Deyes High School

Inspection of Deyes High School Deyes Lane, Maghull, Liverpool, Merseyside L31 6DE

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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

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The headteacher of this school is Victoria Beaney. This school is part of the Lydiate Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Ann Stahler, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Graham. 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They are proud of their new building and facilities. Staff frequently invite pupils to share their views about school. For example, students in the sixth form appreciated being consulted about the design of some of the new student spaces. This helps pupils to feel valued. Pupils, of all ages, spoke warmly of their positive relationships with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ‘your best Deyes’ passport sets pupils a series of challenges to complete each year. These encourage pupils to make a positive difference to the school community and to develop their character. They take pride in these achievements, for instance pupils help to organise fundraising activities for charity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Typically, pupils conduct themselves sensibly as they move around the school. They are well mannered and respectful. Classrooms are calm and orderly environments where learning is not usually disrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It has ensured that the curriculum is suitably ambitious. However, there are weaknesses in how well the curriculum is taught in key stages 3 and 4 which have hindered some pupils’ learning. Pupils in these key stages, including those with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The trust and the school have worked together to strengthen the curriculum. As a result, subject curriculums are logically organised, from Year 7 to Year 13. It is clear what pupils should learn and when this should happen. Teachers value the time that they are given to develop and review the curriculum. They said that this helps them to manage their workload well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. The school has introduced strategies that are designed to promote effective learning. However, at times, teachers do not make best use of these to help pupils to embed their learning. In addition, some teachers do not use the school’s assessment strategies consistently well to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. On occasions, teachers move learning on before some pupils are ready.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In the main, students in the sixth form do not experience the same weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum as younger pupils. In sixth form lessons, most teachers draw on their specialist knowledge to carefully check what students know. Teachers design learning activities that build from students’ starting points. Students in the sixth form typically achieve well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has strengthened its systems for identifying any additional needs that pupils may have. It ensures that staff have appropriate information about those needs. However, 24 and 25 September 2024

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at times, staff do not use this information effectively to support pupils with SEND. Some of these pupils do not achieve well.

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The school has ensured that pupils of all ages read widely and often. Pupils eagerly described the books that they have enjoyed reading in ‘Project L’ time. Students in the sixth form frequently engage in wider academic reading. This helps to deepen their understanding of different subjects. Most pupils read well. The school has prioritised identifying and supporting those who do not. These pupils benefit from strong support to help them to become fluent and confident readers.

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Through the school’s ‘Peak’ programme, pupils learn important information which helps to prepare them well for life in modern Britain. For instance, the school’s ‘no to negativity’ campaign reinforces pupils’ learning about tolerance and respect of difference. Pupils embrace the raft of extra-curricular opportunities that are available, from heavy metal club to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

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The school’s comprehensive careers programme begins in Year 7. This supports pupils to make well informed decisions about their next steps. Pupils in key stage 4 and students in the sixth form spoke positively about what they had learned through their work experience.

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Pupils are attentive in lessons. Typically, they are proud to exhibit the positive attitudes to learning that their teachers expect. Students in the sixth form are positive role models for younger pupils. However, the school’s expectations of the punctuality of these older students does not match the high expectations that it has of them more generally. Most pupils across the school attend frequently. Where this is not the case, including for the most vulnerable pupils, the school is taking effective action to reduce absenteeism.

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The trust and the school have a strong shared commitment to providing a high-quality education. However, the school’s processes for monitoring the effectiveness of this education are not sharply focused on how successfully pupils, including those with SEND, are learning the curriculum. This has hampered the school in accurately identifying the areas in need of further development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not use the school’s agreed learning strategies and assessment processes as effectively as they should. This makes it harder for pupils to build a secure understanding in some subjects. The school should ensure that teachers benefit 24 and 25 September 2024

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from appropriate guidance and support to enable them to deliver and assess pupils’ learning of the curriculum consistently well.  Some pupils with SEND do not benefit from consistently high-quality support to access the curriculum. Consequently, some pupils with SEND do not achieve well. The school should ensure that it carefully evaluates and improves the support that pupils with SEND receive to ensure that they learn successfully and can fulfil their aspirations.  Some of the school’s processes to evaluate its quality of education do not provide it with sufficient oversight of how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Therefore, on occasions, the school does not accurately identify the most appropriate actions that are needed to improve. The school and the trust should review their approach to quality assuring the curriculum to ensure that they gather the information that they need to continue to drive the improvement of the school.

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 24 and 25 September 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1367

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form

Date of previous inspection 13 and 14 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Lydiate Learning Trust.  The school uses two registered alternative providers for a very small number of pupils.  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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements 24 and 25 September 2024

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(quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine 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, geography, modern foreign languages, music and physical education. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and staff.  Inspectors spoke with representatives of the trust.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and with an external consultant who works with the school.

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 Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors considered the responses shared through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils.  The inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including the school’s self- evaluation documents and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Sally Rix, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Elaine Mawson His Majesty's Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

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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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