Ofsted

“We inspect and regulate to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. The new Ofsted brings together the wide experience of four inspectorates to make a greater difference for every child, and for all young people and adult learners, in England. Their educational, economic and social well-being will promote our success as a country.”

Our Latest Ofsted Report

Short inspection of Ivanhoe College Ashby-De-La-Zouch.

Following my visit to the school on 4 October 2018 with Ian Colling HMI, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in March 2014.

This school continues to be good.

Leadership

• ‘You and your leaders have a clear focus on ensuring that teaching is the best it can be.’
• ‘You and your team are ambitious. promoting high expectations for the school community. When issues arise you are swift to tackle them.’
• Governance is a strength of the school. Governors are skilled and well informed of their duties.’

Teaching and learning with a focus on more able students and challenge in the classroom.

• ‘Leaders are effective in supporting teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning through focused professional development. Talented middle leaders are helping to develop consistency in practice and much has improved.’
• ‘Work in pupils’ books shows they are given many opportunities to explore ideas in depth. Subject leaders have worked with other schools in the area to develop a curriculum that is helping to prepare pupils for the demands of the new GCSE.’
• ‘The majority of pupils are achieving the ambitious target grades leaders have set for them.’

Safeguarding and well-being

• ‘All pupils we spoke to say that they felt safe in school.’
• ‘Pupils say that if they have any concerns about bullying, matters are resolved quickly and successfully.’
• ‘Parents and carers are very positive about the school, particularly the support provided by staff.’
• Ivanhoe is an inclusive school, and you and your student support team work hard to meet the needs of the pupils. As a result, you have not needed to permanently exclude any pupil from school for many years. In 2016-17, the proportion of fixed-term exclusions was also below the national average, but disadvantaged pupils, particularly boys, were disproportionally excluded. Your records show that the numbers of exclusions of disadvantaged pupils has reduced but is still stubbornly high. Supported by your governors, you have very recently introduced more targeted provision, for example the employment of a ‘behaviour education access’ worker. However, it is too early to evaluate the impact of this on reducing the numbers even further.

Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that they:

• carry out a detailed evaluation of the impact of the pupil premium funding and use the results to ascertain the most effective ways to:

– raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, particularly the most able

– improve the attendance of those disadvantaged pupils who are persistently absent

– reduce the proportion of fixed-term exclusions of disadvantaged pupils.

To read our latest Ofsted report please click here