Slough and Eton Church of England Business and Enterprise College

Inspection of Slough and Eton Church of England Business and Enterprise College Ragstone Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 2PU

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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 Outstanding

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The headteacher of the school is Peter Collins. This school is part of the Slough and East Berkshire Church of England Multi-Academy Trust (SEBMAT), which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Chris Spencer, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Chris Tomes.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since November 2013. 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Slough and Eton Church of England Business and Enterprise College is an inclusive school at the heart of the community. Pupils are encouraged to follow the school’s mantra of ‘work hard, be nice, no excuses’ in all that they do. The school has high expectations for all pupils’ academic achievement. While these were not reflected in published outcomes in 2024, the work that pupils produce in lessons shows that they are now achieving better than this recent published data suggests. Pupils know that leaders and staff want them to achieve the highest levels of success. Staff support pupils well with their next steps by reducing barriers and raising aspirations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are attentive in lessons, follow teachers’ instructions and do not behave in a way that disrupts others’ learning. They know that they can talk to an adult if they have any worries. Pupils say that bullying can sometimes happen but when they report it staff deal with it quickly. This helps pupils to feel safe and cared for at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a broad range of opportunities to foster new interests and talents, including table tennis, basketball, cricket, and volleyball. The school ensures these activities are available to all pupils. This helps them experience a variety of opportunities beyond the classroom. Pupils are taught how to keep safe in the community.

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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 for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils choose from a wide range of academic and vocational subjects at key stage 4 and in the sixth form. Typically, the curriculum is delivered well. Staff use their strong subject knowledge to explain new learning with clarity. The school has revised the curriculum in recent years to address previous weaknesses. However, some teachers do not select the most effective activities to support pupils to learn effectively. In these instances, new learning for some pupils is not secure and a small proportion of pupils develop gaps in their understanding.

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

Pupils across the school receive helpful feedback from staff about how to improve their work. Students in the sixth form are well supported to develop independence, which helps prepare them for further study and the world of work. There is, however, some variation in how well teachers check that pupils have understood their learning. Although there are times when this is done skilfully, there are occasions, particularly for younger pupils, when these checks are not used effectively to support pupils’ learning.

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

There is high-quality academic and social support for pupils with SEND. Pupils’ individual needs are identified accurately. Teachers make helpful adaptations to learning for these pupils using the precise information provided to them on ‘individual education plans.’ The learning support team provides specialist support for some pupils with more complex needs, including academic and pastoral support in the ‘hub.’ As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well, both academically and socially. 25 and 26 March 2025

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The school prioritises reading. Staff identify pupils at risk of falling behind promptly. They ensure that these pupils receive the support they need to catch up quickly. This includes the high number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils read during form time throughout the week. These activities help pupils develop a love of reading.

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The school has embedded a rewards and sanctions policy that is understood by all and applied consistently. Pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour are well supported to improve. Staff work closely with parents and carers and external agencies to ensure that pupils’ welfare is supported effectively. The school tracks absence carefully and uses targeted interventions for those who need it. As a result, attendance is high across the school, including in the sixth form.

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The school places high importance on pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn how to stay safe in an age-appropriate way. The high-quality curriculum and teaching help pupils to develop a deep body of knowledge. For example, they learn about the effects of alcohol and drugs as well as online safety. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, also enjoy many opportunities and trips that enhance the academic curriculum. These include theatre trips, visits to museums and opportunities for visits abroad. The school rightly works hard to ensure that disadvantaged pupils have the same opportunities as their peers.

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In the sixth form, there is a comprehensive programme of tutorial time and enrichment activities. Students have many opportunities for leadership and to organise events for younger pupils. This helps them develop valuable leadership skills. The school’s high- quality careers advice and guidance programme supports pupils in making informed and ambitious choices about their next steps in education, employment, or training.

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Leaders are reflective and they monitor the impact and progress of their actions carefully. They have built positive working relationships with staff and consider their workload carefully. Staff feel well supported and are proud to be part of the school. The local governing body and the trust provide effective support and challenge to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, teachers do not check what pupils know and remember well enough. Subsequent learning does not take into account pupils’ prior knowledge and, as a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge over time as well as they could. The 25 and 26 March 2025

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school should ensure that teachers check what pupils know and remember and use this to inform future learning.  Some learning activities are not matched well to the intent of the curriculum. When this is the case, the work given to pupils does not provide them with opportunities to develop deeper thinking, such as reasoning and justifying. The school should ensure the work given to pupils provides them with the opportunity to practise and apply what has been learned as well as to think deeply and critically across the curriculum.

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1171

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form

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 November 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered 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.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND. There are currently 18 pupils educated in the unit. They have speech, language, and communication needs.  This is a Church of England school, within the Diocese of Oxford. The last section 48 inspection for schools with a religious character took place in November 2023. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and took that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers, and pupils. The lead inspector met with the members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, geography, modern foreign languages and design and technology. 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, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

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 took account of a range of other information, including the school’s development plans, school policies and minutes of governors’ meetings. Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the online Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Sam Johnson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Amy Newman Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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