Putteridge High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The Chiltern Learning Trust and the local governing body have been fundamental in offering support that has resulted in school improvement. The effective communication between them ensures that school leaders are steadfastly held to account over the performance and behaviour of pupils. Governors provide strategic support for school leaders and challenge them to improve further.

The headteacher and senior leaders have been relentless in their efforts to improve provision. As a result, the standards of teaching and the achievements of pupils are good. School self-evaluation is accurate.

Senior leaders know the school's strengths, where impr...ovement is required and what to do. Middle leaders are effective, making an important contribution to school improvement. The school's systems for assessing pupils' progress are effective.

Teachers' strong subject knowledge promotes an eagerness to learn across the school. Pupils show positive attitudes. The performance of disadvantaged pupils is improving swiftly and the gap between their achievement and the others is narrowing.

However, leaders' plans are unclear as to which improvement strategies are the most effective. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress. However, the way that leaders monitor and evaluate the impact of the support is not sharp enough.

Communication with these pupils' parents is not as good as it could be. Pupils' social and emotional needs are met exceptionally well. Developing pupils' self-esteem is at the forefront of the school's work.

Pupils feel safe and secure. They are knowledgeable about how to keep themselves safe when using modern technology. Attendance is now in line with the national average because pupils enjoy school more than in the past.

Punctuality to lessons is good. Some disadvantaged pupils do not attend school as regularly as their peers. Although this is improving, persistent absence remains high.

Good-quality careers advice means that pupils secure next steps in their education and training. At times, teachers provide insufficient challenge for the most able pupils. Consequently, they do not make as much progress as they should.

The rich curriculum provides pupils with a very wide range of subjects, enriched by a range of excellent extra-curricular activities.

Information about this school

Putteridge High School is a secondary school serving the area of Luton. It is smaller than the average secondary school.

The school became part of the Chiltern Learning Trust on the 1 March 2017. Although the multi-academy trust's board of trustees is legally the responsible body, the school retains a local governing body. This holds the school's leaders to account for the effectiveness of teaching, learning and assessment, personal development, behaviour and welfare, as well as pupils' progress, outcomes and safeguarding.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds is above the national average. The proportion of pupils whose first language is not believed to be English is above average.

The proportion of pupils who receive support for SEND is above average. The school uses alternative provision, all of which consists of registered providers. Pupils attend Active Support, ACE, Avenue Centre for Education, Aspire to Inspire and MacIntyre.

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