A Brighton secondary school has been given an improved “good” rating by the official watchdog Ofsted.
Staff and students at Longhill High School, in Rottingdean, were delighted with the positive report which is due to be uploaded to the Ofsted website early next week.
Inspectors spent two days last month looking at all aspects of the school and the official report has now been sent to the school.
Having previously been rated as “requires improvement”, the school said: “The outcome is overwhelmingly positive with high praise for the school’s transformation since the arrival of head teacher Kate Williams just two years ago.”
During the two-day visit on Tuesday 18 September and Wednesday 19 September, Ofsted observed pupils and staff working in 40 lessons as well as looking at how the school was run throughout the day.
The report highlighted inspirational leadership, the good behaviour of pupils, significantly improved teaching and positive community relations.
Head teacher Kate Williams said: “This is a result we’re all very proud of. We know we’re good and now Ofsted has officially recognised this too, which is amazing.
“It’s thanks to the dedication of all involved, especially our staff. We’re also very grateful for tremendous support from families, the local community and the pupils themselves, of course.
“We are now going to build on this success and make sure everyone knows Longhill High School is a good place to be.”
The report said: “The inspirational leadership of the head teacher has resulted in the staff working together to transform the school. The school now provides a good level of education.”
The Ofsted inspectors acknowledged the hard work of the senior leadership team, highlighting that teachers now have a “renewed enthusiasm for teaching and … research new ways to inspire pupils”.
Inspectors spoke with a range of staff members and reviewed the 64 responses to the staff questionnaire. The report said that “morale is high” and that “all stakeholders recognise the transformation that has occurred in the school”.
Inspectors observed students and staff in 40 lessons as well as watching behaviour in corridors and at break and lunch times. The school has implemented a new “behaviour system” since the previous Ofsted inspection in March 2016.
The latest report confirms that the behaviour issues, which were once a legacy of the school, are now very much in the past.
Ofsted said: “Pupils’ behaviour has been transformed since the last inspection and they are now proud of their school.
“They are smart, polite and tolerant of views and differences. They recognise the many improvements and are appreciative of their teachers and the leaders of the school.”
In previous inspections, behaviour was an area which required improvement. However, the new report said that “the school is calm and purposeful”.
It added: “Pupils move quickly between lessons. They behave well in lessons and during lunchtime.”
The school said that it had implemented a range of changes in teaching and learning practices over the past two years and these had positively affected student engagement and success.
The report said: “All stakeholders agree that teaching has improved significantly. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good because teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.”
The report also commended changes in the curriculum. It said: “The curriculum and enrichment activities promote pupils’ development well.”
The school has made significant efforts to link with the local community to challenge perceptions about the school and community relations.
The head has forged connections with parents, other local schools and organisations.
Ofsted said: “The local community has renewed its confidence in the school since the last inspection. Pupils, parents, leaders of other schools and the local authority all agree that the school has improved significantly.”
The report also highlights that the school’s leaders have “enhanced the school’s reputation within the community”.
A parent is quoted in the report saying: “I have already witnessed some of the changes that the school has implemented and I feel confident that further positive changes will continue to make Longhill into a school that the community can be very proud of.
