Woodford County High School

Overview

This is a school where pupils flourish, both personally and in their academic studies. Leaders have designed an ambitious, academic curriculum that is well sequenced and builds up pupils’ knowledge and skills in increasing depth and complexity. Pupils achieve well, secure places at renowned universities, and demonstrate high aspirations for themselves.

Strengths

• Teachers use their deep subject knowledge well, presenting content clearly and promoting discussion that deepens learning.
• Pupils are polite, friendly, and respectful, showing kindness and consideration towards each other with bullying being rare.
• Leaders provide many trips to enrich the curriculum, including visits to the bay of Naples and First World War battlefields.
• Sixth-form students lead clubs and societies, contributing to a true spirit of community at the school.
• Leaders identify pupils’ needs well and provide teachers with information and training to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Areas to improve

• Leaders’ actions to address the poor attendance of a small minority of pupils are insufficiently systematic and robust.
• Leaders should ensure that swift and effective action is taken, at the first signs of concern, to improve pupils’ attendance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders establishing a strong culture where staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding issues and alert to changes in pupils’ behaviour.