Sir John Talbot's School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 December 2023

Pupils, and students in the sixth form, are made to feel welcome at Sir John Talbot's School, where all are included. The school's vision of 'achievement through caring' underpins everything it does to ensure a quality education for all. The school has high expectations for all pupils' achievement, and addresses any barriers faced by those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged in any way. Pupils experience first-rate opportunities for personal development throughout their time at the school. They enjoy a range of high-quality experiences that include learning about relevant topics, a wide range of different clubs, visits and other school events. These add to pupils' enjoyment of school. They are extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils feel safe at school and know that they could talk to staff if they had any problems with regard to themselves or concerns about others. The school ensures that pupils know how to keep themselves safe and well. The school's high expectations for behaviour are achieved by most pupils. However, a small number struggle to meet these expectations. Suspensions have been too high in the past but have recently started to fall as a result of the school's actions to support pupils when needed.

What the school should improve

• The proportion of pupils suspended from the school has been too high in the recent past, and some pupils continue to be suspended on repeated occasions. As a result, some pupils miss out on learning time. The school should continue to develop its work to support pupils who struggle to meet the expectations for behaviour so that less learning time is lost for pupils as a result of suspension.

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