Arthur Mellows Village College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. The headteacher, together with a team of dedicated and expert senior leaders and governors, communicates high ambition, and supports and challenges staff to drive improvement and raise standards. All have high expectations of what students can achieve, as do the students themselves.

Standards of teaching, and levels of achievement, have continued to rise steadily. Students' behaviour is excellent, both in lessons and around the academy. Students are keen to learn; their excellent relationships with their teachers mean the atmosphere within lessons is purposeful and positive.

Students are safe and well cared-for. The quality of te...aching is outstanding. Teachers have high expectations and show students explicitly how to learn successfully.

Students respond and are keen to do well. Activities are highly engaging; feedback helps many students exceed their challenging targets. The curriculum is broad and allows students to choose courses that fit their interests and abilities.

The academy makes an outstanding contribution to students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Students' achievement at GCSE is outstanding. They make rapid progress from their different starting points regardless of their abilities and high proportions exceed expected rates of progress in English and mathematics.

Disadvantaged students make similar rates of progress to their peers and achieve more highly than other students nationally. Disabled students and those who have special educational needs make outstanding progress. The sixth form is good.

Students' attainment has increased markedly because of the improvements leaders have made. Students are making good progress and this is accelerating.

Information about this school

Arthur Mellows Village College converted to become an academy on 1 September 2010.

When its predecessor school of the same name was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall. This is a larger than the average-sized secondary academy with a large sixth form. Approximately 12% of students are disadvantaged and supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for students who are known to be eligible for free school meals or are looked after.

This proportion is well below the national average. The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs, at around 21%, is above average. The academy meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.