Guiseley School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Guiseley School has experienced a lot of changes since the previous inspection in October 2017. Pupils, parents and staff say that the school continues to improve as a result. Pupils say that the new headteacher and other recently appointed staff have been successful in their efforts to improve behaviour.

Relationships between pupils and staff are positive. Classrooms are alive with frequent pupil discussion. Currently, corridors and lunchtimes can be busy.

This is, in part, due to limited space and tight corridors or stairwells. Pupils and staff are very much looking forward to moving into the new school building next year. Pupils say that they feel safe at school....r/>
Most pupils know who they can speak to if they have a problem or concern. A very small minority of pupils had some concerns relating to how teachers respond to incidents of bullying. Some pupils told inspectors how counselling sessions at the school had helped get them through a difficult time.

Most teachers expect a lot from pupils. They expect pupils to present work neatly and in detail. In lessons, teachers ask pupils lots of questions to ensure that a learning point is explored in full.

Nearly all pupils take part in some form of artistic activity due to the school's significant specialism in this area.

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

Pupils study subjects in key stage 3 for two years, before making their option choices for key stage 4. Many subject leaders have carefully considered the design of the curriculum to ensure that pupils learn the most important subject content.

Most of the time, this ensures that pupils use their previous learning well to help them understand a new topic or idea more easily. Leaders often review how well the curriculum leads to pupils achieving well. They know that in some subjects, pupils move onto a new topic too quickly before they have understood the last.

As a result, leaders have started to look at how they can give pupils more opportunities and time to learn a broad and rich curriculum for longer.

Teachers, including those new to the profession, benefit from very effective training. This helps them to improve their work in the classroom.

Most teachers know their pupils well and plan lessons to ensure that pupils know more and remember more over time. Teachers use a range of methods to recap work and go over work that pupils covered a long time ago. Pupils say that this helps them learn a lot.

Historically, pupils' results at the end of Year 11 have been broadly average when compared to other pupils across the country. However, disadvantaged pupils have not achieved well. Leaders are using the additional funds they receive to support disadvantaged pupils far better now.

As a result, disadvantaged pupils currently in the school achieve highly.

Lessons are calm and purposeful. Low-level disruption is rare.

This was not always the case. Pupils say that teachers are more strict now and that they get into trouble if they misbehave. Pupils' positive attitudes to learning allow teachers to experiment with different types of learning activities.

Pupils appreciate the chance to work in groups and with friends.

Pupils' attendance is improving and the proportion of pupils who miss school frequently is declining. Leaders know that, although improving, attendance could be even better.

New leaders with responsibility for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are contributing to these pupils attending more and achieving more highly. Support for vulnerable pupils, both inside and outside of the classroom, is much stronger now.

Pupils' personal development is a strength across the school.

Pupils take part in a range of activities to develop their leadership skills. During the inspection, pupils were voting to elect their pupil house representatives. Pupils took this very seriously, commenting that the speeches made by their peers were very impressive.

Students in the sixth form study an ambitious academic curriculum. Students attend well, are punctual and act as effective role models to younger pupils in the school. Students achieve well.

As a result, nearly all students progress onto appropriate and demanding higher-education courses, training or employment.

The headteacher, senior leaders and governors provide strong leadership. Their guidance, coupled with effective support from the local authority, is leading to staff feeling valued and motivated.

Results from the staff inspection questionnaire demonstrate that morale is high. Leaders, including governors, know the school well. Their plans to improve the school are accurate and targeted in the right areas.

The capacity for further improvement is strong.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that the safety of pupils is at the heart of everything they do.

Nearly all pupils who responded to Ofsted's inspection questionnaire said that they feel safe. Although a small minority of pupils had concerns relating to how teachers respond to incidents of bullying, inspectors were satisfied with the school's work in this area. Inspection evidence demonstrates that staff are alert, well trained and aware of how to report any safeguarding concerns and to whom.

Staff ensure that investigations are followed through to a suitable conclusion.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders and staff have worked hard to ensure that the curriculum at key stage 3 covers all the subjects within the national curriculum. Furthermore, leaders have ensured that the new curriculum includes important subject content in many subjects.

Pupils have a solid foundation from which to learn new knowledge and ideas. However, the quality of planning in this regard varies across subjects and, occasionally, pupils move on from a topic before mastering the previous one. This leads to misconceptions in the future and/or a superficial understanding for some pupils.

Leaders, including governors, must ensure that pupils are afforded enough time to study a broad and balanced key stage 3 curriculum that is rich in content and allows pupils to build upon their long-term memory. . Historically, attendance has been an issue.

Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND have not attended school as often as they should. Consequently, achievement for these pupils has been below average. While the support and quality of education pupils receive is much stronger now, leaders must ensure that all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, attend well and achieve well.

How can I feedback my views?

You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

If you're not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted.

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route.