Gartree High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

Gartree is a highly effective school. When pupils leave at the end of Year 9, they are extremely well prepared for the next stage of their education. Outstanding achievement is the result of the school's high expectations, outstanding teaching, excellent support and pupils' wholly positive attitudes to learning.

The headteacher provides excellent leadership and is extremely well supported by other leaders. They strive very effectively to improve the pupils' education. Pupils achieve outstandingly well and reach standards that are well above those expected for their age.

Lessons are challenging and interesting. All groups... of pupils make rapid progress because teachers ensure that work is carefully matched to the pupils' learning needs. On some occasions the greater level of challenge provided in lessons for higher-attaining pupils is not introduced soon enough.

Leaders know exactly what has to be done to maintain the school's many strengths and improve the very few areas that are not yet outstanding. Excellent systems for improving the quality of teaching and achievement are well established. Behaviour is excellent.

Improvements since the last inspection ensure that pupils demonstrate exemplary attitudes to their work. The school makes sure its systems for keeping pupils safe meet national requirements and are effective. Pupils feel very safe.

They say that help is readily available if needed. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is very strong. There is a wealth of cultural and sporting activities on offer, and the strong curriculum helps foster their understanding of the wider world.

Governors are highly effective. They have a very clear idea of how well the school is doing, but continue to challenge leaders to improve teaching and achievement further.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school but is larger than a typical middle school.

Gartree High School converted to become an academy on 1 June 2012. Pupils attend the school from a wide area in and beyond the town of Oadby. It is heavily over-subscribed.

About half of the pupils are from White British backgrounds. A quarter of pupils are of Indian heritage, with the remaining pupils coming from a wide range of ethnic groups. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority) is below the national average.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. The school uses Alchemy Education to make alternative provision off the school site for a very small number of pupils.

The school includes specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs. The Hearing Impaired Unit (HIU) provides specialised support for pupils from within the school and from other schools in the area. Currently five pupils attend the unit.