John Spence Community High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders' ambition for a broad and inclusive curriculum is not always matched by pupils' experience in the classroom.

Leaders recognise that improvements in several subject areas are required. Recent changes to the curriculum, assessment processes and support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have taken place. However, the impact of this work is not secure.

Pupils demonstrate positive behaviour within classrooms. They listen well to staff and their peers. Pupils' wider development is a strong feature of the school.

This includes through the 'GOALS' programme, which develops pupils' confidence and resilience. Leaders' work to ...improve behaviour and attendance across the school has been effective. Removals from lessons, rates of suspension and persistent absence have all reduced over time.

Pupils and staff at John Spence Community High School share warm and respectful relationships. Bullying is rare. Leaders closely monitor and respond to any incidents of unkind behaviour.

Pupils at the school are tolerant and respectful of others' differences. Pupils with SEND are included, inside and outside of lessons. This includes a dedicated 'Tuesday Club', where young people from across the community come together to take part in a range of activities.

In addition, a sports and performing arts 'academy' programme is attended by many pupils. These opportunities are valued by pupils who attend them.

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

Leaders have created a curriculum intended to give all pupils access to a broad and balanced education.

Curriculum plans set out what pupils will learn and in what order. Leaders have considered where pupils might have gaps in their knowledge and skills, including those caused by the pandemic. However, this ambition is not realised for all pupils in the classroom.

Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what some pupils can, and should, be able to do. They do not deliver the curriculum consistently well.

Leaders understand that improvements are needed in several subject areas.

They have begun to take action to improve the quality of education provided at the school. However, some aspects of their work have had limited impact. Leaders' quality assurance is not as accurate as it might be.

This limits how effectively those responsible for governance can support and challenge leaders' actions.

Some teachers do not adapt learning well to meet the needs of all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Sometimes, teachers do not ask effective questions that check what pupils do, and do not, understand.

Too often, pupils do not produce work of a sufficiently high standard. Some pupils do not have a strong understanding of what they have been taught.

Assessment is used inconsistently across the school.

The way in which teachers check what pupils know and remember lacks precision. Pupils do not always respond to the improvements they are asked to make in their work. Teachers do not use information from assessments well to plan future learning.

As a result, pupils continue to have gaps in their knowledge of the curriculum.

Pupils with SEND are supported by specialist staff, who know their needs well. These staff are effective at providing the help and guidance that pupils with SEND need to access the curriculum.

However, teachers do not always make suitable adjustments to lessons and activity choices to support the learning of pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with SEND experience a variable quality of education.

Leaders understand the importance of all pupils being able to read well.

Improving pupils' literacy is a priority across the school. However, much of what leaders have implemented in this regard is new. Pupils lack confidence and precision when using new vocabulary in their written work and when reading aloud.

Pupils learn about several important topics within the 'Fit for Life' curriculum. These include how to stay safe and healthy, be a responsible citizen and about British values and the protected characteristics. Most pupils understand the messages this curriculum contains well.

They demonstrate tolerance and respect for those different from themselves.

All pupils have access to a varied careers curriculum. This includes work experience opportunities, a career fair and visits to further education settings.

Leaders are beginning to include more information on career paths linked to different subjects. For example, a 'Futures' month takes place where several lessons focus on careers in greater depth.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, staff and governors understand the risks that pupils at the school might face, both online and in person. Staff are confident to report any concerns they have. They know the signs that a young person might be at risk of, or subject to, harm.

Pupils are taught how to stay safe and healthy. The curriculum includes important messages about drugs, alcohol, open water and sharing personal information. Leaders take effective action when they suspect that a pupil might be at risk of harm.

Support for pupils and their families is strong. The school works well with external agencies to help protect and support vulnerable pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? The quality of education pupils receive is inconsistent.

In several subjects, teachers do not adapt learning to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Pupils do not learn the curriculum as leaders intend. This creates gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding.

Leaders should ensure they continue to identify weaker practice among staff and provide appropriate professional development to improve the quality of education across the school. ? Assessment is used inconsistently across the school. Teachers' understanding of how to use different types of assessment to inform next steps in learning is underdeveloped.

In some cases, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can, and do, produce during assessment tasks. Pupils do not improve consistently following feedback from staff. Leaders should ensure that all staff understand when and how assessment should be used and monitor the impact of this work on pupils' understanding and outcomes.

• Leaders' reading strategy, including support for those at an early stage of learning to read, is new and not implemented consistently across the school. As a result, some pupils struggle to learn the curriculum as well as they might because their understanding of text and vocabulary requires further improvement. Leaders should ensure they embed the plans they have already put in place and provide targeted training for staff to ensure these plans are implemented consistently across the school.

• Leaders' approach to quality assurance does not provide them with an accurate understanding of the areas for improvement that exist in the quality of education that pupils receive. This also impacts upon how effectively governors can support and challenge school leaders to ensure ongoing school improvement. Leaders should ensure they analyse the impact of their work with precision and plan targeted next steps to ensure improvements are made, especially to the quality of education that pupils receive in some subjects.