Whitley Bay High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school Whitley Bay High School provides an outstanding education for its students.

It seeks to help students develop into confident, sensitive and reflective adults, and it is successful in this aim. Students, staff and parents hold the school in great esteem. Comments such as, 'I am proud to be a member of the school community.'

from a student, and 'I have loved every day of my career at this school.' from a member of staff, illustrate this well. All groups of students make outstanding progress from their starting points, so that they leave Year 11 with standards that are well above those found nationally.

They are fully prepa...red for their next steps. The sixth form provides a wide range of courses, and students benefit from first-rate advice, guidance and care. As a result all students go on to higher education, training or employment.

The sixth form is good because the progress students make from their starting points is not consistently outstanding. Teaching is outstanding. There is an absolute determination amongst all staff to ensure that lessons are exciting and effective.

Teachers are committed to improving their craft as professionals, and this leads to an excellent level of consistency in the quality of teaching. One striking feature of the quality of teaching is the way in which teachers encourage students to explain their thinking. This develops both communication skills and subject knowledge and understanding.

Students are committed to learning. In lessons their enthusiasm and interest is high. They work together extremely well and this helps them make outstanding progress.

Behaviour around the campus is excellent. The executive headteacher, his leadership team and the governing body are highly successful. They set themselves high standards.

Procedures for checking the quality of teaching and the progress students are making are very strong. The school continues to improve. The executive headteacher and the head of school have a clear vision, and both staff and students are 'on board'.

As a result the school is one where all students make excellent progress in their personal development and academic achievement. Equality is central to this vision. Differences in ethnicity, gender, sexuality or ability are celebrated, as the school aims to develop 'gifted all-rounders'.

The school is a place where everyone's talents are found, nurtured and shared.

Information about this school

This is larger than the average-sized secondary school. It is deemed to be a secondary school, but students enter the school in Year 9 rather than in Year 7.

The sixth form is larger than average with approximately 80 students each year joining in Year 12 from other schools. The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium is low. The pupil premium provides additional funding for children in local authority care, those whose parents are in the forces and those known to be eligible for free school meals.

The proportion of students identified with special educational needs and supported through school action is below average. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

There is specialist provision at school for 10 students with moderate learning difficulties. Some students access alternative courses from a range of different providers, including the Barnardo's Palmersville Programme, Moorbridge, PALS (personalised achievement through learning support) and the Whitley Bay Student Support Centre. The school was awarded Teaching School status in July 2011.

Whitley Bay High School is the lead school in its Teaching School Alliance. As such, the school is involved in regional and national developments in teaching and learning and professional development. The executive headteacher is a National Leader of Education, and is supporting one other school in the pyramid within which Whitley Bay High School is part.

The school deploys Specialist Leaders of Education to support improvements in other schools. The school is a National Support School. The school has a variety of awards, including Investors in People (gold award).

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