Whitmore High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

The headteacher provides very strong and purposeful leadership. Her commitment to making sure that all students achieve their best is shared by all of the staff. As a result, almost all students make outstanding progress in their work.

Governors use their considerable knowledge and experience very effectively. They challenge and support the headteacher and senior leaders to make sure that teaching is of the highest standard. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and display a passion for their subjects.

They plan work that enthuses and challenges students of all different abilities and interests to do well. Most teac...hers give good quality written feedback, some of which is exemplary. However, marking is not consistently good across all subjects.

Students make excellent progress from their starting points. The vast majority of students gain above average results in a wide range of subjects at GCSE, including English and mathematics. Disabled students and those with special educational needs make excellent progress because of carefully planned support that is tailored to meet individual needs.

Disadvantaged students make rapid progress because targeted funding is used effectively to provide additional help and support. The school provides a wide range of subjects which match the needs and interests of all students extremely well. The strong focus on literacy and encouraging students to read widely contributes greatly to students' outstanding success.

Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptionally strong. Students have many opportunities to take part in a wide range of clubs, extra lessons and educational visits. They celebrate the different cultures represented in the school and display British values of tolerance and respect.

Students' behaviour is exemplary. They are exceptionally polite and courteous around school and show a high level of commitment to learning which contributes greatly to their outstanding progress. Students' attendance is well above average.

They say they enjoy coming to school, feel very safe and are well cared for. They are proud of the very positive relationships that they have with their teachers and each other. The school's work to keep students safe is outstanding.

Systems and procedures are regularly reviewed, checked closely by senior leaders and governors, and are consistently applied by all staff. The sixth form is outstanding. Teaching is strong and students' achievement has improved rapidly.

Students are given excellent guidance and support to help them successfully move on to higher education, training or employment.

Information about this school

The school is a larger than the average-sized secondary school. A large proportion of students come from minority ethnic groups.

The proportions of students who speak English as an additional language and those who are at an early stage in learning English are well above average. The proportion of students supported by the pupil premium is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for students who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after.

The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs is below average. Thirteen students are educated away from the school site on part-time work-related courses at: Harrow Skills Centre, Kenton; Beatz, Northwood; and The Jubilee Academy, Harrow. The school has two designated resource bases.

One provides support for a small number of students with physical difficulties and the other supports a small number of students on the autism spectrum. The school is part of the Harrow Sixth Form Collegiate which includes Bentley Wood High School, Canons High School, Harrow College, Harrow Skills Centre, Hatch End High School, Nower Hill High School, Park High School, Rooks Heath College, and Stanmore College Sixth Form. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 11.