Staff and students at Aldridge School are celebrating after inspectors gave them a glowing report, praising exam success and highlighting some outstanding teaching.

Head teacher David Mountney with Aldridge School students

A report released today (December 7) by Ofsted shows the school has jumped from a satisfactory judgement two years ago, to good in all of the four areas inspected.

It has been acknowledged as good in the achievement of pupils, the quality of teaching, the behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management.

And it has only been given one single objective to achieve in order to place it as an outstanding school.

The report said there has been a sharp increase in the proportion of students gaining five A* to C grades at GCSE including English and maths. The proportion of students gaining the highest A* to A grades had also shown a significant improvement and standards are well above average.

Inspectors found that the teaching at the Tynings Lane school was good and that some was outstanding. They said teachers have a good subject knowledge and give good advice to students on how to improve their work.

Student behaviour was appraised as good and inspectors noted pupils behave well around school, as well as in lessons.

“Students are polite and respectful and enjoy school and feel safe,” says the report, which adds, “students’ moral, social, spiritual and cultural understanding is good and they are provided with many musical and sporting opportunities.”

Leadership and management came in for praise with inspectors noting at all levels management was driving the school forward with clear direction and purpose.

And it says very effective leadership has led to significant improvements since the last inspection in many aspects of the sixth form’s work.

However, inspectors said there was a small minority of teaching, which required improvement and that not enough teaching was yet outstanding.

David Mountney, head teacher at the school, which became an academy this year, said they were all delighted with the inspectors’ findings.

He said: “It is very reassuring to know Ofsted has clearly recognised the significant changes and improvements we have made over the past two years.

“Staff and pupils are very proud of their school and I am particularly pleased that inspectors described it as ‘harmonious and orderly’, where students feel safe and where they are able to make good progress.”

Year 10 student Nikki Sehro, aged 15, said: “I love this school and I told the inspectors that I liked my lessons, especially food technology.”

Logan Pritchard, aged 12, who is in Year 8, added: “The effort that goes into this school is beyond comparison.”

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