Cove School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are generally happy at Cove School.

They recognise that their teachers care about them and want them to do well. However, pupils do not always achieve as highly as they should because the curriculum is not delivered consistently well. Over time, some pupils have found it difficult to access the curriculum.

This is because the school has not accurately identified where extra support is required, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils know that their teachers have high expectations of how they should behave in school. In general, they rise to these expectations.

Behaviour at social times is typical...ly calm and lessons are focused. Learning is rarely disrupted. If pupils lose focus, staff address this quickly by following the school's systems.

Pupils know that if there is any bullying or unkindness the school will handle it well.

Pupils benefit from a range of clubs, such as sporting activities, instrumental lessons and choir. They take full advantage of these opportunities.

The pupil leadership team enjoy the opportunity to contribute to decisions about the school, influencing various improvements, events and initiatives.

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

The school recognises that pupils do not always learn as well as they should. This is reflected in how much pupils remember and the low outcomes they achieve at the end of Year 11.

Until recently, there has been a lack of precision in identifying the needs of pupils with SEND. As a result, the support and teaching that pupils receive in lessons is not always adapted to their needs. Equally, some pupils have been unable to access the curriculum because they find reading challenging.

The school now checks all pupils' reading ability so that it can put in place support, but the impact of these initiatives is still emerging. Over time, these weaknesses have prevented some pupils from achieving as well as they should.

Although the school has planned a broad and suitably ambitious curriculum, there is variability in how well this is delivered.

The school has introduced a range of strategies to improve the quality of teaching across the school. Although in the early stages, these initiatives are beginning to have an impact. For example, new approaches to checking pupils' understanding are helping teachers to identify and fill gaps in knowledge.

Some of the improvements the school is making are slower than they could be due to the high turnover of temporary supply staff.

The school has done some very effective work to improve the attendance of pupils so that it is now average. Equally, the number of pupils being suspended has reduced significantly because the school works well with pupils who need help to improve their behaviour.

These aspects of the school's work are helping to remove barriers to learning for some pupils.

The school prioritises pupils' personal development. The carefully planned curriculum in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education includes a range of topics that ensure pupils are knowledgeable about the world around them.

Through exploring issues such as healthy relationships and mental health, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. Careers is an integral part of the curriculum in PSHE. Pupils learn about different industries and educational pathways, so that they can make informed choices about their futures.

The school has been successful in creating a positive and open culture, where staff feel supported. However, the school has not acted with sufficient urgency to prevent a decline in educational standards. Policies and initiatives are not consistently making a difference to pupils' learning.

Governors are not as knowledgeable as they should be about the quality of education provided by the school and whether ongoing improvements are having a positive impact. Governors do not always ensure that the policies they approve comply with the most recent statutory guidance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The delivery of the curriculum is not always effective in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND or those who find reading difficult. This means that some pupils do not learn or achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise and understanding to adapt the curriculum and ensure that it enables all pupils to succeed.

• Leaders have not ensured that their improvements to the delivery of the curriculum are being applied consistently well. There is too much variation in the quality of education pupils receive. Leaders should check the impact of the changes they make and take necessary action to ensure staff have the necessary expertise.

• Governors' work has not been sufficiently focused on ensuring that the school delivers a high standard of education. Although they have discussed new initiatives, they have not secured robust enough assurances about the impact of these on pupils' learning. Governors should ensure that their work is effective in challenging leaders to raise standards for the benefit of all pupils.

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