Rawmarsh Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

* This is a good school The headteacher's determined leadership has secured improvements across the school's work since becoming an academy in August 2014. Pupils' progress from low starting points on entry to the end of Year 11 has risen from below average to above average overall, and in a range of subjects over that time.

This is also the case for disadvantaged pupils. Pupils' attainment has also risen from below to above that found nationally in English and mathematics. Detailed checks on the school's work means that the headteacher, leaders and governors have a clear understanding of what is working well and what needs to be better.

Timely action is taken... to tackle weaker areas. For example, the quality of teaching has improved well. Teachers use regular assessments of pupils' work to plan activities or extra interventions that are usually matched well to pupils' varying starting points.

Consequently, pupils make generally good progress in their learning across an increasingly broad range of subjects While leaders check pupils' progress from regular tests, a few do not also check if pupils' workbooks confirm similar rates of progress. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because : of the care and extra support they receive. Consequently, the additional funding for these pupils is used well.

Leaders know that modern foreign languages and core science remain weaker areas of the curriculum. They are currently working with staff to improve matters and to ensure all teaching is as good as the best. Action is also being taken to ensure the most able pupils make consistently strong progress.

There has been good improvement in pupils' behaviour, attendance and attitudes to learning. Pupils attend regularly, arrive at lessons ready to learn and settle down quickly. Pupils are polite and friendly.

They usually behave well in class and as they move around the sprawling school site. They report they are safe and learn how to keep themselves safe. Promotion of pupils' personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong.

The broad curriculum, extra-curricular opportunities, visitors and visits out of school are raising pupils' aspirations and broadening their horizons well. Pupils are prepared well for their next steps and virtually all move on to their chosen destinations. Governors and the leaders of the trust share the headteacher's vision to ensure that pupils get the very best deal possible.

They challenge and support leaders effectively in their drive to realise the vision.

Information about this school

The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the child protection policy on its website. The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.

Rawmarsh is a smaller-than-average-sized secondary school, although the number on roll has increased over the past two years. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. Most pupils are of White British heritage.

An above-average proportion of pupils have been identified by the school as requiring additional support for their special educational needs and/or disability. A slightly below-average proportion of these pupils has an education, health and care plan. The school became part of Wickersley Partnership Trust, a multi-academy trust, in August 2014.

The predecessor school was last inspected in May 2014 and was judged to require improvement. It had been placed in special measures 15 months previously. A small number of pupils attend alternative provision for part of the week.

They still attend Rawmarsh for the bulk of their education. The providers include: Get Sorted Academy, Dearne Valley College, the Rowan Centre and Wingfield Comprehensive School. In 2016, the school met the government's floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 11.