QUALITY OF EDUCATION
The overall quality of education is very good. Teaching is very good. The excellent relationships and behaviour mean that pupils spend a very high proportion of time in lessons working very hard, and learning very well. Teaching is better in Years 10 and 11 where the high level of subject expertise is more consistent, and where lessons are more frequently exciting and innovative, A high proportion of excellent teaching was observed during the inspection.

The curriculum is very good. It is constantly reviewed to ensure that it meets the needs of all pupils. There is a very good range of extra curricular activities and these are very popular.

Care of pupils is excellent, and the quality of guidance and support is very good. Links with parents are very good though the school has overlooked the need to report how effectively pupils continue to develop their lOT skills if they do not follow an examination course in lOT in Years 10 and 11.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher and leadership team provide excellent direction, with very good support from governors who have a clear vision of the blend of traditional values and high quality innovation that they want to sustain. Extensive efforts to provide a workable daily act of collective worship have not yet succeeded in giving pupils equal access to valuable and stimulating opportunities for reflection, and there has been an oversight of the need to report in ICT. Management overall is very good though. The school is a powerful partnership between staff and pupils which is totally focussed on learning and personal development. This ethos pervades every activity, and there is a constant drive to reach even higher standards,

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Both parents and pupils are highly satisfied with what the school has to offer. Pupils in particular value the fact that they are treated with respect from the moment they come to the school, and every individual is expected to succeed.

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

• Spread the best practice in teaching more consistently across all subject areas, and spread the very good achievement in Years 10 and 11 down into Years 7 to 9.
  
  and, to meet statutory requirements:

• Provide a daily act of collective worship consistently so that all pupils have access to opportunities for reflection on spiritual issues.
  
• Report to parents on the achievement of all pupils in Years 10 and 11 in ICT.