Chaucer School: Improvements but long way to go for Sheffield secondary school following scathing Ofsted report

The community surrounding Chaucer School, in Wordsworth Avenue, is still reeling after it was handed an ‘Inadequate’ rating in a report published in September 2022. The highly critical report stung all the more because in the watchdog’s last visit in March 2020, the leadership was told they were “taking effective action” to pull them up to a ‘Good’ score.

In comparison, the report following a visit in June ‘pulled the rug’ out from under the secondary school. Unimpressed inspectors scolded the behaviour of pupils and said learners faced “considerable disruption on a daily basis”, writing that “fighting and boisterous behaviour [was] commonplace”.

Now, in an interim report on the Parson Cross school, the watchdog says improvements are being made – but it has a long way to go.

A letter to headteacher Joanna Crewe based on a visit in March reads: “Chaucer School remains inadequate and requires special measures. Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is necessary for the category of concern to be removed.

"The new approach to managing pupil behaviour is having a positive effect in the classrooms. Pupils are calmer and more respectful in lessons… The outward-looking approach you have encouraged, and insisted leaders adopt, is starting to reap benefits.”

Inspectors noted Chaucer School – part of Tapton School Academy Trust – has made huge changes to its leadership team since the report, including the appointment of two new assistant headteachers, two new governors, and four new subject leaders to help in PE, drama, foreign languages and art & technology.

However, they felt pupil conduct still needed much work, with many students reportedly are skipping or missing from school. Inspectors wrote: “Behaviour out of class is poor. There is too much physical contact and lack of self-control during movement between classes, at breaktime and at lunchtime. You, leaders, staff and pupils all agree that this should be the next priority moving forward.

"The full impact of [changes made] in terms of incidents and a reduction in suspensions is not evident at this time.”

Other positive changes included the work to create new clubs and extra curricular activities for pupils. Efforts are underway to meet more families in the community, and the report noted staff “feel valued and valued” with extra coaching, support and training.

Sadly, the report notes: “Pupils’ GCSE examination outcomes in 2022 were weak. You have made sure that leaders have not neglected areas for development in the curriculum. Senior leaders are systematically reviewing and developing all curriculum areas. This work is progressing but is still at an early stage.”

The report published following the visit in March is not a formal reinspection and does not affect its Ofsted rating, meaning it remains ‘Inadequate’ at this time. Chaucer School will likely be revisited for another monitoring report within six months.

Following the report last year, CEO David Dennis, director of secondary education Scott Burnside and headteacher Joanna Crewe said in a joint statement they were “disappointed” with the outcome and felt inspectors did not take into account the “full impact of the pandemic”.