The Howard School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The principal's vision, determination and steady hand have ensured that the school has made significant improvements since the previous inspection. Good and sometimes outstanding teaching helps all groups of students to achieve well from their starting points in Year 7.

Students' attainment has risen steadily over the last three years. Their achievement in English is exceptionally strong. Students develop good basic skills, including reading, communication and numeracy skills, which equip them well for the next stage of their lives beyond school.

The sixth form is good. Students are attaining higher results year on year across a range of... courses in this rapidly growing sixth form. The school's sports specialism makes an exceptionally good contribution to students' social development and physical well-being.

Students behave well in lessons and around the school. They show consideration and respect for others, so that they feel safe in school. Leaders, managers and governors have an accurate view of the school's strengths and areas for further development.

The school is improving because they prioritise development effectively where it will have the greatest impact on students' achievement. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Across the school, but particularly in the sixth form, students are not given enough opportunities to be actively involved in lesson activities to help them to gain the skills to manage their own learning. In a few lessons, work does not challenge students' thinking well enough.

Students do not always reflect enough on their learning by responding directly to teachers' written advice. The school has not always identified gaps in students' knowledge and understanding early enough to ensure that gaps are closed quickly.

Information about this school

The Howard School is larger than most secondary schools.

It is a boys' school which admits girls into the sixth form. It has held a sports specialism since 2007. Most students are of White British heritage, with a wide range of other backgrounds represented in small numbers.

The proportion of students who speak English as an additional language is below average. The proportion of students for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for students known to be eligible for free school meals, those who are looked after by the local authority and children of service families) is average. Around one in six students in Years 7 and 8 benefit from the nationally funded catch-up programme.

The proportion of disabled students and those with special educational needs supported through school action is high, and the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average. The school no longer enters students for any GCSE examinations before the end of Year 11. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.

Currently no students attend any alternative off-site provision. Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious allegation of a child protection nature was being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the school in response to the incident were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors' judgements.

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