The official education watchdog, Ofsted, has praised the progress that has been made at a Brighton school since it was graded as “requires improvement” in March last year.
Three inspectors visited Longhill High School, in Falmer Road, Rottingdean, a month ago – on Wednesday 17 September.
The lead inspector Michelle Payne wrote to head teacher Rachelle Otulakowski, saying: “Leaders have made progress to improve the school but some aspects of the school need further improvement.”
In the letter published by Ofsted this week, she said: “The school has made notable improvements in the quality of education since the previous inspection.
“A curriculum review has been completed to ensure that pupils study a broad range of subjects. Subjects are taught by teachers with appropriate expertise.”
The inspection team discussed the continuing effects of the covid-19 pandemic. The Ofsted letter said: “Behaviour across the school is improving.
“The behaviour policy has been revised to promote a culture of high expectations. Staff have received helpful guidance on implementing the policy and are increasingly consistent in enforcing the school’s rules.
“Classrooms are generally calm and orderly, reducing disruptions and allowing pupils to focus on their work. Pupils spoke positively to inspectors about the rapid improvements in behaviour around the school.
“Although the number of suspensions and exclusions remains high, the number of pupils who are suspended repeatedly is decreasing.
“More pupils at risk of repeat suspension are receiving targeted support to help them manage their behaviour effectively.
“Overall attendance remains significantly below the national average. Too many pupils continue to miss substantial portions of their education.
“The school’s policy and procedures are not precise enough about when and how the school will respond when pupils’ attendance becomes a concern.
“The strategies the school uses to try to improve attendance are often not tailored well enough to remove the barriers that individual pupils face.
“However, where a more individualised approach is used, for example, for the most severely absent pupils, their attendance is starting to improve.
“In addition, prompt arrival to lessons has improved considerably, allowing pupils to make better use of learning time and enhance their achievement.
“Pupils continue to benefit from a wide range of enrichment opportunities that support their interests and aspirations.
We saw really great things when I recently did a tour with my twins. Very impressed!!!So happy to see a great school returning to our community.
My daughter is in Year 7 and loves it! Good to see others are seeing how much it has improved.
My daughter attends The school and is doing very well indeed. nice to see positive news regarding the improvements the school are making.
I have 2 children at the school and the transformation since the eldest started has been really brilliant to see. So good to see such positive progress being made, and I am confident that the school will only continue to get better and better.
The school is going from strength and strength and is well on the way to the kind of Ofsted grading that it deserves. The new Headteacher has a clear vision of what she wants the school to look like and has the drive to make this a reality. Anyone who knows the school will agree it’s making amazing progress and will no doubt be a leading school in the area before too long.