The Mandeville School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement Governors do not have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

They have not routinely held leaders to account for the school's outcomes. Leadership of the sixth form has only recently been improved. Prior to this, the mandatory requirements of the 16 to 19 study programmes were not routinely met for sixth-form students.

Consequently, the effectiveness of the sixth form is inadequate. Too many pupils are still persistently absent. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is too variable.

Leaders' work to improve this has not yet embedded across the school. This is partly du...e to turbulence in staffing and challenges with recruitment. Some staff do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve and some pupils do not have high aspirations.

The school has the following strengths The principal has transformed the culture of the school. With senior leaders, she has established a sense of purpose and high ambition for all pupils. Staff have formed strong working relationships with pupils.

Pupils are happy and see school as 'a family'. They like the fact that there is always someone to talk to. There is a strong culture of safeguarding running through the school.

Leaders' work to keep pupils safe is effective. Outcomes are improving for all pupils, especially those in key stage 3 and the most able. Leaders have made good use of additional funding to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

Behaviour has improved dramatically. Pupils have responded well to the new systems for supporting their behaviour choices. The work of the 'anti-bullying community' has been extremely effective.

Current sixth-form students have received effective support to ensure that they are on the correct study programme that will prepare them well for their next steps. The plans to improve the sixth form are accurate and thorough. Leaders have created an innovative curriculum that is well matched to the needs of the pupils.

Information about this school

The principal joined the school in November 2015, very shortly before the previous inspection. School leaders have been supported in their work to improve the school by advisers from the Buckinghamshire Learning Trust. The school is a non-selective comprehensive secondary school and has a sixth form.

The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The school has an average proportion of disadvantaged pupils. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is lower than average.

The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is higher than average. The school does not make use of any alternative provision. The school does not meet the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.