de Stafford School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher, ably supported by his senior team, provides good leadership. As a result, there have been significant improvements in the quality of teaching and students' outcomes since the previous inspection. Leaders make effective use of information on students' progress to identify strengths and weaknesses.

Middle leaders' clear focus on raising the quality of learning and teaching for different groups of students in their subject areas has led to improved outcomes. Students make good progress in English and mathematics and in most other subject areas. Disadvantaged students currently at the school now make much better progress than in the p...ast.

Teaching is good overall. Teachers make effective use of their good subject knowledge, together with accurate assessment, to target appropriate learning activities which meet the students' needs well. Students' behaviour is good.

The vast majority of students behave in a mature and respectful manner in lessons and around the school. Parents and their children are rightly proud of the school. They recognise that it offers a caring community where students are kept safe and their welfare matters greatly.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Very occasionally, a small minority of students, mainly boys, sometimes drift off task and disrupt lessons, which can slow the pace of learning. While students with disabilities or special educational needs are making better progress than previously, they are not yet making the same levels of progress as their peers in every subject area. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not yet consistently strong in science and resistant materials.

Too few opportunities exist to promote students' understanding of different cultures and faiths.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized school. The proportion of students who are disabled or have special educational needs is below average.

The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding) is broadly average. Some students are eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium. A few students in Key Stage 4 attend East Surrey College for one day each week to follow vocational courses, and a very small number attend Reigate Valley College, a local pupil referral unit.

The school has dedicated provision to support students with speech, language and communication needs. Ten students are currently supported in this unit. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

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