Waverley School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 March 2026

This is a very multicultural school where pupils feel welcomed. Pupils who join the school part way through the academic year quickly develop a sense of belonging. Most pupils achieve well from their individual starting points and are well prepared for the next stage in their education, employment or training. Pupils experience a broad curriculum that is generally adapted effectively to meet individual needs. However, the teaching that pupils receive in the secondary phase varies in its effectiveness. While modelling is typically clear across the school, some pupils do not get the timely checks or practice they need to secure their understanding. Challenges that pupils face are noticed swiftly. Pupils receive a range of highly effective pastoral and wellbeing support. Clear expectations for attendance mean that more pupils are now in school regularly. Pupils know and trust that staff will help to keep them safe. Most pupils behave well and concentrate in lessons. Social times are a purposeful time of the school day where pupils play sports and spend time with their friends. Staff deal with any bullying effectively to ensure it stops. Children in the early years are well cared for. Staff help pupils to learn new vocabulary through, for example, role-play activities in the class home corner. However, sometimes staff do not capitalise on maximising learning opportunities when working with children. Students in the sixth form are effectively supported by dedicated staff who provide useful information about careers. This helps to prepare students for the next stage in their education, employment or training. Everyone can take part in extra-curricular activities such as sports, choir and chess clubs. These are varied and matched to pupils’ interests and talents in the primary phase. Leaders arrange meaningful curriculum enrichment opportunities for pupils, for example, visits to the theatre, museums and galleries.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue to reduce persistent absenteeism by checking regularly that their actions are having the intended impact and by acting quickly where individual pupils' attendance is not improving.
• Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to implement the curriculum effectively so that more pupils achieve consistently high standards across a wider range of subjects as they progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4.
• Leaders should ensure that staff use timely checks on learning to identify gaps and provide the practice pupils need to embed important knowledge securely.
• Leaders should ensure that staff maximise high-quality interactions with children in the early years.

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