Following an Ofsted inspection in early May, Pewsey Vale School has been told that its overall effectiveness as a secondary school ‘requires improvement’.
The ‘overall effectiveness’ at its last Ofsted inspection in 2013 was found to be ‘Good’. All the four individual areas were also rated as ‘Good’: achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management.
However, since then Ofsted’s criteria and methods have shifted and been toughened – to meet, it was said, the criticism that some school were ‘coasting’ and not always striving to improve.
They now rate ‘Effectiveness of leadership & management’, ‘Quality of teaching, learning & assessment’, ‘Personal development, behaviour & welfare’ and ‘Outcomes for pupils’.
They itemised the school’s four ‘strengths’ – which included good extra-curricular activities and good behaviour. And there were nine key findings explaining why the inspectors considered that the school ‘requires improvement’.
These latter findings included:
• some pupils do not make good progress
• the progress of disadvantaged pupils is not consistently good
• science is a particular area of concern
• ”Leaders’ self-assessment had been overgenerous and as a result improvement plans are not focused sharply enough”
• ”Teachers do not consistently provide tasks with appropriate challenge to interest and motivate pupils, including the most able pupils”
• ”Some parents told inspectors that they do not have enough information about how to help their child”
This report comes nearly a year after the school celebrated its best ever GCSE results.
The inspection took place sometime after the Headteacher, Carol Grant, said she was standing down for personal reasons. She has been Headteacher of the school for eleven years.
Neil Pritchard has been appointed to take over the headship from September. He had previously been the Deputy head at the school.
On his appointment Mr Prichard said he was delighted to be returning to work within the Pewsey community: “I have gained invaluable experience from being away for the past six years and I am now ready and excited to lead and drive the school forward.”
The chair of the school’s governors, Mrs Tracy Richards, said of Mr Pritchard: “He has a very clear vision for the school and how best to support the students, staff and parents of Pewsey Vale to achieve success.”
The full Ofsted report can be found via this page of the Ofsted website.
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