Darwen Vale High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 January 2024

Pupils are made to feel welcome at Darwen Vale High School. They settle into school quickly and forge strong friendships with their peers. Pupils appreciate the support that they receive from their teachers. This helps pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to feel safe and happy. Typically, pupils are respectful to each other. The school and the trust have reinforced new behaviour routines through their 'Vale values' programme. Most pupils understand and adhere to these routines. This has helped the school to cultivate a calm and purposeful learning environment. Pupils have benefited from the rapid improvements made to the curriculum. The trust and the school have set high expectations of what pupils should achieve. Pupils have responded well to these raised standards. They engage positively in their learning and many achieve well. Pupils, including those with SEND, appreciate the range of clubs and activities that enrich their experiences. For example, pupils enjoy taking part in house competitions and sporting events. This encourages pupils to work as a team and fosters a sense of community.

What the school should improve

• Some teachers do not consider the needs of some pupils with SEND well enough when delivering the curriculum. As a result, these pupils do not receive sufficient support to help them to achieve well. The school should ensure that the teachers use the information about pupils with SEND effectively when adapting teaching activities so that pupils with SEND access the curriculum successfully and achieve well.
• For a small number of pupils, the support that they receive to help them overcome gaps in their reading knowledge is not effective. This means that some pupils are not able to read with sufficient fluency and accuracy to access the curriculum. The school should enhance its systems to support those pupils who need help to overcome their reading difficulties so that they are well equipped for their learning across the curriculum.
• The opportunities to expand pupils' knowledge of life beyond the classroom is not designed as well as it should be. This means that some pupils develop limited knowledge of different cultures and the wider world. The school should ensure that pupils gain a richer insight into the modern world in which they live.

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