Driffield School and Sixth Form

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Driffield School and Sixth Form Manorfield Road, Driffield YO25 5HR

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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Outcome

Driffield School and Sixth Form has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Vicky Loftus. This school is part of The Education Alliance, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Jonny Uttley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Karen Dow.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Driffield School and Sixth Form is an inclusive school, where pupils are encouraged to ‘Be Here, Be Yourself and Be Your Best’. The school believes passionately in its cornerstone values of care, perseverance, respect and responsibility. This creates an atmosphere where pupils achieve well. Pupils feel valued. Leaders are passionate about creating a school where pupils and students in the sixth form have a clear pathway to life beyond school. The careers programme is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are inquisitive and motivated to do well. They are enthusiastic about their learning. Teachers encourage pupils to participate fully in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils behave well and are respectful to staff and visitors. They hold open doors and show good manners. This means that the focus can be on learning. Relationships are strong throughout the school. Leaders are committed to knowing each individual well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils actively engage in a wide-ranging extra-curricular offer. This includes a number of clubs, such as mindfulness and gardening. All pupils, including students in the sixth form, take part in TEAL talks, engaging with inspirational speakers on such topics as ‘dreams and goals’ and ‘character development’. This helps students to flourish as responsible citizens. The school organises a number of trips and visits, in helping pupils to develop their understanding of life in modern Britain. 11 and 12 February 2025

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

Leaders have focused their work on improving the consistency in the curriculum since the previous inspection. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), follow a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum. The school has created a consistent approach to identifying the key knowledge and skills that pupils should be able to learn. Staff have then carefully considered how to sequence these topics well.

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

Teachers have strong knowledge of the subjects they deliver. They are adept at identifying gaps in knowledge and misconceptions in learning. This means that most pupils are learning the key concepts that enables them to achieve well.

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

Teachers structure lessons carefully to ensure that pupils are able to build knowledge effectively. The school’s ‘get thinking’ starters ensure that previous learning is recapped well. The school has strong systems in place to support pupils who need additional help with reading. Interventions to help pupils who fall behind are effective. Pupils with SEND are supported through the use of ‘pupil profiles’. Leaders have tailored their approach towards the needs of individual pupils. As a result, pupils with SEND are benefiting from the specific support that they need to fill gaps in their learning.

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

Pupils behave very well in school. They are respectful and kind. The number of pupils who are subject to repeat suspension is low. The school is supporting a small number of pupils who have emotional needs with the use of alternative provision. Individual pupil records are extensive and leaders are passionate about creating an inclusive school for all pupils under the motto ‘One Driffield’. The school strategy for attendance is having some impact. However, the actions taken have not yet been shown in the attendance of pupils who are disadvantaged. This is having a negative impact on the achievement of pupils who are disadvantaged.

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

The school is proud of its sixth form. Students receive a great deal of support in their personal and character development. This is leading to excellent destination data, with several students going on to Russell Group universities. The personal development programme for pupils, which the school calls APEX (Achieving Personal Excellence), is strong. Pupils know how to stay safe and keep away from harmful behaviour. Pupils have been involved in national campaigns to support charities, such as those dedicated to improving mental health. The school has an extensive reading programme. Pupils are encouraged to read widely and often.

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

Trustees and governors are passionate about the school. They have a forensic understanding of the strengths and areas of development of the school. They carefully consider the well-being and workload of staff. The school is given the resources it needs to help pupils and students to achieve well. In the sixth form, this is very clearly having an impact. Students outcomes are strong and achievement is high. However, the outcomes for Year 11 pupils in 2024 do not reflect this. The impact of the COVID-19 11 and 12 February 2025

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pandemic means that recent published outcomes do not reflect the strong curriculum offer.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s attendance strategy is not sufficiently improving the attendance of those who are disadvantaged. This means that these pupils do not benefit from the good quality of education and personal development that other pupils do, so they do not achieve as well. The school should put a greater emphasis on the actions to increase the attendance of those who are disadvantaged.

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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 school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2020.

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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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1404

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form

Chair of trust Karen Dow CEO of the trust Jonny Uttley

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form

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Education Alliance (multi-academy trust).  The school uses three registered alternative provisions for a small number of pupils.  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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 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 spoke with the deputy chief executive officer, the headteacher, other school leaders and staff.  Inspectors spoke with representatives of the trust and the local governing body.  Inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and their views of

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behaviour and bullying.  Inspectors considered the responses shared through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for pupils and for staff.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation, including minutes of local governing board and trust board meetings.

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Inspection team

Marc Doyle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Yvonne Bootman Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 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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