Claydon High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The headteacher is an effective leader who has brought about rapid improvements in both teaching and achievement since the last Ofsted inspection. Senior leaders, including governors, share the headteacher's ambition and drive. Achievement is rising across all year groups.

Students make good progress in most subjects, including English and mathematics. Disabled students and those with special educational needs make good progress. The gap between the achievement of pupil premium students and other students is decreasing rapidly.

Students benefit from good teaching in most subjects. Students are proud of their school and behave wi...th respect and consideration towards each other. Relationships between students and staff are positive.

Behaviour is good and students feel safe in school. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Students make good rather than exceptional progress. Some students of high ability do not yet achieve enough higher grades in their GCSE examinations.

Not enough teaching is outstanding. Teachers do not redesign planned activities quickly enough when students find the work too hard or too easy. When there is a choice of activities, they do not always direct students to engage with the tasks most suited to their ability.

Teachers do not always check students' understanding of their learning sufficiently. Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of higher ability students and do not always use questioning effectively to challenge them to do even better. Students' enthusiasm for learning is not taken full advantage of by all teachers in all subject areas.

Information about this school

Claydon High School is a smaller then average sized secondary school. Most students come from White British backgrounds and speak English as their first language. The number of students requiring extra help at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above the national average, although the number at school action is below average.

The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority and for students known to be eligible for free school meals, is below the national average. A small proportion of Year 7 students are eligible for 'catch up' funding. A small number of students in Years 10 and 11 attend part-time alternative provision (education provided by other schools or colleges) at Otley College, as well as at Suffolk New College, through the 'Avenues' project, and also through the Ipswich Town Football Club Academy.

The school has not used early GCSE entry for any students this year. In 2013 the school met the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. The school has received support from a National Leader of Education from The Parkside Federation in Cambridge.