Arrow Vale High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Arrow Vale High School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The executive principal of the school is Ian Mellor and the head of school is Matthew Rash. This school is part of the Central Region Schools Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Guy Shears, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Orla MacSherry.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and share the school's aspiration to 'aim high'. The school is working to improve outcomes so that all pupils achieve these high aspirations. Pupils un...derstand that the school treats them as the individuals they are.

The school is highly inclusive, where everyone is valued. Pupils speak positively about the support they receive from staff and enjoy their learning. There is a strong culture of safeguarding and well-being across the school.

Pupils are safe and say they are happy in school. Parents and carers are very supportive of the school's ethos.

There is a highly purposeful atmosphere around the school.

Pupils focus on their learning well, work hard and want to learn. Teachers speak calmly with any pupil who loses concentration and offer support to help them regain focus. During social times, pupils mix with others in a calm and orderly manner.

Pupils know who to talk to about any concerns they may have.

The school places a strong emphasis on pupils' wider development. Pupils say they really appreciate the wide range of leadership roles they have.

Sixth-form students organise committees to support local and national charities. Students also lead assemblies for younger pupils, including around online safety. Many pupils regularly attend a range of enrichment clubs across the year, including musical theatre and 'evil genius'.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has designed a highly ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and students in the sixth form. The school has set very high expectations for pupils' future academic achievements. Remembering key knowledge is a priority in every subject.

Focused leadership has brought rapid improvement in how pupils learn in many subjects. However, despite this, the high expectations have not yet led to consistently improving outcomes in all subjects by the end of key stage 4.

The school successfully identifies the key knowledge that pupils need to succeed.

Teachers present new subject matter clearly to pupils. Most teachers make effective checks on what pupils know to ensure that they understand previous learning. For example, Year 11 pupils in English used their prior knowledge well to analyse characters in a new text.

However, there are times when this is not the case. The checks that some teachers complete are not rigourous enough. As a result, they do not have a sufficiently detailed understanding of whether pupils have remembered what they have learned before.

This means that some teachers do not consistently adapt the learning to address any wrong ideas or missing knowledge, which limits the progress pupils make.

Students in the sixth form are positive about their learning experiences and the wider opportunities the school provides. Sixth-form teachers engage students in ambitious, challenging and independent learning.

This enables students to achieve very well. Many students become school ambassadors. These ambassadors support leaders in shaping the school community.

For example, students support younger students in their lessons.

The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly and effectively. Most staff use precise information effectively to consider where to adapt the learning for each pupil's individual needs.

Reading is a priority at this school. The school ensures that staff and pupils read widely in registration, as well as across all learning. It is developing further work around phonics to support the weakest readers.

The school gives support through extra interventions where needed. These interventions are enabling the weaker readers to become more confident and fluent.

The school analyses trends in attendance effectively and provides additional support for pupils who do not attend regularly.

This work is strong and has been shared across the local authority. However, the school recognises that despite this, too many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, miss too much school. This limits the progress and achievement they make.

Pupils' well-being is at the forefront of the school's curriculum, including promoting pupils' positive mental health. The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Pupils have a detailed understanding of fundamental British values, healthy relationships and respecting the views of others.

All pupils and sixth-form students receive unbiased information on potential next steps and high-quality careers guidance. This prepares them extremely well for the next stages of their lives. Year 10 pupils and Year 12 students complete work experience in a range of settings.

They receive valuable 'real-world' learning through this opportunity.

All leaders, including those responsible for governance, know this school well. They understand how the local context has a significant impact on pupils' learning and attendance.

The school reviews and develops all aspects of a pupil's education effectively. The trust supports the school very well. Trustees and governors support and hold staff to account for the decisions taken.

The school has implemented a well-thought-out professional development programme, which staff appreciate. Staff appreciate the efforts the school makes to consider their workload and involve them in policy changes.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, some teachers do not use assessments well enough to check what pupils know and remember over time. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified and addressed consistently. The school should ensure that all teachers use assessments consistently and adapt their teaching to ensure that any gaps in learning are closed so that pupils are well prepared for their next stage.

• Some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, miss too much school. This affects their learning and achievement. The school should further build on its current effective work with parents and external agencies to ensure that the barriers that stop pupils attending school are removed.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in December 2018.