Uffculme School

Inspection of Uffculme School Chapel Hill, Uffculme, Cullompton, Devon EX15 3AG

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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

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The headteacher of this school is Laura Jenkins. This school is part of Blackdown Education Partnership multi-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lorraine Heath, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Max Graesser.

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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 February 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 28 to 29 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s mantra is ‘everything by design, nothing left to chance’. Pupils learn in an environment that is consistently positive and always improving. Staff have very high expectations of how pupils will behave and what they can achieve. Pupils rise to this, collecting badges to mark their successes and displaying these proudly on their uniforms. Pupils very often achieve highly. The school works hard to help disadvantaged pupils to succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the school’s ambitious culture and broad curriculum. Most pupils choose to deepen their knowledge of science by taking GCSEs in the separate sciences. All pupils learn two languages from Year 7, specialising later. The school fosters a love of the arts and practical subjects, with many pupils getting involved in performances and gaining qualifications in these.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is known for its rich extra-curricular offer. At lunchtime, the school is alive with vibrant activities. Pupils are keen to get involved in dance and sports, such as badminton and netball. There are clubs to help pupils to develop their wider knowledge, for example, of British Sign Language. Pupils’ views are used to shape what is on offer. Every pupil is encouraged to join in.

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

The curriculum is well considered. For example, staff recognise that when pupils miss learning through absence, they go on to achieve less well. Each subject makes arrangements to help pupils to catch up with any missed work. Pupils are routinely quizzed on recent learning. This works well for many, helping them to remember important curriculum points.

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

The proportion of pupils who gain the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) is lower than the national average. This is because although pupils study most Ebacc subjects in high numbers, individuals do not study the full suite of courses to meet the requirements. The number of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, studying languages is growing.

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

Pupils achieve strong passes in GCSE English and mathematics at a rate well above the national average. Most pupils achieve very well in many other subjects too. However, in 2024, some disadvantaged pupils did not fulfil their potential. Leaders are determined to address this by implementing well-thought-out plans to further improve all pupils’ outcomes.

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

Staff understand the challenges for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. Staff receive valuable information, which identifies pupils’ needs precisely. Teaching is often adapted in considerate ways. Sometimes, pupils access some of their schooling with a different provider. Where this happens, great care is taken to ensure that pupils’ needs are met safely and well. 28 to 29 January 2025

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With the support of the trust, the school has placed a sharp focus on reading for pupils in key stage 3. These younger pupils read often and from an increasingly ambitious selection of literature. At this stage, any difficulties with reading are identified and support is provided. However, approaches to improve, promote and encourage reading in Year 10 and Year 11 are not implemented consistently well. Therefore, less confident readers are not supported as effectively.

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The vast majority of pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school. Leaders invite pupils’ views and take a systematic approach to reducing any trends in behaviour that are less than positive. Pupils’ attendance is consistently high.

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Through the curriculum and a programme of guest speakers, pupils gain a wealth of knowledge, which prepares them well for adult life. Careers education is comprehensive. Pupils are taught to recognise what people have in common across different cultures and communities. As a result, they develop understanding, respectful attitudes.

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The school benefits from ambitious leadership. Leaders at all levels strive for excellence. Staff and leaders are rightly proud of the school’s aspirational culture.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is not a sharp focus on ensuring that older pupils read widely and well. Support that pupils receive in key stage 3 when they have fallen behind with their reading does not continue for pupils in key stage 4. The school does not ensure that pupils read widely in Years 10 and 11. The trust should ensure that any pupil who needs to improve their reading is supported to do so, and that all pupils read widely and often, as appropriate to their age.

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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. 28 to 29 January 2025

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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). 28 to 29 January 2025

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School details

Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy converter

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1069

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 and 13 February 2014

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2023.  The school currently uses one registered and nine unregistered alternative providers.  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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 28 to 29 January 2025

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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 met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, CEO and deputy CEO, two other leaders from the multi-academy trust, the chair of the board of trustees, the chair of governors and two other governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, science, history, art and physical education. 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.  Inspectors also discussed pupils’ work in English, religious education and geography.

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 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

Lydia Pride, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jan Woodhouse Ofsted Inspector 28 to 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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