A Croydon secondary school where “pupils do not achieve highly” has been given a 'requires improvement' rating after its latest Ofsted inspection.

The Quest Academy, based in Farnborough Avenue in south Croydon, was evaluated as requiring improvement in quality of education and in its leadership and management, and good in behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth form provision.

The secondary school was inspected on March 12, 2024, and the report was released on May 9, 2024.

Inspectors found that, despite the aims for pupils’ learning being clearly defined, “teachers do not expect enough of pupils.”

They found that as a result of this, “pupils do not achieve highly” and, at times, “switch off from their learning.”

Inspectors also found that there was some disparity between the students in sixth form and those between Years 7 and 11.

For example, pupils’ GCSE outcomes in 2023 were “low overall” whereas “sixth form students learn the curriculum well,” and they credited the teachers for their “expert knowledge of their subject.”

They discovered that teachers in the sixth form assess the students’ understanding by using questions to identify and respond to misconceptions.

However, this was not the case for Years 7 to 11, with inspectors saying that “approaches to misconceptions are not as developed,” and that, while the same methods were used, “this is consistently not the case.”

In terms of behaviour, inspectors felt that the high expectations for behaviour were “typically understood by pupils” and that leaders ensure that any behavioural issues are dealt with.

However, they still found cases where “pupils’ behaviour, including the use of their language, fall short of the school’s expectations.”

Inspectors also found that while leaders encourage pupils to develop their reading at The Quest Academy, “this is not done in a systematic way” and reading sessions are “not effective in helping them get better at reading.”

They found that the books the students were reading were not suitable to build their fluency and confidence.

Ofsted ended their report by saying: “The governing body's oversight of the school is not informed by a clear understanding of its role and responsibilities.

“This has diluted the effectiveness of its work to hold the school to account and ensure that priorities for improvement are addressed consistently.”

The Quest Academy was approached for a comment.