Spen Valley High School

Spen Valley High School

Address: Roberttown Lane, Liversedge, West Yorkshire, WF15 7LX Unique reference number (URN): 107778

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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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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders are committed to ensuring that inclusion is at the heart of this school. Pupils with a wide range of additional needs feel included. Pupils' needs are identified accurately, and appropriate support is put in place for them. Leaders work closely with other professionals to support specific pupils when this is needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff know pupils well. This means that typically pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the adaptations they need for their specific needs in lessons. Leaders have developed more specific provision for pupils with higher levels of need within the school. This provision helps pupils to manage their needs and access learning alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding for disadvantaged pupils thoughtfully. Staff typically know and put into place the strategies that leaders have chosen to remove barriers for disadvantaged pupils. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND benefit from the wider opportunities offered.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff work closely with outside agencies, such as the virtual school, so that children in care are well supported. Leaders make limited use of external alternative provision. When this is necessary, they closely match the provision to the needs and abilities of pupils.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils do not make the progress that they should across the curriculum. This means that too many pupils reach the end of key stage 4 with gaps in their knowledge. As a result, pupils have not achieved as well as their peers nationally in public tests and examinations. This has been the case for a number of years.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders are developing teaching and learning strategies in the classrooms. Pupils' work in lessons is variable. This includes work produced by disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders identify key issues that contribute to pupils' poor achievement effectively. However, it is too early to see the overall impact of recently introduced strategies on pupils' achievement.

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Achievement Needs attention

Support is in place for some pupils who need help to address gaps in their foundational knowledge, for example, in reading and writing. However, not all pupils receive this support.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils' attendance is lower than it should be. Too many pupils are regularly absent from school. They miss too many lessons, which results in them not making the progress that they should. Leaders prioritise improving pupil attendance, which they track and monitor. Pupils increasingly receive suitable support to improve their attendance, including receiving rewards for coming to school more regularly. The school works more intensively with parents and other professionals to improve the attendance of pupils who miss school most often. These approaches are starting to have an impact, but they are relatively recent.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders and staff place high importance on good relationships between all members of the school community. Pupils value this approach and feel well supported. They feel safe and are confident that bullying and other unkind behaviour will be quickly dealt with. Pupils typically behave well in lessons and at social times. Pupils who need support to improve their behaviour receive this. Suspensions and permanent exclusions have steadily reduced as the result of determined action by leaders.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teaching across the school is inconsistent. Leaders know this. Leaders train staff to use a range of strategies to ensure that pupils develop their skills and understanding over time. When staff use these strategies well, they give pupils opportunities to practise and review what they have learned. When staff do this, pupils secure their knowledge and make progress over time. However, staff use this approach inconsistently. This means that pupils do not always develop deeper knowledge and understanding of the subjects they are learning. Staff do not always adapt their teaching effectively to pupils' starting points. This means that some pupils are not making the progress that they should.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders sequence the curriculum appropriately across most subjects and key stages. This means that pupils are able to build their knowledge and skills in different subjects as they move through the school. However, this is more established in some subjects than in others. Pupils continue to have gaps in their knowledge in subjects where the curriculum has been developed more recently.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff identify and put in place support for pupils who struggle with their reading, handwriting and mathematics. This includes support for pupils at the early stages of reading. However, not all of these pupils receive this.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The governing body is committed to the school. However, governors are not sufficiently rigorous in overseeing all areas of the school's provision. As a result, underperformance has not been challenged in several key areas. For example, pupils do not attend school often enough and, as a result, do not achieve as well as they should.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Senior leaders have been recently appointed. They understand the school's context well and have accurately identified priorities for school improvement. They have focused on setting a culture of much higher ambition for pupil achievement and have been thoughtful about how they build relationships with parents. For example, parents appreciate a weekly newsletter, which has been recently introduced.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have put in place a plan of actions to achieve their ambitions. Since their appointment, they have drawn on support from a range of external partners to add expertise and capacity to their plans.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have put in place a programme of professional development for staff, which is designed to build the expertise needed to improve the school. Leaders think carefully about how best to bring about the improvements needed while being mindful of staff workload and wellbeing. Staff appreciate this and feel well supported. Staff, including those early in their careers, welcome the professional development offer. They share in leaders' ambitions to improve outcomes for all pupils while remaining an inclusive and supportive school community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school has a personal development programme that includes personal, social and health education lessons for pupils in Year 7 to Year 10, alongside daily coaching sessions and regular assemblies. Pupils learn how to stay safe online and in their communities, about healthy relationships, and how to look after their mental and physical health. The programme also teaches pupils how to respect difference between themselves and others. However, pupils do not develop their knowledge of other important topics, including what it means to be a citizen in modern Britain. This means that some pupils struggle to explain, for example, what a democratic society is.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders continue to develop the careers education programme from Year 7 onwards. This carefully thought-through programme aims to raise pupils' aspirations and give them helpful insights into the world of work. Staff quickly identify and provide opportunities for pupils who need more support to make decisions about their next steps. This has had a significant impact on pupils' destinations when they leave school. Almost all pupils move on to destinations that closely match their aspirations and abilities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

