Fleetwood High School

Fleetwood High School

Address: Broadway, Fleetwood High School, FLEETWOOD, Lancashire, FY7 8HE Unique reference number (URN): 119771

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have a deep and detailed knowledge of the patterns in pupils’ attendance. They know the pupils and their families well. If pupils face difficult circumstances, such as anxiety or other medical needs, leaders put in place carefully tailored support to help them to attend more regularly. For example, leaders' ‘Wyre light’ pastoral support approach. This approach helps pupils struggling to attend school, or who may have other barriers to a successful education, to overcome these challenges. Most pupils attend school regularly and many demonstrate ongoing improvements in their attendance.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils’ behaviour. They act as role models and live out the school’s ‘heart’ values daily. Leaders are highly visible around the school. This helps them to continually strengthen positive relationships with pupils and maintain the already established positive, purposeful climate. Bullying and other unwanted behaviours are not tolerated. On the rare occasions that they do occur, staff deal with them quickly and effectively. Pupils are polite and well behaved throughout the school day. They have positive attitudes to their learning.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders use up-to-date research to help them to choose which approaches to the curriculum and to teaching best meet the needs of their pupils. They check the quality of teaching and the curriculum regularly and understand where the strengths lie. Leaders also know where, in a minority of subjects, there are areas still to strengthen.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Most teachers deliver the curriculum very well. They have a high level of subject knowledge and use insightful questioning to check if pupils have misconceptions. When this is the case, teachers re-teach these concepts. This helps pupils to close any gaps in their understanding.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that teachers have the information that they need to meet pupils' needs. Staff use this information well. This helps pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or face other barriers to learning, to make the same progress as their peers. For instance, if pupils struggle with imagining concepts, teachers use thoughtful ways to break down complex ideas or to provide visual examples. Staff know that many pupils join the school with gaps in their reading knowledge. Leaders have ensured that teachers help these pupils to develop their vocabulary and reading fluency so that it supports their learning in each subject.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff assess pupils' needs quickly and effectively during their transition from primary school. If pupils join the school later in their education, leaders employ appropriate strategies to identify their needs quickly and put in place the help that they need. Leaders use additional funding effectively to support pupils with barriers to learning. For example, pupils who are not confident using numbers benefit from dedicated tuition to improve their skills. Leaders have also invested in extra support to help pupils who cannot read fluently. This helps them to improve their reading knowledge. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to learning, largely achieve well.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established the ‘lighthouse’ provision, which gives pupils who find learning the most difficult the help that they need to attend school regularly and make progress through the curriculum. Pupils in the lighthouse provision benefit from therapeutic activities and a less busy environment. This supports them to follow the same ambitious curriculum as their peers, taught by subject specialist teachers.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use alternative provision minimally. When they do, they have thoughtfully considered which provisions will best meet the needs of the pupils attending them.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including governors, have an accurate and detailed view of the strengths of their school. They prioritise their actions effectively and seek challenge and support from external partners, including the local authority and other successful schools, to further strengthen their approaches to school improvement.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders act in the best interest of pupils. They are committed to giving pupils hope and ambition for their futures. Leaders and staff demonstrate school’s ‘heart’ values daily. This firmly contributes to the school's highly positive ethos, which is shared by staff and pupils alike.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff morale is high. Leaders ensure that staff get the opportunities for professional learning that they need. This includes participating in coaching, which helps teachers to strengthen their skills.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders pay careful attention to staff's wellbeing. If staff face circumstances in their lives which may make their work harder, leaders ensure that they get the support that they need with their workload. This helps staff to feel valued here. Staff often choose to send their own children to this school. Many share a view that they 'wouldn't want to work anywhere else'.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders engage with parents and carers and the wider community in a variety of ways. These include ‘bake and brew’ events, communication through the school’s newsletter and by inviting parents to attend school productions. This is strengthening relationships.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have developed a comprehensive personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. It has been thoughtfully tailored to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to learning. For example, when pupils learn about sensitive topics, such as consent, pupils who may struggle with these topics are taught in smaller groups and with greater help from staff.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about healthy relationships and about mental health. They can communicate their understanding of misogyny and discrimination. Pupils benefit from external speakers to help them learn about the risks of drugs, such as ketamine, and how to be safe around open

p.3

Needs attention

water. Pupils know that this is important given the school's coastal location. They know how some of the fundamental British values, such as individual liberty and democracy, link to their experience at school. These factors all contribute to pupils' preparedness for life in modern Britain.

