Churchill Academy & Sixth Form

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

Pupils gain qualifications that prepare them well for their next stages beyond school. Sixth form students move on to destinations which meet their interests and aspirations. Many go on to university, including the most selective institutions.

Pupils appreciate the raised expectations of behaviour. Most pupils behave well and work hard in lessons. Social times are typically calm and harmonious.

Pupils, staff and parents and carers agree that behaviour has improved and that pupils are safe at school.

Opportunities for pupils to develop beyond the academic curriculum are varied and numerous. ...Pupil leadership makes a tangible contribution to the life of the school.

For instance, sixth form students run some of the popular performing arts events that the school runs. The multitude of clubs available to pupils enable them to develop a range of talents and interests, including sporting and musical.

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

Pupils learn a broad and ambitious curriculum that prepares them well for their next steps in learning.

The curriculum identifies what pupils are expected to learn at each stage. Teachers check what pupils have learned. They correct errors and misconceptions.

Consequently, most pupils build on their learning over time and achieve well.

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge and the whole-school approaches to teaching well. Consequently, lesson activities enable most pupils to gain an in-depth understanding of subjects.

The work that pupils complete is well matched to what they already know and can do. However, teaching is not consistently adapted well enough for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This prevents some pupils from achieving as well as they could.

The work completed by students in the sixth form is academically rigorous. Published data for the sixth form does not reflect the deep knowledge that current students have. This is because improvements made are coming to fruition and not reflected in published outcomes.

Pupils read often enough to maintain their fluency and confidence. Staff identify promptly any pupils who do not read well enough. Pupils get the support they need to catch up in reading.

Sixth form students are expected to read widely, and their lessons help them to continue to develop their vocabulary.

Pupils' attendance has improved. Staff have identified the barriers that prevent some pupils from attending regularly.

In many cases, they have removed or reduced these barriers but some pupils, particularly those with SEND or who are otherwise disadvantaged, continue to be absent from school too often. This inhibits their learning and means they do not fully experience the wider personal development opportunities that the school provides.

The school has taken effective action to improve behaviour.

Suspensions and other sanctions have reduced because most pupils now behave well. However, some pupils who continue to struggle to meet the school's raised expectations do not receive effective support to make sustained changes to their behaviour. These pupils, many of whom have SEND or are disadvantaged, miss too much learning as a result.

The school has a comprehensive approach to preparing pupils for life beyond school. Pupils discuss views, experiences and beliefs that differ from their own. This helps them to shape and express their own opinions, consider other perspectives, and understand complex issues which they are likely to encounter in their lives beyond school.

Despite this, a small number of pupils behave in ways which makes their peers uncomfortable. The school does not tolerate this, but it does not consistently communicate well enough with pupils and parents about the actions taken. This means that sometimes pupils and parents do not have confidence in decisions or actions the school takes.

There is a suitable curriculum for teaching pupils about all aspects of personal, social and health education. The school adapts this curriculum in the light of emerging local and national potential risk factors. This helps pupils to understand how to stay safe, including when online.

Careers events and the education, advice and guidance that pupils receive helps them feel well prepared for their next steps.

Those responsible for governance and trust leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. This enables them to hold the school to account and also to provide the support necessary to ensure the school improves.

For instance, they have provided additional resources to ensure that the school's work with pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged is prioritised. This work is at an early stage and has not had sustained impact.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The support the school provides for some pupils to learn or to improve their behaviour and attendance is not consistently precise enough. This means that some pupils, particularly pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, do not achieve or attend well enough nor improve their behaviour sufficiently. The school and trust need to ensure that pupils consistently get the right support to remove barriers to learning, attending or behaving well.

• Sometimes the school does not communicate well enough with parents and pupils when actions have been taken, or changes are being made. This means that there is sometimes a lack of confidence in what the school has done, including about instances of bullying. The school and trust need to improve communication with parents and pupils so that families know that their concerns have been dealt with, and understand the reasons for changes that affect them.