Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing

Inspection of Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing Selborne Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 2JX

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 4 and 5 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Davison School provides an exceptional education for its pupils. The caring and supportive environment is underpinned by the school’s strong ethos. Pupils’ love of learning is evident through their confident attitudes and commendable behaviour. Values of friendship, trust and endurance pervade all aspects of school life and allow pupils to flourish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school values are reflected in a carefully designed personal development programme which embraces British values and promotes equality and diversity. Pupils are taught about tolerance, consent, relationships and protected characteristics. They are well prepared to be ‘the best versions of themselves’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers an extensive range of extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities covering arts, sports, interest groups and social activities, as well as numerous trips locally and abroad. This provision is much appreciated and utilised well by disadvantaged pupils. The school’s commitment to developing pupils’ character is exceptional.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy. Expectations are high and pupils achieve very well academically. Bullying is extremely rare, and all pupils are adamant that staff take action to stop it quickly. Community service is at the heart of school life. There are numerous opportunities for pupils to demonstrate active citizenship as school prefects and school councillors as well as through charitable work.

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better?

The curriculum is meticulously planned and sequenced to ensure breadth, balance, ambition and relevance. It benefits from a substantial range of enrichment activities supporting pupils’ social and cultural awareness. Pupils benefit from the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects at key stage 4 including religious studies. While academic breadth is valued and promoted, the proportion of pupils entered for the English Baccalaureate suite of qualifications is below national averages. The take up of languages is high and increasing.

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better?

Teachers are passionate, enthusiastic and committed. Relationships are strong and supportive. Teachers model exacting standards of communication. They are ambitious for students to develop language and vocabulary that equips them to be confident and articulate. Teachers use questioning skilfully to develop and probe pupils’ understanding. Assessment is used constructively to identify what pupils know and to enable staff to adapt lessons to address any gaps in learning.

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better?

Leaders and staff are incredibly ambitious for all pupils. Those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well known, prioritised by teachers and receive targeted support. Work is tailored to their specific abilities and aptitudes. There is a focused approach to promoting and developing reading across the school. The school ensures that all pupils read every day through the ‘Drop 4 and 5 June 2024

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Everything and Read’ programme. This encourages and promotes pupils’ love of reading successfully.

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The school is working hard to further improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils, which has adversely affected their academic achievement in the past. The school is mitigating this through earlier intervention. Raising attainment coaches are supporting these pupils effectively to improve their attendance and academic achievement. Where appropriate, pupils are encouraged to raise their aspirations, through engagement in additional challenges and events such as masterclasses and university visits.

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Leaders have planned and sequenced the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum carefully. Pupils develop their cultural capital by discussing topical issues such as the forthcoming general election, stereotyping and aspirations. Reflection journals ensure that pupils consider current issues as well as their own views and attitudes.

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Careers advice is exceptionally strong. This ensures that pupils are well informed about different career pathways and future study options. Leaders provide a wide range of careers guidance and experiences based on the local context. Pupils feel well supported and have high aspirations for their future.

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The school culture is highly respectful. Derogatory language is rare and dealt with very effectively. Pupils say that staff really care about them, and appreciate how hard they work for their benefit.

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Leaders are approachable. They listen to staff and are mindful of their well-being and workload. As a result, staff report high levels of professional satisfaction, feel highly valued and well supported. Teachers and support staff receive personalised training which is of a very high quality. There is a strong sense of purposefulness across the school. Governors have a clear vision for the school, and they challenge leaders to account for their actions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 4 and 5 June 2024

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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). 4 and 5 June 2024

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,321

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 March 2023, under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Davison Church of England High School for Girls is a larger than average 11 to 16 girls’ school. The school is maintained by the local authority and part of the Diocese of Chichester. The previous section 48 inspection took place on 19 September 2016.  Three pupils attend alternative provision at one registered education provider and two 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 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 4 and 5 June 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in English, science, geography, music, food technology and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders and visited a sample of lessons. They spoke with teachers, talked to pupils and looked at samples of their work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents. They considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding which puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed the policies provided on the school website. They looked at attendance records, behaviour logs, curriculum documentation and destination

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statistics. Inspectors held meetings with leaders, teachers and pupils. They spoke to leaders at a sample of the alternative placement schools. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and met with members of the governing board including the chair of governors.  Inspectors looked at the responses to the Ofsted Parent View online questionnaire and additional written comments received from parents and carers. They considered the survey returns completed by staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Mike Serridge Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 June 2024

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