Reddish Vale High School

Reddish Vale High School

Address: Reddish Vale Road, Reddish, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 7HD Unique reference number (URN): 145133

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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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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders' have designed and implemented a broad and ambitious curriculum that enables pupils to study an appropriate blend of academic and vocational subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders’ checks on the curriculum and how it is taught ensure that they gain a clear insight into the quality of teaching across subjects and the impact that this has on pupils' learning. They use this information to support staff to improve their practice so that pupils currently at the school are having a much better experience than was the case in the past.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. They have appropriate expectations of what pupils should learn. Teachers usually help pupils to remember, recall and use their prior knowledge. They typically make suitable adaptations to their teaching to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Many teachers check pupils’ knowledge effectively. Usually, this helps teachers to spot gaps in pupils' previous learning, including deficits in their reading, writing and mathematical knowledge. Some teachers are skilled in helping pupils to quickly overcome these difficulties and some pupils benefit from additional support to aid reading fluency and use of number. However, this is not consistently the case.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established an inclusive culture at Reddish Vale High School. Through diligent and pro-active work, they have a detailed understanding of the circumstances of disadvantaged pupils, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and others who face barriers to success.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders’ systems ensure they spot and respond appropriately to pupils' emerging needs. They identify the barriers that pupils with SEND face across all of their school experiences, whether this is learning, attendance or social times and relationships. They work with pupils, parents, carers and staff to identify strategies that help pupils overcome these obstacles. Staff benefit from focused training which equips them well to support pupils in lessons.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders carefully identify the specific challenges that some disadvantaged pupils face. They use the pupil premium funding to provide well-matched support for these pupils. Leaders take account of information about pupils’ attendance, behaviour and achievement to refine this support. Consequently, many disadvantaged pupils are more engaged in their learning and achieving better than they did in the past.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders make appropriate use of part-time timetables and alternative provision for some pupils. They carefully track pupils’ experiences against well-defined outcomes for their learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The trust has supported leaders to establish the skills and expertise needed to successfully tackle the school’s previous weaknesses. Leaders have successfully raised expectations across the school. Consequently, pupils benefit from an ambitious culture where they belong, behave and learn more effectively than in the past.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and staff have worked together to accurately identify strengths and weaknesses in teaching practice across the school. Leaders have provided subject teams with the training, time and support needed to secure improvements. Consequently, staff understand leaders’ expectations and feel well supported to realise them.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The local governing body has the knowledge, skills and expertise to undertake their role effectively. They use a comprehensive range of approaches to understand how leaders and staff are impacting on pupils’ experiences, education and achievement. They provide appropriate challenge and support to leaders.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders place great importance on engaging positively with staff. They carefully take account of staff's views and perceptions. Leaders think carefully about what they can do to support staff’s workload where possible. Most staff feel positive and proud about their contribution to the school’s ongoing improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have also strengthened their efforts to engage more closely with parents and carers. They work closely with the recently established ‘parent partnership’ to explore how they can jointly support the school. Leaders provide regular updates to parents about the life of the school. For the most part, they ensure parents are also well informed about specific matters relating to their children. Most parents value the open and responsive approaches that leaders demonstrate.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s ‘curriculum for life’ programme ensures that pupils benefit from a carefully designed and well-delivered personal, health, social and economic education programme. This supports all pupils to learn about how to look after themselves and other people. Most pupils are usually able to recall and use this learning in their daily life. For example, in understanding and supporting theirs and other people's physical and mental health.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about important aspects of citizenship. Pupils benefit from opportunities to explore British values and what diversity means. They learn about the importance of being treated fairly and why people’s differences deserve to be protected. For the most part, pupils gain a secure understanding to support their understanding of how to be a positive citizen.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils influence the large number of additional opportunities afforded by school clubs and activities. Pupils on the school council develop the skills needed to use pupils’ views to inform decision-making. Other pupils rise to the challenge of taking additional responsibility through a range of prefect, pupil leader and ambassador roles. Some pupils keenly take on the responsibility of leading new clubs. Many pupils get involved in the wide range of

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Needs attention

sporting, performance, games and mentoring opportunities that are on offer. These support pupils to develop social skills while enhancing their skills and interests.

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Needs attention

Pupils are well supported to understand the choices they can make in the next stage of their education, employment or training. They benefit from taught opportunities to think about their futures. Pupils are provided with specific guidance through career-focused assemblies and taster days at college. Pupils, including pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are further supported with pro-active and targeted individual guidance.

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Needs attention

Staff ensure that pupils are provided with additional pastoral support where needed. They carefully identify the needs of individual pupils when they join the school. Staff put in place appropriate adjustments to support pupils to cope with the demands of the school day. Pupils benefit from expert counselling where appropriate. Pupils are well supported to overcome the social or emotional challenges that they face.

