Shoeburyness High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 June 2024

There are lots of adults who will listen to pupils' views at Shoeburyness High School. Pupils value the pastoral members of staff who are on hand at times such as lunchtime. Pupils can access a range of support to resolve any worries or concerns. This includes access to counselling and support for mental health. Typically, pupils feel happy and safe as a result. Pupils are very clear about wanted and unwanted behaviours. The school has raised standards of behaviour significantly. Most pupils behave well. However, a small number of older boys are not respectful enough. This makes a minority of pupils feel uncomfortable. The school has raised expectations about what pupils should achieve. Pupils are remembering more and producing higher-quality work as a result. They study a broad and ambitious curriculum. This includes in the sixth form, where students' needs are well catered for through a blend of academic and vocational options. However, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not experience a high-enough quality of teaching or have enough opportunities to explore important knowledge in depth. Pupils benefit from a range of personal development opportunities. These include 'charities week', where pupils raise money for charity, which promotes good moral understanding.

What the school should improve

• A small minority of older boys do not show enough tolerance and respect towards others. As a result, this makes a minority of pupils, especially some girls, feel uncomfortable because of the way these pupils behave towards them. The school should continue with the range of support and strategies to help pupils change their attitudes and show tolerance and respect. The school also needs to ensure it works further with girls who experience this behaviour so that they always report it, so that it can be quickly addressed.
• The school has not ensured that teachers consistently provide opportunities to explore more detailed and complex knowledge. As a result, some pupils, particularly higher-attaining pupils, do not always have sufficient opportunities to build their knowledge in depth. The school should ensure all staff provide opportunities for pupils to extend the depth and complexity of their knowledge.
• The school has not ensured that the entire curriculum is taught consistently well. This is because a minority of teachers do not follow the whole-school approaches to teaching and assessment. As a result, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not retain important knowledge as well as they should. The school should ensure that all teachers follow and implement whole-school approaches to teaching and assessment effectively.

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