Engaging Potential

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 November 2024

Strong, caring and professional relationships permeate throughout this school. Pupils truly appreciate the wide range of learning opportunities available to them. They benefit from an extensive mentoring programme which delivers high-quality pastoral support and individual tuition. A safe and respectful culture supports pupils' mental health and well-being exceptionally well. Pupils feel valued, safe and understood. This enables them to re-engage with education and to thrive. Pupils recognise the importance of gaining qualifications that open doors to their next stage in education. The school supports pupils effectively to achieve the qualifications they need. Pupils have highly positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to work hard, make the most of the opportunities they receive and achieve well. Behaviour is excellent. The school sets high expectations for behaviour and learning and supports pupils very well to rise to these expectations. Pupils treat one another and adults with courtesy and respect. When taking part in conversations, pupils listen carefully to one another, invite each other to contribute to discussions and respond thoughtfully to each other's ideas. Well-considered visits to museums and to local points of interest enhance and enrich the curriculum. Pupils also enjoy helping with community initiatives such as at a local furniture project.

What the school should improve

• ◼ In some subjects, the school has not identified precisely the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. This means that staff cannot check exactly what pupils know and do not know and address gaps in understanding effectively. As a result, pupils do not always learn as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that the component knowledge that pupils must know and remember is identified with sufficient precision.

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