John Ferneley College

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 16 April 2024

Over the last few years, John Ferneley College has experienced several changes to its senior leadership. As a result, the school has not ensured that all pupils consistently receive a high-quality education. Some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Some parents are dissatisfied with the school. New leaders are clear about what needs to be improved. However, their plans are at an early stage and have yet to have an impact on pupils' outcomes. The school has successfully worked on improving behaviour. Most pupils behave well in lessons. There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. Most pupils are polite and well-mannered. They conduct themselves well during breaks and lunchtimes. However, a few pupils can be boisterous when moving around the school. Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils said that bullying sometimes happens. They are confident that staff would resolve any issues quickly. Pupils have opportunities to contribute to school life. Some are school ambassadors, and some are student leaders. Some pupils enjoy taking part in the school production. There is also a range of after-school sporting clubs that pupils enjoy attending. Pupils in Year 11 appreciate and make good use of after-school revision sessions.

What the school should improve

• Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding carefully enough. This means that gaps in learning and misconceptions are not always addressed. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Teachers should ensure that they systematically check pupils' understanding to address gaps in learning and misconceptions.
• Teachers do not always ensure that pupils produce high-quality work. They do not check that pupils spell keywords correctly or that they use correct punctuation. This means that some pupils make errors that are not always corrected, which affects the accuracy of their writing. Teachers should ensure that pupils' writing is of a high quality by checking that they are spelling correctly and using correct punctuation.
• Teachers do not always adapt their teaching to support pupils with SEND to access the curriculum. This means that some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could. Teachers should ensure that they use the information and strategies they are given to support pupils with SEND so that they can access the curriculum and achieve well.
• Teachers do not always use the behaviour policy well. They do not always address off-task behaviour. Some pupils think teachers are not always fair when dealing with behaviour issues. The school should ensure that all staff use the behaviour policy consistently.
• Leaders have not addressed some of the inconsistencies in implementing the curriculum. This means that the quality of education provided by the school is inconsistent. Pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that quality assurance procedures precisely identify how well staff implement the curriculum. They should use this information to support staff to improve their practice.

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