Vyners School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school Leaders have built on the school's previous strengths. Pupils, therefore, now benefit from an outstanding education.

Leaders, trustees and local governors strive for excellence. They have strong systems in place for checking the school's work and planning for continual improvement. Teachers have a secure knowledge of their subjects.

They benefit from a comprehensive programme of training. They use assessment information effectively to plan activities that support all groups of pupils to make substantial gains across subjects. Pupils make outstanding progress across key stages 3 and 4 to attain standards that are consistently above... national averages.

Pupils thrive on a broad curriculum and plentiful enrichment activities. The curriculum makes a particularly positive impact on pupils' academic success, and their personal development and welfare. It prepares them extremely well for their future lives.

Pupils in the specialist hearing impairment resource base (HIRB), and others with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive. This is because leaders make sure that the curriculum, teaching, support and therapies are sharply tailored to meet their needs. Pupils have excellent attitudes towards learning.

They work diligently, and are keen to succeed. Pupils welcome diversity, and are respectful towards all people, whatever their culture, faiths, lifestyles or abilities. New leaders have secured notable improvements this year in the sixth form.

They have successfully addressed the previous decline. Teaching and students' attendance rates have markedly improved. As a result, current students make good progress across subjects.

The provision prepares them well for their future careers. Pupils across key stages 3 and 4 benefit from a comprehensive programme of impartial careers advice and guidance. Work experience in the sixth form, however, is less effective.

For some students, the placements have no useful bearing on their career aspirations.

Information about this school

The school became an academy on 1 November 2011. It is part of the Vanguard Learning Trust.

Academy trustees have overall responsibility for governance. They delegate some functions, mainly around standards, teaching and pupils' behaviour and attendance, to the LGB. There is specialist resource provision for up to 16 deaf pupils.

There are currently 16 pupils in the provision. The sixth form is part of the 4H Consortium, which is a partnership with three other secondary schools. The consortium is at the early stages of development.

A few students attend courses at the partner schools. No pupils attend part-time alternative provision. There have been several changes to senior leadership this year.

The headteacher took up his substantive post from September 2018, as did the one of deputy headteachers; the other in January 2018. Trustees appointed a chief executive officer (CEO), who is the substantive headteacher of another school in the trust. The new leader of the sixth form and the SENCo were appointed from September 2018.