Shoeburyness High School

Inspection of Shoeburyness High School Caulfield Road, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS3 9LL

p.1

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 Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Teri-Leigh Jones. This school is part of Southend East Community Academy Trust (SECAT), which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Ben Stickley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Riz Malik. 4 and 5 June 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

There are lots of adults who will listen to pupils’ views at Shoeburyness High School. Pupils value the pastoral members of staff who are on hand at times such as lunchtime. Pupils can access a range of support to resolve any worries or concerns. This includes access to counselling and support for mental health. Typically, pupils feel happy and safe as a result.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very clear about wanted and unwanted behaviours. The school has raised standards of behaviour significantly. Most pupils behave well. However, a small number of older boys are not respectful enough. This makes a minority of pupils feel uncomfortable.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has raised expectations about what pupils should achieve. Pupils are remembering more and producing higher-quality work as a result. They study a broad and ambitious curriculum. This includes in the sixth form, where students’ needs are well catered for through a blend of academic and vocational options. However, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not experience a high-enough quality of teaching or have enough opportunities to explore important knowledge in depth.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of personal development opportunities. These include ‘charities week’, where pupils raise money for charity, which promotes good moral understanding.

p.2

better?

The school has revised the curriculum because it identified that it was not effective or ambitious enough. Pupils did not achieve as well as they should, which was reflected in the 2023 examination outcomes. The trust and school put in place very clear plans to address this, including raising participation in subjects making up the English Baccalaureate. This work has ensured the curriculum now has both sufficient breadth and academic ambition.

p.2

better?

The school has ensured that, across the curriculum, the important knowledge pupils should learn is clearly defined. Pupils now revisit this knowledge, so that they can recall and apply it confidently. In most subjects, teachers check routinely what pupils know. They use these checks to provide the support pupils need to close any gaps in their knowledge. Consequently, pupils now remember more and produce high- quality work. However, in a small number of subjects, this is not the case. This is because in these subjects teachers do not consistently follow the school’s expectations for teaching. They do not routinely provide opportunities that challenge pupils or enable them to learn in more depth.

p.2

better?

The school has significantly improved the quality of provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have ensured that staff make the adaptations that pupils need within lessons. For example, those with higher levels of 4 and 5 June 2024

p.2

3

need benefit from very bespoke support through the ‘achievement pathway.’ This enables them to achieve well.

p.3

3

The school has ensured that highly effective support is in place for pupils who are at the earlier stages of reading. This helps these pupils to quickly catch up and close gaps in their reading ability, which enables them to access the full curriculum.

p.3

3

Students in the sixth form have also benefited from the improvements to the curriculum and how it is taught. In previous years, staffing challenges resulted in students missing learning. The school has now resolved these issues. Sixth-form teachers are knowledgeable and provide students with clear guidance that ensures they have secure understanding of what they study.

p.3

3

Many pupils behave well. Students in the sixth form are tolerant and respectful and behave maturely. The school has put in place clear expectations that are understood by all. It provides suitable support to help pupils change their behaviour. However, a small minority of older boys persist in not treating others, particularly girls, respectfully. The school has put in place a significant range of support to help change the attitudes of this group and to give girls the confidence to report issues.

p.3

3

Overall, pupils attend well. However, a small group of pupils do not attend as well as they should. The school tracks each of these pupil’s attendance carefully and works with families to overcome attendance barriers.

p.3

3

The school promotes pupils’ personal development effectively. The school has ensured that a comprehensive programme of personal, social, health and economic education is in place. Pupils have a range of high-quality opportunities to develop character and social skills that complement this, through activities such as the key stage 4 singing group.

p.3

3

Pupils study a comprehensive programme of careers education. All pupils get high- quality careers guidance and opportunities for work experience. Sixth-form students get the information they need to make informed choices about next steps, such as whether to undertake an apprenticeship or go to university.

p.3

3

The trust and school work together to raise standards effectively. Trustees know the school well. They challenge and support leaders effectively to improve the quality of provision. Staff value the professional development opportunities that leaders provide and the way that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being with regard to assessment and meeting expectations.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 and 5 June 2024

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A small minority of older boys do not show enough tolerance and respect towards others. As a result, this makes a minority of pupils, especially some girls, feel uncomfortable because of the way these pupils behave towards them. The school should continue with the range of support and strategies to help pupils change their attitudes and show tolerance and respect. The school also needs to ensure it works further with girls who experience this behaviour so that they always report it, so that it can be quickly addressed.  The school has not ensured that teachers consistently provide opportunities to explore more detailed and complex knowledge. As a result, some pupils, particularly higher-attaining pupils, do not always have sufficient opportunities to build their knowledge in depth. The school should ensure all staff provide opportunities for pupils to extend the depth and complexity of their knowledge.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that the entire curriculum is taught consistently well. This is because a minority of teachers do not follow the whole-school approaches to teaching and assessment. As a result, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not retain important knowledge as well as they should. The school should ensure that all teachers follow and implement whole-school approaches to teaching and assessment effectively.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 4 and 5 June 2024

p.4

provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,812

p.5

sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 May 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provision and four unregistered alternative provisions.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2022. The chief executive officer of the trust was appointed in January 2023. Two deputy headteachers were appointed in April 2023. One of the deputy headteacher appointments was specifically focused on raising standards of behaviour.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 4 and 5 June 2024

p.5

6

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  To discuss governance and trust leadership, an inspector met with the chair of trustees, the vice-chair of trustees, the chief executive officer and representatives of the local academy committee.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, the designated safeguarding leads, the behaviour, attendance and personal development leads, subject leaders and staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, history, physical education and religious education. 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

p.6

6

samples of pupils’ work.  During the inspection, Year 13 students were in external examinations and most Year 12 students were on work experience. To compensate for this, inspectors met with groups of sixth-form students and looked at examples of their work. Inspectors spent additional time in the sixth-form areas and met with the head of the sixth form and staff to discuss careers.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects, including modern foreign languages, personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education, technology, creative performing arts, and drama.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and at social times.  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

p.6

6

culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. Inspectors also held dedicated meetings to explore attendance.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and Ofsted’s staff survey. They considered responses to the parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text messages.

p.6

Inspection team

James Chester, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Susan Sutton Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 June 2024

p.6

8

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.

p.8

8

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

8

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

8

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

8

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8