Coquet Community School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 15 June 2022

Pupils are proud to attend this safe and welcoming school. Staff are warm and friendly. The words 'pride' and 'respect' form the basis of the well-structured behaviour policy. Pupils learn about the positive futures open to them after they leave school. An annual careers fair allows pupils to find out about local businesses. They learn about their own interests and strengths. Pupils know what staff expect of them. They are keen to do well. Occasionally, lessons are disrupted by poor behaviour. Staff manage this very effectively. They get pupils back on track quickly. Bullying does happen sometimes but it is resolved quickly. Staff take it seriously. They are very capable in addressing pupils' concerns. In most subjects, teachers are clear about what pupils need to know. However, in a few subjects, such as history and religious education (RE), this is not the case. In these subjects, pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they might. Leaders are taking effective action to put this right. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well. Highly trained staff provide the right support for each pupil. Students in the sixth form are proud to be part of the school. Staff support them to choose courses that meet their interests and needs.

What the school should improve

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects, including RE and history. Pupils do not learn as well as they should. However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders should ensure that they complete the process of clearly identifying what pupils need to know within all subjects to a consistently high standard.
• Pupils struggle to remember what they have learned about different religions. This means that they do not have a strong enough understanding of world faiths. Leaders should review the curriculum to ensure that the content and mode of delivery enable staff to check that pupils understand and remember important knowledge.
• Some pupils are not attending school as often as they should. This means they are not benefitting from a high-quality education. Non-attendance contributes to gaps in pupils' learning. Leaders should continue to work with parents, carers and pupils to reduce the number of pupils who are persistently absent.

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