p.4

Needs attention

There is a wide range of opportunities available to pupils as after-school clubs and as 'electives’ during the school day. Pupils can use their talents to be part of the school’s performances or join ‘hobby dance'. The technology club helps pupils to develop their creativity by making a jeep to participate in a prestigious local transport festival. Overseas visits to Paris and New York also widen pupils’ cultural opportunities.

p.4

Needs attention

Pastoral support is effective. Staff at this school know their children and families. Pupils appreciate the many ways in which they receive the help that they need.

p.4

Needs attention

Careers advice and guidance is comprehensive. Pupils undertake meaningful work experiences and they benefit from visits to universities and colleges. They are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training. Many go on to study ambitious courses and apprenticeships.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Gaps in pupils’ ability to read fluently, write skilfully and use numbers confidently are not closing as quickly as they should be. Leaders are taking actions to address this, but these actions need further refining to ensure that they close pupils’ gaps rapidly.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Pupils' typical rates of attainment in national examinations are below the national average. One reason for this is that some pupils join the school later in their education. These pupils have not benefitted consistently from Fleetwood High School’s curriculum and teaching. Nevertheless, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to their learning progress well through the curriculum. This is reflected in the quality of the work that they produce. Their attainment is typically close to that of similar pupils nationally. This prepares them well for the next steps in their lives, be that in education, employment or training.

p.4

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

Pupils at Fleetwood High School are happy and are proud of their school. They understand what constitutes unkind or discriminatory behaviour. For example, they know that derogatory language is not acceptable and is not tolerated in their school. This demonstrates the positive culture in the school, which embraces respect in its ‘heart’ values.

p.4

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

Pupils feel safe. Many agree that bullying is rare. When it does occur, they know that staff will deal with it quickly and effectively. Most pupils attend school regularly. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Pupils are cooperative and readily uphold the behaviour standards that staff expect of them. During social times and when moving around the building, pupils behave well and show politeness. During lessons, they engage positively in their learning and willingly offer answers to their teachers. Pupils work well independently and in group classwork. Most pupils achieve well and have the knowledge that they need to move on to the next stages of their education.

p.4

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

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities to develop themselves personally. These opportunities include visits abroad, which give pupils the chance to experience different cultures and languages. There are also a wide range of 'electives', which leaders have put in place during the school day. This enables all pupils to participate. Electives include astronomy club, which develops pupils’ curiosity about the universe and ‘puzzling with purpose’ club, which strengthens pupils’ resilience and problem-solving skills. Pupils interested in animals can also attend a veterinary club. Leaders have thoughtfully considered these activities to ensure that pupils gain experiences that they may not otherwise get the opportunity to.

p.5

Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the strategies that they use to close gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge of reading, writing and numeracy are having a rapid impact, including for pupils who join the school later in their education. Leaders should ensure that the strategies that they are using to further improve attendance for all pupils are effective in closing the gap between current attendance and the national average attendance for all pupils. Leaders should ensure that the strategies that they are using to secure consistently effective teaching across the curriculum are embedded in order to further improve pupils’ achievement.

p.5

About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Jonathan Hewitt.

p.5

About this inspection

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

p.5

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.

p.5

About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with governors, representatives of the local authority, school leaders and staff during the inspection.

p.5

About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

p.5

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

p.5

Team inspectors:

Jacqueline Cahalin, Ofsted Inspector Emma Gregory, Ofsted Inspector John Cowper, Ofsted Inspector

p.6

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.

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 2026

p.6

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.

p.6

What does this mean?

technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

p.6

What does this mean?

The school currently makes use of 6 alternative provisions, including 4 that are unregistered.

p.6

What does this mean?

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

p.6

What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

p.7

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.

p.7

What does this mean?

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

p.7

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.

p.8

What does this mean?

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

p.8

English and maths GCSE

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

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

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

p.9

national average

2024/25 (final) 19.4% 25.8% Close to average

p.9

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.

p.9

national average

2024/25 (final) 31.2 34.9 Close to average

p.9

national average

2023/24 (final) 32.3 34.6 Close to average

p.9

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.

p.9

national average

2023/24 (final) -0.83 -0.57 Close to average

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.11

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).

p.11

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.

p.11

Persistent absence

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

p.12

Exceptional

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

p.12

Strong standard

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

p.12

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.

p.12

Needs attention

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

p.12

Urgent improvement

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

p.12

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.

p.12

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.13

Urgent improvement

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

p.13