Rivington and Blackrod High School

Overview

Rivington and Blackrod High School is described as a “warm and welcoming” environment where pupils feel “safe and well supported.” The inspection confirms that the school’s overall effectiveness is “Good,” reflecting significant improvements since its previous rating. Leaders have successfully addressed learning gaps from the pandemic, resulting in current pupils achieving well within an “ambitious” curriculum.

Strengths

• Pupils are “polite and well mannered,” responding well to high expectations and treating each other with “dignity and respect.”
• Teachers possess “strong subject knowledge” and effectively foster “intellectual curiosity,” ensuring pupils make connections with earlier learning.
• The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “identified and managed well,” allowing them to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.
• Sixth-form students provide “impressive” leadership opportunities, inspiring younger pupils through clubs, events, and performances.
• Leaders have made “significant improvements” in helping struggling readers gain fluency, with staff trained to quickly identify gaps in reading knowledge.

Areas to improve

• Strategies to foster pupils’ enjoyment of reading are “not as effective as they could be,” with some pupils not reading widely or often.
• The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is “not delivered consistently well,” meaning some pupils are not fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with appropriate measures in place to protect pupil welfare and staff receiving relevant training to identify and report concerns promptly.