Southend YMCA Community School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 May 2025

In the short time that pupils spend at this school, they successfully re-engage with education. Pupils gain the qualifications they need for their next steps in education, employment and training. Staff carefully consider pupils' needs and their previous experiences of education. This informs staff's expectations which are realistic as well as aspirational. Pupils respond well. They want to achieve success in their studies and do so. Pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans are particularly well supported to achieve their individual targets. Pupils quickly form warm and trusting relationships with staff. Many pupils speak about the positive influence of school. Pupils now have different attitudes towards life and others. As expressed in their words to inspectors, 'you can be yourself and do not have to wear a mask or live up to a reputation'. Such positivity is palpable in lessons. Pupils behave well, listen attentively to staff and contribute good-naturedly to class discussions. Pupil and student voice is highly valued. Younger pupils are involved in the school's decision-making. For example, they interview job applicants to see if they fit the school's aims and ethos. Sixth-form students have created a garden on the sixth-form site. They benefit from a range of experiences to help them prepare for adulthood.

What the school should improve

• There is some unnecessary repetition in the school's curriculum. This is seen with the replication of some aspects of the Kings Trust accreditation with the school's PSHE curriculum. In addition, the development of pupils' oracy is driven by the qualifications pupils undertake. This means that pupils' repeat work unnecessarily and their confidence with speaking and listening builds piecemeal rather than coherently. The school should review its curriculum so that all elements coherently build pupils' knowledge and understanding over time.
• The school's new phonics programme is in the early stages of development. Currently, the few pupils who require specialist teaching in this area are receiving support in other ways for their reading. As a result, these pupils are not gaining the skills they need to learn to read. The school should press ahead with its plans for implementation so that pupils learn to read quickly and fluently.

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