Baxter College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy at Baxter College. This is an inclusive school where everyone feels valued. Pupils benefit from positive relationships with staff.

They form close friendships with their peers. Parents and carers acknowledge that staff care for their children. Sixth-form students enjoy the support and guidance they are given.

While the school has high expectations of its pupils, they do not achieve as well as they could. This is because the curriculum is not delivered as intended. Over time, some pupils have not been supported effectively to deepen their understanding of their learning.

This has resulted in gaps in their knowledge.

Pupils ar...e polite and want to learn. They behave well in lessons and around the school.

Lessons are calm, and pupils focus on their learning. If pupils make incorrect behaviour choices, staff are quick to address these and support pupils. Staff apply the school's behaviour expectations consistently.

Pupils benefit from the wide range of activities, trips and clubs on offer. The school carefully matches these opportunities to pupils' talents and interests. Pupils' voice matters.

They enjoy contributing to the decisions that are made about their school community. The school ensures that pupils are fully prepared for their future.

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

The intent of the school's curriculum is ambitious for its pupils.

It has been organised so that each subject's curriculum is broad and logically sequenced. For example, in geography, pupils' understanding of important concepts such as sustainability and questioning the reliability of data is built over time.

The delivery of the curriculum is variable.

Some pupils do not learn as well as they should. Sometimes, teachers do not check what pupils know or the quality of the work they produce. At times, staff do not ensure that pupils understand and act upon the advice they give.

This means that pupils do not always deepen or expand their knowledge as well as they should. The school is aware of these issues and has introduced strategies to improve the quality of teaching. These initiatives are beginning to have an impact on pupils' learning.

Reading is a high priority in the school. There is a strong focus on ensuring pupils have extensive opportunities to read. Pupils who struggle with phonics and reading are well supported.

Those pupils who fall behind are monitored, and interventions are put in place quickly to help them catch up. Staff have had training to support reading across subjects, and pupils have a say in which texts they will read.

There is a well-structured approach to the transition of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) from primary school.

The school has an effective system in place to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. This system is evident in lessons through the use of pupil passports. These have been improved to now reflect the adaptations that teachers make to meet pupils' needs.

The curriculum is adapted effectively to better support pupils with SEND.

Positive relationships are evident between staff and pupils. These relationships are fundamental to supporting improvements in behaviour and attendance.

The school has a calm and orderly atmosphere, and classrooms are conducive to learning. When pupils sometimes fail to follow the school's behaviour strategy, they receive timely support to reflect and change their behaviour. Hence, there is a reduction in the rate of suspensions.

Attendance is improving. The school prioritises attendance. It uses its positive relationships with pupils and the wider community to support pupils with their attendance.

The school's commitment to enhancing the curriculum beyond the classroom is evident through the 'Baxter Baccalaureate'. The school's programme for pupils' personal development is wide-ranging. For example, pupils' participation in weekly 'engagement 8' sessions offers a variety of enriching opportunities that support the development of broader skills and interests.

Year 12 students enjoy cooking sessions, which help to prepare them for independent living.

The school's extra-curricular provision is noteworthy. There are many opportunities for pupils to experience, including the Combined Cadet Force, the school show and educational visits.

All pupils participate in the bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Year 9. The school's 'personal growth' programme means that pupils have a clear understanding of how to be independent and respectful to people from other backgrounds. They also know how to look after their physical and mental health and how to stay safe in the wider community.

Pupils in all years are well supported with their careers education, training and employment opportunities.

Staff are well supported by leaders and know that their professional development is valued. They are proud to work at the school.

The governors and the trust know the school well and are clear on what needs to improve. They hold leaders to account and support the school's ongoing development through well-chosen external partnerships.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not ensured that the improvements to the curriculum are implemented consistently well across subjects. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise to implement the curriculum so all pupils can succeed.

• Assessment is not used effectively to address pupils' misconceptions. As a result, pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding as well as they could do. The school should ensure teachers use assessment appropriately to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding.

• While there are processes in place to improve attendance, too many pupils are persistently absent. This means that they miss out on learning and are not able to participate in wider opportunities. Attendance should remain a priority so that the attendance of this group of pupils improves quickly.

Also at this postcode