confident that the school acts promptly on their ideas and suggestions. They feel full partners in school improvement. For instance, pupils participated in the recent recruitment of the next headteacher.

31. Staff work very effectively with primary schools to ensure a smooth transition into Year 7, Pupils confirm that they settle well in their new surroundings, and quickly establish very good relationships with staff. The school provides good careers guidance for pupils so that they approach the next stage of their education or training confidently.

32. Teachers routinely track the academic progress of all pupils throughout the year. They assess pupils’ work regularly and share the outcomes with pupils and parents. They give marks for effort and ensure that pupils know exactly what progress they are making towards predicted final grades at GCSE. Teachers involve pupils well in evaluating their own work. Most, but not all, departments help pupils set very accurate and detailed targets for improvement. Pupils know exactly what they need to do next to improve in most subjects.

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents and other schools. It has satisfactory links with the community.

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school works very effectively with parents to support pupils’ learning and well-being.
  
• Technology college and Leading Edge status activities promote an impressive range of links with many other schools.
  
• Links with the community are not as strong as with the school’s other partners.
  
• Annual reports do not all comply with legal requirements.

Commentary

33. Staff work very hard and effectively to include parents in their child’s education. The stability promoted by the house system ensures that staff know their pupils and their families very well. Staff involve parents very quickly when any intervention is necessary. The school surveys parental opinion regularly, often including home school association members in the discussions, This ensures that parents’ views are included in future development planning. Parents report that any concerns are handled very effectively using correct procedures. Staff communicate particularly carefully with parents of children who have any special or additional need. The school arranges very effective support, often from within the school, and ensures that parents are full partners in this collaboration. Parents are therefore very confident that the school meets their child’s needs, and they value the support given.

34. The school provides very good information for parents. Very informative curriculum booklets ensure that parents know exactly what their child is studying and how they can help. Annual reports are good. Teachers provide good detail about pupils’ performance, noting particularly the efforts pupils make. Most reports, but not all, include precise suggestions for securing further improvement. However, the school fails to report the progress of some pupils in Years 10 and 11, in lOT. Parents value the additional reports in pupils’ record books, which allow them to check their child’s performance during the year.

35. The school is sincerely committed to working in partnership with other schools and colleges. It makes a very strong contribution to the improvement of education locally, especially tq, the development of school leadership, where the headteacher’s personal contribution is excellent. It regularly hosts professionals from other schools, who are eager to experience the ethos and innovation present at Hall Mead. The school is very aware of its areas of excellence and willingly shares these with others. It makes an extremely effective contribution to the initial training of teachers through highly developed links with universities and colleges, The additional funds attracted by specialist status enable the school to share its expertise with