Whitby School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 November 2023

Pupils experience a variable quality of education. The strong learning that pupils experience in some subjects is not consistently replicated in others. Pupils do access an increasingly ambitious curriculum. They are studying a wider range of content at key stage 3 than they did previously. In lessons, pupils generally behave well and focus upon their learning. Staff build positive relationships with pupils. However, pupils' behaviour outside of lessons is less orderly. Although most pupils are confident in the school's ability to address incidents of bullying, others are less confident. The school teaches pupils how to stay safe. They learn about the dangers they may experience living in a coastal town, such as the sea and the cliffs. Pupils learn about the social risks posed by alcohol and substance misuse. The majority of pupils feel safe, although some pupils are concerned by the behaviour of their peers, particularly at social times. Students in the sixth form experience a well-designed curriculum that meets their needs. The school supports their academic and personal development in well- considered ways. Students in the sixth form achieve well.

What the school should improve

• There is variation in how well the curriculum is implemented between and within subjects. The use of assessment does not check sufficiently how well pupils have learned important concepts. On occasion, the assessment tasks that pupils are set do not enable them to fully demonstrate their learning. The school should take further action to ensure that assessment, and the tasks that teachers set pupils, enables teachers to get a deeper picture of the knowledge and skills that pupils have acquired.
• The behaviour of pupils outside of lessons is not good enough. A significant minority of pupils and parents remain concerned about behaviour, including vaping by some pupils in the school toilets. The school should take further action to improve pupils' behaviour outside of lessons and provide greater reassurance to pupils and their parents.
• The attendance of pupils, especially of particular groups of pupils, requires improvement. The school must take more effective action to improve rates of attendance.
• Although safeguarding is effective and the school records concerns about pupils' safety, patterns of concern are not addressed well enough. This can affect how well the school addresses any emerging concerns about issues such as bullying. The school should take more effective action to address any patterns of concern.
• The curriculum to support pupils' personal development is not consistently embedded. Pupils' understanding of fundamental British values is not strong enough, and some pupils do not show consistent respect for the protected characteristics. The school should take further action to enhance this aspect of the curriculum.

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