Chailey School

Overview

Chailey School is described as a “kind, caring and nurturing” institution where pupils feel safe and are “keen to learn.” Leaders are “highly ambitious” and have established a positive culture, with strong standards in attendance, behaviour, inclusion, leadership, and personal development.

Strengths

• Attendance is “improving rapidly” due to staff closely monitoring patterns and removing barriers for pupils with emotional or mental health needs.
• Behaviour is “impeccable and consistently calm,” with pupils striving to follow rules and actively speaking up against unkindness.
• Inclusive teaching is a “foundation of success,” with leaders precisely identifying individual needs and providing staff with effective strategies and training.
• Leaders and governors are “highly ambitious” and work collaboratively to support staff wellbeing and ensure every pupil has the chance to succeed.
• Personal development and careers education are strengths, helping pupils feel “listened to, safe and well supported” as they prepare for future steps.

Areas to improve

• Teachers do not consistently make clear what pupils need to do to improve their work, leading to some “gaps in learning.”
• Leaders should strengthen teaching, particularly assessment practices, so pupils “consistently produce high-quality work and achieve well across all subjects.”
• More work is needed to ensure disadvantaged pupils “achieve highly” and close the performance gap with their peers.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an “open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility” and concerns are actively identified and managed.