Ofsted rates Chase High School, Westcliff, good

Chase High School, in Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff, was commended by the education watchdog after pupils told how they are proud of the school and have noticed the improvements made in recent years.

It was rated good across all of the board in its quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision after the two-day inspection in February.

Here is the glowing inspection in full after the Echo revealed its result earlier this week:

Read more: Westcliff school rated 'good' for first time in 30 years

What is it like to attend this school?

• Pupils want to tell others about how much their school has improved and they feel happy and safe. Parents are pleased with how teachers care for their pupils.
• Pupils say they feel very supported by their teachers and receive the help they need. Sixth form students study a range of subjects which are suited to their needs and interests.
• Pupils behave well and, when they don’t, teachers quickly ensure they do. Pupils add bullying is rare.
• Pupils are open-minded and celebrate diversity and difference.

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

• Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ achievement and they teach a broad curriculum.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and break learning down into stages so pupils do not become confused.
• Their questioning helps students to develop their knowledge and deepen their understanding further.
• Students are taught to learn independently at sixth form and are well prepared for university, or the workplace.
• Leaders have prioritised the importance of reading and those who have fallen behind receive the support they need to catch up.
• Some teachers were criticised for not picking up on important mistakes and misunderstandings in pupils’ work, as sometimes this slows learning.
• But leaders accurately identify the needs of SEND pupils and adapt lessons to ensure they learn well.
• Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to contribute to their community, helping them organise charity events and raise money.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding were deemed effective.
• Leaders are vigilant about keeping children safe and staff are well trained to spot and report concerns.
• Leaders investigate concerns swiftly and pupils learn about the dangers of being online and how to respond to risk.
• Leaders carry out all the necessary checks to ensure people are appropriate to work at the school.

What does the school need to improve?

• Some teachers do not systematically identify errors and misconceptions in pupils’ learning. As a result of this, pupils are not able to embed knowledge accurately and remember it correctly. Leaders have been advised to support teachers to assess more effectively.
• Support for pupils with an Educational Health Care Plan does not always tightly reflect what the pupils’ EHC plan indicates is needed.