Queensbury School

Overview

Queensbury School is described as a place of "exciting times" where "caring staff, an ambitious curriculum and new buildings are all driving improvements for pupils." The report highlights a united community working to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) "unleash their limitless potential." Overall, the school is judged as Good across all inspection categories, with particular praise for its leadership and sixth-form provision.

Strengths

• "Caring relationships between staff and pupils help pupils to feel safe and secure," resulting in generally positive behaviour and rare bullying.
• Subject leaders "work skillfully with teachers to translate this vision into sequences of lessons that meet pupils’ needs," particularly in art, science, and maths.
• "Provision in the sixth form is a real strength," offering real-life work-related traineeships and preparing students for employment or further education.
• Reading is prioritised with "daily phonic sessions" and staff training, ensuring experts support those not yet confident readers.
• Leaders provide "strong moral leadership," creating an environment where staff feel supported and dedicated to improvement.

Areas to improve

• Some teachers do not consistently adapt curriculum implementation to individual pupils’ "receptive and processing skills," which negatively impacts learning and retention.
• Persistent absence remains high for some pupils, meaning they are not accessing the provision and support available to them.
• The offer for developing personal interests and hobbies outside the curriculum is "not yet refined, communicated, or based on what pupils want," leading to low engagement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff taking responsibilities seriously and acting swiftly to raise concerns about a child.