The Robert Napier School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher's determination and passion have been pivotal in improving the school. Governors and staff are committed to the school's continued improvement.

Together with his dedicated senior and middle leaders, the headteacher has successfully transformed the culture of the school. Behaviour is now good. Pupils and staff appreciate the friendly atmosphere.

Pupils say that staff are helpful and supportive. Leaders' and teachers' hard work has ensured that the quality of teaching is now good. Teaching typically supports pupils' development of subject-specific knowledge and skills.

Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and ...pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is ensuring that their progress is improving towards that of other pupils nationally. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and relative weaknesses. Together, the local governing body and the chief executive officer of the Fort Pitt Thomas Aveling Academies Trust provide effective support and challenge to school leaders.

The sixth form has improved. It is now good, because of better leadership and teaching. Students make especially good progress in vocational subjects.

Pupils' attendance has improved substantially. Most pupils now attend school regularly. Leaders provide effective support to help those pupils whose persistent absence remains a concern.

Pupils' progress across a broad range of subjects has risen to match that of pupils nationally. Pupils' progress in English and mathematics is lower than in other subjects, but is improving for current pupils. The well-designed curriculum prioritises the development of pupils' literacy skills.

Leaders are making good use of the curriculum to raise pupils' aspirations for the future and to prepare them well for life in the community. Leaders have identified their next steps for further improvement. These include raising levels of challenge to ensure that pupils deepen their thinking, and that pupils' writing across the curriculum is consistently strong, especially for boys.

Exceptionally high levels of pupils either join or leave the school throughout the year. The school's highly inclusive ethos ensures that these and all other pupils are safe and exceptionally well cared for. Consequently, pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding.

Information about this school

The school is a larger-than-average-sized secondary school. It serves a non-selective intake in an area where nearly a third of pupils attend selective grammar schools. The school is part of the Fort Pitt Thomas Aveling Academies Trust.

It has its own local governing body, which holds the school to account. The overall accountable body is the board of trustees. The trust employs a chief executive officer to oversee the work of the school.

Prior attainment of pupils on entry to the school is well below the national average. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. Nearly half of the school's intake are disadvantaged and eligible for the pupil premium funding.

This proportion is well above average. An above-average proportion of pupils are eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium. The school has exceptionally high levels of pupil mobility.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is nearly double the national average. A below-average proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. A below-average proportion speak English as an additional language.

The school does not use any alternative off-site provision. The school has specially resourced provision for visually impaired pupils. There are currently nine pupils in this provision.