The Purbeck School

Inspection of a school judged Good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Purbeck School Worgret Road, Wareham, Dorset BH20 4PF

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Adam Darley. This school is part of Wessex 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 (CEO), Mike Foley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin Baker.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The culture of the school is one of personal care and ambition for all. The value of ‘kindness’ underpins the work of the school to sustain high standards. The school has the highest expectations for the personal development and academic achievement of pupils. As a result, pupils make exceptional progress through the curriculum, and outcomes are high.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils treat one another respectfully. ‘The Nest’ pastoral team acts promptly to provide high quality support for pupils when they need it. Sixth-form students train as mentors to work with a few younger pupils. They support pupils on how to frame their thinking and behaviours positively. This helps those pupils to be more successful at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A cabinet of sixth-form student leaders contributes to key areas across the school, such as diversity and equality. It leads pupil discussion groups and explores what it is like to be a pupil at the school. This rich feedback informs and influences the decisions the school takes. Through hustings events, all pupils contribute their views about the school. The school runs an aspirational programme of over 70 clubs and events. Pupils relish the many ways they explore their interests and talents, and participation is high. 29 and 30 April 2025

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

The work of leaders to drive and sustain school improvement is strong. They embed core principles throughout their actions. This puts pupils at the heart of the school’s work. For example, the outcomes of pupils who experience disadvantage are very positive. The school acts to manage the workload of staff. Governors and the trust have a deepened knowledge of the work of the school, which enables them to be thorough in their support and challenge. Leaders share their work more widely across the trust.

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

The curriculum design is detailed and coherent. Teachers carefully model and break down the learning for pupils so that it is explicit. They check rigorously how well pupils can retain and apply their knowledge. When pupils’ knowledge is not secure, highly effective strategies help pupils to deepen their understanding. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum. The school has a strong oversight of how well sixth-form students learn. It designs a broad curriculum around the interests and aspirations of the students. Students progress successfully on to future study and their chosen career pathways.

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

The school is precise and diagnostic in identifying the needs of pupils. It tailors the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means that teachers provide pupils with SEND with the adaptations they need to learn the curriculum. Strategies such as reading texts or talking about content ahead of lessons prepares pupils well for their learning.

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

The school checks thoroughly how well pupils can read and what exact skills they need to get better. Daily reading focuses on helping pupils to build their fluency. This helps pupils with gaps in their reading to catch up. All pupils read and share texts together frequently. Book clubs provide a place for avid readers to share their pleasure of reading.

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

The school has acted to reduce previous behaviour incidents of a few pupils through the embedding of revised practices very successfully. Staff and pupils recognise how this has further enhanced the culture of the school. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. In lessons, pupils engage well with their learning. As a result of this work, the number of suspensions has reduced dramatically. Pupils conduct themselves exceptionally well.

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

Pupils attending school well is a high priority for the school. The school’s rigorous and systematic approach to improving how well some pupils come to school has considerably increased their attendance. The school is relentless and robust in this work.

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

The design for the personal development of pupils prepares them exceptionally well for their future choices. Pupils learn about and discuss some challenging concepts with maturity. They consider the views and experiences of others, such as through the multi- faith conference. An exceptional approach to careers prepares pupils for their next steps. Aspirational trips and high-profile speakers complement the detailed career learning. For example, pupils have an annual residential visit to Bristol to work with an employer and experience working life in a city. 29 and 30 April 2025

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The school provides high-quality ways for pupils to build their skills. For example, Year 7 pupils worked alongside the National Trust on developing their leadership. Through the sixth form, students take additional qualifications, such as qualifications in drama or teaching English as an additional language. The school recognises that many students choose to travel before they go on in their education. The school has developed a ‘Gap Year’ club to help those who wish to do this. Students appreciate the ‘Gap Year’ club in preparing them for this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, The Purbeck School, to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2014.

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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. 29 and 30 April 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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,040

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form

Date of previous inspection 6 March 2018

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Information about this school

 The Purbeck School joined the Wessex Multi-Academy Trust in May 2022. It is one of two secondary schools in the trust. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.  The school uses four registered alternative provisions and two unregistered provisions.  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. 29 and 30 April 2025

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors held discussions with school leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, teachers and pupils.  The lead inspector met with trustees and representatives from the local governing body.  Inspectors reviewed and discussed key school documentation, including the school development plan, minutes from governance meetings, and attendance and behaviour analysis and data.  Inspectors spoke with pupils from key stages 3, 4 and 5 about their experiences of

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Information about this inspection

school. They visited lessons and observed the school during breaktimes and transitions.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Rachel Hesketh, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

John Weeds Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 April 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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