Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School

Overview

Pupils are described as “happy and successful” at this “caring and ambitious” school, where they “rise to the high aspirations” set for them. The inspection notes that the school has moved on significantly from its previous inadequate rating, with leaders successfully implementing changes to pupil grouping and teaching strategies.

Strengths

• Staff demonstrate subject expertise and use a “whole-school approach” to help pupils recall and apply earlier learning, which is “particularly successful”.
• Pupils behave well, showing a “respectful approach” and engaging with learning with care, contributing to a calmer school environment.
• There is a strong culture of reading, with additional support provided to grow “reading stamina” and enthusiasm for varied books.
• Personal development is “well considered” and matched to local context, including “impressive” careers guidance and rich spiritual and moral activities.
• Parents are “overwhelmingly positive” about the support provided, noting that children are “happy and thriving”.

Areas to improve

• Disadvantaged pupils do not routinely achieve the high outcomes of others; staff need better skills to help them attend and achieve.
• Governance remains on a “journey of improvement” with gaps in knowledge, requiring continued learning to hold leaders to account effectively.
• Sixth-form PSHE provision is not being implemented as intended, meaning some students do not access the full offer or receive sessions of the intended quality.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”