A Hove secondary school has welcomed newly published findings in a report by Ofsted, the government’s official education watchdog.
Blatchington Mill head teacher Kate Claydon and the chair of governors James Tulley wrote to parents wrote to parents on Friday (4 September).
They said: “The inspection recognised Blatchington Mill as a school with a strong culture of inclusion, high aspirations and positive relationships.
“It is wonderful too that so much of what makes our school special was captured in our report.
“The new style Ofsted reports do not give schools a single overall one-word judgment any more, instead grading seven different areas for each school, with safeguarding being met or not met.
“First and foremost, we are very pleased that our safeguarding has been recognised as meeting the standard and that we ‘have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.’
“We are delighted that the strength of our inclusive culture was recognised by our inspection team, grading us ‘strong’ for inclusion.”
Ofsted said: “The school successfully fosters a strong sense of Blatch community, ensuring that pupils feel they belong.”
The report also said: “The school goes to great lengths to create an inclusive education that removes pupils’ potential barriers to success.”
Ofsted said that the “expected” standard for judgments was “a high standard, to make sure your children are receiving everything they need and deserve”.
The Blatch leadership said that it was “very pleased to have met this standard across a range of areas”. They were
- achievement
- curriculum and teaching
- leadership and governance
- personal development and wellbeing
In terms of achievement, Ofsted said: “Pupils consistently achieve well in national examinations including in English and mathematics … Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment and training.”
Under leadership and governance, Ofsted said: “Leaders and governors are resolute in their ambition for pupils to excel and thrive.
“Significant challenges since the last inspection, including a devastating fire, have affected how quickly some aspects of school improvement could be realised.
“Leaders have prioritised and successfully implemented many important changes to improve academic outcomes for pupils.
“Leaders and governors regularly review the progress of the school so that actions are impactful, including recent improvements to attendance.
“Some aspects of this work still require more cohesive planning to ensure sufficient precision in reducing persistent absenteeism.
“Governors use their collective expertise to provide effective, supportive challenge. They are knowledgeable and well connected within the local community.
“They play an active role by building partnerships with professionals who can help make a positive contribution to the school.
“The school is outward facing. Leaders collaborate positively with other schools and professionals to share best practice.
“Outcomes from this work, for example, support for autistic pupils, are having a positive impact on their everyday experiences in school.
“Parents typically speak highly of the positive relationships they build with staff to ensure their child receives a well-rounded education.
“Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the professional culture that leaders have successfully created.”
Ofsted said that “attendance and behaviour” needs attention. The school’s approach to behaviour won praise but the report highlighted poor attendance, as it has with other schools in Brighton and Hove.
The report said: “Published attendance information indicates that pupils’ attendance has declined over time including among those who are vulnerable. The proportion of pupils who are persistently and severely absent is high.
“Leaders are taking more robust action to improve attendance than in the past. While there are early signs of positive improvement, pupils’ attendance remains low, particularly for vulnerable pupils.
“Processes to improve pupils’ attendance are not consistently embedded. As a result, some pupils and their families need further support to attend well and meet the school’s high expectation of positive attendance.”
The report said that Blatch had 1,635 pupils – and a capacity for 1,650. The proportion eligible for free school meals was 21.28 per cent and 13.94 per cent received special educational needs (SEN) support.
The school leadership said: “Overall, our report is a reflection of the hard work and commitment of our staff team to provide the best possible education every day for our students.
“We are exceptionally proud of all members of our school community and will continue to strive for excellence in all we do.
“Following the school’s strong GCSE results this summer, the Ofsted report reflects Blatchington Mill’s continued focus on delivering strong outcomes for its students, recognising both the school’s many strengths and its commitment to continual improvement.”
