Eggbuckland Community College

Inspection of Eggbuckland Community College Westcott Close, Eggbuckland, Plymouth, Devon PL6 5YB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The principal of this school is Heather Lilley. The school is part of the Westcountry 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, Rob Haring, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Iain Grafton. 8 and 9 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Eggbuckland Community College encourages pupils to show tenacity, integrity, compassion and knowledge. However, the school does not have high enough expectations of what pupils are able to do. The standard of work accepted from pupils is below what they can produce when suitably challenged. In particular, pupils struggle to write at length with high levels of technical accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar. This is hindering pupils’ and sixth-form students’ achievement.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They have a clear understanding of the school’s behaviour expectations and consequences. When adults uphold these expectations, pupils appreciate that they can learn without disruption. Bullying is infrequent, and pupils have adults they can turn to if they have concerns. Pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking part in extra-curricular trips and visits, for example entering competitive sports, theatre trips and completing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Pupils recognise the recent widening of opportunities available to them through the introduction of new clubs and the upcoming activities week. The small school council is led by sixth-form students and includes pupil representatives from all year groups. This gives pupils a voice to make suggestions and share their views.

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better?

The school has recently begun to adopt the Westcountry Schools Trust curriculum. The trust has provided support and training to resource and develop this broad curriculum within this school’s context. However, the methods chosen to deliver the curriculum are not always well matched to the curriculum aims or sufficiently adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. As a result, pupils and students in the sixth form are not learning the intended curriculum well over time.

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better?

Assessment strategies are not used effectively to check and improve pupils’ understanding. Once assessment has taken place, the information is not used effectively to close the gaps in pupils’ knowledge and correct misconceptions. Pupils without secure knowledge and understanding of the work to date find it difficult to learn the subsequent content.

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better?

The trust understands the importance of reading. It has supported the school to develop its reading curriculum. Pupils enjoy the texts chosen to introduce interesting themes and diverse cultures. They are keen to see which books will make the future reading lists. The school identifies the weakest readers and supports them to improve their accuracy and confidence.

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better?

The school accurately identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils who attend the specially resourced provision for those with a hearing impairment are well supported. They learn the curriculum and engage in extra-curricular activities alongside their peers. 8 and 9 May 2024

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The school closely monitors the attendance of pupils and students in the sixth form. It is working with the families of pupils who are not yet attending school frequently to improve their attendance. Raising attendance and reducing persistent absence is a high priority for the trust.

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The school’s personal development curriculum prepares pupils for adult life well. Well-being lessons are age appropriate and cover relationships and sex education. Pupils learn about a diverse range of faiths and beliefs and have opportunities to consider viewpoints that are different to their own. They understand the importance of tolerance and respect for others. Pupils know how to look after their physical and mental health. The school is proactive in teaching pupils about dangers they face within the local area. For example, recent work to highlight the dangers of vaping is helping to keep pupils safe.

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Pupils receive timely advice and guidance about employment, apprenticeships and further education opportunities. They hear about a range of different professions through ‘Futures Friday’ and guest speakers. Sixth-form students receive additional support to apply for university courses. They also benefit from the ‘supra curriculum’ offered to all post-16 students across the Westcountry Schools Trust. Through this, they can attend enrichment activities such as specialist subject lectures.

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The school understands the value of engaging with all members of the school community. It is considerate of the workload of staff when implementing changes. It provides staff with professional development opportunities suited to their roles. The trust, through its hub boards, is keen to hear the views of parents and carers.

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The trust, until recently, had an overgenerous view of the effectiveness of the school. As a result, the pace of change since the last inspection has been too slow. The new leadership has accurately highlighted priority areas for improvement. However, the recent changes made are only just beginning to secure improvements. Leaders at all levels, including governance, have not accurately assessed and challenged the quality of education provided by the school. Consequently, they have not secured rapid improvements for the benefit of all pupils and sixth-form students.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not have high enough expectations of what pupils are able to do. Adults accept poor-quality work when pupils are capable of more. The trust should ensure that the expectations of what pupils and sixth-form students can achieve rise rapidly. 8 and 9 May 2024

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 The implementation of the curriculum is not sufficiently adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. Consequently, some pupils are not challenged and those who require additional support do not receive it. The trust should ensure that the curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils.  Assessment is not effectively used to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge or misconceptions. When these are not addressed and corrected pupils lack the foundational knowledge needed to learn more challenging content. The trust should ensure that assessment accurately informs the adjustments needed to the curriculum to ensure that pupils’ knowledge and understanding are secure.  The actions taken to improve the quality of education have not, until recently, been swift or ambitious enough. The trust should ensure that leaders at all levels, including governance, can accurately monitor, assess and challenge the quality of

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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). 8 and 9 May 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,059

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school joined the Westcountry Schools Trust in 2021.  The principal of this school took up post in September 2023.  This school uses one registered and four unregistered alternative provisions.  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 8 and 9 May 2024

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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 held discussions with school leaders at all levels. Inspectors also spoke with teaching staff, support staff and the chair of trustees.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, including representatives from the student leadership and sixth-form students.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science and history. 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. Sixth-form lessons were visited as part of the deep dives.  Inspectors also visited additional lessons and tutor periods to consider the

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effectiveness of the wider curriculum.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for pupils with SEND and visited the specially resourced provision for pupils with hearing impairment. They considered the support provided to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.  Inspectors viewed a range of school documentation, including the minutes of the governance meetings, the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  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 culture around safeguarding that pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, as well as responses to the staff survey and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Sara Berry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Tong Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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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