Ofsted Inspection verdict! ‘This is a very effective school...’
A separate Religious Education Inspection was conducted at the same time and its conclusions mirror those of the Ofsted team. It refers to teachers in the department as ‘good role models’. Pupils are described as ‘confident’, ‘hard-working’, showing ‘willingness to cooperate’ and approaching their lessons ‘with enthusiasm and interest.’ Altogether, findings in the two reports are extremely positive and complimentary and they give cause for great pride in the achievements of the school as a whole. Inspectors’ Key Findings In highly commending St. Michael’s for the implementation of its Mission Statement, inspectors make particular mention of the very good behaviour and attitudes they found. They praise the very good support for pupils’ personal and educational development, the links forged between the school and partner institutions and they refer to relationships with parents as ‘excellent’. While pointing to the ‘very good test results at 14 in comparison with similar schools’ and saying that they find that ‘GCSE results are well above the national average and well above those of similar schools’, the inspectors also commend the levels of teaching provided within the school. |
St. Michael’s has emerged from its second full Ofsted
Inspection very highly praised indeed, the Inspection team concluding
that the school is performing at standards well above similar schools and
that there is ‘an excellent ethos of achievement and
inclusiveness.’ Findings in these inspections tend to balance
commendation for achievements with recommendations for action in areas in
which improvement is needed. In this report, however, the entire school comes
in for praise, with nine areas identified for special commendation.
The only area identified for action in the Key Findings is the extension
of ICT provision within Key Stage 4, something all schools are being asked
to work on and develop by 2003. Indeed, even in this area, the schools’
governors are commended for the role they have already taken in planning
for further developments in ICT.