There is a wide range of extra-curricular clubs on offer for all pupils to explore their interests and abilities, including art, music, cooking and sports. The school offers a range of trips and visits that broaden pupils' horizons. For example, Year 7 pupils benefit from outward-bound trips. Pupils challenge themselves while getting to know their peers outside of school. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are able to take part in this important aspect of school life.

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

Pupils feel safe and cared for at this warm and supportive school. They know that leaders and staff will try to get to know and understand them as individuals. Pupils value the restorative and supportive approaches that staff use. Almost all pupils say that they enjoy coming to school. However, pupils do not attend school as often as they should. This means that they miss out on learning and do not achieve as well as they should by the time they leave school.

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

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, both online and in their communities. This includes how to be tolerant of differences between people. Pupils report that bullying and other unkind behaviour are not tolerated. They are confident that staff will intervene quickly if bullying or other more serious behaviour incidences occur.

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

Pupils generally treat each other and staff with respect. Poor behaviour in lessons is uncommon, and staff deal with it quickly and calmly. There is plenty of support for pupils who need more help to manage their behaviour. Pupils who receive this support improve their behaviour over time.

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

Leaders have improved teaching. As a result, pupils increasingly enjoy their learning. In some subjects, they make good progress and develop deeper knowledge and understanding over time. However, this is not yet consistent across the school.

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

Pastoral care is a strength. There is a range of support for pupils, including those known to social care. Pupils know that there are adults around them who will help them with problems both in and out of school. Pupils have a range of opportunities to explore their abilities and interests outside of lessons. The school offers after-school clubs in everything from sport to drama, as well as a wide choice of trips and visits. Leaders make sure that all pupils, including vulnerable pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can participate in these wider opportunities.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teachers give pupils opportunities to practise and review what they have learned so that they develop deeper knowledge and understanding across all subjects, including within the personal development programme. Leaders should ensure that pupils who are at the early stages of reading receive the support that they need to progress. Leaders should further develop their analysis and use of attendance information to remove barriers to pupil attendance. Governors should rigorously assure themselves of the quality of the school's work so that they provide effective support and challenge to leaders, leading to sustainable improvements.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Maxine Dunn.

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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

This inspection took place from 2 June 2026 to 3 June 2026.

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Team inspectors:

Stuart Voyce, Ofsted Inspector Simon Barber, Ofsted Inspector Vicky Callaghan, Ofsted Inspector Michael Evans, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 2 June 2026

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What does this mean?

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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What does this mean?

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders, pupils, teachers, other members of the staff team and members of the governing body during the inspection.

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What does this mean?

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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What does this mean?

The school currently makes use of 2 registered alternative provisions.

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What does this mean?

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. There is a new senior leadership team in post.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher : Kyle Audsley 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 6 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 needs support 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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national average

2024/25 (final) 18.6% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 16.4% 25.8% Close to average

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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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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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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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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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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 9.6% 8.4% Close to average

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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

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