Severn Vale School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Severn Vale School School Lane, Quedgeley, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 4PR

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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Outcome

Severn Vale School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher at this school is Richard Johnson. The school is a single academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees chaired by Sarah Cockin.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Severn Vale School has high expectations for its pupils. They achieve well across the curriculum and are prepared for their next steps in education or training. Pupils have adults that they trust to share any concerns. They know that bullying is not tolerated by the school. The warm relationships between pupils and staff make pupils feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has raised expectations for behaviour. Pupils are clear about what behaviour is unacceptable. There are clear consequences for disruptive behaviour and rewards for those pupils showing a positive attitude towards their learning. This means that pupils can learn without disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers a wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities, many of which are led by the pupils themselves. Activities such as sports, journaling, book club, gardening and the Duke of Edinburgh’s award develop pupils’ interests and talents. Pupils who take on leadership responsibilities are proud of the contribution they make to the school and the local community. Older pupils act as role models for the younger pupils, for example Year 11 pupils helping to welcome Year 7 to the school. This work brings a sense of community to the school.

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

The school has designed a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. Each subject has set out what pupils will learn and when. These changes mean that increasing numbers of 21 and 22 January 2025

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pupils in key stage 4 are now studying the subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate.

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Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They explain information clearly to pupils. However, at times, the checks that teachers make do not accurately identify what pupils know and can do. This prevents steps being taken to resolve any gaps or misconceptions. Consequently, some pupils are then not able to learn new content as well as they should.

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The school has recently reviewed the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There are clear systems in place to ensure that the needs of individuals are accurately identified and shared with adults. The school is reviewing the additional support provided to pupils to make sure that it is closely matched to their needs. While many parents and carers are pleased with the support provided by the school, it is taking steps to further engage with parents to address any concerns that remain.

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The school actively promotes the importance of high attendance. It monitors and tracks absence to identify pupils who need additional support. As a result, most pupils attend well and persistent absence is reducing.

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The school is raising the importance of reading. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 enjoy sharing stories as a class. The school identifies pupils who need additional help to improve their reading. It has specialist teachers available to support pupils to improve their accuracy, fluency and comprehension. However, currently a small number of the pupils identified as needing support do not receive it. This hinders their ability to learn the curriculum as well as their peers.

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The ‘Futures Curriculum’ has been carefully designed to provide pupils with the skills and experiences they need to prepare for adult life. Pupils learn about healthy relationships as well as how to keep themselves safe. They know about the fundamental British values and understand the importance of tolerance. Pupils develop strategies to help support their own mental health, for example with the use of gratitude journals. The careers programme provides the information that pupils need to make informed choices about future careers, education and training.

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The trust has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The trust has a range of methods to independently assure itself of the quality of the school’s work, including engaging with external scrutiny. This enables the trust to effectively challenge and support leaders.

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The school is considerate of the workload and well-being of the staff. Teachers, including those new to the profession, receive the training that they need to develop in their roles. Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school. 21 and 22 January 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, the approaches used to check what pupils know and can do are not effective. As a result, the gaps and misconceptions that pupils have can not be resolved. The school should ensure that checks for understanding accurately identify pupils’ current knowledge and understanding so that subsequent teaching can be adapted accordingly.  Currently there is insufficient resource available for the small number of weakest readers identified in all year groups to receive the help that they need. As a result, those not receiving the support are not able to learn the curriculum as well as they should. The school should ensure that pupils identified as having weaknesses with reading receive effective support.

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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 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 third ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Severn Vale School, to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2011. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1354

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 February 2020 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a single academy trust.  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 uses 2 registered and 5 unregistered alternative provisions.

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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 held discussions with school leaders at all levels. Inspectors also spoke with teaching staff and trustees. 21 and 22 January 2025

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 Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors viewed a range of school documentation, including the minutes of trustee meetings, the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the view 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 the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, as well as responses to the staff survey and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Sara Berry, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Nic Blunsum Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 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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