Harington School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings

This is an outstanding provider Leaders have rapidly established a culture of high expectations for student achievement.

During their courses, students take increasing responsibility for their learning and progress. Leaders have developed and refined robust quality assurance arrangements that accurately identify the school's strengths and areas for improvement, and use these very well to improve quality. Governors use their extensive experience of education to hold senior leaders to account and robustly challenge them using the detailed information they regularly receive about student progress.

Managers meticulously monitor the progress of students and intervene successfully to supp...ort teachers whose students are making slower progress; the large majority of students make good progress and a high proportion make excellent progress. Teachers' assessment of student progress is thorough and highly accurate; in the large majority of lessons, this leads to detailed feedback and guidance for individual students that helps them to improve their work. Because of careful initial guidance and strong ongoing support, students receive offers for competitive university courses that match their aspirations.

Students are highly motivated to learn and demonstrate a keen sense of enquiry in lessons; they have a very strong interest in their subjects and thrive in the academically challenging learning atmosphere that characterises the large majority of lessons. Students take a great deal of pride in their work and commit very seriously to their studies; they develop good independent learning skills and use these to enhance their subject knowledge, with striking impact on their progress. Teachers' expectations of students are very high and they are unrelenting in their pursuit of student success; they have excellent subject knowledge and use this very well to inspire students.

Students make excellent use of opportunities to participate in a wide range of subject-based activities that enhance their understanding of topics and of the world around them; their wider enrichment activities are very effective in developing their personal and social skills. Students' behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary; they are respectful and supportive of each other and this leads to strong peer learning both within and outside of lessons.

Information about the provider

Situated in Oakham, Rutland, Harington School opened its doors as a 16 to 19 academy in September 2015, focusing its curriculum on A levels in subjects that facilitate progression to the widest range of higher education courses.

It is a part of the Rutland and District Schools Federation multi-academy trust (MAT), which, in addition to Harington School, comprises a preschool, a primary school and a secondary school. Harington School moved into a new building in November 2016, having initially operated from temporary accommodation. It recruits the large majority of its students from the MAT secondary, Catmose College, and also from Uppingham Community College, with a small number of students from other schools.

Rutland is a very small county, with a population of around 38,000. Unemployment is low and a far higher proportion of its population works in managerial, professional or technical roles than is the case in the East Midlands and the nation as a whole. Youth unemployment is very low.

Key employment sectors include manufacturing, wholesale and retail, hospitality and education. Qualification levels are higher than in the region and slightly higher than nationally. The proportion of young people who leave school with a good set of GCSEs, including English and mathematics, is higher than the national rate.

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