Felixstowe School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are attending an improving school. Pupils say that the new trust and headteacher are making a difference. Behaviour is better in lessons.

Pupils say that they now have regular teachers who make the lessons more enjoyable than before.

Pupils are proud of the badges they earn through the 'Felixstowe Way' awards. While pupil parliament and the use of pupil voice are not well established, most pupils say adults listen to them.

Students in the sixth form have many opportunities to lead and support their younger peers, such as through the prefect system or through mentoring. However, the curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education i...s not as well developed in the sixth form.

Parents are happier with the school than in the past.

Three quarters of parents who responded to the Ofsted survey, Parent View, would recommend the school. A minority express concerns about bullying and how staff deal with it. This echoes some pupils' views.

Some pupils are not happy with the speed with which staff resolve some incidents of behaviour. Incidents of bullying are reducing and most pupils say they feel safe at school.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Trust leaders have trained staff so that they understand how to design an ambitious curriculum.

This is in place for most subjects. The teaching of religious education now follows statutory guidance. While the numbers of pupils choosing to study the subjects for the English Baccalaureate are low, they are rising.

In particular, high proportions of pupils are opting to take history or geography at GCSE.

Staff understand the importance of building pupils' knowledge step by step. Teachers' subject knowledge is strong.

They give pupils frequent opportunities to revisit key concepts to reinforce learning. Teachers' checking of whether pupils are learning in lessons is variable. This includes teaching in the sixth form.

In lessons, some teachers check pupils have understood key ideas before moving pupils on. Some teachers address misconceptions and errors as they occur. Not all teachers do this.

As a result, some pupils are not making the progress of which they are capable across the curriculum.

Teachers are also inconsistent in their approach to understanding how pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are faring in lessons. Teachers use the strategies outlined in pupils' education, health and care plans (EHC plan), check pupils' understanding and adapt activities or teaching to support these pupils.

However, for those pupils with SEND who are not in receipt of an EHC plan, some teaching does not identify where pupils are struggling and may need more support so these pupils can succeed.

Leaders have introduced a new reading programme which is successfully supporting pupils to learn to read confidently and fluently. Leaders have clear plans to develop pupil's reading habits, so they value reading and understand its importance for further study.

Leaders have invested in various support programmes to help pupils with any social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. This includes the use of a therapy dog and access to a school chaplain. However, where pupils' needs become increasingly complex, leaders are not as adept at identifying what additional support, including external expertise, may be required and sourcing this quickly.

As a result, the attendance of some pupils with these types of complex needs remains low.

Students in the sixth form say that behaviour is much better around the school and in lessons than was the case previously. Younger pupils generally agree but say that there can be low-level disruption if pupils are not interested in the lesson.

Pupils say there can be inappropriate behaviour in crowded areas, such as pushing or jumping into the lunch queue. Incidents of behaviours that require more significant consequences are reducing. Most of the time, pupils move sensibly around the school.

Leaders have carefully considered how pupils develop social skills and the values they need to succeed in later life. In the main school, there is a well-considered PSHE curriculum that promotes this. While the school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships, Year 11 pupils and sixth-form students would like more careers information about going to college, apprenticeships and employment.

The PSHE curriculum for the sixth form has gaps. Leaders have not thought carefully enough about what young people of this age need to learn. This includes careers guidance, where there are not enough opportunities to learn from employers and experience the workplace.

Trustees responded rapidly and robustly to the findings from Ofsted's last monitoring visit. The interim executive board has sharply held leaders to account, while also making sure that leaders have the support to make a difference. The quality of provision is better and systems are stronger.

Leaders are now using a wealth of information to help inform their decisions. However, not all leaders are analysing and evaluating effectively to see where provision can be improved, for example among pupils with increasingly complex SEMH needs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Since the last Ofsted monitoring visit, trust leaders have extensively trained staff. Leaders have introduced a new system for logging safeguarding concerns. Leaders have improved their communication with external agencies, including the local authority, so that the most vulnerable pupils are safe.

Staff know how to log concerns and understand their responsibilities with reporting. Staff understand the latest government guidance, including how to respond to reports of sexual harassment.Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including how to respond to friend requests on social media.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers deliver the curriculum without checking that pupils have understood key ideas before moving on. This means that pupils can be left with misconceptions and not be clear in their understanding. Leaders need to train staff further so that teachers consistently check pupils' understanding.

This includes pupils with SEND who are not in receipt of an EHC plan. ? There is some low-level disruption in classes where pupils lack engagement. When this or bullying occurs, some pupils are of the view that teachers and leaders do not respond quickly enough.

This means that pupils' learning is interrupted, and they become frustrated when they think nothing happens as a result. Leaders need to continue to make inroads in tackling incidents of low-level disruption. Leaders need to ensure that pupils know what is happening around any concerns that are raised, including incidents that are deemed to be bullying.

• There are gaps in the personal development programme for students in the sixth form. This means that students do not get thorough preparation for adult life and independent living. Leaders need to consider and deliver what students at this age need to be taught to live rich and fulfilling lives.

• Leaders have a wealth of information but they do not scrutinise this closely enough to inform further actions. This means that they do not have clear insight into key issues, such as making sure pupils with complex SEMH needs have their needs well met. Trust leaders need to provide further training for senior leaders, so they effectively analyse, evaluate and use the information available to them.

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