Fairfield High School for Girls

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 December 2022

Pupils achieve exceptionally well academically because they access a well-designed curriculum that is delivered very effectively. Leaders have incredibly high expectations of pupils' academic achievement. The overwhelming majority of parents and carers who shared their views said that their child does well at this school. Most pupils feel safe and happy in school. They understand that leaders have high expectations of most aspects of their behaviour. The majority of pupils meet these expectations, which means that learning is rarely disrupted. Pupils are consistently well mannered and respectful towards adults. Leaders deal with most bullying well when it happens. Leaders at all levels have a shared vision of the 'Fairfield girl' that they want pupils to become. They give careful thought to the experiences that they can provide to raise pupils' aspirations. For example, Year 8 pupils take part in an 'inspiring women' event. Pupils have opportunities to take positions of responsibility, such as being part of the head girl team or the Fairfield Forum Leadership Group. These experiences help to prepare pupils well for further education, training and/or employment when they leave school.

What the school should improve

• Some groups of pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not attend school as often as they should. Therefore, they miss learning and do not fully experience all that the school has to offer. Leaders should take effective action to improve the attendance of pupils, including those with SEND.
• Leaders do not have a sufficiently robust approach to dealing with discriminatory language. This undermines the culture of inclusivity that they aim to create. Leaders should ensure that they have systems in place to deal with discriminatory language effectively so that differences are respected and, where they are not, pupils have confidence that this will be addressed.

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