Cox Green School, located in Maidenhead, Berkshire, underwent an inspection on March 19 and 20, 2024. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, and leadership and management also receiving the same rating. However, personal development and sixth-form provision were rated as good. The headteacher, Daniel Edwards, leads the school, which operates as a single-academy trust overseen by a board of trustees chaired by Peter Thorn.
Pupils at Cox Green School report feeling happy and safe, with pastoral support being a strong focus. The school has a clear anti-bullying policy, and staff address bullying when it is reported. Nonetheless, some pupils and parents lack confidence in the school's handling of bullying incidents. The school is described as calm and orderly, with established routines. While relationships among staff and pupils are generally positive, low-level disruption in lessons is common, particularly in key stage three, where teachers' expectations are not sufficiently high. In contrast, pupils in key stages four and five demonstrate strong focus and improving learning outcomes.
The school offers a wide range of extracurricular clubs, particularly in sports, and many pupils take on leadership roles, such as prefects or members of the school council. Sixth-form students engage in sports leadership and participate in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, which helps develop their organizational and leadership skills.
The curriculum at Cox Green School is ambitious, with some subjects providing pupils with the necessary knowledge and skills. However, there is inconsistency across subjects. In areas like history and art, the curriculum is well-sequenced, leading to good pupil achievement. Conversely, in other subjects, particularly during key stage three, the curriculum is not implemented effectively, and some teachers lack the necessary knowledge and skills to support pupil learning adequately. Recent changes have broadened access to subjects in the English Baccalaureate, and the school has expanded vocational and academic options for students in the growing sixth form.
Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is strong, with staff providing appropriate adaptations to facilitate effective learning. However, the school’s expectations for disadvantaged pupils are not high enough, leading to gaps in knowledge and skills that hinder their success. The school has made efforts to improve behavior, resulting in reduced suspensions, although the number of pupils removed from lessons has increased. The school provides valuable support through its Hub, fostering positive relationships between staff and pupils.
Personal development is a strength of the school, with a well-designed personal, social, and health education program that equips pupils with essential knowledge about health, relationships, and citizenship. The school promotes equality and diversity, and initiatives like Wednesday well-being encourage positive mental health views. Careers guidance is robust, ensuring pupils receive support for their future educational and career paths.
Staff feel supported by leaders, who consider their workload. However, the trust overseeing the school does not hold it accountable rigorously enough, and the school’s self-evaluation may be overly positive. The monitoring processes require improvement to ensure effective implementation of policies and procedures. Safeguarding arrangements are deemed effective, ensuring pupil safety and well-being.
To improve, the school must ensure that all teachers effectively check pupil understanding and address gaps in knowledge. Additionally, the support for disadvantaged pupils needs to be more robust to narrow the achievement gap. Consistent training for staff to manage low-level disruption is essential, as is enhancing the effectiveness of bullying management to build trust among pupils and parents.
