Cheam High School

Inspection of Cheam High School Chatsworth Road, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey SM3 8PW

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Good

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The headteacher of this school is Peter Naudi. This school is run by a multi academy trust, Cheam Academies Network, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Rebecca Allott and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richard Beer.

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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 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade 20 and 21 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Cheam High School provides a safe, vibrant and welcoming community for pupils. The school’s values of respect and responsibility are embedded within the life of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, study a range of subjects and courses that reflect their interests and prepare them well for the next stage of their education. Teachers are highly knowledgeable about their subject areas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils conduct themselves exceptionally well. Pupils feel safe and are well cared for. They enjoy great relationships with caring and dedicated staff. The school celebrates differences. Discrimination is never tolerated. Pupils enjoy school and attend well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides well for pupils’ wider personal development. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their character through the prefect system and a varied enrichment programme. Parents and carers share positive views about the school’s academic and pastoral support. They value the school’s nurturing community and the range of extra-curricular activities on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievement. Pupils are keen to do well, and many are ambitious for their futures. Their successes are reflected in the outcomes they achieve at the end of Year 11. Across the school, including the sixth form, pupils typically learn well.

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

Leaders demonstrate high expectations of all. They have ensured that the curriculum is broad and ambitious with well-thought-out opportunities for staff professional development. Leaders know the strengths and areas to develop in the school with precision. For instance, systems to check the quality of teaching and support for subject leadership is robust. The school has considered forensically how it can further support disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes.

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

The school has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. In all subjects, the curriculum sets out clearly what pupils are to learn. This is sequenced so that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), build their understanding over time. For example, in geography, Year 7 pupils learn about global climates. They develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the concepts of climate change and sustainability. Students in Year 12 have a deep understanding to draw on in their studies of sustainable management. Pupils demonstrate high quality spoken language skills which promotes precision in their writing.

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

Teachers have expert subject knowledge and know their pupils well. This includes pupils with SEND who are very well supported to access a challenging curriculum. Staff value 20 and 21 May 2025

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the targeted high quality professional development they receive. Teaching strategies such as questioning, quizzing, modelling and ‘do now’ tasks build pupils’ knowledge and understanding over time. However, checks for understanding and subsequent adaptations to teaching are not consistently effective. This means that gaps and misconceptions are sometimes not identified and addressed quickly enough. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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Reading and targeted literacy support is prioritised from the moment pupils join the school. This support continues until pupils are confident, fluent readers. The school uses a range of programmes to ensure that targeted support is delivered by skilled adults. This helps pupils who need support with reading to catch up.

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Pupils behave exceptionally well. Low-level disruption is very rare because the school has clear systems and processes in place which promote high standards of behaviour. Pupils appreciate the many ways in which the school recognises and rewards hard work and engagement in the wider life of the school. Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging and are committed to their education. Leaders’ tenacious approach to supporting pupils who struggle to attend school regularly is having a positive impact. Pupils are provided with a wide range of information about future careers and pathways. Pupils, including those in the sixth form, participate in work experience. Those who are disadvantaged are well supported to make informed decisions about their next steps through high quality mentoring and guidance.

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The school has carefully considered its personal, social, health and citizenship education programme. This enables pupils to develop as curious and informed citizens. Pupils speak confidently about the importance of leading healthy and active lifestyles. The school promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well through a range of opportunities including concerts, plays and school visits. Pupils are actively involved in planning ‘Cheam Fest’, a cultural festival that celebrates and champions community and diversity. However, some students who would benefit from these opportunities do not take part.

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support and development they receive. Consideration for their workload and well-being is a priority for leaders and governors. Governors and trustees are committed, skilled, knowledgeable and equally ambitious for the school. They provide challenge and support in equal measure, championing leaders in their drive for continuous improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the school need to do to improve?

 Sometimes staff do not identify pupils’ gaps and misconceptions systematically when checking for understanding. This means that some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are not consistently secure in their knowledge and deeper understanding. The 20 and 21 May 2025

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school should ensure that all staff have the expertise to identify gaps and adapt learning to support pupils, so they can develop a comprehensive understanding of the subject content taught.

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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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 2121

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form

Date of previous inspection February 2015

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Cheam Academies Network.  The school uses one registered alternative provision to support a small number of pupils.  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 20 and 21 May 2025

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(quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (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.  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 took that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, representatives from the board of trustees and governing body, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, geography, science, history, modern foreign languages, and business studies. 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. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school

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and priorities for school improvement.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also spoke to pupils, parents and staff and took into consideration Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including as they arrived and left the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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

Sophie Cavanagh, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Karim Ismail Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 May 2025

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Katerina Christodoulou Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 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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