Denmark Road High School

Denmark Road High School

Address: Denmark Road, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 3JN Unique reference number (URN): 136666

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and 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.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils and post-16 students are very well prepared for their next steps. Pupils join the school with high academic starting points and make progress well above the national average. This is reflected in the quality of the work that they produce, their recall of knowledge and their performance in examinations.

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Achievement Strong standard

At key stage 4, pupils' GCSE outcomes are consistently and significantly above national averages. The small number of disadvantaged pupils achieve significantly above the national average for disadvantaged pupils. Often, they achieve even better than their non- disadvantaged peers.

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Achievement Strong standard

Students in the post-16 provision develop detailed knowledge and sophisticated understanding in the subjects they study. This includes students with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Students build well on their learning in key stage 4. They produce high-quality written work and demonstrate strong understanding in their verbal responses. Students’ achievement at post-16 is reflected in examination performance often above the national average.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils attendance is high, including those who are disadvantaged and/or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders and staff consistently promote the importance of attendance. They work effectively with pupils and families to reduce absence when necessary. This results in a significant improvement in attendance for individuals when they receive this help.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behave impeccably. Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils’ conduct and pupils consistently live up to these. In classrooms, and around the school, pupils are self- disciplined and highly respectful of each other. This creates a calm, highly positive environment which enables pupils to flourish in their learning and wider experiences. Where pupils require additional support to help improve their behaviour, leaders provide effective tailored adaptations and interventions.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils are highly considerate of each other and celebrate each others' differences. They have a strong understanding of the importance of challenging discrimination and harassment. This caring, respectful culture is modelled by leaders and staff, who know individuals very well. Pupils are confident that leaders and staff prevent or resolve any potential bullying issues quickly and effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Pupils follow an ambitious, highly academic curriculum and receive highly effective teaching. Leaders ensure that teachers have the subject expertise that they need to implement the curriculum. For example, teachers use their checks skilfully to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and take effective actions to remedy them. The curriculum consistently builds pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. In art, for example, pupils gain an extensive range of technical abilities and produce consistently high-quality work. In mathematics, they consistently deepen their knowledge through precisely adapted teaching, for instance.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching in all subjects ensures that pupils develop their vocabulary and quality of writing to a high standard. In the post-16 provision, teaching skilfully deepens and extends students’ knowledge. This prepares them very well for their next steps.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders and staff know pupils’ needs well. For example, they make precise adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teaching is highly effective for pupils who face other barriers to learning, such as disadvantaged pupils. This is reflected in the strong achievement of these groups of pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders make astute decisions and continually enhance the impact of the curriculum. They have a sophisticated understanding of strengths and where refinement is required. Consequently, they act swiftly and effectively to ensure that rapid improvements are made where needed.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff have a consistently positive impact on pupils who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. As a result, pupils known to children’s social care, or who face other disadvantage, thrive in all aspects of school life.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders identify and assess pupils’ needs quickly and accurately. They begin to build a detailed understanding of pupils before they join the school or post-16 provision. This enables leaders to plan from the outset how to support pupils’ learning, wider experiences and their wellbeing. Leaders implement and monitor the use of additional funding effectively. For pupils who are disadvantaged, leaders ensure that they remove barriers to participation. This is achieved, for example, by ensuring that all pupils have access to an extensive range of personal development opportunities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders keep pupils’ needs under close review. For instance, they rigorously evaluate the impact of strategies to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders make skilful adaptations, so that strategies and support evolve as pupils progress through the school. Staff receive training on how to identify and provide for pupils with SEND. Leaders work closely with families and external agencies to shape pupils’ support and aspirations. Where appropriate, they use alternative provision effectively to enhance pupils’ learning and wider development.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have embedded strong standards in all areas of the school's work. Consequently, pupils have positive and enriching experiences in all aspects of school life.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have a precise understanding of the school's strengths and areas for further development. They gain accurate insights into the impact of provision through well- embedded monitoring and evaluation systems. This enables leaders to identify and make further improvements. As a result, the school continually enhances pupils’ opportunities to achieve, belong and thrive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Trustees ensure that the school fulfils its statutory duties. They hold leaders robustly to account and maintain effective oversight of the school's impact and continuous improvement. Trustees and leaders share an ambitious vision for pupils and act in their best interests, particularly those who are disadvantaged or face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders ensure that staff benefit from a high-quality professional learning programme. This ensures that the quality of teaching continuously improves. Leaders at all levels are reflective and make a consistently positive contribution to the school’s work. Teachers who are early in their careers receive strong support and develop their expertise as a result.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Trustees and leaders ensure that staff wellbeing is a priority. They take effective action to manage staff workload and ensure that staff feel valued.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have designed and implement a carefully tailored personal development programme. The 'Discover+' programme has a strong and sustained impact on pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, pupils thrive and develop their character. Leaders remove barriers so that all pupils participate in an extensive range of opportunities. Consequently, pupils are very well prepared for life beyond school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

