Dawlish College

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Dawlish College Elm Grove Road, Dawlish, Devon EX7 0BY

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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Outcome

Dawlish College has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Sam Banks. This school is part of the Ivy Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Katy Quinn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anthony Smith.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive to a ‘warm welcome’ from staff. The school prepares pupils and helps them to be ready for their learning. It seeks to resolve any issues pupils may have before the day begins. Pupils are well supported by staff. They trust staff to help them when they have a concern. As a result, they feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has raised its expectations of how well pupils achieve. Pupils show interest through discussion and talking about their learning. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Suspensions have risen as the school makes their expectations clear. However, this is beginning to decrease as most pupils respond positively. In lessons, pupils are calm. They follow the routines and are ready for their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the school’s daily timetabled personal development programme. Through this, pupils gain new experiences and pursue their interests. For example, painting with watercolours, playing rugby or netball, planning school performances or tending the school garden. The student leadership group work with a citizenship programme to develop their skills as active citizens. For example, they engage with the local community to plan a traffic calming scheme outside the school. 26 and 27 November 2024

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. It has identified and sequenced the knowledge and skills pupils will learn. In most subjects, pupils learn knowledge in a well-ordered way. This means new learning for pupils, including disadvantaged pupils or pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), builds on what they already know.

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

In most subjects effective teaching strategies enable staff to check how well pupils can recall their previous learning. However, these approaches are not as effective across the full breadth of the curriculum. Sometimes the school is not clear enough about what pupils need to do to improve their learning.

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

The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. Teachers have detailed knowledge about what support pupils with SEND need. They use this to adapt learning when pupils need it. Workshops and support help pupils further. For example, the school helps pupils with complex needs to have a clearer understanding about healthy relationships and friendships.

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

The school checks how well pupils can read. It knows precisely what help pupils need to improve their reading. Pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read learn the phonics knowledge they need. The school ensures that pupils practise reading to develop their fluency. Pupils regularly read a wide range of texts with their teachers.

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

The school has sharpened its work to make sure pupils attend school well. Some newer strategies have started to have a positive impact. Despite this, some groups of pupils do not come to school regularly. The school has also revised the expectations for behaviour. As a result, the routines are well understood, and behaviour has improved. Pupils enjoy the celebration and recognition of their efforts.

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

The school prepares pupils well for their future choices. They have the information they need about career and course choices. Pupils shape their understanding through events such as careers fairs, work experience, visiting speakers and trips to post-16 providers. The personal development curriculum teaches pupils to look after their physical health and well-being. The ‘electives’ provide a broad range of experiences for pupils to build their confidence and try new things. For example, pupils grow produce in the school garden and cook this as part of their curriculum.

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

The school plans high-quality professional training for staff. This develops their skills and leadership. The local governing body has recently been reformed. The trust has trained and supported local governors to develop their expertise in holding the school to account. Determination to improve the school for its pupils drives the school’s decision making. For example, staff note the positive impact of the new mobile phone policy for pupils. 26 and 27 November 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school does not provide sufficient guidance to help pupils improve their learning. When this happens, pupils do not have a knowledge of what they need to do to get better over time. The trust needs to make sure sufficient and clear information is provided so pupils can progress through their learning.  Some pupils do not attend school well enough. When this happens, their learning is impeded. The trust needs to continue its work improve pupils’ attendance.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2019. 26 and 27 November 2024

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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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher was appointed to post in November 2022.  The school uses one registered and five unregistered providers of alternative provision.  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

 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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to curriculum leaders, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors held discussions with school leaders, trust leaders, teachers, the local chair of governors and trustees, including the chair of the trust. They also spoke with staff and pupils.  Inspectors carefully reviewed key school documentation, such as the school development plan, reports from governance and attendance and behaviour analysis and data.  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.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text

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comments. The inspectors also considered responses to Osted’s staff survey and responses to Ofsted’s survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Rachel Hesketh, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Alun Williams Ofsted 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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