Chosen Hill School

DRAFT - not for publication Inspection of Chosen Hill School Brookfield Road, Churchdown, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL3 2PL

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

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The headteacher of this school is Matthew Pauling. This school is in a single-academy trust, called Chosen Hill School. The headteacher is also the accounting officer. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Amanda Aston. 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Chosen Hill School provides a welcoming and ambitious environment for all pupils. The school has high expectations of them and balances this with a nurturing approach, when needed. From the time pupils start in Year 7, to when they leave after Year 11 or Year 13, the school focuses on their next steps. This means that the majority of pupils see the value in their learning and have positive attitudes towards school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Recent improvements to the way the curriculum is delivered are helping pupils to know and remember more. This is mostly reflected in the school’s published outcomes. Pupils enjoy learning a broad range of subjects. The sixth form has also undergone a number of changes. Expectations of students are now higher. Students have responded well to this. They have highly positive attitudes towards learning and their role in creating the strong sense of community that characterises the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers a broad range of opportunities to develop pupils’ talents and interests, including a school magazine, a well-established link with a school in India and the Duke of Edinburgh Award. There is a strong focus on mental well-being. As a result, pupils, and students in the sixth form, have trusting and respectful relationships with staff.

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

In each subject, the school has identified the most important knowledge pupils need to learn, and in which order. This helps pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. Staff have worked together to create a ‘blueprint’ for learning. This means that they carefully consider how pupils learn best in each subject. As a result, pupils learn effectively. For example, most of the time, teachers skilfully question pupils to deepen their understanding. They present information clearly and provide lots of opportunities for pupils to practise and demonstrate what they have learned. This is reflected in their written work and is a particular strength in the sixth form. However, this is more effective in some subjects than in others. Occasionally, teachers do not check that all pupils have understood before they move on. This means that pupils do not have the depth of understanding or the confidence to apply what they have learned in new contexts.

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

Recent changes in the sixth form have had a positive impact, although this is not reflected in published outcomes. Students now spend more time in lessons with their expert teachers. They receive more support to help them use their independent learning time effectively. Students remember what they have learned and produce high-quality written work. Staff support them effectively into their post-18 destinations. Many students take on positions of responsibility, including leading the much-loved house music event and supporting pupils in Year 7 through the school’s ‘Boost’ programme.

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

The school has recently improved the way it supports younger pupils who have fallen behind in reading. These pupils now have extra help with phonics and comprehension. Pupils are encouraged to read for pleasure with their tutors, though this work is not consistently effective. 3 and 4 December 2024

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. The school accurately identifies these pupils’ needs and puts additional support in place. When appropriate, pupils access enhanced support through ‘The Hub’ or ‘CHoiceS’. These provisions also support pupils with low attendance to reintegrate back into school. The school’s work to improve attendance is highly effective. Leaders work with strong moral purpose to ensure the school is inclusive for all.

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The school is calm and orderly. Fundamental British values are lived out in the behaviour of the vast majority of pupils. Pupils know what is expected of them and staff apply the behaviour policy consistently. The majority of pupils describe the school as respectful and tolerant.

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Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy, including online. This part of the curriculum is often supplemented with assemblies and workshops. For example, sixth- form students have taken part in a workshop about consent. Many pupils enjoy taking part in sports clubs and competitions. There is on-going work to increase participation further. All pupils receive helpful careers information and guidance. This is a strength of the school.

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Governors have a strong oversight of the school and provide meaningful challenge and support to help the school bring about improvements. The impact of this work is evident in many areas, however the information that the school gathers about some aspects of its provision is not analysed sufficiently. Where this is the case, the school cannot evaluate the impact of its work . It knows that there is still work to do to ensure all pupils are well- prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The oversight and analysis of some of the school’s work is not consistently robust or widely understood. This means that leaders do not always have a clear understanding of its impact. The school must sharpen its oversight and evaluation of these areas of its work, so that this information informs further improvements where needed.  Sometimes, assessment in lessons is not used effectively. This means that teachers do not consistently check that all pupils have understood before moving on, so some pupils do not develop a secure understanding of what has been taught. They are subsequently unable to apply their learning in new contexts. The school must ensure that teachers use assessment effectively in lessons, so that all pupils develop a secure understanding of the content. 3 and 4 December 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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1299

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form

Date of previous inspection 31 October 2018

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Information about this school

 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.  The school currently uses three registered alternative provisions and one unregistered alternative provision.

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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 (sixth form provision). Schools 3 and 4 December 2024

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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 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, history, geography and modern foreign languages. 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. An inspector also visited additional sixth form lessons in a range of subjects.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders from the school, and a selection of staff during the inspection. The lead inspector met with the chair and two other members of the board of trustees.

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 Inspectors analysed responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered the responses of staff and pupils to Ofsted’s online survey.  An inspector discussed how the school identifies and supports pupils with SEND.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils during lessons and social times. They met with staff who oversee the personal development and behaviour of pupils.  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

Victoria Griffin, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Tong Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 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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