Selston High School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Selston High School Chapel Road, Selston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG16 6BW

p.1

Outcome

Selston High School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is David Broomhead. This school is part of The Two Counties Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Wesley Davies, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Karen Potts. There is also an executive headteacher, Sarah Bailey, who is responsible for this school and others within the trust.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. Staff promote an environment where each pupil is inspired ‘to achieve their full potential and enjoy the experience’. Pupils rise to meet these ambitions by being inclusive of each other and working hard.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils are known well by staff. The school provides strong pastoral care for pupils. Those who may find secondary school more challenging are provided with a mentor to help coach them throughout their time at school. Most pupils behave well and follow the school’s rules and routines. As a result, lessons are generally calm and productive. Pupils say that they feel safe and are generally happy at school. They know who to speak to if they do have concerns and are confident that they will be listened to. On the rare occasions when bullying happens, staff deal with it swiftly and effectively.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of extra-curricular enrichment activities, careers guidance and trips. Pupils readily embrace these opportunities. This enhances their experience of school life. Nearly all pupils move on to further education, training or employment. 23 and 24 April 2025

p.1

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

The school’s curriculum has been revised to provide a strong education for pupils. What pupils need to know and when is carefully crafted. Pupils build their knowledge and skills in a logical way. This prepares them well for future learning. When required, the school makes small refinements to the curriculum so that the needs of different cohorts are met consistently well.

p.2

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

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They share resources and best practice from across the school and the trust. Teachers deliver the curriculum consistently well. They design activities to ensure that pupils have ample opportunities to recall previous learning. This greatly benefits pupils’ learning. Teachers’ checks on learning help them track pupils’ progress through the curriculum. They use the information gained from these checks to provide pupils with timely, tailored support within lessons.

p.2

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

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) early. Pupils with SEND receive the support that they need to help them learn the same curriculum as their peers. When necessary, individualised curriculums are implemented effectively to ensure that pupils’ needs are met.

p.2

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

A love of reading is promoted at the school. Recent literacy-based initiatives across the school have led to pupils becoming more confident readers. Those who are behind with their reading are helped to catch up through effective support from specialist staff.

p.2

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

The school’s published outcomes do not align with the high-quality education that current pupils receive. The school’s ambition for more pupils to achieve GCSE results that are in line with their peers nationally has been a driver for many of the positive changes that it has made.

p.2

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

Many staff and pupils agree that behaviour has improved significantly in recent years. However, some pupils struggle with the school’s high expectations for behaviour. Some parents and carers feel that communication around the purpose of the behaviour policy has not been effective. This has led to some resentment when some pupils feel they have been unfairly sanctioned.

p.2

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

Attendance is the school’s top priority. Good and improved attendance is celebrated and rewarded. The school engages well with families to support them when attendance falls below the school’s high expectations. However, the school’s attendance rate remains below the national level.

p.2

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

Pupils benefit from a strong personal development programme. They learn about the fundamental British values. Their religious studies lessons give them an appreciation of different world views and cultures. The ‘school pledge system’ encourages pupils to connect with the local and global community through charitable work and sporting events. The careers provision prepares pupils well for their next steps. 23 and 24 April 2025

p.2

3

Staff feel well supported. They appreciate the effort made to reduce their workload and improve their well-being. The actions of school and trust leaders to continually improve the school are highly effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all pupils and parents agree that the increased focus by the school on raising the bar for behaviour has been done collaboratively. Some parents and pupils feel that communication around the purpose of the behaviour policy has not been effective. This has led to some resentment when some pupils feel they have been unfairly punished. The school should ensure that all stakeholders understand what constitutes a fair and consistent application of the behaviour policy.

p.3

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in April 2019. 23 and 24 April 2025

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 23 and 24 April 2025

p.4

School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 April 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of The Two Counties Trust.  The school uses seven unregistered alternative provisions and 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.

p.5

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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 23 and 24 April 2025

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, headteacher and other senior and curriculum leaders. The lead inspector met with the CEO of the trust; members of the board of trustees, including the chair; and a group of governors, including the chair.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at other times around school.  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.  Inspectors took note of the responses received on Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Dave Gilkerson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sue Wood Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7