The Gatwick School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders act successfully to achieve their vision for the school. The whole staff is committed to the ongoing development of this new school as it grows. Staff are rightly proud of what they realise collectively for the pupils in their care.

Since taking up his post in September 2016, the head of school has built effectively on the work of his predecessor. He works closely with the executive headteacher to provide clear direction supported by well-structured systems. This ensures that the school continues to improve.

The school provides well for learners who have a wide range of needs. The number of pupils on roll is growing rapidly, showi...ng the confidence pupils and their parents have in the school. Pupils who join the school mid-year flourish because of the individual support they receive.

Pupils have good relationships with their teachers, which enables them to engage purposefully with their learning. Teachers use their secure subject knowledge to plan learning effectively across a range of subjects at both key stages. Teachers do not always match learning activities closely with the needs or starting points of individuals.

As a result, disadvantaged pupils and those with high prior attainment do not make such rapid progress as other groups of learners. Secondary-age pupils thrive on opportunities to contribute to their growing community. They look after younger pupils well.

All pupils are very well cared for and flourish because of the wide range of opportunities that contribute to their personal development. Pupils' attendance and behaviour are good and improving because of the successful systems in place. Some pupils who did not attend school regularly in the past do so now because of leaders' effective work with them and their families.

Pupils make increasingly rapid progress with their learning. Those who join the school mid-year, who speak English as an additional language, or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make accelerated progress. Provision for children in the early years foundation stage is good.

Leaders evaluate strengths and weaknesses in the early years accurately. They take appropriate action where necessary, which is securing ongoing improvement. Children in the early years foundation stage are happy and confident.

They learn well, particularly in phonics. Leaders recognise that pupils' learning of number is not currently as secure as it is in other areas of the curriculum.

Information about this school

The Gatwick School is an all-through free school for pupils aged four to 16.

It opened in September 2014, and was re-brokered from The Crawley Free School Trust to become part of the Aurora Academies Trust in October 2016. It currently only has pupils in early years, key stage 1 and key stage 3. The school is expanding rapidly, with high proportions of pupils joining the school at times other than the start of Reception Year and Year 7.

It anticipates growing to become a school for 1,020 pupils by 2,020, when it will have pupils in every year group. The percentage of girls is below that seen nationally in primary and secondary schools. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils (those supported by the pupil premium) is broadly typical of that seen nationally.

More of the disadvantaged pupils are in key stage 3 than in the early years or key stage 1. Just under a quarter of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. An increasing proportion of pupils in the school speak English as an additional language.

Approximately a tenth of pupils are classed as requiring support for special educational needs and/or disabilities, which is slightly below other schools nationally. There are four pupils in the school with an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs. The school runs a number of after-school clubs for pupils in all year groups.

It also provides wrap-around childcare for pupils in the primary phase, via a breakfast and after-school club. The head of school took up his post in September 2016. The chair of the local advisory board (which supports the trustees in holding school leaders to account for teaching, learning and leadership) has only been in her current post for two months.

The school is not currently judged against the floor standards that the government expects pupils to achieve, as it has no pupils in key stages 2 and 4. The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.

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