Highworth Grammar School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Students make excellent progress and their GCSE and A-level examination results are above the national average. Teachers have high expectations and the quality of teaching over time has been effective in maintaining students' excellent progress.

Teaching is good with approximately half that is outstanding. Students' behaviour is exemplary. They receive high levels of care from the staff and feel confident that they can discuss any issues that they have with the student support managers.

Students feel safe and praise the many 'focus days' activities that provide detailed information on how to keep safe in different situations. The...re is an inclusive atmosphere where all students feel valued and are treated equally. There are many after-school clubs and activities and students enjoy coming to school.

Their attendance is above the national average. The headteacher and his senior leaders are excellent role models for teachers. They all teach and students achieve well in their lessons.

The sixth form is outstanding with exemplary leadership and excellent teaching. As a result, students make rapid and sustained progress. The curriculum is exemplary and the various subjects and topics develop students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

Governors have high expectations and continuously challenge the school's leaders to raise students' examination grades. They have helped the students to be very confident leaders by encouraging them to become student governors.

Information about this school

The school is larger than the average-sized secondary school.

The proportion of girls on roll is well above the national average because only girls attend the school in Key Stages 3 and 4. Approximately 6% of the students are eligible for support through the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, those known to be eligible for free school meals and the children of service families. This figure is well below the national average.

There are very few students in the care of the local authority and from service families. Most of the students are White British. The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is well below the national average, as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress. Highworth Grammar School converted to become an academy school on 1 January 2011. When its predecessor school, with the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.