Shipston High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 July 2023

Pupils are at the centre of school life at Shipston High. They uphold the school's values of learning, respect, ambition and achievement in their actions. Learning is valued highly by all, and there are positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils are mature, polite and considerate of others. Leaders are clear and ambitious in their drive to make their school better. They have high expectations of all and help pupils to learn and grow in their understanding of the wider world to prepare them for adult life. Pupils rise to leaders' expectations and achieve well across the curriculum. They also benefit from the house system in place to support them. Pupils regularly debate topical issues and subject ideas with their teachers. There is a range of sporting and engineering-related opportunities to expand their horizons. Older pupils can become prefects and participate in community work, making valuable contributions to school life and beyond. Pupils show positive attitudes towards learning. This is clear through their written work and the pride they have in their achievements. Most pupils behave well, and this has improved over the course of the year. Pupils know they are cared for. They feel safe and happy in school. Pupils say that bullying is dealt with well when it occurs.

What the school should improve

• Some pupils with SEND are not receiving effective support to enable them to progress through the curriculum. As a result, some pupils with SEND, particularly those who do not have an EHC plan, are not able to engage fully with the ambitious curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that teachers appropriately adapt the curriculum in all subjects and that they monitor the progress of all pupils with SEND through the whole curriculum.
• Leaders do not routinely assess the reading ability of all pupils. This means that pupils who require additional support with their reading are not identified quickly enough and are therefore not able to engage with the curriculum fully. Leaders should ensure that pupils with gaps in their reading ability are identified and supported quickly and effectively to enable them to access the full curriculum.
• Parents do not receive enough information about their child's progress and how they are supported more widely. This results in parents feeling that they do not know enough about what happens in school. Leaders need to develop engagement opportunities that are focused and have purpose, aiming to ensure that parents are better informed.

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