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Achievement Needs attention

The 2025 end of key stage 4 published data shows that pupils' attainment in many subjects, including English and mathematics is below the national average. While disadvantaged pupils attained as well as disadvantaged pupils nationally, the gap between them and others in the school widened. This meant that previously, pupils were not as well prepared for their move into employment, training or education as they should be.

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Achievement Needs attention

This data is no longer a reflection of the current achievement of pupils at the school. Changes to the curriculum mean that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are learning more and remembering more of what they are taught. Many pupils explain their understanding confidently and complete complex activities to a suitable standard. Those pupils who struggle to read are overcoming their difficulties. However, due to previous weaknesses, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge, including their writing, spelling and mathematical skills. This hinders how well they can learn all that they should.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders regularly check on pupils’ attendance. They respond swiftly when pupils are absent. Staff throughout the school understand their role in supporting pupils to attend well. Increasingly, staff are developing pro-active strategies to create a feeling of belonging for pupils. Staff also provide appropriate support for parents and carers. Leaders also challenge poor attendance where needed. This work is beginning to secure modest improvements to the attendance of some groups of pupils. That said, pupils’ overall rates of attendance are lower than that seen nationally.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have established a typically positive culture of behaviour. Pupils are taught about taking responsibility and making the right choices. Staff use ‘RADI' points to reward pupils' positive behaviours. Leaders check that the school’s expectations are consistently supported by staff. When needed, leaders help staff to develop their strategies to manage behaviour.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils usually show positive attitudes to learning. They behave well in lessons. Most pupils behave appropriately when moving around the school and during social times. Pupils often treat each other well. When needed, leaders carefully identify the reasons for a minority of pupils’ poorer behaviours and provide appropriate support. Consequently, incidents of poor conduct, including bullying and other unpleasant behaviours, have decreased this year.

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

Pupils at Reddish Vale High School benefit from an ambitious curriculum that is generally taught effectively. Staff have appropriate expectations for pupils. Most pupils engage well with the opportunities to learn. This helps pupils to progress well through the curriculum and achieve better than they did in the past. Although pupils' attainment remains below the national averages at the end of Year 11, more pupils are better prepared for their next steps in education. However, despite considerable improvements to pupils’ experiences in lessons, the learning of some pupils is impeded by gaps in their knowledge.

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

Staff take the time to understand pupils’ different circumstances. They do what they can to help pupils overcome barriers that affect their engagement and learning. Pupils typically feel well supported. This contributes to many pupils attending school regularly. Even so, some pupils need more help to ensure that they are not routinely absent from school.

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

Most pupils enjoy school. They typically feel safe. Pupils have positive relationships with other pupils and staff. They are encouraged to think about how their conduct affects those around them. They generally behave well and show courtesy and consideration to others. Pupils appreciate the recognition and rewards that they receive for displaying positive behaviours. When needed, pupils are well guided and supported if their behaviour falls short of leaders' clear expectations. Leaders deal with bullying incidents seriously and swiftly.

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

Pupils are encouraged to get involved in the wider life of the school. Pupils on the school council gain experience of representing the views of others. Many pupils are keen to start, lead or participate in the diverse range of opportunities on offer. For example, pupils develop their interests and talents through the ‘Glitz’ cheerleading club and the steel pan club. Elsewhere, other pupils benefit from the therapeutic opportunities afforded to them by being involved with the school’s farm.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that all teachers consistently identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge, including their knowledge of writing, spelling and number, so that they build a secure foundation on which to build and achieve as well as they should.

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Lead inspector:

Michael Pennington, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

James Evans, His Majesty's Inspector Usman Kothia, His Majesty's Inspector Helen Fowler, His Majesty's Inspector Neil Johnson, His Majesty's Inspector Ahmed Marikar, His Majesty's Inspector Leaders should continue to develop and refine their work to remove the barriers that lead to pupils' absence so that all pupils attend school regularly.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the Achieve and Learn Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Kim Earle, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Susan Wildman.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We decided to treat the inspection as a full inspection under section 5 of the same Act.

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About this inspection

Following our updated 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

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff during the inspection. Inspectors also met with trust leaders, including the CEO. Inspectors also met with representatives of the board of trustees, the local governing body and the local authority.

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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 7 alternative provisions, including one that is unregistered.

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About this inspection

There have been no significant changes to the school since the previous inspection.

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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 1 July 2026

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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 6 years. National average: 28.9%

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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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national average

2023/24 (final) 42.3 45.9 Close to average

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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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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.29 -0.03 Close to average

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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) 18.7% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 21.9% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 18.6% 25.2% 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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national average

2024/25 (final) 32.2 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 34.1 34.6 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 33.1 35.0 Close to average

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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

2023/24 (final) -0.77 -0.57 Close to average

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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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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. 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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