St. Nicholas CE Middle School—Ofsted: February 2020 SERIOUS WEAKNESSES

 

Inspectors highlighted the fact that, ‘Pupils are happy and cheerful. They are confident and enjoy helping others. Positive relationships, underpinned by the school’s Christian values, exist between staff and pupils and among pupils. Pupils say they feel safe because the staff look after them.’ Inspectors raised some concerns regarding the quality of education and felt, ‘Pupils are not achieving as well as they could in many subjects’. Although in some areas of the curriculum, teachers have good subject knowledge, this was not the case for all subjects. However, they recognised that, ‘The new leadership team is aware of this. Leaders are taking appropriate action, but they still have more work to do.’ This work is continuing at pace as, ‘The new senior leaders and the local academy board have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Supported by the multi-academy trust, they are leading improvements across the school. These improvements are already making a noticeable difference.’

The report praised ‘Staff organise a range of interesting trips, after-school clubs and special events. Pupils are very excited about the annual trip to Normandy. These activities help to bring learning to life, especially for pupils who are disadvantaged. Pupils understand the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise. They are aware of the risks associated with being online.’