King Edward VI Grammar School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

King Edward VI Grammar School is an outstanding school which has improved significantly since the last inspection.

GCSE results are consistently high and A level results have gone up every year over the past five years. Students make at least good and, in some lessons, outstanding progress. Equally importantly, students are very well prepared for further study; not only are their academic standards high, but they also develop as confident articulate individuals ready to take full advantage of opportunities as they arise.

Most parents and carers are positive about all aspects of the school, summed up in comments such as, 'delighted with the education offered', 'excellent extra-curricular activ...ities', 'an excellent approach to the development of children', 'immediately welcomed', 'a caring community'', 'my child's other home'. Sixth form students describe the school as, 'providing high quality education' and say that they feel able to express their views and beliefs without fear of prejudice. The care and guidance that students receive is outstanding.

The great majority say that they enjoy school, feel safe and that teachers care about them. As a result, students flourish and become mature and purposeful learners. Another aspect of students' outstanding personal development can be seen in the pride they take in non-academic achievements as well as in their school and its heritage, as seen in their exemplary Charter Day celebrations at the local church.

Students achieve exceptionally well in many other areas such as in sports, music and in the contribution they make to the school and local community life. Both their involvement and contributions are highly valued by the wider community. Teaching is outstanding; it is nearly always at least good and is often exceptional.

In the best lessons, a brisk pace generates excellent progress. Precise and regular feedback is given to students on how to improve their work both in lessons and in their books. There are excellent examples of supported self-learning.

However, in a very small minority of lessons these features are not present and in these lessons progress is slower. Individual talent is fostered very well. For example, students enjoy success in an extremely wide range of extra-curricular activities which include many cultural, sporting and musical opportunities.

Participation is high and these activities do much to encourage working closely with others. A significant strength is the curriculum, which is regularly reviewed to reflect students' interests and aspirations. Opportunities exist for able students to deepen their subject knowledge through additional subjects such as the international GCSE in mathematics and triple sciences.

Enrichment and residential courses provide all students with rich and highly memorable experiences. The school's capacity to improve is excellent. It has improved significantly in the past few years.

The school knows itself well, is reflective, self critical and strives for even further improvement. Its improvement plan is highly ambitious, yet realistic, with clear targets for the key aspects of its work. The governing body provides unwavering support with strong demands to see action taken, for example when performance in a subject area is not good enough.

Its members are highly visible in the school community and listen and respond to student and parental concerns. The headteacher has set high standards and high expectations for all who work at the school and is supported very effectively by his teams of senior and middle leaders to realise these aspirations. This has generated a strong morale, a very positive learning ethos and a firm desire to excel.

As a result, the school's vision to 'encourage excellence and nurture talent' has become a reality.

Information about the school

King Edward VI Grammar School is smaller in size than other secondary schools with a sixth form. Students come from a wide rural area as well as from Louth itself.

A well-below-average proportion of students have special educational needs and/or disabilities and the proportion known to be eligible for free school meals is low. The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language is well-below average. The school is a specialist science college.

It was recognised as a High Performing Specialist School in May 2007 and has taken on Language College Status as a second specialism. The school has received national recognition in a number of areas of its work notably in its international dimension, healthy schools, sports and in careers advice and guidance. The school operates in an area where there is a system of selection by ability.