University Collegiate School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 September 2024

This school has undergone a transformation since the 2022 inspection. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, are delighted with the improvements that the school has made. They feel happier, safer and more able to learn at school. The trust has supported the school to set the highest expectations of pupils' behaviour and learning. Pupils have risen to this challenge admirably. They behave well and are beginning to achieve more highly than in the past. The University Collegiate School's values of responsibility, loyalty and professionalism permeate the school. Pupils interact with staff and their peers with genuine warmth. Politeness and mutual respect are commonplace. Students in the sixth form carry these values beyond the school when they embark on work-based projects and professional placements. Pupils benefit from the unique opportunities for vocational learning that the school provides. For example, they complete science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects with local employers. Students in the sixth form access industry-standard resources to support their studies in engineering and the health sciences. Pupils are regular visitors to the neighbouring university. These opportunities, alongside a comprehensive careers programme, set pupils up well for their next steps in education, employment or training.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, staff lack expertise to design learning and select activities which help pupils to build their knowledge securely. This hinders some pupils from learning the curriculum as well as they should. The school should ensure that staff receive appropriate subject-specific guidance to support them to deliver the curriculum consistently well.
• The progress that older pupils make through the curriculum is hindered by the weaker curriculum that they experienced in the past. Many pupils have large gaps in their learning as a result. This means that their attainment by the end of key stage 4 is uneven. The school should strengthen its efforts to identify and address any missed learning so that these pupils achieve all that they should.
• Some pupils do not experience the high-quality PSHE education that the school intends. This is because some of the staff responsible for teaching this curriculum do not have the expertise that they need. This means that some pupils are not as well prepared for their lives beyond school as others. The school should ensure that staff receive effective training which equips them to teach the PSHE curriculum as effectively as other subjects.

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