Bushey Meads School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

In many places, the school is a calm place to learn.

While most pupils behave well, some pupils have mixed experiences. A minority of pupils can disturb the learning of others. Pupils are frustrated that some of their peers are not living up to the school's clearly articulated values.

While most staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour, the school's behaviour approaches are not used consistently well.

Many pupils have confidence in staff to sort out serious issues. Bullying is dealt with effectively.

Prejudicial language is not tolerated. The school is inclusive. Most pupils have positive relationships with staff and with each other.
.../>Pupils, and students in the sixth form, are confident, articulate individuals. They take pride in the range of high-quality leadership opportunities available to them. Students in the sixth form, for example, help younger pupils with their reading.

Pupils enjoy the rich variety of trips and experiences on offer. School clubs help to promote pupils' engagement in science, technology, computing and mathematics.

Students in the sixth form achieve well.

This is because the curriculum is well taught and enables students, of all abilities, to succeed. However, weaknesses in the curriculum for pupils in key stages 3 and 4 mean that some pupils do not fulfil their potential.

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

Since the previous inspection, the quality of education has declined.

A range of factors, including high staff turnover and recruitment issues mean that pupils are not achieving as well as they should.

Leaders are beginning to stabilise staffing. Nevertheless, there is inconsistency in how well staff support pupils' learning and progress through the curriculum.

In the stronger areas of the curriculum, staff deliver effective lessons. They choose engaging activities that help pupils to learn. This is not the case everywhere.

In some core areas of the curriculum, high staff turnover has led to variability in how the curriculum is delivered. At times, checks on learning are not always used well. Sometimes, staff do not spot quickly enough where pupils are struggling with their learning.

Consequently, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not learn as well as they should.

Despite the issues, the curriculum itself is ambitious. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, access a range of interesting subjects.

The sixth-form curriculum is working well. Teachers have good subject knowledge and so quickly pick up students' misconceptions. Students have good attitudes to their studies.

They are prepared well for the future.

Support for pupils with SEND is a school priority. In the school's specially resourced provision, 'The Laurel', leaders carefully identify what help and support pupils with SEND need to succeed.

As a result, these pupils access an effective, bespoke curriculum suited to their individual needs. The school ensures that, overall, staff get accurate information about pupils' specific needs. Despite this, pupils with SEND are affected by the same weaknesses in the curriculum as their peers.

The school, with the support of the trust, recently improved its approach to supporting pupils with their reading. Pupils who fall behind access appropriate support to help them catch up. Reading in 'character development' time raises the profile and importance of enjoying books.

While many pupils behave well, the behaviour of a minority disrupts some parts of school life. The new behaviour approach is hampered by inconsistencies in how staff uses it. While everyone knows the behaviour expectations, sanctions are not always applied consistently.

Suspensions remain high as the school continues to deal with pockets of poor behaviour. Despite very recent improvements, several pupils and parents remain frustrated about how learning is disrupted. This is echoed by a significant minority of staff.

Pupils receive clear messages about the value of attending school regularly. Leaders have increased the robustness of their attendance procedures. Pupils' attendance is improving gradually as a result.

The school has developed some effective ways of supporting pupils with complex needs to improve their attendance. Nonetheless, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils remains low.

The personal development programme is a strength of the school.

Pupils access an appropriate careers programme to support them with their next steps. An improved personal, social, health and economic education programme, linked to 'character development' time, ensures pupils are building their understanding about important topics, such as managing finances and healthy relationships.

Trustees and leaders are well aware of the issues in the school.

They have recently built capacity to support the school to improve. There have been some green shoots of improvement, for instance around attendance. There is still, however, much more work to do to improve the school for the benefit of all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils' behaviour disrupts learning across parts of the school. Staff do not use the school's behaviour system consistently well.

This means that poor behaviour disrupts learning in some lessons. The school should ensure its behaviour system is implemented consistently well so pupils' behaviour improves and learning is not disrupted. It is too often the case that disadvantaged pupils are persistently absent.

This hinders how well these pupils learn and they miss out on school life. The school should establish an effective strategy for improving the attendance of this group of pupils. Sometimes, teachers do not effectively check pupils' knowledge and understanding.

At times, teachers do not spot errors and move on when pupils are not ready. This means pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff have the necessary support to consistently implement the curriculum well.

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