Duke's Aldridge

Overview

Duke’s Aldridge is described as a school where pupils benefit from “raised expectations” and follow a curriculum reflecting the vision to ‘inspire to excel’. The report highlights that pupils typically show “positive attitudes to their learning” and that the school environment has become “more calm and orderly” following recent changes. While achievement is improving and safeguarding is effective, the report notes that support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is “not sufficiently robust,” impacting their ability to achieve highly.

Strengths

• Staff receive “high-quality training and development” and provide “excellent mentoring support” for early-career teachers.
• Teachers are “knowledgeable,” explain topics clearly, and use regular checks to “address gaps in pupils’ knowledge.”
• The school promotes a “love of reading,” with early identification and support for pupils learning to read.
• Personal development provision is “comprehensive,” including a “strong careers programme” and high-quality enrichment opportunities.
• The school is “tenacious” in understanding causes of absence, resulting in effective attendance improvements.

Areas to improve

• Ensure staff have precise information to adapt tasks meaningfully for pupils with SEND, so they can “access and progress through the curriculum.”
• Reduce incidents of poor behaviour by improving “early intervention strategies” for pupils with additional behavioural needs who miss learning.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”