John Masefield High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Students achieve well. They make good progress and the standards they reach at the end of Year 11 are above average. As a result of school leaders' continuous drive for improvement, teaching has improved and students across the school make good progress.

Teaching is good overall with some that is outstanding. Skilled questioning and regular checking of learning help students to make consistently good progress in many subjects. The sixth form is good.

Students benefit from good teaching and make good progress to achieve well. Disabled students and those who have special educational needs are given good support. They are making at... least good progress and are helped to close the attainment gap with their classmates.

The curriculum is well planned and provides students with an interesting range of subjects and topics that ensures that they enjoy school. This effectively supports their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The behaviour of students and their attitudes to learning are good.

Students are polite and well mannered. They are well behaved and say they feel safe in school. Governors are skilled and knowledgeable about their roles and continually review the performance of staff and students.

Leadership and management of the school are good; led by a dedicated and enthusiastic headteacher, they are working successfully to drive the school purposefully forward. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The quality of marking and feedback is not consistently high across the school. Teachers do not always set work that is matched to students' different abilities.

Information about this school

John Masefield High School is an average-sized rural comprehensive school with a sixth form. John Masefield High School converted to become an academy on 1 June 2011. When its predecessor school, John Masefield High School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good.

Almost all students are of White British heritage. The percentage of students from ethnic minority groups, or whose first language is not English is much lower than the national average. The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average.

This is additional money allocated by the government for looked after children and those known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of students with special educational needs supported at school action is average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.

The school is designated as a specialist Performing Arts College. A small number of students attend alternative provision off site at Herefordshire and Ludlow College, Hartpury College Gloucester, Worcester College of Technology, The Red Cross Ledbury, Keith St Peter Hair Academy and Motorv8. The school exceeds the government' current floor standards, which are the minimum levels expected for students' attainment and progress for secondary schools.