Queen's Croft High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 February 2024

This is a rapidly improving school. Staff are caring and compassionate. Prior to joining Queens Croft, many pupils have not had a positive experience of school. Leaders understand this and are committed to changing this situation for pupils. Increasingly, and over time, pupils develop into confident and resilient young people, who are suitably prepared for life after school. Recently, leaders have begun to pay closer attention to pupils' individual needs and build a coherent picture of the help and support pupils need to be successful. Staff use this knowledge to good effect to meet pupils' academic and therapeutic needs. Pupils behave well in lessons. Most clearly embody the school values of kindness, engagement, resilience and courage. They build strong relationships with staff and with their peers. A comment from one pupil echoes the views of many: 'I make good friends here.' Leaders have worked hard to nurture these bonds since their appointment. Pupils feel safe here and most attend often. Leaders are developing an ambitious curriculum. Pupils take part in a wide range of activities, such as community Makaton performances and enterprise activities. These opportunities help pupils to develop their communication and language skills, while also pushing the boundaries of pupils' comfort zones in a safe and supportive way.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the school has not defined the precise knowledge that pupils will learn. Where this happens, teachers are not clear about the knowledge pupils are expected to learn, and do not always design lessons that support the aims of the curriculum. This holds pupils back. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is equally well planned across all subjects, so that the knowledge to be taught is clearly defined.
• The careers education that pupils receive is limited in its scope. Consequently, pupils are not always aware of the broad range of opportunities that are available to them in the future. Leaders should ensure that they provide pupils with a broad range of meaningful encounters with the world of work to support them to develop their understanding of future career pathways.
• In some subjects, teachers do not have sufficient subject knowledge to adapt learning activities to meet the intended learning set out in the curriculum. This limits the progress pupils make. The school should continue its subject knowledge enhancement work to ensure that all teachers understand the subject and select appropriate learning activities linked to the curriculum goals.

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