Rawlins

Inspection of Rawlins Loughborough Road, Quorn, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 8DY

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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

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The principal of this school is Bob White. This school is part of Embrace 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 (CEO), Sharon Mullins, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Haggart. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this inclusive school. They aspire to live out the school’s vision of ‘act wisely and make the most of every opportunity’. Pupils are polite and considerate. They greet staff and visitors warmly. In lessons, pupils generally show a positive attitude to their learning and complete tasks well. They feel safe in school. Pupils learn about the protected characteristics and know well which actions count as discrimination.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is increasingly ambitious for pupils’ academic success. Pupils achieve well generally. Students in the sixth form achieve particularly strongly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the school’s high expectations for their behaviour. They build strong relationships with adults and other pupils. In social situations, pupils show confidence and care for others. They follow the daily routines and respond well to adults’ guidance. Pupils receive high-quality pastoral support. When struggling to regulate their behaviour or emotions, pupils work well with trusted staff, who give them the support they need. This helps most pupils to regain calm and return to their learning quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is an extensive range of extra-curricular activities to broaden pupils’ wider development. Pupils also enjoy taking part in the different sports and drama clubs as well as an equality, diversity and inclusion celebration club.

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

The school’s curriculum is interesting and generally ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has ensured that, in almost all subjects, the curriculum is sequenced effectively. Topics build logically over time so that it is clear what pupils should know, understand and be able to do at the end of each year. Students in the sixth form appreciate the wide variety of subjects they can study.

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

In many subjects, the curriculum is implemented well. In English, mathematics and science, for example, teachers present new learning clearly and model tasks effectively. They check understanding carefully and provide opportunities for pupils to practise new learning. In this way, pupils are secure in what they know and make strong progress. However, in some other subjects, there is variability in the way the curriculum is implemented for pupils in Years 7 to 11. Where this is the case, pupils find it harder to retain knowledge, and some do not learn as well as they could. In the sixth form, the curriculum is taught consistently well. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and help students to learn very well. Consequently, students in the sixth form achieve highly.

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

The school identifies carefully pupils’ additional needs. Pupils with SEND who have education, health and care (EHC) plans are very well supported, especially through the school’s ‘Skills for Learning’ provision. These pupils participate fully in all aspects of everyday school life and follow a curriculum which is similar to their peers. However, some pupils with SEND who do not attend the provision are less well supported. These pupils do not routinely achieve as well as they could. 26 and 27 November 2024

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The approach to reading is increasingly rigorous. The process of identifying pupils who struggle to read is effective. When pupils receive additional support, they make strong progress in their reading skills and become fluent and confident readers. Trained sixth-form students regularly listen to pupils read.

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Most pupils attend school well. However, while the school takes effective action to improve the persistent absence of some disadvantaged pupils, this has not yet had a consistent impact.

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Pupils’ personal development is a priority. Many enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular clubs provided by the school. Pupils of all ages understand what makes a healthy relationship and discuss fundamental British values confidently. Opportunities to organise charity events help pupils develop as active citizens. Pupils are proud of the recent charity day when they raised a significant amount of funds for causes they support.

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The careers education, information, advice and guidance pupils receive is a strength. Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND are prioritised for careers interviews. Sixth-form students receive detailed information about higher education and apprenticeships and are well supported when applying to university.

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Leaders, governors and the trust know the school well. New school leaders benefit from the support provided by the trust to manage effectively changes to leadership and to the curriculum. The trust’s support also means that pupils’ behaviour has improved, creating a more positive and focused learning environment. The school has strengthened pupils’ personal development, helping them to build confidence, resilience and vital life skills. Steps to reduce staff workload are appreciated. Most staff agree that leaders’ actions are improving the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not implemented effectively in all subjects. Sometimes, teachers design work and activities which do not help pupils to learn the important knowledge securely enough. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers know how best to deliver the curriculum so that pupils learn and achieve well in all subjects.  Sometimes, the information that teachers receive about pupils with SEND who do not have EHC plans is not clear and precise enough. Consequently, some of these pupils do not benefit fully from the support provided. The school should ensure that teachers receive high-quality detailed information about all pupils with SEND and have the skills 26 and 27 November 2024

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to use it effectively so that these pupils learn and achieve well in all areas of their education.  Some disadvantaged pupils do not attend school well enough. As a result, they do not benefit from the curriculum and wider experiences offered by the school. This has an impact on their achievement. The school must ensure that these pupils receive the necessary support to improve their attendance so that they can fully benefit from what the school has to offer.

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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 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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,510

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form

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 June 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined Embrace Multi Academy Trust in March 2023.  The principal started in their role in October 2023.  The school has specialist provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and those with a diagnosis of autism. There are currently 76 pupils who access this provision and are all registered on the school’s roll.  The school uses 11 alternative provisions out of which 10 are unregistered.  As the school is designated as having a religious character, it is inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, most recently in December 2017. The next inspection is due in the academic year 2025/26. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 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 (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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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 met with the principal, the SEND coordinator and other school and trust leaders. They also met with a range of teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the board of trustees, the local governing body and leaders from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art, English, geography, languages, mathematics and science. 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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Information about this inspection

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.  Inspectors met with pupils from a range of year groups, including the sixth form.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and various policies.

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Inspection team

Jamie Clarke, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Sweeney Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 November 2024

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Deborah Mosley His Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 November 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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