The staff who teach and support pupils with SEND are not always familiar with their needs. The school recognises that there is currently a lack of capacity and expertise to meet the needs of these pupils. 23 and 24 April 2024

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Many pupils at this school experience a fragmented education. Lessons are routinely disrupted by poor behaviour. Attendance is low and suspensions are high. The number of pupils leaving the school to be home educated is also high. These barriers disproportionately affect pupils with SEND, who miss more school than their peers. There is a lack of effective support to help pupils improve their behaviour. This means that some pupils miss too much lesson time due to being repeatedly removed from lessons or suspended, without getting the help they need.

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The school provides appropriate careers, information, education, advice and guidance. This includes opportunities for pupils to get impartial advice on their next steps and hear directly from post-16 education and training providers in the area.

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Pupils are taught a suitably broad programme of personal, social, health and economic education. This curriculum has been adapted to meet the needs and experiences of the pupils who attend their school. Lesson content is age-appropriate and includes teaching about relationships and sex and health education. Sometimes, there is a lack of consistency in the way this programme is delivered. Some pupils are unclear about topics such as consent and fundamental British values. Pupils know that they have been taught about using inappropriate language, but many remain confused about why ‘banter’ can cause offence. This is not addressed by the school’s wider work, where disrespectful language often goes unchallenged.

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Following concerns about the school’s leadership and low standards, the local authority issued a warning notice to the school and an interim executive board (IEB) was appointed in November. The local authority continues to offer appropriate support to the school, which includes their representation on the IEB. Since the IEB have taken responsibility for school governance, there has been a greater level of challenge. The IEB have brokered the support of a local multi-academy trust (MAT) to conduct a review and to add leadership capacity to the school. Weaknesses in the school’s effectiveness have been identified. This work is a positive step forward but is not yet having an impact on pupils’ daily experiences. Despite increased support and challenge, senior leaders do not yet have a clear and sustainable plan to improve the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils with SEND do not receive a high-quality education. Plans to support pupils often lack precise guidance and are not well understood by staff. This means that the support pupils receive in lessons does not usually meet their needs. The school should ensure that the most relevant strategies for each pupil with SEND 23 and 24 April 2024

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are identified, and that staff are appropriately trained to provide the support that pupils need.  The school’s systems to ensure orderly and respectful behaviour are not effective. Many pupils are unclear about the expectations of their behaviour or the importance of treating others with respect. The school’s routines and expectations are not consistently reinforced by staff. Sanctions are not followed up on if pupils refuse to comply. These factors have resulted in a culture where rules are routinely ignored. Leaders must clarify their expectations for pupils, including what happens when these are not met. They must ensure that there are systems in place to support staff to manage behaviour. They must ensure that there is sufficient capacity to follow up on sanctions when required.  The school has not acted quickly enough to improve poor standards of education. This includes published outcomes for pupils, including those who are

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disadvantaged, that are well below the national average. The school should ensure that there is an ambitious curriculum in place and that this is delivered consistently well. Leaders should ensure that there are robust processes in place to check that this work is effective. Governors should assure themselves that there is a sustained improvement in the standard of education.  Leaders have not ensured that weaknesses in the school are prioritised and addressed. The school’s senior leadership lacks the capacity to improve the school. They should work with stakeholders, including the IEB and local authority, to ensure there is a clear and sustainable plan in place for the school’s improvement.  The school may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection.

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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 23 and 24 April 2024

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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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School details

Appropriate authority Interim executive board

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 September 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the school has been issued with a warning notice by East Sussex County Council. The school’s governing body has been replaced by an IEB.  The school contains a specially resourced provision intended for 12 pupils with autism and dyslexia. There are currently 15 pupils being supported within this provision.  The school currently uses five alternative providers, one of which is unregistered. The school runs an alternative provision on its own site known as Peak Adventure with some places commissioned by other schools.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information 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. 23 and 24 April 2024

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In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with senior staff in the school, including the headteacher. The lead inspector met with representatives of the IEB and the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, physical education, geography and modern foreign languages. 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, 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.  Inspectors considered a wide range of other evidence, including the school’s self- evaluation and action plans.  Inspectors spoke with a wide range of pupils and staff at the school. Inspectors considered responses to the confidential staff and pupil surveys. They took account of the responses to the online survey Ofsted Parent View and parents’ free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Chris Ellison, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stuart Edwards Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 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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