City of Rochester School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 July 2024

Pupils feel safe and secure at school. They know that staff are on their side and will support them kindly and sensitively. The school is highly successful at integrating pupils, not only back into education, but into the school community. Many pupils had a negative view of education prior to joining City of Rochester School. They speak very positively about their school, and how it has supported them to develop an optimistic view of education. Over time, pupils learn to value themselves and others. Older pupils and students in the sixth form say that the school has transformed their lives. The school has designed its educational offer very carefully to ensure that pupils achieve well academically and incorporate experiential and vocational learning that feels relevant and engaging to pupils. The school's strong curriculum offer supports work to improve pupils' attendance, many of whom have in the past been reluctant to attend school. Pupils told inspectors that they now want to come to school. Pupils benefit from the positive and respectful environment that staff create. Pupils learn to behave well and to be respectful of others. At all times, the school is alert to what captures an individual pupil's attention and interest. The school uses a range of specialist providers to enable pupils to pursue these. For some older students, this support and provision has been a stepping stone to a positive next step. For example, several pupils have had riding lessons and undertaken qualifications in horse knowledge and care before successfully moving on to an apprenticeship in a riding stable.

What the school should improve

• Assessment information is not used consistently well to inform the teaching of reading. Additionally, not all staff are experts in the teaching of early reading. The school should develop their assessment approaches in reading so that all staff have an accurate understanding of pupils' starting points and gaps and have the expertise they need to support all pupils reading effectively.
• Teachers do not always consider the prior knowledge pupils will need to successfully develop new learning. As a result, pupils struggle to access some learning. The school should revisit and refine curriculum sequencing so that learning builds carefully over time and ensure that teachers understand how to break learning down into manageable steps for pupils.

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