The Cavendish School

Inspection of The Cavendish School Eldon Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 1UE

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good

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The headteacher of this school is Peter Marchant. This school is part of Cavendish 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, Peter Marchant, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Peter Midwinter. 28 and 29 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at The Cavendish School thrive on the culture of high expectations. They are motivated and inspired to do well. This ethos, combined with the very effective education provided here, enables them to achieve exceptionally well. The school has fostered a calm and focused learning environment that is free of distractions. This helps all pupils to achieve. Pupils who are disadvantaged, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn particularly well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s culture is well established from the early years. Staff model and teach the school’s values of respect, resilience and responsibility. As a result, these are visible throughout the school. For example, pupils treat each other and their teachers with high levels of respect. Pupils work hard and take responsibility for their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

During their time at school, pupils benefit from a vast programme of enrichment known as ‘The Cavendish Offer’. This is carefully planned so that every pupil benefits. Wider opportunities for clubs and trips are also abundant and pupils take full advantage of these. Many enjoy competing in competitive sports or learning musical instruments. Pupils flourish as a result of taking on wide-ranging leaderships roles from anti-bullying ambassadors to ‘curriculum cascaders’.

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

The school has developed a highly ambitious curriculum. It takes full advantage of the all- through model by setting out what pupils should learn from the early years to Year 11. As a result, transition points are seamless, and pupils are very well prepared as they move between phases. As well as achieving well in national tests, primary pupils develop a deep and broad knowledge of subjects in the wider curriculum.

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

The curriculum is delivered consistently well. Through high-quality training and development, the school has ensured that teachers have the subject knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum with impact and precision. Teachers check pupils’ learning well, both during lessons and in regular assessment tasks. Teachers use the information these opportunities provide to tailor their lessons and fill any gaps in learning. This approach benefits pupils as there is little opportunity to fall behind. Pupils with SEND are also identified quickly and plans are put in place to meet their needs.

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

Reading is a priority in the school. This begins with a strong focus on developing children’s communication and language skills in Nursery, where children learn through joining in with songs, nursery rhymes and games. From this strong foundation, children are introduced to letters and the sounds they make. They continue their learning through a highly systematic approach. Most pupils quickly become confident readers. Those who fall behind are identified quickly and benefit from prompt and effective support.

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

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent during lessons and social times. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are extremely positive. Expectations and routines for learning are well established because this work begins in the early years. It is highly consistent as pupils move through 28 and 29 January 2025

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the school. The school works well with a small number of pupils who need help to manage their behaviour. This work enables these pupils to engage fully in school and achieve well.

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The way that the school promotes pupils’ personal development is exemplary. The curriculum in personal, social, health and economic education has been thought through extremely well. The subject is valued by pupils who recall their learning well. As a result, pupils become knowledgeable about a range of topics, including relationships and online safety. Right from the primary phase, they benefit from frequent opportunities to debate and discuss important and challenging topics. The school provides an exceptionally strong programme of careers education, information and guidance. Although this is a requirement of secondary schools, children begin learning about different jobs and career paths from Reception. This work builds over time and, in secondary, pupils benefit from a structured programme of opportunities to hear from employers and further education providers. As a result, pupils feel empowered to make confident choices about their next

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The school’s leadership is highly strategic. Leaders, including governors and trustees, are continually reflective and always seeking ways to improve the school for the benefit of pupils. They recognise the importance of establishing a clear and focused set of priorities. This is evident in the success of the school’s ‘four pillars’ of independent learning, challenge, feedback and engagement, which are firmly embedded in culture and practice. Teachers are proud to belong to the school and feel valued because of the priority it places on their professional development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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, 28 and 29 January 2025

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 28 and 29 January 2025

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1375

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 September 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The Cavendish School is part of the Cavendish Education Trust.  This is an all-through school which includes a nursery that accepts children from the age of two.  The school uses eight registered and two unregistered alternative provisions.  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 28 and 29 January 2025

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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 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 spoke with a range of senior staff about their areas of responsibility in the school. This included the executive headteacher, the executive headteacher of primary and the heads of school for primary and secondary phases. The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the board of trustees and the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics, languages, art and geography. 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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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 spoke with staff and pupils at the school. They considered responses to surveys from parents, pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Chris Ellison, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Alan Johnson Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 January 2025

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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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