Congleton High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 February 2023

Congleton High School is a warm, welcoming place to learn and work. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Pupils, staff and leaders embrace the vision for the school community. They strive to 'achieve success together'. From Years 7 to 13, pupils respect each other and are considerate of each other's differences. Pupils feel happy and safe. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong. Pupils typically achieve well in a range of subjects. This means that they are well prepared for their next steps by the time they leave the school in Year 11 and Year 13. Subject leaders and teachers have developed well-thought-out curriculums across most subjects. This ensures that pupils build their learning from topic to topic. Pupils learn effectively about issues they may face as they grow older. They learn about healthy relationships, consent and the dangers of the internet. Pupils' knowledge of how to recognise and deal with sexual harassment, abuse and other forms of harmful behaviours is strong. Pupils are polite, courteous and enjoy speaking with visitors to the school. They behave well in lessons and around school, which results in a calm and purposeful environment. Pupils benefit from an abundance of enrichment activities, including the eco-club, debating society and clubs to allow pupils to compete in sports events and develop their music skills. Pupils across different year groups are keenly preparing for the summer production of 'Annie'. Pupils are confident that leaders and staff will listen to their concerns. They trust staff to sort out any issues they may have. Any incidents of bullying are resolved quickly and effectively.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, teachers do not provide pupils with enough opportunities to practise, revisit and consolidate their learning. This means that some pupils' learning is not embedded, and they struggle to remember key knowledge and skills. In these subjects, leaders should ensure that teachers provide appropriate activities to enable pupils to strengthen and deepen their learning.
• The ambitious reading strategy is not fully embedded and supported across subject areas. This means that, in some subjects, pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop their reading skills and enjoyment of reading. Leaders should ensure that subject areas promote the benefits and enjoyment of reading so that pupils can further develop their reading fluency and increase the range of their vocabulary.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)