The Long Eaton School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy coming to school.

They know their teachers want them to do well. Many pupils feel well supported. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not get the help they need.

Many pupils are polite and manage their behaviour well. However, in some lessons, pupils' learning is disrupted by others. Too many boys and disadvantaged pupils are excluded from school for a short period of time due to poor behaviour.

These same groups of pupils do not attend school as well as they should.

Most pupils say they feel safe in school. However, some pupils experience bullying, including incidents of homophobia.

The...y do not always tell someone about it when it happens. They are not confident that all staff will deal with it effectively.

Leaders have introduced strategies to improve pupils' behaviour and promote respect.

New curriculum and pastoral leaders are beginning to have a positive impact. The school is going through a period of significant change. These changes are recent, but most pupils think that the school is improving.

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

Leaders are reviewing their curriculum plans. They are making sure that these plans focus precisely on what pupils need to know and when. In music, for instance, pupils learn about vocalisation in Year 7 and then build on this knowledge in Year 8 when they study the Blues.

In history, leaders have thought carefully about the content of the curriculum and the order in which it is taught. Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum in English. They have identified the key knowledge and skills that pupils should learn over time.

Leaders' work to improve the curriculum is not consistent in every subject. In science, leaders have not thought carefully enough about the order of the curriculum. Leaders have not considered how to identify and plug any gaps in pupils' knowledge due to the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Some pupils do not have the scientific knowledge they need to move to the next stage.

In Spanish, teachers have good subject knowledge. However, the curriculum does not identify clearly enough what pupils need to know and when, so that they can build on their prior knowledge and achieve their potential.

Some pupils, particularly those with SEND, lack confidence in their ability to learn Spanish. They do not get the help they need to know more and remember more of the curriculum.

In other subjects too, pupils with SEND do not always get the right support.

Leaders do not check how well teachers use information about these pupils' needs to help them make progress through the curriculum. In the enhanced resource unit, pupils with SEND are well supported by staff. However, the help they get in other lessons is inconsistent.

Some parents of children with SEND are positive about the support that their children get. However, others are frustrated that their children do not gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful.

Leaders identify pupils who struggle to read well.

Well-trained staff make sure that reading books closely match these pupils' reading abilities. With the right help, these pupils read with increasing fluency, confidence and understanding.

Pupils sometimes disrupt other's learning.

Too many pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and boys, are excluded from school for a fixed period due to their poor behaviour. A new approach to managing pupils' poor behaviour is beginning to have an impact. Pupils settle well in most lessons and the site is calm during social times.

Some staff do not have high-enough expectations of how pupils should behave.

The programme to support pupils' personal development, including their careers education, is in the early stages of implementation. The school has plans in place to ensure that it will meet the requirements of the Baker Clause.

Pupils learn what it means to be British and how to become responsible citizens. However, some pupils experience discrimination from their peers, particularly due to their sexuality.

Students enjoy their sixth-form experience.

They get on well with each other and staff. Students study courses that meet their interests and aspirations. They benefit from their teachers' strong subject knowledge.

Those students who need to gain GCSE qualifications in English and mathematics are not always successful. Year 13 students do not attend as well as those in Year 12.

Since the school joined Archway Learning Trust, trust and senior leaders have prioritised quickly the most urgent tasks to bring about much-needed improvements.

The pastoral team has been restructured to help improve behaviour and attendance. Staff have already benefited from training to improve their practice. However, some new and existing leaders do not have the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out their roles effectively.

Staff are very positive about recent changes. They are keen to work with leaders to move the school forward.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone. They know the risks that pupils face, including those in the local community from county lines gangs. Staff refer any concerns promptly, knowing that leaders will act.

The designated safeguarding lead and other safeguarding team members are well trained. Leaders work closely with local safeguarding partners when necessary so that pupils quickly get the help they need.

Some safeguarding records lack precision.

The trust has already identified this as an issue and is taking action to improve the quality of record-keeping.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not consider the needs of pupils with SEND well enough when planning and delivering the curriculum. These pupils do not achieve well enough because they do not get the right support.

Leaders must check that teachers make effective use of information about pupils' needs so that these pupils experience an ambitious curriculum that allows them to be successful. ? Leaders have not ensured that a culture of mutual respect and inclusivity permeates the school. Some pupils experience bullying, including homophobia.

Not all pupils feel confident to report concerns to an adult. When concerns are reported, they are not always resolved. Leaders must ensure that there is an open culture of respect, where pupils feel confident to report their concerns, knowing that they will be taken seriously and dealt with effectively.

• Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum meets the needs of pupils well enough. Some pupils do not engage well with their learning and behave poorly. Teachers' expectations of how pupils should behave are not consistent.

Too many pupils are excluded from school, particularly boys and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders need to ensure that pupils at risk of exclusion follow an appropriate curriculum and are given the right support, so that exclusions reduce. ? In some subjects, such as science, curriculum plans do not take into account the gaps in pupils' learning.

Pupils do not develop sufficient knowledge and skills in science. Leaders need to ensure that ambitious curriculum plans are planned and implemented consistently well in each subject. They should make sure that teachers check what pupils know and modify their plans to fill any gaps identified.

• Some new and existing leaders do not have the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out their roles effectively. They do not have a precise-enough understanding of what is working well in their area of responsibility and what needs to improve. Senior leaders and the trust need to provide leaders at all levels with the right training and support to be able to lead their areas of responsibility and be effective in their roles.

Also at this postcode