Waverley School

Waverley School

Address: Yardley Green Road, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B9 5QA Unique reference number (URN): 142219

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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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Achievement Expected standard

In the secondary phase, most pupils progress securely through the curriculum from their individual starting points. Achievement varies between subjects. Historically, some Year 13 students underachieved in science. However, outcomes in science have improved recently. Achievement in languages by the end of Year 11 has also strengthened. Nevertheless, some pupils do not receive enough challenge to maximise their learning and progress.

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Achievement Expected standard

By the end of the primary phase, most pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points. In the primary phase, most pupils develop reading, writing and mathematical knowledge successfully. This is particularly the case for pupils who are at early stages of learning to speak English. By the end of Reception, most children achieve well.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders understand the reasons why some pupils find it harder to attend school regularly. They look closely at attendance information to spot patterns and to work out what is causing pupils to miss school. Their actions are timely, well chosen and already helping many pupils to attend more often. Attendance has improved over the past 3 years and is now close to national figures, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Persistent absence is still higher than it should be, but it has reduced a lot for most pupils. Leaders know there is more to do. Their work continues to improve attendance across the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders are explicit in their high expectations for how pupils should behave. Staff consistently apply the school’s behaviour policy. Pupils are taught how to meet these expectations, and most behave well as a result. They are generally polite and considerate towards others. Most pupils listen well in lessons and concentrate for extended periods of time. The few pupils who find it harder to meet the school’s behaviour expectations receive rapid and effective support. During social times, pupils generally get along well. Behaviour and attendance expectations are appropriately adjusted for some pupils, including those with SEND. These consistent approaches ensure that the school environment is safe and calm for everyone.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders prioritise the early years and have an accurate understanding of the quality of education and care provided. The curriculum is well sequenced. Staff consider children’s starting points in the curriculum design. There is a wide range of social, emotional and physical development activities aligned to children’s needs. Gaps in children’s knowledge are identified and addressed effectively. Appropriate information is shared with Year 1 teachers in preparation for transition into key stage 1. Staff have positive relationships with children, parents and carers. Children are well cared for and nurtured. Staff ensure that children are safe and happy. Most of the curriculum is taught effectively. There is a focus on communication and phonics. Children develop their phonics knowledge quickly. Staff extend children’s vocabulary appropriately. However, they do not maximise high-quality interactions with children. This

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Early years Expected standard

limits how swiftly and comprehensively children develop their language skills. Nevertheless, most children progress swiftly through the curriculum, gaining appropriate knowledge across all subjects. By developing secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, children are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders make sure that pupils’ needs are identified quickly and accurately. Those pupils who join the school part way through the year have their emerging needs identified and assessed swiftly. In the primary phase, recent changes to how quickly pupils’ needs are identified and assessed are having a positive impact on the support that these pupils receive. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those known or previously known to social care. Staff work closely and effectively with different virtual schools.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Typically, staff provide pupils with support to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing. Many pupils make considerable progress from their individual starting points. This includes pupils who join the school in the very early stages of speaking English. Leaders are knowledgeable about pupils’ needs. Staff carry out regular checks on pupils’ progress. Consequently, leaders and staff are fully aware of the progress pupils make. The pupil premium strategy is well structured and implemented effectively. It enables disadvantaged pupils to attend school regularly, helping them to achieve highly.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Some pupils attend the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND. These pupils follow an adapted curriculum and receive tailored support, which typically helps them succeed. The school uses one alternative provision appropriately.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the school’s context, what is working well and what needs to be improved. They are taking appropriate action to improve aspects of the school’s work. For example, in the primary phase, leaders have secured improvements to the timely identification and assessment of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In the secondary phase, leaders are refining the curriculum and staff expertise to ensure high- quality teaching of the whole curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees and members of the local governing board (LGB) are knowledgeable about the work of the school. They work closely with leaders to set the school’s vision and values. All stakeholders are involved in setting the strategic direction of the school. Recently, this has included prioritising resources for improving pupils' attendance rates. Trustees and members of the LGB support and challenge leaders appropriately. Leaders also focus on managing staff workload and supporting wellbeing. Most parents speak positively of the work of the school. Families are regularly invited into school to share in their children’s learning and to take part in celebratory community events. Parents and carers value the positive impact the school has on the local community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal development programme is carefully sequenced so that pupils can build their knowledge in a coherent way. It is adapted effectively to reflect the school’s specific context. More vulnerable pupils, such as those accessing the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive a personalised programme that meets their needs well.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about cultural diversity and different beliefs. Most pupils understand about life in modern Britain and how to stay healthy. They learn how to stay safe online and the importance of being tolerant of others’ beliefs and opinions. Pupils benefit from varied experiences both within the school community and beyond, including engagement with visiting speakers. These opportunities prepare pupils well for life beyond school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is high quality. Staff know pupils well, which positively influences pupils' wellbeing. Leaders use a range of well-established systems to ensure that pupils receive timely and beneficial support. This effective pastoral provision helps pupils to feel a sense of belonging.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders monitor pupils’ participation in clubs and trips to make sure that all pupils can benefit. In the primary phase, pupils take part in a wide range of visits to enrich the curriculum. However, this is less well developed in the secondary phase. Pupils have opportunities to take on inclusive leadership responsibilities, such as school councillor or a head pupil. These roles help pupils build skills for their next steps in education, work or training.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils are provided with a range of appropriate information about possible future careers or destinations. This helps them to make informed decisions about the next steps after secondary school.

