St Birinus School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 February 2025

The school has successfully established a strong culture of 'care, courtesy and commitment' alongside high expectations. These are lived out by staff and pupils alike. For example, there is a friendly and welcoming atmosphere around the site. Pupils are respectful and courteous to others and well behaved in lessons and in social times. Sixth- form students are positive role models for younger pupils, who look up to them as a result. The curriculum is broad and ambitious in all year groups. Pupils share the school's high aspirations for them. They are proud to show off their work, especially where they have had to grapple with more challenging problems or concepts. Consequently, all pupils achieve well in external examinations. Where the school has adapted the curriculum for individuals, including where it uses external providers, this is done very successfully. Pupils enjoy school and participate widely in the rich extra-curricular and leadership opportunities on offer. They are proud of how kind and accepting of difference that the school is. Pupils trust staff to help them if necessary. They appreciate that staff know them well, are happy to see them every day and care for them.

What the school should improve

• There is a small amount of variation in how effectively the school's teaching principles are implemented. This means that sometimes pupils do not systematically gain the depth of understanding and subject fluency they could, relative to their age and stage. The school should continue to embed its teaching principles, so that all pupils across the curriculum are routinely required to think deeply, explain their thinking and then apply it to increasingly complex tasks.

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