Sixth form is Heath School’s key weakness
ARUNCORN high school has been told it is being let down by its sixth form as the education watchdog graded it ‘good’ overall with some outstanding features.
Ofsted visited The Heath on September 12-13 and published its findings on September 28.
It was graded ‘good’ in the leadership, pupil outcome and teaching standards categories and awarded ‘outstanding’ for behaviour, but slapped with a ‘requires improvement’ score for its sixth form education, and recommended that it ‘urgently’ implement a strategy to broaden the availability of subjects.
The team of six inspectors, led by Will Smith, said standards among pupils working towards their GCSEs had been slipping between 2014 and 2016 but that this had now been reversed.
Mr Smith’s report said the principal Jamie Jardine had made ‘farreaching improvements were made that have led to significant and sustained improvements’ in areas of concern as a result.
In addition, school leaders had created a ‘harmonious and respectful community’ and ‘shrewd’ use of funding had helped to transform the rate of progress made by disadvantaged pupils.
The report’s main criticisms focused on education for students aged 16 to 19 years old.
Inspectors said staff had been ‘overgenerous’ in their assessment of the sixth form and had struggled to recruit large numbers.
This dropped so much for this academic year that The Heath has stopped teaching Year 12 altogether and the 10 students are now being taught at Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy.
Furthermore sixth form attendance is ‘not high’ and the proportion of students who complete their course is below the national average.
According to the report, The Heath has 1,099 pupils on its roll with 22 in Years 12 and 13.
The school’s principal Mr Jardine said the school was proud of the outcome of the inspection, but added that staff have no ‘intention of resting on this recognition, the school is always seeking to improve’. ●
He said: “We are delighted that The Heath School has rightly been praised for being a centre for outstanding personal development, behaviour and welfare.
“I am immensely proud of all our staff, students and parents for the work that they do to make the school what it is.
“Whilst this is a tremendous testament to the work and dedication of all involved at the school, there is no intention of resting on this recognition, the school is always seeking to improve.”
David Donnelly, The Heath Family (NW) Multi Academy Trust chief executive, said: “We are rightly pleased that the good work of all at The Heath School has been recognised in their recent Ofsted inspection.
“The school forms an integral part of our Multi Academy Trust, we will be supporting the school in conducting a comprehensive review of Sixth form provision and look forward to seeing this flourish within the purpose-built centre in their new building.”
A major rebuild is under way at The Heath School, due for completion and open for classes from January.