There is an extensive range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents, interests and wider knowledge. For example, pupils participate in debating, literature and robotics clubs as part of the school’s ‘super curriculum’. Pupils also relish opportunities to extend their learning in philosophy, languages and science.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The careers information, education, advice and guidance programme provides pupils with a clear understanding of their future choices, and how to prepare for them. Most post-16 students go on to competitive university courses. Leaders ensure that pupils gain the academic qualifications and wider experiences that they need to progress to their destinations of choice. Pupils, and post-16 students, undertake meaningful work experience and learn about a wide range of technical opportunities, such as degree apprenticeships. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils receive enhanced support to prepare for the future.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils follow a suitable relationships and sex education curriculum. They learn how to keep themselves safe off and online and about what constitutes healthy, and unhealthy, relationships. Leaders ensure that pupils receive highly effective pastoral support when they need it.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils gain a strong understanding of fundamental British values, such as respect and tolerance. They learn about the importance of political debate and challenging injustice. Pupils develop their skills to cooperate well with others in, and outside, the classroom. For example, pupils take part in musical groups, such as orchestra and choir, and sporting opportunities, such as netball and touch rugby. These opportunities strengthen their teamwork and develop their understanding of effective leadership.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

Students follow a suitable and ambitious post-16 study programme. They study a broad range of subjects and shape their own extended academic programme to support their future aspirations. Students achieve well and develop valuable wider knowledge and skills. Consequently, they are very well prepared for later life and progress to highly appropriate education, employment or training.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations of students’ academic achievement and their wider personal development. Skilful teaching ensures that students deepen their knowledge and understanding across all the subjects that they study. For example, students confidently discuss and debate complex ideas in religious studies, or gain advanced skills in mathematics. Typically, students’ achievement is reflected in above average outcomes in national examinations over time.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

Students take on leadership roles and make a significant contribution to the life of the school. They champion important causes, such as sustainability, human rights and celebrating cultural diversity. Through effective work experience and a carefully planned curriculum, students develop their understanding of careers, employment and essential life skills.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

Leaders have a sharp understanding of the quality of the post-16 study programmes. They ensure that students with barriers to learning receive the support that they need to achieve well and thrive.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy learning the school’s ambitious curriculum. As a result of consistently effective teaching, they achieve highly. Pupils deepen their knowledge and skills, and are very well prepared for their next steps in education. Pupils’ achievement is reflected in published outcomes, which are significantly above national averages at key stage 4. At all key stages, pupils produce high quality work and gain detailed understanding in each subject that they study. Pupils who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing achieve highly, and go on to ambitious destinations alongside their peers.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel a strong sense of belonging to the school. They consistently benefit from the extensive range of wider experiences provided. For example, pupils attend national and international trips, and leaders ensure that all can participate. The school’s ‘Discover+’ programme broadens pupils’ knowledge and sparks their interests. For instance, pupils learn about robotics, debating and creative writing. They also discover their talents for fashion or sport, for example. Whole-school events, such as the annual ‘Community Day’, celebrate diversity and provide valuable leadership experiences for the pupils and post-16 students who organise them. Pupils, and post-16 students, are motivated and demonstrate high levels of self-discipline. The school has a highly positive atmosphere, and pupils make the best of their time inside

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

and outside the classroom. Pupils feel safe and are confident that the school will help them resolve any bullying issues. However, this is rarely needed, as pupils are consistently respectful of each other. Pupils’ attendance is high and persistent absence is low. As a result, pupils consistently benefit from the school’s strong offer. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. They understand how to keep themselves safe, and recognise the positive contribution that they can make to society, such as through social action and charity work.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen further the school's work to have a transformative impact on pupils' character and confidence.

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About this inspection

The school is part of a single academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Frances Hackett. At the time of the inspection, Amie Dew was Acting Chair.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, teachers, pupils and governors during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school makes use of one alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Ofsted Inspector Benjamin Houghton, Ofsted Inspector Jonathan Jones, Ofsted Inspector Chris Field, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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gap

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 37.31 34.99 Close to average

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) -0.1 0.0 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (revised) -0.1 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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