Sir William Stanier School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 April 2026

Since the last inspection, pupils have experienced positive change at this school. They are welcomed at the school gates and made to feel part of the school community. Most pupils appreciate the rules and routines that are now in place. This helps to create a general feeling of calm in the building. Pupils typically feel safe. They usually build positive relationships with each other and with staff. Pupils are confident in reporting incidents of unkind behaviour or bullying. They know that staff will deal with these incidents quickly and effectively. However, while staff support pupils to attend school regularly, many of them still miss too much school. Most pupils reflect positively on the recent improvements at this school. Where teaching is of a higher quality, pupils know more and remember more. However, this is not always the case. Staff know pupils’ barriers to learning and wellbeing, including those faced by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. That said, pupils are not consistently well supported to access their learning successfully. Lessons are generally calm and this allows pupils to work. However, some pupils do not engage well with their learning. Historical weaknesses in the curriculum mean that pupils have some gaps in their knowledge. As such, they do not achieve as well as they should by the end of key stage 4. Leaders are addressing this and pupils are starting to show increased understanding of what they have been taught. Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities and opportunities, including ‘eco projects’ and contributing to the success of the school allotment. They show an understanding of different social issues, such as how to keep themselves safe online, as well as current affairs. This helps to broaden their views of the world and prepare them for life in modern Britain.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is ambitious, well-designed and consistently well implemented.
• Leaders should support teachers to use the information from their checks on pupils' understanding to design teaching activities that close gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This will reduce pupils’ barriers to learning, secure their knowledge over time, and help to raise their attainment.
• Leaders should ensure that behaviour rules and routines are consistently embedded so that pupils are better engaged in their learning.
• Leaders should continue their work in reducing school absence for all groups of pupils so that attendance figures improve to be in line with the national average.

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