Lady Lumley’s School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school of contrasts. Classrooms are usually calm and orderly.

Behaviour in lessons is usually good. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

There is an effective curriculum which helps pupils to do well by the end of key stage 4. Staff are proud to work at the school.

However, elsewhere, a different picture emerges.

A large minority of pupils do not feel safe in school. They do not feel protected from bullying. They do not believe that there is an adult they could talk to if they were worried about anything.

They are fearful of, and are fe...d up with, the behaviour of a small group of pupils. Some pupils do not believe that the school site is secure. They feel threatened on school transport.

They hear abusive language regularly, which is not routinely challenged by staff. They are not confident that leaders will sort any of this out. Some pupils have come to accept that this is how it is.

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

The school provides a good quality of education. Leaders have made sure that an effective curriculum is in place. Subject leaders have thought about what pupils need to learn and when.

They have organised their schemes of learning so that pupils build up their knowledge and skills in a logical way. Due to the ambitious and well-planned curriculum, pupils achieve well by the end of key stage 4. The school is effective in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged.

They are appropriately supported.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons and on corridors is mostly good. Yet pupils told inspectors that there is regular disruption by a small 'hard core' of pupils.

While this is usually dealt with by staff, it starts again in the next lesson. Leaders have put lots of actions in place to try to break this cycle, yet pupils are not confident that things will change.

Pupils told inspectors that behaviour on one of the school buses is poor.

Pupils feel threatened by the conduct of some pupils.

Pupils do not feel safe on the school field because of the behaviour of some pupils. This includes smoking and rough behaviour by some pupils on the 'bank'.

Pupils worry about the lack of staff presence outside at lunchtime for the first 15 minutes.

Pupils are concerned about the regular use of homophobic and racist language around school. They said that when staff hear such language, it is not always challenged.

A large minority of pupils have little confidence in the school's ability to deal with bullying. School leaders feel they are addressing the bullying issues well but pupils do not agree. Some parents and carers share pupils' views about the ineffective management of bullying.

Pupils access a wide range of opportunities outside their lessons. This includes residential visits abroad. Leaders have put in place a programme to support pupils in their understanding of the world beyond the school gates.

For instance, pupils visited a mosque last year. However, pupils' knowledge of faiths and cultures beyond Christianity is variable.

Some aspects of the leadership of the school are effective.

For example, there is no doubt that leaders act in the best interests of pupils when planning the academic curriculum. Staff feel well supported. Yet leaders and governors are not doing enough to tackle the weaknesses in the school.

This is partly because they do not know that the weaknesses exist. When presented with evidence of weaknesses, leaders do not accept it to be the case.

The provision for students in the sixth form is good.

Students follow study programmes which are well matched to their abilities and their career aspirations. The strengths seen in the curriculum lower down the school are evident in sixth-form teaching. For example, teachers build on students' prior understanding to help them learn new knowledge and skills.

Students have access to a range of extra-curricular activities. Leaders have spotted where aspects of pupils' personal development education are less thorough. They have a plan in place to address this.

Students with SEND in the sixth form feel well supported by staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

A large minority of pupils do not feel safe in school.

They are concerned that leaders do not tackle issues such as bullying well enough. Some pupils are intimidated by the poor behaviour of others. In addition to the matters highlighted above, pupils and parents also worry about the security of the school site.

Leaders' actions have not reassured a large minority of parents and pupils that the site is safe. Leaders' attitude towards site safety is complacent. They believe that because there have been no security incidents in the past, there will be none in the future.

Governors have a limited understanding of how to hold leaders to account for safeguarding pupils. Governors do not know what to look for or ask about. They do not know what leaders do to check that safeguarding arrangements are working as they should.

The school's systems for checking the suitability of staff to work in the school meet requirements. Leaders with responsibility for identifying and supporting pupils who are vulnerable and need extra help are diligent in their work. They also make referrals to other agencies when necessary.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders and governors have failed to understand the reasons why a large minority of pupils do not feel safe in school. Leaders' systems to accurately and thoroughly identify and evaluate pupils' views about school are not effective. Leaders, including governors, should review the ways in which the views of pupils and parents are gathered, analysed and evaluated so that they capture an accurate picture of the school.

. Leaders think that they take bullying seriously and believe that they act on it effectively. However, a large minority of pupils, and parents, do not share this view.

Leaders should review and evaluate the ways in which they manage bullying so that pupils and parents can have confidence that leaders protect pupils from bullying. . A small number of pupils present the school with very challenging behaviour.

Despite some appropriate action by leaders to try to bring about an improvement, some pupils continue to behave inappropriately. Leaders need to act to ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged by the poorly behaved minority. .

Some pupils and parents are not confident that the school site is safe. However, leaders do not think that pupils or parents should be worried about site safety. Leaders should take action to listen to these anxieties and to understand them.

They should take appropriate and reasonable steps to reassure pupils and parents about site safety. . Pupils reported widespread use of homophobic and racist language.

Some pupils do not report this because they do not expect staff or leaders to act. Some pupils have become hardened to such abusive language. Leaders should act to address the school culture in which such language is endemic and considered normal.