School gets '˜good' Ofsted report

St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School successfully retained the high standard it set during its last Ofsted inspection in January 2012.

The school on Rookery Avenue was praised for the quick progress of its pupils, effective communication with parents and its “consistently good” teaching.

The report found that the school “provides leadership that is unassuming and unequivocal.”

The inspection told headteacher Mark Dumican: “The expectations you have for all are unerring. Pupils behave in an impeccable manner and value what teachers do for them.”

The report also highlighted one recent visitor’s comments that the school had “restored her faith in education.”

The school had also taken heed to its last inspection’s calls to improve communication with parents and carers.

Five years on from those findings, Ofsted praised the school for the very high responses to Parent View and free text.

It said: “Parents particularly value the portal that they can access at any time to give them an overview of how well their children are progressing and attending.”

However, the new report also found that teachers needed to be held more accountable for the performance of pupils, the attendance of disadvantaged children and more specificity for the school’s development plans.

Headteacher Mr Dumican said: “The report paints an extremely positive picture of the school and recognises our academic tradition.

“We provide an academic, social and spiritual education and we have plans in place to make sure every single pupil reaches their potential.”

The full report can be read at ofsted.gov.uk.