Chelmer Valley High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 June 2023

Pupils flourish at this school because they have a range of opportunities to succeed. They have the chance to study a wide range of subjects, such as hair and beauty, philosophy, engineering and economics. Pupils do their best, and leaders are always thinking about how to make learning better. Pupils respect staff and each other. They feel valued because staff build positive relationships with them. Pupils achieve the high expectations that staff set them. This means that most pupils behave well. Bullying is not tolerated. Where there are rare instances of bullying, pupils trust staff to deal with it effectively. Pupils know that discrimination of any form is not accepted in this school. This makes them feel safe and confident to be themselves. Many pupils participate in the many trips and clubs available. These opportunities help them thrive. For example, in astronomy club, pupils can use the school's observatory to explore space with powerful telescopes. They can also learn about the smallest organisms by attending a trip to the world's largest particle physics laboratory in Switzerland.

What the school should improve

• In a few areas of the curriculum, teachers do not adapt teaching effectively for some pupils who are struggling to learn. As a result, these pupils cannot access what they are being taught and do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that all teachers have the expertise to adapt their teaching to make sure that all pupils learn well.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)