Chaucer School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been through a period of significant instability. Leaders have acted effectively to address the core issues, such as by raising expectations and improving behaviour across the school. Pupils appreciate the improvements that leaders have made and continue to make.

They explain that changes, such as in behaviour and pastoral support, help them to feel safe in school. This improved school culture, and pupils' confidence in staff to address poor behaviour, is contributing to increased rates of attendance.

The school's 'life' curriculum ensures that pupils learn important information that prepares them for life in modern Britain.

This has been signi...ficantly strengthened since the previous inspection. As a result, pupils have a strong understanding of topics such as the fundamental British values and how to keep safe. Some other topics, such as knowledge of other cultures and beliefs, are still being developed.

Some pupils hold leadership positions within the school. House captains meet with school leaders to identify opportunities to contribute to the wider community, such as through their developing charitable work.

Pupils' achievement in school is variable.

Typically, where pupils have underachieved, this is the result of missed learning through absence. Current pupils are achieving the aims of the curriculum more consistently. Many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, produce work of a high standard.

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

Over time, pupils at the school have not achieved as well as they should. The school has improved the quality of the curriculum and other areas, which previously limited pupils' achievement. Pupils who left the school in 2024 only benefited from these improvements for some of their time in school.

Consequently, these improvements are not reflected in recent published outcomes.

Pupils study a curriculum that is more ambitious and better sequenced than was the case previously. In many subjects, the school has redesigned the curriculum to better meet the needs of pupils.

This provides clarity for teachers on what pupils must know and by when. As a result, new knowledge builds on what pupils have learned previously. In some cases, historic gaps in pupils' knowledge, including gaps in cultural capital, continue to affect pupils' progress through the curriculum.

While teachers do act to address these, sometimes this is not as quick as it might be.

The school has strengthened its systems for supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Their needs are accurately identified.

Where appropriate, the school works with external agencies to secure additional support. Teachers receive increasingly detailed information about how to meet the needs of these pupils. As a result, most pupils with SEND produce work that is of a similar standard to their peers.

The school has considerably strengthened its support for pupils who are learning to read. Pupils who need additional help, including with phonics, receive this regularly. This is enabling pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, to catch up.

Staff and pupils agree that behaviour is improving. Most pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. A minority of pupils continue to struggle to manage their behaviour appropriately.

The school provides these pupils with additional support. Although rates of suspensions for poor behaviour are reducing, these remain high.

The school recognises that increasing how regularly pupils attend school is of utmost importance.

It has significantly reduced rates of absence for all groups of pupils. However, these continue to be too high. Leaders understand that improving attendance further is vital to allow pupils to benefit from improvements being made to the curriculum.

The school provides pupils with appropriate careers education, including opportunities such as mock interviews with employers. This has contributed to considerable increases in the number of pupils who progress to further education, employment or training. The school has expanded the range of wider opportunities available to pupils.

Participation in these is increasing. Leaders understand that there is more to do to ensure that all pupils consistently benefit from these.

Staff are positive about the steps that leaders, including the trust, have taken to improve the school.

Developments such as the 'Chaucer Way' have made clear expectations of staff and pupils. Leaders know that there remains work to improve the school so that all pupils achieve well. Although the school is addressing these issues, many changes are still being embedded.

The impact of these is not realised consistently.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils have gaps in their knowledge from earlier stages in their education.

These impact on how easily some pupils learn later parts of the curriculum. The school should ensure that staff consistently address gaps in knowledge and misconceptions swiftly. ? The proportion of pupils who miss school regularly remains too high.

These pupils miss important learning and develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should build on its current attendance strategy to further reduce rates of absence. ? Some pupils have limited cultural capital and wider knowledge of the world.

This impacts on their understanding of the curriculum and their personal development. The school should ensure that the curriculum and personal development offer consistently addresses gaps in pupils' cultural knowledge and experience. A number of actions to improve the school, such as some recent changes to the behaviour policy, are still embedding.

The impact of these is not realised consistently. Pupils continue to receive an inconsistent quality of education. The school should embed and evaluate the impact of changes made to ensure that pupils consistently attend well and receive a high-quality education.