Bohunt School Worthing Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further reduce the number of fixed-term exclusions, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.
• Improve governors’ training so that they hold leaders to account and check how well leaders’ actions improve pupils’ outcomes.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and senior leaders have insisted upon high standards since the school opened in September 2015. As a result, pupils behave well and make strong progress across the curriculum.
• BET provides high-quality support and compelling challenge to leaders. BET builds its teacher-training programme around what staff say they need. They value the support from BET and appreciate the opportunities available within the trust’s professional network. As a result, staff feel listened to and valued by leaders.
• Leaders’ priorities for improvement are based on careful evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Plans for improvement are closely monitored by leaders and shared with staff. Leaders have galvanised staff so that everyone is working towards continual school improvement.
• Leaders compare their progress information with information from other schools within the trust. This allows leaders to identify which subjects are performing well and to challenge subject leaders if there is underachievement. Consequently, weaknesses in teaching are quickly identified and pupils who need to catch up receive timely support.
• Subject leaders receive enthusiastic support from senior leaders. Training enables subject leaders to carefully consider the strengths and weaknesses of their areas. They wisely target subject resources to the areas of greatest need. Consequently, pupils make strong progress across subjects.
• The curriculum is varied and challenging. A wide range of subjects are on offer to pupils at key stage 4. Pupils are carefully guided towards subjects that fit in with their aspirations. For example, most-able pupils study all the English Baccalaureate subjects within their curriculum. As a result, pupils are enthusiastic and willing learners.
• Staff morale is high. All staff who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire agreed that they are proud to work in the school. Almost all staff said that they feel that the school is well led. As a result, staff feel valued and are committed to making sure that all pupils do well.
• Overwhelmingly, parents and carers support leaders. Almost all parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, agreed that they would recommend the school to another parent, that the school is well led and that their concerns are appropriately dealt with. Consequently, leaders benefit from high levels of parental support.
• Additional funding for pupils who need to catch up with their literacy and numeracy is used effectively. For example, pupils who have lower reading ages when they join Year 7 are provided with extra support. This means that these pupils quickly improve their reading skills.
• Extra-curricular activities help to enrich the learning experiences of pupils. A range of after-school opportunities are on offer to pupils. For example, pupils learn musical instruments in after-school clubs. Similarly, pupils benefit from a wide range of educational visits. For example, pupils visit local and national universities so that they can learn how to prepare for studying in higher education. These activities increase the confidence and ambition of pupils.

