Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566932 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: hcarnall@cfbt.com

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Ms Andrea Barnes Headteacher Wetherby High School Hallfield Lane Wetherby West Yorkshire LS22 6JS

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Education act 2005 to Wetherby High School

Following my visit to your school on 1 February 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report on the findings of my visit. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Education act 2005 to Wetherby High School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in October 2012. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with the headteacher and senior leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority. Inspectors toured the school with students and sampled teachers’ marking. The school improvement and action plans were evaluated.

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Context

There have been no significant changes to the school’s context since the last section 5 inspection.

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Main findings

The headteacher, ably supported by senior leaders have focused on the improvements identified at the last inspection. They have reviewed the school’s marking policy and teachers are beginning to improve the feedback they give to students. There are some examples of skilful marking in which students respond to teachers’ comments and make improvements to their work. Equally, there remain examples where this has not been done as successfully.

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Main findings

The new system for checking students’ progress is paying dividends. Senior and middle leaders are developing an accurate view of the progress made by different groups of students across all subjects in Key Stage 4. This system is also used to check the progress students are making in English, mathematics and science in Key Stage 3. The school has sound plans to extend this to all subjects in Key Stage 3.

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Main findings

The school’s development plan is focused on the right priorities and gives helpful guidance to staff and governors about what success will look like. It does not contain enough detail about the expectations for different groups of students. Leaders recognise the need to sharpen their evaluation of activities and staffing funded by the pupil premium. Work has begun to improve this and this will help members of the governing body to check how successful actions have been.

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Main findings

Governors have swiftly completed the required health and safety risk assessments of the school site. They are reviewing the systems they use to routinely check on this.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. Following the visit to the school, HMI recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

● extend the new system for checking students’ progress to all subjects and groups of students in Key Stage 3  sharpen the evaluation of interventions funded by the pupil premium so that senior leaders and governors can check the impact it is having on those students.

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Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the school until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

Senior leaders and governors have valued the support of the local authority. It has found the teaching and learning reviews helpful in improving teaching. Senior leaders have also found the partnerships brokered by the local authority useful in giving senior and middle leaders the opportunity to see outstanding practice.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children's Services for Leeds.

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