Thomas Gainsborough School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 November 2024

Pupils at Thomas Gainsborough School (TGS) attend a school that, at all levels, wants them to succeed both academically and socially. This culture is clear in the way in which pupils respond positively to the expectations placed upon them. As a result, pupils behave in a manner of which they can be proud. Equally, their academic performance reflects the school's value 'excellence for each, for all'. Pupils describe feeling safe and happy. They trust that adults will look out for them if they have any concerns. They are respectful and polite to one another, staff and visitors. The pupils themselves say that bullying is exceptionally rare, that they almost never hear unkind language and that, once reported, any issues are dealt with quickly. Pupils have high aspirations. Sixth-form students are captivated by their subjects and their experiences. High profile visiting speakers expand the students' horizons. Much of the enrichment in the sixth form is student-led. Fundraising, meeting with local business leaders, editing the school magazine, and leading mentoring in the lower school are all part of the sixth-form experience.

What the school should improve

• While the curriculum is increasingly ambitious for all pupils, some pupils with SEND are not always able to fully access their learning because the planning for their needs is not sufficiently precise. The school should ensure that support for pupils with SEND is consistently effective to help them achieve well.
• In a small number of subjects, the quality of written work is not always consistently well assessed. As a result, errors and misconceptions are not always picked up. This means they are repeated without correction. The school should ensure that the approach to checking pupils' work is sufficiently rigorous in all subjects.

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