Ofsted have told Rossett High School in Harrogate that improvements are required. This was following an inspection this year and a report in July.
- Effectiveness of leadership and management – Requires improvement
- Quality of teaching, learning and assessment – Requires improvement
- Personal development, behaviour and welfare – Requires improvement
- Outcomes for pupils – Requires improvement
- 16 to 19 study programmes – Good
The full report is here Rossett Ofsted Report 2019
The report has noted the following weaknesses
- Senior leaders and governors recognise correctly the priorities for improvement. However, they are overambitious in their evaluations of the impact of their actions.
- Although middle leaders are realistic in their evaluations of where further improvements need to be made, inconsistencies remain in the effectiveness of their actions.
- While teachers’ subject knowledge is generally strong, teachers do not consistently plan learning activities which effectively consider pupils’ prior learning.
- The quality of pupils’ work is variable. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can produce is inconsistent. Poor-quality, missing and incomplete work is not consistently challenged by teachers.
- Some pupils exhibit poor attitudes towards their learning, which are not always challenged effectively by teachers or leaders. The guidance teachers provide for pupils to help them to improve is inconsistent. In some examples it is in line with school policies, resulting in better progress, in others it is not, and so pupils’ progress is weaker.
- In the past, pupils who are disadvantaged have not made strong progress and have underachieved considerably. Although their progress is now beginning to improve, this is at an early stage.
- Although pupils’ attendance overall remains above the national average, it has declined. The attendance of those pupils who are disadvantaged has not improved and remains below that of other pupils in the school.
The ofsted report acknowledges the following strengths of the school.
- Leaders have developed thorough systems for checking on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. These systems help leaders to identify the professional development needs of staff.
- The sixth form, and leadership of it, are strengths of the school.
- The school’s work to develop the oracy and literacy skills of pupils is a growing strength. Pupils are confident and articulate.
- Leaders are conscious of the need to develop the curriculum so that it meets the needs of all pupils. They review it annually to ensure that it does.
Schools that require improvement are normally inspected within 30 months of the latest inspection report. They may also receive monitoring visits.
The school was rated as outstanding in June 2010. They converted to an Academy in 2012.
The school are yet to respond to our questions or to provide comment. We will updated the news item if they do.
