Saint Aidan's Church of England High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 June 2023

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe because they are confident that they can ask staff for help if they need to. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), said that staff will listen to and act on their concerns. Leaders have high aspirations for pupils. Pupils are eager to do their best. They benefit from a well-taught curriculum and a wealth of wider opportunities that prepare them well for their next steps. Pupils achieve well. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils behave sensibly, and they have respectful and friendly relationships with staff. If bullying occurs, staff deal with these incidents quickly and appropriately. Pupils experience a well-rounded education. They enjoy the wide range of subjects and activities available to them, such as astronomy club. Added to this, some pupils have recently visited Barcelona and Germany, and others have enjoyed a ski trip to Austria. Pupils are encouraged to work towards an awards scheme which leaders encourage pupils to participate in to enhance their personal development. For instance, pupils enjoy taking part in sponsored events and leading clubs for the benefit of younger pupils. Others are eager to take up positions of responsibility.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, pupils do not have enough opportunities to consolidate earlier learning. On occasion, this hinders some pupils from learning as deeply as they should. Leaders should ensure that teachers in these subjects afford pupils regular opportunities to revisit and build on what they already know.

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