JCoSS

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 November 2022

Pupils enjoy attending this ambitious, supportive and inspiring school. Leaders have embedded an ethos that promotes tolerance and inclusion. They think carefully about how to develop each pupil as an individual. Pupils achieve highly and become confident and committed learners. They are encouraged to develop their own identity while learning to understand and celebrate that of others. The curriculum is broad and balanced for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Across the school, teachers focus on ensuring that pupils make progress through the curriculum. They teach pupils to collaborate and develop independence as learners. Working relationships between staff and pupils are warm. Pupils behave well. Very little learning time is lost to poor behaviour. Pupils treat others as equals, showing kindness and respect. On the rare occasions on which bullying occurs, it is dealt with effectively. Teachers and subject leaders continually consider how to ensure that pupils' learning becomes even better. They enrich learning through trips and in-school events like debates. The school is popular and well regarded by parents and carers. Nearly all pupils opt to stay on for the sixth form, which provides strong pastoral support and a highly ambitious curriculum offer.

What the school should improve

• In a few instances, leaders have not made sure that their expectations for the delivery of the curriculum are followed by all staff. This leads to inconsistencies in how pupils' knowledge is deepened over time. Leaders need to strengthen the way they ensure and assure the curriculum is working in practice in Years 7 to 11, providing staff with guidance and training as necessary.

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