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Latest Ofsted Inspection

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Weobley High is an outstanding school that provides excellent opportunities for pupils to thrive and develop very good skills and aptitudes. A major reason why the school has made excellent improvements is the drive and ambition of the highly effective and influential headteacher, who is supported by extremely committed and enthusiastic staff. Staff know the pupils extremely well as individuals and ensure that they achieve to their maximum. Attainment has been improving year on year and, as the changes to the curriculum impact fully upon results at the end of Year 11, records show that pupils are on track to reach above-average attainment in 2011 and even higher in 2012. All Year 9 pupils are interviewed by the headteacher to identify which courses best meet their needs. The excellent curriculum is then formulated to ensure pupils can all achieve well. Behaviour is outstanding because lessons engage and enthral pupils. In many lessons observed, there was a great excitement as pupils learned, often by teachers devising activities that involved working in groups or on practical tasks. Lessons, including revision sessions, are made fun and consequently learning is excellent. Attendance is above average because pupils want to attend and there has been a large drop in the proportion of pupils who have a considerable amount of time off school. Self-evaluation is rigorous and accurate. Senior managers know their school very well and are constantly looking to identify areas that need further improvement. They are not complacent and a major reason for the school’s excellent capacity to carry on improving is that managers are fully committed to improving the provision further and hence the achievement of the pupils.

 

The quality of pupils’ learning is excellent because of a combination of extremely good guidance and support, a highly motivating curriculum and engaging teaching. Teaching is outstanding, with many excellent practitioners. Teachers use assessment very well in many lessons. Questioning is used very well to identify how well pupils have learned, marking is often highly informative and detailed and identifies how pupils can improve. Time is then given for individuals to respond to comments and improve their work. However, this is not consistent and sometimes marking is not as detailed or effective.

 

Students say they feel very safe. This judgement is also supported by the returns from the parent and carer questionnaires. Risk assessments for educational visits and other activities are comprehensive. The specialist areas of language and communication are key to the schools’ highly effective work within the community, as well as integral in improving the provision. The school is a hub of activity out of school times, with dance being a very important activity that many local children enjoy. A large proportion of pupils study a modern foreign language and the school is extending its work to offer translation services to local businesses.