Brune Park Community School, located in Gosport, Hampshire, underwent an inspection on June 6 and 7, 2023, which resulted in an overall effectiveness rating of inadequate. The quality of education was deemed to require improvement, while behavior and attitudes were rated inadequate. Personal development and leadership and management also required improvement. The school has previously been rated as requiring improvement in its last inspection in January 2020.
Attendance at the school is a significant concern, with many pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, not attending regularly. When present, a notable number of students frequently miss lessons. The leadership's efforts to enhance attendance and reduce truancy have not been effective. Additionally, many pupils report feeling unsafe due to unkind comments from peers, with leaders and staff failing to adequately address issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia. This has led to a lack of confidence among students in the leadership's ability to handle their concerns, resulting in underreporting of bullying incidents.
In the classroom, while some lessons are orderly and pupils behave well, this is not consistent across all subjects. Disruptive behavior is not effectively managed in many lessons, leading to interruptions in learning. The school promotes its values through the 'GFM way,' which emphasizes essential skills for future education and employment, particularly at key stage four. However, the curriculum, while ambitious, still requires further development, especially in ensuring that a greater number of pupils at key stage four achieve qualifications in the English Baccalaureate. The lack of modern foreign language study among a small proportion of pupils contributes to this issue.
Teachers generally possess strong subject knowledge, but not all are specialists in their fields, which can result in insufficient challenge for some pupils. The curriculum for pupils with SEND is ambitious but not yet effectively tailored to meet their needs, hindering their progress. While some bespoke support has shown effectiveness, particularly for a small group in Year 7, many pupils still require additional reading support.
Leadership has made attempts to improve the school, but staff have expressed concerns about frequent changes to policies and procedures, which have negatively impacted their workload and adherence to school rules. The safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff trained to identify and address welfare concerns. However, there are inconsistencies in the application of safeguarding policies, and some records lack the necessary detail.
To improve, the school must address the high levels of absenteeism, particularly among SEND and disadvantaged pupils, and tackle low-level disruption and internal truancy. Leaders need to implement effective strategies to enhance attendance and create a safe environment where pupils feel confident reporting bullying. Additionally, the school must ensure that all pupils achieve consistently well across the curriculum, with particular attention to the needs of SEND and disadvantaged pupils. The curriculum should be well-designed and implemented across all subjects, taking into account the diverse needs of the student body. Finally, leaders must ensure that safeguarding processes are diligently followed in accordance with established policies.
