INSPECTORS have praised Mangotsfield School’s “broad and ambitious” curriculum, support for pupils and energetic leadership team.
Ofsted visited the school on Rodway Hill, which has 1,158 pupils aged 11 to 16, in June for its first inspection under a new, more complex assessment system.
The regulator said the school had met its expected standard in four areas: curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and well-being.
Two areas need attention: achievement and attendance.
The inspectors said pupils “describe the school as feeling like they belong to a caring community”.
They said: “Leaders check the effectiveness of the curriculum carefully. It is broad and ambitious. They act to make changes and adaptations so that it is well-suited to pupils.”
The inspectors said teachers work carefully to identify pupils’ needs and help them “address any barriers” they may face, with extra teaching for pupils who arrive with gaps in their knowledge and the increasing number whose first language isn’t English.
School leaders have a “cohesive and relevant programme” for pupils’ personal development and organise a wide range of extra-curricular activities, careers and personal, social and health education that focuses on “issues that are especially relevant”, including online safety.
In their comments on achievement, the inspectors said “too many pupils” don’t perform in line with national averages in exams including maths and humanities.
They said: “However, thorough work by leaders to improve pupils’ achievement is evident lower down the school. Areas of the curriculum have improved and, as a result, pupils are learning more.”
Ofsted said attendance at Mangotsfield is below the national average, with “too many” disadvantaged pupils persistently absent.
But they said leaders are taking “positive action” to improve attendance, working closely with parents and carers.
Head teacher Hetty Blackmore said: “The report paints a really positive picture of our school, a school supported by students and parents and a school where staff feel valued.”
Mrs Blackmore said students and parents had made “extremely positive” comments about the school to inspectors.
She said the issues of attendance and achievement were linked, and related to year groups who have now left the school, including many pupils who had joined the school for a “fresh start” after leaving other schools.
Mrs Blackmore said inspectors had recognised the “massive work already in place” to improve attendance, including a family liaison worker and a hub being set up to support children with anxiety.
Mrs Blackmore said: “It’s really important to note that the students who attend well, do well in terms of attainment, in line with national average or above.”