Hunstanton: School is going the right way, says head
A SCHOOL which was placed into special measures despite posting record exam results is making satisfactory progress in tackling its problems.
That was the verdict of a new Ofsted report on Hunstanton’s Smithdon High School published this week after a recent monitoring visit.
Inspectors have also warned that more still needs to be done to tackle areas of concern.
But the findings have been welcomed by the school’s headteacher, Jonathan Goodchild, who hopes they will be out of special measures in 12 months’ time.
He said: “There is improvement to be made and there is a determination to make that journey.”
As previously reported, the school was placed into special measures last September after inspectors deemed it was “inadequate” in key areas.
The news emerged only a few weeks after the school celebrated its best ever GCSE results, with 47 per cent of students achieving five or more A*-C grades.
The latest report follows a two-day monitoring inspection carried out in mid-January.
Inspectors said the school was making satisfactory progress on the following priorities:
n Improving pupils’ learning and progress and raising standards
n Improving sixth form provision and outcomes
n Ensuring managers at all levels delivered improvements.
The report also said that assessment processes had “improved signficantly”, while behaviour was generally satisfactory and often good in the lessons observed.
But the inspectors added that pupils’ progress between the ages of 11 and 16 was “much too low”, despite recent improvements.
They also warned that, despite progress to improve inadequate teaching practices, there was still too much teaching that “does not promote good learning.”
Mr Goodchild said he was pleased the progress that had been made had been recognised by the inspectors.
He also revealed he was targeting sufficient improvements to enable the school to exit special measures in early 2013.
He said schools normally resolved the problems which saw them placed into special measures within one to two years and that it was very unusual for schools to make the necessary improvements any faster.
He added: “We are doing what we think is right and that has been confirmed by the report.”
Mr Goodchild said verbal feedback given by the inspectors during their visit had been more positive.
But he added: “The report is useful. It highlights the things we have yet to do and the progress we need to make.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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