Honiton Community College

Inspection of Honiton Community College School Lane, Honiton, Devon EX14 1QT

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

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The principal of this school is Caroline Brothwood. This school is part of the Ted Wragg 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), Moira Marder, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Mulcock. 13 and 14 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Honiton Community College, working closely with the trust, has raised the ambition for what pupils can achieve. Work to improve the quality of education has resulted in pupils achieving more highly in their qualifications. This means that pupils are happy and better prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has created a culture where pupils understand their responsibilities for their own behaviour. Pupils appreciate it when staff follow the school’s policy for behaviour consistently. This means that the school is calm, pupils feel safe and they can learn with little disruption. When pupils receive sanctions, steps are taken to help them to learn from these. Consequently, incidents of poor behaviour are reducing over time. A small number of pupils are concerned about bullying. The school actively encourages pupils to report their concerns to trusted adults. The school then takes action to help resolve pupils’ worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils recognise the improvements that have been made at their school. They value leadership opportunities to contribute their views and make a difference. For example, as tutor group MPs and as sports leaders. The varied extra-curricular programme means that more pupils are enjoying new interests such as journalling and strategy games.

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

The trust has provided the school with effective support to develop the curriculum. There is now a well-organised, ambitious curriculum in place. This ensures that more pupils at key stage 4 have access to the qualifications that make up the English Baccalaureate. The school has identified the most effective ways to help pupils learn and remember the content. However, at times the methods chosen to implement the curriculum are not sufficiently adapted to meet the needs and starting points of pupils. When this happens, pupils do not develop the depth of understanding they should.

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

The checks that teachers make on pupils’ knowledge and understanding are sometimes not accurately identifying what pupils know and can do. This means that the teachers are unable to address gaps or misconceptions. Without a secure understanding of the curriculum so far pupils are hindered in their future learning. Equally, pupils who have already grasped the concepts are not moved on in their learning swiftly enough.

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

The school has increased the opportunities for pupils to read a diverse range of texts. Pupils enjoy the books that they read together as a class. They discuss the themes covered and learn new vocabulary as a result. The pupils who find reading challenging are quickly identified. The school provides effective support to help these pupils build their reading fluency and confidence.

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

The school has strengthened the systems in place to identify the specific needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There has been an increased focus on developing teachers’ expertise in adapting the curriculum to meet the needs of these 13 and 14 May 2025

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pupils. This work is still embedding but nevertheless, these pupils are increasingly achieving as well as their peers.

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Attendance is a high priority for the school and trust. The school is determined to reduce absence by working in partnership with families to understand their individual circumstances and provide effective support. While attendance is currently below the national average it is rising as a direct result of this focused approach.

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The school prepares pupils well for adult life. They are taught how to keep themselves safe and healthy, including physically and mentally. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures. They also debate topical and ethical issues. Events such as careers fairs and work experience placements help pupils to explore the world of work. This includes teaching pupils the different options for education, employment and training.

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The school has increased engagement with the community through networks such as parent forums. Leaders listen to the views of stakeholders, for example working with staff to consider the impact of changes on workload. Those responsible for governance share the school’s determination to continue to improve the school for the benefit of all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is sometimes not adapted successfully to enable all pupils to securely learn the key content. As a result, some pupils are unable to grasp concepts and do not learn the curriculum as well as they should. The school should ensure that the pedagogies used to implement the curriculum are matched to the needs of all pupils.  Assessment within the classroom does not help staff accurately identify pupils’ starting points or gaps in their knowledge and understanding. This means that some pupils are not provided with sufficient opportunities to build on and extend their learning. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they might. The school should make sure that assessment routines check for understanding and that the curriculum is adapted accordingly in response.

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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. 13 and 14 May 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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Website www.honitoncommunitycollege.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Ted Wragg multi academy trust. The school joined this trust in July 2023.  The school is closing the sixth form provision in August 2025. At the time of the inspection the final cohort of students in year 13 had begun their final examinations and formal teaching had come to an end. Therefore, no grade judgement has been made for the sixth form 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 uses one registered and two unregistered alternative provisions.

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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 13 and 14 May 2025

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(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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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with school leaders at all levels. Inspectors also spoke with teaching staff, support staff, trust executive leaders, local governors and trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, geography and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussion 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 visited additional lessons and tutor periods to consider the effectiveness of the wider curriculum.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at

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lunchtime and breaktimes.  Inspectors viewed a range of school documentation, including the minutes of governance meetings, the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the view 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 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, as well as responses to the staff survey and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Sara Berry, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Kerr Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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