Culcheth High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Students develop good knowledge, skills and understanding well in most subjects, including English and mathematics.

They make good progress from their starting points and attain high standards in GCSE examinations. Teaching over time is usually good and some is outstanding. Students work hard and behave well.

They are respectful to teachers and other adults. Attendance is above average and rising. The school's good performance has continued during the recent period of interim leadership.

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of students' learning are well developed. Many students are actively involved in working for char...ities. Senior leaders' evaluation of the school is comprehensive and accurate.

It leads to effective development although they recognise that more could be done to enhance the learning of some groups. Governors understand the school well. They provide well-judged support and strong challenge to school leaders.

They are prepared to take hard decisions when necessary. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Boys generally achieve less well than girls. Students eligible for the pupil premium do not achieve as well as others.

Recently, achievement gaps have begun to narrow. The most able students do not always achieve the standards of which they are capable. Teachers' marking and use of questioning in lessons is not always effective in ensuring students develop good levels of understanding.

Teaching does not always develop students' love of learning or enthusiasm for the power of education to change lives. This has a particularly detrimental impact in lower sets. The sixth form requires improvement.

Too many students do not reach the standards of which they are capable. While wider outcomes are positive, achievement is not consistently good across all subjects.

Information about this school

This school is slightly larger than the average sized secondary school.

The school has a sixth form which is much smaller than average. Governors have asked the local authority to consider a proposal that the sixth form should close from July 2015. The council's executive board voted in February 2014 to confirm the intention that the sixth form should close.

The council is following statutory process relating to such a proposed change. A final decision will be made by the council's executive board in June 2014. The proportion of students known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium1 is below the national average.

The proportion of students that the school has identified as disabled or having special educational needs and requiring support through school action is above average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of educational needs is average. The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds is well below average.

Twenty four students in Years 9, 10 and 11 have individual programmes for their learning which include off-site alternative provision, part-time at Warrington Collegiate, a work skills programme at Employ and tuition at home. A new headteacher joined the school on 1 May 2014. A deputy headteacher acted as interim headteacher from 1 January 2014 to 30 April 2014.

The school works with Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School in Blackburn to provide a local group of schools with training for middle leaders. Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School is a National Support School. The school meets the government's current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for students' attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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