De Aston School

De Aston School

Address: Willingham Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 3RF Unique reference number (URN): 136491

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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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This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Post-16 provision Expected standard

Students in the sixth form benefit from a more consistent approach to teaching and learning than experienced by pupils in key stages 3 and 4. Many of the challenges faced by pupils in the main school do not extend to the sixth form. Students typically develop age-appropriate knowledge and skills that enable them to access a range of different pathways, including higher education, apprenticeships and employment.

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Post-16 provision Expected standard

Sixth-form teachers create learning environments that encourage curiosity, independent thinking and resilience. Students are encouraged to build on prior learning and deepen their learning through additional independent study. In lessons, purposeful adaptations to the curriculum for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, enable students to learn well. Typically, students produce high-quality work.

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Post-16 provision Expected standard

Generally, students attain well in national examinations. Sixth-form students talk positively about the teaching and guidance that they receive. The positive relationships that students have with staff helps them to develop their confidence and attend school. They behave impeccably and act as positive role models to younger pupils.

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Post-16 provision Expected standard

The sixth-form personal development programme prepares students effectively for life beyond school. A comprehensive tutorial programme includes careers education, financial literacy, healthy relationships, mental wellbeing, citizenship, equality, diversity and safeguarding. Students develop an understanding of current issues and think critically about the world around them. They demonstrate respect for others and understand the importance of inclusion and diversity.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils do not consistently achieve well. Some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieve broadly in line with their comparative peers nationally. However, leaders have not acted quickly enough to improve the quality of teaching within some subjects, which has had an impact on the achievement of some groups of pupils. Typically, pupils achieve well in English. There is a clear focus on developing reading and writing skills to ensure that pupils access the wider curriculum subjects. There has not been the same focus in mathematics in securing pupils' number fluency, which means that some pupils struggle to grasp the essential knowledge that they need.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders are developing their systems to check pupils' understanding, so that they have a more accurate understanding of the progress that pupils make across the curriculum. This work is still in its infancy and teachers do not readily use information about pupil achievement to adapt their teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have ensured that pupils have access to a broad and predominantly well- sequenced curriculum. Typically, teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge. Where there is variability of practice, leaders have introduced new approaches and recognise the need for greater consistency in the implementation of the curriculum. Leaders have not acted swiftly enough to tackle inconsistencies within some curriculum subject areas. In some lessons, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In some curriculum subjects, such as English and history, teachers adapt the curriculum to suit the needs of pupils. However, this is not routinely the case across other curriculum subject areas. In some year groups, leaders have introduced a new system to check on pupils' understanding and use this to inform future teaching. Where this system has been introduced, it is having a positive impact on pupils' learning. However, this is not in place across the school and, therefore, does not enable staff to have a secure enough understanding of what pupils know or can do across all curriculum subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have a clear system in place to support pupils who struggle to read. There is a focus on developing reading skills and a love for reading. Pupils who require additional support benefit from effective phonics-based provision. The same work has not been undertaken to support pupils in developing their mathematical fluency. Some pupils struggle with basic number facts and number recall.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have systems in place that identify pupils' needs and they share this information with staff. This sharing of information is used with greatest impact when pupils transfer from primary to secondary school, as this helps pupils to feel comfortable about the change to secondary school. However, at times the information that staff receive lacks precise details about how staff can best support pupils with their learning. Some teachers, therefore, are unable to routinely adapt their lessons to match the needs of the pupils in their classrooms.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have not ensured that staff understand the best strategies to use to help pupils overcome barriers to their learning. Therefore, there is variability across the school in the quality and timeliness of strategies used to support pupils. Leaders do not check carefully on the progress that pupils make through the curriculum. This means that they do not have a holistic understanding of the effectiveness of any support that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or disadvantaged pupils receive.

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Urgent improvement

Leaders' collaboration with the virtual school is effective. Pupils known to social care are supported well pastorally. Generally, disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND do not attend school often enough. Leaders do do not ensure that these pupils catch up to their peers on missed learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have recently developed the personal development provision to ensure that it is reflective of what is most relevant for pupils at this school. The curriculum is well sequenced and ensures that pupils have access to sessions that support their understanding of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. This includes age-appropriate lessons on relationships and sex education and how to stay healthy. Pupils learn about the fundamental British values. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, both online and within the community. Leaders work closely with the local police to ensure that they are aware of any local concerns and they incorporate any learning points into the PSHE curriculum. Pupils also receive information about future career paths and pupils are interested and knowledgeable about the different choices available to them in training or employment.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Not all pupils consistently benefit from the personal development provision at the school. When sessions are missed because pupils are absent, they are not routinely supported to catch up. While pupils are taught about the importance of tolerance and mutual respect, a small minority of pupils do not put their learning into action.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The personal development offer at the school is enhanced by a range of educational visits, clubs and activities to broaden experiences and develop pupils' talents and interests. For example, older pupils talked positively about being part of the school's debate team and representing the school at local and national competitions. Leaders do not have a clear overview of the different pupils that attend in order to be able to target certain groups of pupils and raise their engagement with the extra-curricular offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school has a supportive pastoral system that fosters positive relationships between staff and pupils. Many pupils benefit from the school's in-house counselling support and working with trusted adults across the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Too many pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Attendance over the last 3 years has been below the national average and shows little or no sign of sustained improvement over time. Over half of all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are persistently absent. Leaders have not identified possible reasons for this or actively sought to improve the absence rates. Some pupils miss substantial amounts of learning. There are no systems in place to help pupils who have been absent to catch up with their work upon their return. Leaders have recently revised their approach to improving behaviour. Typically, classrooms are calm, but at times, pupils do not engage with their lessons and avoid completing work. Older pupils feel that behaviour within lessons has improved but the number of pupils regularly removed from lessons and accessing the school's 'reset room' is high. The

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Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

suspension rate at the school is significantly above national averages. Suspensions are not used in a way that has a positive impact on pupils' behaviour. Some pupils are suspended repeatedly in a short space of time. Leaders have not suitably adapted the behaviour policy for pupils with SEND.

