The Chantry School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 March 2023

Pupils feel well cared for at The Chantry School. They enjoy coming to school. Pupils say that their teachers know them well and that they can talk to staff about any concerns they may have. Leaders have designed the curriculum carefully. Pupils build on what they learn in lessons through meticulously planned and well-chosen activities and trips that help bring their learning to life. Teachers carry out regular checks that pupils understand what they have learned. As a result, pupils achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders have high expectations of pupils. These high expectations are mostly realised. However, in a few lessons, teachers do not manage behaviour well enough, and this disrupts learning for some pupils. Leaders deal well with bullying when it happens. Pupils have extensive opportunities to participate in a wide range of clubs, trips and visits. Pupils on the student council consult their peers to make sure that the clubs reflect their interests and aspirations, and as a result, leaders provide extra clubs. These clubs include rock climbing club, cooking and 3D printing. Pupils put on two musical shows each year, and they have many sporting opportunities to be involved in. Pupils are encouraged to contribute to the life of the school and the local community. As a result, pupils are confident and respectful of the views of others.

What the school should improve

• Leaders do not have a clear enough oversight of some aspects of their work such as safeguarding, attendance and behaviour. This limits their ability to easily identify patterns and trends and to use these to guide their next steps. Leaders should consider how best to ensure that they gain and maintain full oversight of all aspects of the school's work and use this well to direct their future actions.
• Expectations of pupils' behaviour in lessons and the management of behaviour in lessons are not fully consistent. As a result, on a few occasions, there is some low-level disruption in lessons. Leaders should ensure that all staff have equally high expectations of how pupils should behave and that all pupils understand these expectations, so that behaviour in lessons is of a consistently high standard.
• The taught curriculum for PSHE, including relationship and sex education, does not give pupils the opportunity to learn about some important topics in sufficient depth. This means that pupils' understanding is sometimes not as well developed as it might be. Leaders should consider how best to ensure that pupils are able to develop their understanding of these important topics in appropriate depth, building on their learning over time.

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