Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Matthew Suttenwood Headteacher Chase High School Prittlewell Chase Westcliff-on-Sea Essex SS0 0RT

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Chase High School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 15 and 16 July 2025, on behalf of His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the second monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in November 2024.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Chase High School

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school's key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school's progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school's previous graded inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Chase High School

During the inspection, Bessie Owen, His Majesty's Inspector (HMI), Charlie Fordham HMI, Daniel Short HMI, Cathy Barr, Ofsted Inspector (OI), and I discussed with you and other senior leaders, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust, the chair of the trust and a member of the local school committee, the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also visited lessons, met with staff, spoke to pupils and observed their behaviour at break and lunchtime. We considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. We took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. We also scrutinised a range of documents including the school’s post-inspection action plan. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to no longer be judged as requiring special measures. HMCI is of the opinion that the school may appoint early career teachers.

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The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has built upon the improvements that were evident in April 2025 at the time of the first monitoring inspection. Pupils largely aspire to succeed. They feel safe. This is because the school is a more positive environment, and pupils have trusted adults to turn to for support. The school provides pupils with support to ensure that they are safe. Systems to check that pupils are safe are robust. However, leaders are aware that more work is needed to ensure that the quality of education for pupils, including those at the earliest stage of learning to read, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) further improves, so that they achieve well.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school is continuing its ongoing work to redesign the curriculum so that it is ambitious, well sequenced and accessible for all pupils. In subjects where this is now the case, the school has identified important knowledge that pupils should learn. This builds on what pupils already know so that they can acquire new content securely. Where this content is delivered effectively, pupils remember it well. However, the curriculum in several subjects currently lacks sufficient ambition. Expectations of what pupils can learn are not consistently high. This includes expectations of the academic progress that pupils in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND and those attending alternative provision should make. Teachers do not identify and teach important knowledge, including key vocabulary, with sufficient precision in these subjects. This means pupils often struggle to remember and apply this knowledge.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Teachers now use increasingly effective and consistent approaches in lessons. They use tasks to recap on pupils’ prior learning before new learning is introduced. Teachers use a range of strategies to check how well pupils have learned. They have information about pupils with SEND so that they can adapt teaching to meet their needs. This consistent routine means that pupils know what to expect when they come to lessons. This helps them to settle and focus. Pupils’ work shows that they are covering more of the intended curriculum. Where teaching is most effective, teachers use their subject knowledge to model new learning clearly. This helps pupils remember and apply important knowledge.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Leaders know that there is still too much variability in how effectively teachers deliver the curriculum and, consequently, how well pupils learn. This is because the school has not ensured that staff have the knowledge of how to implement the curriculum as well as they should. New content is sometimes not introduced clearly enough. Staff do not consistently adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND in ways that are precisely aligned to pupils’ needs. Pupils do not always receive the guidance they need to improve their work. The school’s support for staff is improving the implementation of the curriculum, but the impact of this is not yet reflected in consistently high-quality learning experiences and outcomes for pupils.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school is at an early stage of developing its support for pupils who find reading a challenge, and in building pupils’ literacy across the curriculum. While the school provides structured opportunities for pupils to read, the quality of these is inconsistent. The school makes effective use of some strategies to support pupils who find reading hard. When these are used well, pupils become more accurate and fluent readers. Leaders are aware of the need to equip staff with the knowledge to support pupils with gaps in their reading knowledge to catch up quickly.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has made significant strides in tackling issues around misogyny that were evident at the most recent graded inspection. Pupils say that instances of this are now rare. If it happens, it is swiftly dealt with. Pupils do not worry as much about bullying. Behaviour around the school is usually calm and positive. Pupils are polite. Some pupils, however, still encounter the use of discriminatory language by their peers. This is because a minority of pupils do not, despite learning about equality and diversity, fully grasp the impact and unacceptable nature of their behaviour. Some pupils still lack confidence in the ability of staff to deal with unkind or prejudicial language effectively.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has clear and high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Routines such as the morning line up have improved pupils’ punctuality and readiness to learn. Where the curriculum is delivered well, and expectations of conduct are applied consistently, pupils behave well in lessons. When teaching is less effective, or when staff do not apply the behaviour policy as intended, some pupils interrupt the learning of others. This frustrates their peers who wish to do well.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Most pupils attend well. The school uses incentives and support effectively to ensure pupils come to school more often. Some groups of pupils, however, still miss too much learning. This has an impact on how well they achieve.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Pupils in key stage 3 and key stage 4 now benefit from a well-designed and comprehensive personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) curriculum. This will shortly be introduced in the sixth form. Pupils learn how to stay safe and be healthy. Pupils also learn about different cultures and faiths. They broaden their range of interests and develop self-confidence through a growing range of clubs and through opportunities such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme. Pupils meet a range of employers and experience the world of work. This helps them make informed choices about their next steps in education and employment.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Trustees and leaders understand where changes have been embedded, and where further work is needed to develop consistently effective practice. The local school committee now has greater capacity to provide robust challenge and oversight. The trust provides much effective support. It makes use of the advice and support from other providers and educational experts. Staff receive regular training to improve their practice. They are well supported with their well-being and workload. I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees, the CEO of the Discovery Educational Trust, the Department for Education's regional director and the director of children's services for Southend. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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