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Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Most pupils are confident in reporting concerns regarding bullying to staff and are confident that any concerns will be acted on. Generally, staff feel positive about some of the changes in the behaviour policy. However, some staff do not feel well supported in managing pupils' behaviour.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The school has experienced a range of challenges during recent academic years, some of which have been out of leaders’ control. Leaders work hard and care about the pupils. However, they do not evaluate the quality of the school’s provision closely or accurately enough. Over time, leaders and those responsible for governance have not taken appropriate and timely action to address weaknesses at the school. This has had a negative impact on the achievement and experiences of different groups of pupils and also on the support and provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

While those responsible for governance meet their statutory duties, for example, in relation to safeguarding, they do not have an accurate view of the school. Trustees struggle to ensure that the school has received appropriate support from external agencies or networks. Recently, there has been increased challenge from governors. However, the impact of this challenge is not evident in improvements to areas of the school's work, for example with attendance.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Recent changes to the school's leadership team have resulted in a more strategic approach to the oversight of achievement. However, this work is in the early stages.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Staff value the family feel of the school but would welcome support in managing pupils' behaviour. Staff have not routinely accessed professional learning opportunities to support the school with its priorities.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Some parents and carers would not recommend the school. They feel that there is a lack of communication from the school around support for their children and some parents raise concerns about the experiences their children have had during their time at the school.

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

Pupils who attend school are happy and feel safe. They benefit from positive relationships with staff. Pupils' attendance is too low. Too many pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not attend school regularly enough. They miss out on learning and leaders do not have effective systems in place to help pupils catch up with missed learning.

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

Pupils’ experiences in lessons are variable. While some pupils enjoy their learning, especially those in the sixth form, learning throughout the school is not matched sufficiently well to pupils’ needs. Teachers do not routinely use adaptations to support pupils with their learning. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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

The post-16 provision is more effective. Students in the sixth form benefit from more consistently effective teaching compared to younger pupils. They receive carefully considered pastoral support and guidance, which helps them to prepare for their next stages in education, training or employment.

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

The number of suspensions at the school is high and has increased over time. Too many pupils are removed from lessons regularly. This means that these pupils too often miss out on support and experiences within the classroom environment and, as a consequence, fall behind with their learning. Most pupils typically have positive relationships with their peers. They know how to report bullying, if it happens, and are confident staff would resolve any issues. Older pupils support younger pupils through peer mentoring and sixth-form students organise extra-curricular clubs and activities. Classrooms are generally calm.

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

Some pupils benefit from a vast array of clubs and experiences. These include Shakespeare club, classics and debating society. However, not all pupils participate. Too many pupils miss out on the wider opportunities that are designed to develop their confidence, talents and interests.

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Next steps

Leaders should develop a strategic approach to improving pupils' attendance, particularly pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. They should specifically support pupils, who are persistently and severely absent, to improve their attendance urgently. Leaders should support staff to manage pupils' behaviour and support pupils to manage their own behaviour to help reduce the number of suspensions, including for pupils who are repeatedly suspended and in particular for pupils with SEND. Leaders should ensure that their evaluation of the quality of teaching is accurate and identifies specific areas that need improvement. They should ensure that staff receive the necessary training, support and guidance to improve their practice. Leaders should ensure that staff have the necessary information and strategies about how to meet pupils’ needs, so that they can provide pupils with the right support, at the

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Next steps

right time. Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently and regularly check pupils' knowledge and understanding in lessons, correcting misconceptions and moving learning forward, when knowledge is secure. Leaders should ensure that they take appropriate action to identify and assess pupils’ needs and reduce barriers to their learning.

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Lead inspector:

Roxanne Fearns-Davies, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Julie Sheppard, Ofsted Inspector James Laming, Ofsted Inspector Emma Mason, Ofsted Inspector Carey Ayres, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Leaders should ensure that all staff have high expectations of what pupils should be able to achieve and do in all aspects of the school’s work.

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About this inspection

The school is part of a single academy trust. The chair of the trustees is Tom White.

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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 renewed 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 headteacher, senior leaders, staff, a representative of the local authority, representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors 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

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 2 alternative provisions, both are unregistered.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Simon Porter 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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About this inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 9 June 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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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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English and maths GCSE

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

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national average

2024/25 (final) 39.6% 45.4% 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 (final) 42.5 46.1 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 43.1 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

2022/23 (final) 0.16 -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

2024/25 (final) 21.8% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 17.7% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 22.2% 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

2024/25 (final) 32.7 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 32.7 34.6 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 39.6 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) -0.86 -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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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) -0.2 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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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 10.2% 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.

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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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