The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the previous inspection. Most pupils at this school talk proudly about being a ‘Tommy More boy’. They are mindful of the importance of being part of the ‘family’ community where they build positive relationships with one another and with the staff. Behaviour is generally good in the school. A number of pupils spoke to inspectors about how well staff support them to improve their behaviour. During the five years that most pupils spend at the school, they are supported to become active, mature, articulate and responsible young citizens in society; that is the measure of a ‘Tommy More’ boy. Most pupils make good progress from their starting points in a number of subjects. The outcomes in GCSE mathematics are of particular note, where pupils in Year 11 have made significantly better progress than other pupils nationally for two consecutive years. Year 11 pupils also made strong progress in humanities and science in 2017. The school’s focus on driving up standards in English also secured a significant improvement in the performance of pupils in both English language and English literature. Those few pupils who needed support to catch up made exceptional progress in English in 2017. The mixed-gender sixth form, which was judged to require improvement in the 2015 inspection, has improved significantly. Pupils’ progress in 2017 was significantly above the national average. Leaders have used a thorough understanding of national guidance on 16 to 19 study programmes to ensure that all students, including girls who join the sixth form from other schools, are well supported emotionally, socially and academically to meet the aims of the programme. Although short inspections cannot change judgements from the previous inspection, current evidence indicates that the sixth form is now a real strength in the school’s good overall provision. You lead with passion and insight that ensure that the school continues to improve. You know your pupils well, and refuse to resort to any ‘quick fixes’, determined that all changes should be meaningful and sustained. Together with your astute deputy headteacher, you have created strong and diligent senior and middle leadership teams. You have been well supported by the Diocese of Brentwood in becoming the lead school in the new Assisi Multi-Academy Trust, which has recently been granted approval to sponsor other academies. The leadership team and governors are continuously reflective about aspects of the school’s work that are not yet fully effective. You have identified that you are not having enough impact on the outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, most notably those from more positive starting points. Equally, while you have focused on the key stage 4 curriculum, your work on the key stage 3 curriculum is still in its infancy. As a result, this curriculum is not ensuring that pupils who enter with strong starting points make exceptional progress during their time in key stage 3. Safeguarding is effective. The checks that you make before you recruit staff are appropriate and in line with statutory guidance. Your team ensures that staff are well trained in identifying and reporting any concerns about the well-being of pupils. Written records are kept meticulously, and act as an effective chronology of the actions taken by you and others in keeping pupils safe over time. Governors make appropriate checks on these statutory requirements. Leaders have created an ethos and culture of safety. Almost all pupils who completed Ofsted’s pupil survey, and all pupils spoken to throughout the inspection, stated that they feel safe. Leaders are particularly adept at staying abreast of the safeguarding issues in the local community. They use this understanding to make appropriate referrals to national, as well as local, agencies. You persist in challenging external agencies where you have ongoing or urgent concerns about the welfare of your pupils. As part of the inspection, we particularly reviewed bullying, as the school’s records show that there are low numbers of reported incidents. Most pupils were adamant that bullying and poor behaviour are rare in the school. Many pupils commented effusively on how staff and pupils uphold the school’s community spirit. Pupils appreciate the importance and value of different lifestyles, faiths and backgrounds. Despite these clear strengths, you and the team are constantly looking for ways to improve pupils’ ability to articulate their feelings when, on occasion, and often inadvertently, pupils cause offence to one another.