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Post-16 provision Expected standard

The sixth form is welcoming and inclusive. Students are respectful and act as positive role models for younger pupils. Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of the 16 to 19 study programmes. These have been designed and adapted with students’ individual needs in mind. They also reflect the school’s context. The curriculum is appropriate and continues to evolve to meet local needs. This includes the growing proportion of students interested in pursuing vocational qualifications.

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Post-16 provision Expected standard

The curriculum is deliberately sequenced so that students’ knowledge and skills develop progressively over their 2 years of study. Staff are subject experts and carefully monitor their students' progress. Students achieve suitable qualifications that enable their next steps, although these are not always in line with national outcomes. Leaders understand the barriers to students' A-level outcomes and are successfully improving achievement in several subjects.

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Needs attention

Students value their studies and attend regularly. They are encouraged to aim high, which helps them to successfully progress onto ambitious roles or further study after sixth form.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have a broadly accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses in curriculum and teaching. For example, they rightly celebrate how, in many subjects, staff model new learning clearly, helping pupils to understand it.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Some pupils join the school during the school year with gaps in their knowledge. Staff take appropriate action in an effort to address this. For example, pupils learning English receive effective support to speak, read and understand the language.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The primary curriculum is broad, well sequenced and taught with confidence. Staff know what pupils need to learn and how to teach it. In phonics, clear guidance and resources help teachers to build pupils’ reading skills from the start.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There are subjects where this is also true in the secondary phase. However, where there are shortcomings, these are holding back how well pupils learn. In design technology, pupils do not get the full range of learning, so they miss important knowledge and skills. In Urdu, many pupils speak the language well but struggle to read and write it. Current practice is not helping to overcome this well enough. In other subjects, teaching varies too much. Gaps and unfinished work in pupils’ workbooks, for example, make it hard for staff to know if pupils are ready to move on. Leaders are taking steps to address these issues, but this work is at an early stage.

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

This is a very multicultural school where pupils feel welcomed. Pupils who join the school part way through the academic year quickly develop a sense of belonging. Most pupils achieve well from their individual starting points and are well prepared for the next stage in their education, employment or training. Pupils experience a broad curriculum that is generally adapted effectively to meet individual needs. However, the teaching that pupils receive in the secondary phase varies in its effectiveness. While modelling is typically clear across the school, some pupils do not get the timely checks or practice they need to secure their understanding.

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

Challenges that pupils face are noticed swiftly. Pupils receive a range of highly effective pastoral and wellbeing support. Clear expectations for attendance mean that more pupils are now in school regularly.

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

Pupils know and trust that staff will help to keep them safe. Most pupils behave well and concentrate in lessons. Social times are a purposeful time of the school day where pupils play sports and spend time with their friends. Staff deal with any bullying effectively to ensure it stops.

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

Children in the early years are well cared for. Staff help pupils to learn new vocabulary through, for example, role-play activities in the class home corner. However, sometimes staff do not capitalise on maximising learning opportunities when working with children.

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

Students in the sixth form are effectively supported by dedicated staff who provide useful information about careers. This helps to prepare students for the next stage in their education, employment or training.

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

Everyone can take part in extra-curricular activities such as sports, choir and chess clubs. These are varied and matched to pupils’ interests and talents in the primary phase. Leaders arrange meaningful curriculum enrichment opportunities for pupils, for example, visits to the theatre, museums and galleries.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to reduce persistent absenteeism by checking regularly that their actions are having the intended impact and by acting quickly where individual pupils' attendance is not improving. Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to implement the curriculum effectively so that more pupils achieve consistently high standards across a wider range of subjects as they progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4. Leaders should ensure that staff use timely checks on learning to identify gaps and provide the practice pupils need to embed important knowledge securely. Leaders should ensure that staff maximise high-quality interactions with children in the early years.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Waverley Education Foundation Limited, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the Executive principal, Chris King and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Susan Barratt CBE.

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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 school leaders, including the principal of the secondary phase, principal of the primary phase, vice principals and other leaders. They also spoke with representatives of the trust including the executive principal, the chair of the trust board and members of the local governing board.

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Team inspectors:

Sarah Malam, Ofsted Inspector Justine Lomas, Ofsted Inspector Peter Bassett, Ofsted Inspector Darren King, Ofsted Inspector Patrick Amieli, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 10 March 2026

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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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School capacity

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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School capacity

The school currently uses one alternative provision.

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School capacity

The school provides resourced places for up to 67 pupils, supporting those with speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, moderate learning difficulties, specific learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.

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School capacity

Co-Headteachers: Satnam Dosanjh and Hugh Derry

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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.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 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 needs support 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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 67% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 58% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 77% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 76% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 72% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 78% 73% Close to average

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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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national average

2022/23 (final) 44.1% 45.3% Close to average

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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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national average

2024/25 (revised) 41.9 46.0 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 43.3 46.3 Close to average

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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

2023/24 (final) -0.04 -0.03 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 0.02 -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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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 56% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 64% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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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) 29.8% 25.8% 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

2023/24 (final) 37.6 34.6 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) -0.28 -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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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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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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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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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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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 9.8% 9.0% Close to average

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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. 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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