Smithdon High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 November 2023

Pupils are benefiting from the improvements made since the school's previous inspection. They know their teachers have high aspirations for them and respond to these well. Most pupils work hard in lessons and produce high-quality work. Over time pupils learn well. Their achievements have increased steadily in recent years. There are clear routines in place to ensure pupils' conduct is good. The majority of pupils understand and follow the agreed systems. This compliance leads to most lessons progressing without interruption. However, a number of pupils feel that some adults focus too much on weaker behaviours. This leads to some pupils having negative feelings about school. Pupils value the opportunities to nurture existing talents and develop new ones. This goes beyond the traditional offer of sport. Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take advantage of these opportunities. High numbers of pupils participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, pushing themselves commendably beyond their comfort zones. Pupils make positive contributions to the community and achieve personal success. Pupils feel safe. Pupils know that there are adults around school who will help them in times of difficulty.

What the school should improve

• Not all teachers use assessment precisely enough to pinpoint how well pupils have understood what they have just been taught. Questions do not focus on specific pieces of knowledge or relate to the independent activity that follows. This means that teachers are not always fully aware of the specific reasons why some pupils cannot access the learning activities set and are unable to adapt their approaches appropriately. Consequently, when this happens pupils do not learn well. The school should ensure that all teachers are trained to use the agreed assessment strategies to determine exactly what pupils know so they can effectively adapt their teaching to address gaps and misconceptions.
• Some pupils do not have positive relationships with some adults in school. In these cases, they develop negative attitudes to school and education. The school should encourage and foster positive relationships based on respect and trust between pupils and all staff.

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