Twynham School

Inspection of Twynham School Sopers Lane, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1JF

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Kate Ball. This school is part of Twynham Learning 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, Gareth Morris, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lynda Clarke. 1 and 2 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and have positive attitudes to learning. The school has recently raised its expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils live up to these. They typically learn without disruption and conduct themselves well around the school site. The school encourages pupils to treat others with respect and appreciate difference. Most pupils and parents share confidence that the school deals with bullying effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers pupils a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. Some enjoy performing in the school musical, or in ‘Bands Night.’ Others participate in clubs, such as robotics, gardening or chess. The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils benefit from the programme on offer. Younger pupils make better use of extra- curricular opportunities than older pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on a variety of leadership opportunities. They are proud to represent the school in positions, such as prefects, members of the ‘senate’ or sports leaders. Pupils appreciate the trips and visits that the school organises. They value putting their languages into practise when they visit other European countries, for example. Sixth-Form students relished applying their learning from geography when they recently visited Iceland.

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better?

Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum. The school is determined that all pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. A high proportion of key stage 4 pupils achieve the English Baccalaureate. In the sixth form, students follow ambitious study programmes which are tailored to their needs.

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better?

The school has planned carefully what pupils should learn and when. This helps pupils build their learning on what they already know and can do. For example, sixth-form students studying American history draw on their knowledge from key stages 3 and 4. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and typically present new information well. In most subjects, teaching rectifies any gaps pupils have in their learning.

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better?

Pupils deepen their knowledge and skills over time in most subjects. Teachers typically check pupils’ understanding and make adaptations to correct pupils’ errors. However, in some subjects, pupils do not develop sufficiently detailed knowledge or write in depth. This hinders their achievement.

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better?

The school makes suitable adaptations to the curriculum for most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It has recently strengthened its work to ensure that all pupils’ needs are identified and assessed accurately. Teachers usually make good use of the information they are provided to support pupils with SEND. 1 and 2 May 2024

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The school has recently enhanced its work to help the small number of pupils still learning to read. It quickly identifies those pupils in need of support. Pupils read books that build their reading accuracy, fluency and confidence. As a result, these pupils gain the foundation they need for learning across the curriculum.

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Most pupils are punctual and attend school regularly. The school identifies and supports pupils who need to reduce their absence. The school takes suitable action to help pupils who need support to manage their behaviour.

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The school is still refining its personal, social and health education curriculum. Younger pupils develop a strong understanding of healthy relationships, for example. Older pupils and sixth-form students learn about important topics, such as consent. However, gaps in older pupils’ and sixth-form students’ knowledge are not always identified and remedied in a timely way.

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Pupils, including sixth-form students, receive useful careers information, education, advice and guidance (CIEAG). They benefit from the impartial advice they receive about next steps. This includes higher education and apprenticeships options. The school evaluates its CIEAG programme and liaises closely with local providers to tailor its offer to pupils. Most pupils undertake suitable work experience.

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The school prepares pupils to be good citizens. Pupils have opportunities to debate and discuss important issues. They learn about democracy by taking part in local youth elections. Pupils raise money for charities and contribute to local causes, such as food banks. Some sixth-form students and younger pupils volunteer in local schools and churches as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. This helps them learn how to make a positive contribution to society.

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Trustees and local governors understand and perform their functions effectively. They hold leaders to account and challenge them to bring about improvement. The school uses professional development successfully to enhance the quality of teaching. Those newest to teaching are well supported.

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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, pupils do not build sufficient depth in their understanding or write in detail. This is because the school does not consistently identify and rectify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. The trust and school need to ensure that teaching identifies and remedies gaps in pupils’ learning in all subjects. 1 and 2 May 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). 1 and 2 May 2024

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School details

Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1762

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 25 and 26 April 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Twynham Learning multi-academy trust.  The school uses four Ofsted-registered alternative providers and five unregistered providers.  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. 1 and 2 May 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, history, modern foreign languages and business 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.  Inspectors met with a range of school and trust leaders, the chair of trustees and members of the local governing body.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive 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

Matthew Collins Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 May 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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