Brighton Hill Community School 'making progress' (From This is Hampshire)

Brighton Hill Community School visited by Ofsted inspectors after 'inadequate' rating in 2011

10:00am Sunday 10th March 2013 in News By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter

A SECONDARY school, which was given a notice to improve by Ofsted, is now making “satisfactory progress”.

Inspectors visited Brighton Hill Community School on January 16 for a monitoring inspection and have said the school is now addressing issues for improvement and raising the students’ achievement.

The school, in Brighton Way, was graded as “inadequate” in March 2011, and later that year, Charlie Currie took over as headteacher.

A further inspection in May last year judged the school to still be “inadequate” and re-issued the notice to improve. They did, however, praise Mr Currie for his efforts in trying to take the school forward.

Following the latest visit, the inspectors have now said there is an “improving trend in students’ attainment.”

The report, published last month, said the GCSE results for 2012 indicate that students’ attainment was below the national average overall, but that maths was above the national average.

It said that the quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection, but is not yet consistent across all departments. In the best lessons, inspectors said teachers “create an atmosphere which is positive and enjoyable.”

But they noted that in the “diminishing number of less effective lessons”, teachers do not provide activities that meet students needs and abilities, do not mark work regularly and fail to provide constructive information to students about how they can improve. The Ofsted report added: “Lessons can be insufficiently practical and fail to capture students’ interest.”

The watchdogs praised the headteacher and his “capable senior leadership team”, adding: “They have remained steadfast in their commitment and dedication to improve the school.”

Of the Interim Executive Board, appointed by the county council to replace the previous governing body, the report said it ensures the school is “well placed to continue to make improvements.”

Mr Currie said he was pleased with the report, and added: “We feel it’s good to have confirmation that the measures that we have put in place in challenging circumstances are steadily coming through.

“I recognise that there’s still some way to go – there’s no room for complacency. But I’m confident in the school’s current trajectory.”