Governance of the school

• Governors are passionate and they understand the school’s areas for improvement. This means that they are enthusiastic about offering support to leaders. For example, they make frequent visits to the school. Because of this, staff told inspectors that they feel very well supported by governors.
• However, governors do not always challenge leaders sufficiently. Leaders regularly present information to governors but governors do not ask searching questions about the pupils’ progress. Hence, they cannot assess how well the school’s improvement priorities are improving standards and how effective leaders’ actions are.
• Governors fully understand their delegated responsibilities. They have up-to-date knowledge of education policies and legal duties. Governors have been proactive in recruiting to the governing body and they provide effective training for new recruits.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that relevant checks on the suitability of adults to work with young people are carried out diligently. Governors monitor these checks to make sure that they are suitable and accurately maintained.
• Staff are well trained on up-to-date guidance on how to keep pupils safe. Staff know the signs of abuse and neglect and they understand the dangers surrounding radicalisation and extremism. Consequently, the school has a vigilant safeguarding culture.
• Staff act appropriately when a pupil is absent from education or goes missing during the school day. Clear policies and procedures enable staff to immediately report concerns they have to the relevant authorities or leaders. This contributes to keeping pupils safe inside and outside school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have high expectations of pupils. Across a wide range of subjects, pupils respond well to these expectations and work hard. Consequently, they make good progress.
• In most subjects, teachers’ subject knowledge is very secure. They use this to carefully plan activities that meet the needs of pupils. Challenging tasks in lessons ensure that pupils enjoy their learning and strive to reach their high targets.
• Teachers ensure that pupils use information technology very effectively. In most subjects, pupils seamlessly use their electronic devices to complete multi-media tasks. As a result, pupils are enthusiastic in their learning and they make strong progress. For example, in religious education, pupils accessed rich source material online. This allowed them to use examples in their discussions about moral issues.
• In some subjects, teaching is less strong. In modern foreign languages and science, for example, teacher planning is less effective in maintaining pupils’ interest in topics. As a result, attitudes to learning are not as positive as they are in other subject areas.
• Teachers’ questioning ensures that pupils respond with rich answers. Pupils respectfully discuss complex issues with other pupils. This deepens their understanding of subject content, enabling pupils to further develop their confidence.
• In most subjects, pupils take pride in their work. They maintain high levels of presentation and orderly organisation of written work. In some subjects, however, pupils do not take care in the presentation of their work. This results in work that is sometimes disordered. This means that pupils have difficulty in using their books to remember what they have previously studied.
• Homework is valued by parents and pupils. Interesting homework tasks encourage pupils to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Pupils are then well prepared for subsequent lessons. Parents take an active interest in homework and believe that appropriate homework is set by the school.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils feel safe and well cared for. They appreciate the high-quality care they receive from staff. Pupils are well informed about how to improve their emotional and mental well-being because of high-quality support. They talk enthusiastically about the school’s ‘safety stations’, where peer and staff support are easily accessible. Consequently, pupils are very self-assured and certain that any safety concerns are quickly resolved by staff.
• Pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. Leaders embed employability skills from Year 7. A rich programme of visiting speakers, careers-based lessons and visits to universities and colleges ensures that pupils are highly ambitious and well prepared to face the challenges of moving on to sixth forms, vocational courses in college or training.
• Pupils have a thorough understanding of how to stay safe online. Leaders deliver regular online safety messages in lessons and assemblies. A number of pupils have been trained as ‘digital leaders’ so that they can provide training and advice to other pupils. As a result, pupils know where to go for advice and feel secure in dealing with online dangers.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is thoroughly embedded throughout the curriculum. Pupils appreciate the importance of equality and tolerance. They also have a deep understanding of a range of complex and sensitive topics. For example, pupils in religious education discussed ‘when a life becomes a life’. This enabled them to reflect on each other’s views and reach their own informed conclusions. Consequently, pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils show positive attitudes to learning in lessons. They concentrate well and pay close attention to teachers’ instructions. Consequently, classrooms are calm and orderly. This allows pupils to make good progress.
• Pupils’ conduct around school is good. They socialise in friendship groups and use the outside areas for games and sports during social times. Pupils show concern and respect for their fellow pupils and act sensibly.
• Pupils told inspectors that bullying was rare and dealt with quickly and effectively by staff if it does happen. A small minority of pupils who responded to Ofsted’s pupils’ survey reported that there were instances of bullying. This was concerning to some pupils. However, overall, inspectors found that pupils were confident that bullying was dealt with well by staff. For example, pupils enjoyed the assemblies during anti-bullying week. These helped pupils to understand how to deal with bullying and how to report it.
• In 2016 and 2017, the proportion of pupils excluded from school for a fixed term was higher than the national average. Leaders have been successful in reducing fixed-term exclusions over the past three years so that the proportion of pupils excluded for a fixed term is now slightly above average. However, too many of those pupils excluded from school are disadvantaged.
• Pupils’ overall attendance is the same as the national average for secondary schools. Leaders have put in place successful strategies that encourage pupils to attend school regularly. As a result, few pupils are persistently absent.
• A very small number of pupils who have behavioural or emotional needs attend alternative provision for all or part of their timetable. Courses are matched to their individual needs. Because of this, pupils are well cared for and have improved their behaviour and attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Many pupils start Year 7 with attainment that is significantly higher than the national average. The first group of Year 10 pupils to go through the school in 2018 made good progress in their end-of-year assessments in English, mathematics and science. Leaders are expecting current Year 11 pupils to achieve high rates of progress by the time they sit their GCSE examinations at the end of the year.
• Current school information on pupils’ progress shows that pupils in key stages 3 and 4 are making strong progress in a range of subjects from their starting points. For example, in Years 7 and 8, pupils make very strong progress in art, drama, English and music.
• Most-able pupils are provided with challenging work. These tasks help them to think hard and produce high-quality responses. As a result, they make strong progress across a range of subjects, particularly in Year 11.
• Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, achieve well across year groups. In Years 10 and 11, disadvantaged pupils make strong progress in English, mathematics and science. In other year groups, differences between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils exist but are diminishing because of leaders’ close monitoring and their wise use of extra funds for disadvantaged pupils.
• Work in pupils’ books shows that, in a range of subjects, they make good progress and increasingly attain their challenging targets. For example, in English literature, pupils make strong progress because of well-developed activities that deepen and improve their ability to interpret and analyse literary texts.
• Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities make good progress. The vast majority of these pupils benefit from well-tailored support. This ensures that they catch up. Where progress is less strong, it is improving because of leaders’ effective actions.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140424 West Sussex 10053392 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 11 to 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 766 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address John Apsey Adam Whitehead 01903 601 361 www.bohuntworthing.com info@bohuntworthing.com Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Bohunt School Worthing is an averaged-sized secondary school. The school opened for the first time in September 2015.
• The school is sponsored by BET.
• The trust has worked with school leaders to provide strategic direction in order to improve the school. The trust delegates aspects of governance to the local governing body. The board of trustees is the accountable body for all schools in BET.
• The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is below the national average for secondary schools.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average for secondary schools.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 58 lessons. In the majority of observations, senior leaders joined inspectors.
• Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, the headteacher, a trust representative and governors.
• Inspectors formally met with groups of pupils from key stages 3 and 4 and their views from surveys were taken into account. Inspectors also spoke to a wide range of pupils during social times and during lessons.
• Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work and observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.
• Inspectors considered the views of staff from meetings with groups of staff and from the 57 staff who responded to the confidential questionnaire.
• Inspectors took into account the views of 341 parents who responded to the confidential Ofsted parental questionnaire, including 308 free-text responses.
• Documentation was scrutinised by inspectors, including the school’s plans for improvement, its self-evaluation, reports on attendance and behaviour, records relating to pupils’ safety, minutes of governor meetings and information on pupils’ outcomes.

Inspection team

Harry Ingham, lead inspector Sue Bullen Debbie Godfrey-Phaure Catherine Davies

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector