Droitwich Spa High School and Sixth Form Centre

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 February 2024

Many pupils enjoy attending this school and value the warm relationships they have with staff. The school's ethos: 'be ready, be kind, be respectful' plays a significant role in everyday life. Pupils appreciate the support they are given to help them be successful. As one Year 11 pupil commented, 'Teachers care and want us to do well.' Pupils are generally polite and well behaved. The school's new behaviour policy is well understood, helping staff manage behaviour more consistently and creating a calm and orderly environment throughout. The school's house system plays an integral role in school life and gives pupils a sense of identity. There are several different competitions that take place during the year, culminating in the school's 'House Fest' in the summer term. The school is rightly proud of the charity work that pupils take part in, and the large sums of money raised because of this. There are a vast and wide-ranging number of extra-curricular activities to extend pupils' experiences beyond the classroom. There are many different clubs available in sport, music, dance and drama, as well as international visits to places such as Delhi and New York. Many pupils take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award with several expeditions planned each year.

What the school should improve

• Some teachers do not consistently check pupils' learning in the classroom. This means that gaps in knowledge are not picked up quickly or pupils who are stuck do not receive the help that they need. The school should ensure that teachers check pupils' understanding so that they are secure in what they know and understand before learning moves on.
• The school has not put together a coherent reading strategy in order to help support the weakest readers. This means that pupils with weak reading skills are not being supported to help improve their fluency and comprehension. The school should put in place an effective programme of reading support to help those who struggle with reading to catch up.
• Those responsible for governance have not ensured that school leaders have been sufficiently held to account for their use of pupil premium funding. This means that those pupils who are eligible for the funding have not been supported as well as they could be to improve their attendance, behaviour and progress. Those responsible for governance should ensure that an effective pupil premium strategy is put in place and that money is used effectively, to help these pupils succeed in all areas of school life.

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