Chichester High School

Inspection of Chichester High School Kingsham Road, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8EB

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

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The headteachers of this school are Naomi Lewry and Nicholas Taylor. This school is part of The Kemnal Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Karen Roberts, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gaenor Bagley. There is also a Director of Education, Sam Viney, who is responsible for this school and two others. 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have successfully established a positive and respectful school culture. Pupils are happy and feel safe. They know a trusted adult that they can go to should problems arise. The school works effectively with the trust, and together they have successfully improved pupils’ attendance, behaviour, progress and well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and friendly. They talk about their school with pride. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong and supportive. The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and commitment. Behaviour seen in lessons is consistently positive. Any low-level disruption is dealt with extremely swiftly, and often anticipated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The personal development programme is carefully structured. The programme is not yet fully embedded but is already developing pupils’ confidence, resilience and self- awareness. Sixth-form students actively support and encourage younger pupils. They are excellent role models.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school contributes significantly to pupils’ enrichment through trips out, trips abroad and an extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities. The breadth, quality and take-up of extra-curricular activities are impressive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is suitably focused on mental health and well-being. This is actively supported through assemblies, tutor time and the personal development programme. Of particular note is the ‘Daily Check-in’, which checks pupils’ well-being, reinforces good learning habits and focuses pupils on the day ahead.

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

Across most subjects, the curriculum is carefully sequenced, embedded and refined to ensure content is broad, balanced and ambitious. Teachers develop and adapt lessons well to suit the ability and aptitudes of pupils. They have confident subject knowledge, and non-specialists are supported well. The school acknowledges that there is still some variability in the implementation of the curriculum, but historic poor outcomes are being rigorously addressed.

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

The school has adapted strategies and routines effectively in order to improve behaviour. For example, the internal suspension room is successful in enabling pupils to reflect and return to their classes ready to learn. These arrangements have reduced suspensions considerably. Attendance is a high priority, with ongoing improvements for all groups of pupils. The school’s actions are ensuring that pupils’ attendance is improving and persistent absence is reducing, in line with national data. This includes for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Ongoing support from the trust is supporting the development of the curriculum and the effectiveness of how subjects are led. There is a positive team spirit and a clear sense of persistence. Literacy skills and subject-specific vocabulary are actively strengthened across the school. Reading is strongly supported, especially in the lower school. Numeracy 5 and 6 November 2024

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across the curriculum is developing. Cross-curricular work is considered but not always highlighted sufficiently. The renewed focus on the quality of the curriculum is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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The proportion of pupils choosing to study the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) remains low and is hindered by the low uptake of languages. This is being actively addressed through option changes and option choices as well as additional curriculum time. The school is working to address the shortfall, and there is an increasing focus on the importance of languages for future career opportunities. However, these actions are yet to have an impact.

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Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND are identified, known and supported well. Useful adaptions for these pupils include seating plans, targeted questioning and additional support through the highly successful ACE (A Champion for Every Child) programme. This has helped contribute to fewer suspensions and improving attendance.

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The careers programme is well considered and supports pupils’ readiness for the next phase of education, training or employment. Careers guidance is highly effective in ensuring that pupils are on appropriate courses to complement their intended destinations.

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Students are exceptionally well supported in the sixth form. Attendance is consistently high. Sixth-form lessons are typically taught by passionate teachers with strong subject knowledge. Regular assessments provide detailed feedback on how to improve further. Outcomes in the sixth form are high given students’ original starting points.

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The sixth form offers numerous opportunities for academic success and personal development. The curriculum provides an extensive range of qualifications and a comprehensive enrichment programme supporting students’ social and cultural awareness. Students are encouraged to develop their independence.

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There is a clear sense of direction across the whole school. The school has witnessed rapid improvements in a relatively short time. Leaders take staff workload into account. Staff feel that leaders are approachable and willing to listen. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Governors regularly visit the school and work cooperatively to provide support and challenge. Ongoing training helps them to understand their roles. Parental feedback is variable, because leaders have not secured their confidence. The school knows that further work is needed to secure the support, engagement and commitment of parents and the wider community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 and 6 November 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is still some variability in the implementation of the curriculum. Consequently, not all pupils and all groups of pupils make sufficient progress. The school should ensure that the implementation of the curriculum encourages and supports the progress of all groups of pupils in line with some of the best practice seen.  The proportion of pupils taking the EBacc is well below national averages. The uptake of languages is not high enough. Leaders should continue their work to raise the status of languages and ensure that more pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, achieve the EBacc in line with government expectations.  Relationships with parents are still developing. As a result, some parents feel negative about the school and uninformed about its intentions. Leaders should continue their work to ensure the ongoing support, understanding and engagement of parents alongside the wider community.

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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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,273

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form

Headteachers Naomi Lewry and Nicholas Taylor

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form

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Chichester High School is larger than the average-sized 11 to 18 mixed school, with a sixth form that is smaller than the average-sized sixth form. The school is part of The Kemnal Academies Trust.  The school uses two registered and two unregistered alternative provisions.  Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the school leadership team, including the appointment of two co-headteachers from June 2024.  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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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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.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography, art, physical education and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders and visited a sample of lessons. They talked to teachers, spoke with 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. They also had a telephone call

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Information about this inspection

with a representative of one of the alternative placement schools.  Inspectors reviewed the policies provided on the school website. They looked at attendance records, behaviour logs, curriculum documentation and destination statistics. Inspectors met with leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector met representatives of the local governing body and spoke with a representative of the school trust.  Inspectors looked at the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents 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

Alan Johnson Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 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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