Whalley Range 11-18 High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Students' achievement in Key Stages 3 and 4 is outstanding. Teaching is good because teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve. They plan lessons that are interesting and well-matched to the needs of students so that students make good progress.

The school makes an outstanding contribution to the welfare of its students by challenging unsafe practices that they might encounter outside school. As a result, students feel that the school helps them to keep safe. School leaders at all levels are unswervingly ambitious to improve the life chances of students.

There has been a determined and successful drive to turn... the school around since the previous inspection. School governors have a sharp grasp of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They have succeeded in challenging the school to improve in many areas including supporting the school to eliminate weak teaching.

Students are polite, courteous and keen to learn. They show great pride in their school and their behaviour is exemplary. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The sixth form requires improvement.

This is because students' achievement needs to improve.

Information about this school

Whalley Range is a single sex school for girls. It is larger than the average-sized secondary school with a sixth form.

The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, children of parents in the armed forces and for students known to be eligible for free school meals, is almost three times the national average. The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is much greater than the national average, as is the proportion of students who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of students supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is lower than that found nationally.

A greater than average proportion of students join the school other than at the start of Year 7 and leave the school other than at the end of Year 11. A small number of students attend work-related training away from school with some at a local college of further education. The school's recent GCSE examination results met the government's floor standard, which is the minimum expected for students' attainment and progress.