St Crispin's School

St Crispin's School

Address: London Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1SS Unique reference number (URN): 145286

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders' work on attendance is highly effective and sustained. Pupils' overall attendance has been above national figures for several years and remains so. Persistent absence is significantly low for all pupils and for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, disadvantaged pupils' attendance is closer to national averages. Staff understand the reasons for this and act swiftly and supportively with families. Leaders' overall approach is rooted in strong relationships and a clear belief that absence can signal a wider need. They track absences meticulously and put in place swift interventions, which are well-matched to individual circumstances. The use of part-time timetables is rare and used appropriately. Attendance in the sixth form is high, and leaders take effective action where concerns arise.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behaviour is impressive. The school values underpin pupils' calm, respectful conduct, including at social times. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive, and learning is rarely disrupted. Bullying is uncommon, although some pupils are concerned by occasional inappropriate comments made by their peers. However, when this is reported, staff deal with it quickly and effectively. Leaders analyse any trends in behaviour rigorously. This leads to proactive action, including individualised support for pupils with additional needs. Suspensions are used rarely and appropriately.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders' passionate commitment to inclusion underpins the school's 'excellence for all' ethos. Leaders have embedded a consistent approach to meeting pupils' needs and ensuring everyone feels that they belong. Staff identify pupils' needs quickly and accurately. They use detailed information about pupils' learning and wellbeing to understand barriers and respond early. This supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and those with other barriers to their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use additional funding to focus sharply on the right priorities. These include pupil attendance and overall engagement in school life. This work is improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and strengthening relationships with families. The leadership of provision for pupils with SEND is equally robust. Staff training is successfully embedding effective teaching, which meets pupils' needs, across the curriculum. Leaders provide clear and helpful information about pupils so that teachers can put in place practical strategies to support learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school's 'Roundhouse' provision for pupils with barriers to learning offers a purposeful, well-sequenced curriculum. This helps pupils feel safe, understood and part of the wider school community. Any alternative provision is chosen carefully to match pupils' individual needs. Staff keep very close oversight of pupils' welfare, attendance and safeguarding.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils' personal development and wellbeing is at the heart of St Crispin's school. Leaders' vision of developing the whole child is evident in the carefully crafted programme that runs through all year groups. The curriculum for personal, social, health and citizenship education is comprehensive and age-appropriate. It meets all statutory requirements. Staff are well trained to deliver sensitive content. As a result, pupils gain detailed knowledge to speak confidently about topics such as consent, healthy relationships, protected characteristics and British values.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils benefit from a rich range of wider opportunities. The 'excellence through enrichment' programme offers an extensive choice of clubs, trips and activities that help pupils develop character, confidence and teamwork. Leaders monitor participation to check that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included. Pupils rightly value the strong sense of belonging created through these opportunities and describe the school as a community where 'everyone is welcome'. Pupils take on many different leadership roles. For example, older pupils can choose to be school councillors, mentors or prefects.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pastoral support is highly effective. Staff know pupils well and provide individual support, including for those who are vulnerable or newly arrived in the country. Pupils who attend alternative provision, continue to learn the full personal development programme. Sixth-form students also benefit from a well-planned enrichment curriculum that prepares them for adulthood and future study.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Careers education, information, advice and guidance are a significant strength. High-quality work experience, strong links with employers and alumni, and impartial guidance all ensure that pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well across their subjects and typically produce high-quality work. Outcomes at key stage 4 have been consistently strong over time, particularly in mathematics and science. Sixth formers typically achieve high standards of work, leading to published outcomes that are broadly in line with national averages.

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Achievement Expected standard

Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve in line with their peers across most subjects. However, gaps remain in a minority of subjects. Some pupils' knowledge and skills are less secure, particularly in their writing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils value how staff do not just prepare them for their examinations and qualifications but also support them for their next stages of education and employment. Most pupils achieve the destinations of their choice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have established an ambitious and well-planned curriculum. They have identified what should be taught and when so that knowledge and skills build up through the different key stages. Pupils study a broad range of academic and vocational courses. Leaders have accurately identified that pupils' skills in reading, communication and numeracy should be a whole-school priority.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers' enthusiasm for their subjects successfully captures their pupils' interests. Staff typically make the curriculum accessible to all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Consequently, over time, all groups of pupils are taught well across the curriculum. Most staff skilfully apply agreed practices when introducing new concepts and promoting deeper thinking. This helps to identify pupils' misconceptions, support their reading skills and encourage independent learning. However, this practice is not yet consistent across the school, meaning some pupils' prior gaps in learning are not as effectively addressed.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders' work to embed more adaptive teaching is having a clear impact. Teachers have detailed information about disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. They use this effectively in order to tailor activities in lessons. Leaders know where this approach is less well developed and are rightly targeting ongoing support and training for staff.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and trustees share an ambitious vision, centred on belonging and inclusion. They analyse information closely and with considerable insight. This means that they have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and next steps. Leaders have identified the most important priorities for the school, including improving consistency across subject delivery. The new headteacher has strengthened this focus on sharper evaluation and ensured that all priorities are well understood across the leadership team.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders target curriculum development and pastoral support so that all pupils feel a valued part of the school community. Work on adapting teaching to meet pupils' needs and the transition from primary school is increasingly showing impact. Leaders work proactively with external partners to support vulnerable pupils. Leaders of inclusion and special educational needs ensure that well-designed policies and systematic monitoring inform clear actions for improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees are diligent, well informed and committed to the school's inclusive ethos. They have recently streamlined governance to improve efficiency while strengthening stakeholder engagement. Trustees have a secure understanding of safeguarding and standards arising from their use of trust executive officers and external experts to quality assure the school's work. They oversee professional learning effectively and ensure that staff at all levels have opportunities to grow.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Early career teachers feel well supported and value the guidance they receive to develop their subject knowledge and teaching skills. Leaders promote a strong culture of professional learning for all staff. Staff describe a supportive, visible leadership team, whose members prioritise wellbeing and encourage collaborative working. Workload is considered carefully.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

St Crispin's broad and ambitious sixth-form curriculum offers a wide range of A-level subjects alongside a small number of applied and vocational qualifications. This provides students with suitable pathways that match their interests and aspirations. Students apply themselves well to their study and produce work which is typically high quality. Published outcomes over time are broadly in line with national averages for both academic and applied courses.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Teachers have strong subject expertise and demonstrate an infectious enthusiasm for their subjects. Teaching is generally well sequenced and builds students' knowledge and skills effectively. However, in a small number of lessons, learning time is not used as effectively as leaders intend, limiting the ambition of the curriculum for some students.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Students benefit from a wide range of enrichment and non-qualification activities. These include leadership roles, community volunteering, work experience and opportunities to extend their learning through wider reading and online courses.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

High-quality, personalised careers education and guidance ensures that students know what they need to do to realise their ambitions. Students, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel a strong sense of belonging and are well supported to prepare for their future education, employment or training.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from the many positive changes that have taken place at St Crispin's over the last two years. Trusting and respectful relationships underpin the highly inclusive culture that exists across all aspects of school life. Pupils are rightly proud to be a part of this welcoming school. They embrace the school's values and appreciate how staff know them well as individuals and want them to succeed and flourish. Parents and staff echo this, describing a community where pupils feel supported and encouraged to be the best version of themselves.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils enjoy learning a wide range of subjects taught by specialist teachers. Pupils achieve well, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are very well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training. Pupils who face additional barriers are supported effectively and typically make strong progress from their starting points.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Attendance is high and behaviour is impressive. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils value how teachers help them to achieve well. They feel safe in school and trust adults to act quickly when any concerns are raised. A small number of pupils express worries about instances of inappropriate verbal comments that do not align with the school's expectations for respectful behaviour. However, pupils are clear that staff respond swiftly and effectively when these issues are reported.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from a high-quality and comprehensive personal development curriculum. They speak enthusiastically about the wide range of enrichment, leadership and community opportunities available to them. These experiences nurture their talents and interests, build their confidence and promote the skills they need for their future lives.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teaching is consistently effective across the curriculum by providing teacher strategies to narrow gaps in disadvantaged pupils' knowledge and skills and support pupils who are at an earlier stage of reading. Leaders should continue to build on their post-16 provision, ensuring that higher proportions of students achieve the top academic grades.

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About this inspection

The school is part of The Circle 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), Ginny Rhodes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Beckett.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our updated inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the chief executive officer and the director of education for The Circle Trust, the headteacher and other senior and middle leaders. The lead inspector spoke to trustees. Inspectors met with other leaders, staff and pupils during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

The school makes use of 10 alternative providers, including 5 that are unregistered.

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Team inspectors:

Peter Fry, Ofsted Inspector Julia Mortimore, Ofsted Inspector Sarah Brinkley, Ofsted Inspector Marieke Forster, Ofsted Inspector Rachel Cave, Ofsted Inspector Louise Walker, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England. National average: 1,154

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 0.23 -0.03 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 16.7% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 18.2% 25.2% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 33.3 35.0 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.77 -0.57 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 35.70 35.00 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 36.07 34.38 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 37.05 34.16 Close to average

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 0.1 0.0 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (revised) 0.1 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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