St Oswald's Secondary School

Overview

The inspection team found a “calm and nurturing school environment” where young people feel safe, happy, and valued. While attainment is improving in senior phases, the report highlights the need for greater challenge and consistent high-quality learning experiences across the school.

Strengths

• Staff meet young people’s health and wellbeing needs with “care, consideration and dignity,” fostering a culture where pupils trust adults and respect each other.
• Young people have the confidence to express their views freely, and their opinions are valued within a “warm and welcoming culture.”
• Attainment is improving in S4 to S6, with young people leaving school with a number of qualifications from a wide range of courses that meet their needs.
• The evaluation of “Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion” was rated as “very good,” while leadership, learning, teaching, and raising attainment were rated as “good.”

Areas to improve

• Young people need a “greater level of challenge” and access to “consistently high-quality learning experiences,” with teachers ensuring activities are interesting and suit abilities.
• In S1-S3, teachers must continue to raise attainment and achievement while strengthening tracking and monitoring to better understand pupil progress.

Safeguarding

The report states that staff meet young people’s health and wellbeing needs with care, resulting in an environment where young people “feel safe and happy.”