St Aidan's Church of England High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 April 2026

At St Aidan's, staff support pupils from Year 7 to Year 13 closely to 'live life in all its fullness'. Friendly greetings by staff, good humour and kindness all form part of the warm welcome pupils receive at the start of the day. Staff check how pupils are feeling and high-quality pastoral care is a distinctive feature of the school. Pupils are safe. Pupils in each key stage enjoy school. This is reflected in their high attendance as well as their enthusiasm and diligence in lessons. Pupils are aspirational and keen to do well. Social times are happy and purposeful. Pupils mix well. Bullying is rare and incidents are dealt with swiftly. Pupils are proud of their inclusive school. Staff are becoming increasingly knowledgeable and skilled in the ways to support pupils to overcome barriers to their learning and/or their wellbeing. There is a vast array of extra-curricular opportunities on offer that supports pupils' personal development effectively. For example, pupils can take part in sport and music as well as LEGO club, mindful colouring and drama. Confidence and courage are instilled in pupils. They are encouraged to see themselves as 'agents of change'. Pupils have a voice in school and feel listened to. Taking on roles such as 'student senate', mentors and fundraisers supports pupils' understanding of responsibility and active citizenship. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, they demonstrate detailed understanding of different world faiths and visit different places of worship. 'WALK' time is used productively to discuss current affairs and debate topical issues. Typically effective teaching, including in the post-16 provision, supports pupils to achieve highly, including in national tests. By the end of Year 11 and Year 13, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop detailed knowledge and skills that support them to secure and sustain ambitious destinations in education, employment and training.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that assessment is used more effectively to identify gaps in learning, make appropriate adaptations and to inform teaching across the curriculum.
• Leaders should embed their monitoring of the post-16 provision to ensure that swift action is taken to ensure students' experiences of the curriculum and teaching are routinely positive and result in consistently high achievement.
• Leaders, including governors and trustees, should strengthen their oversight of the pupil premium strategy so that it is monitored effectively and implemented consistently, including through ongoing, high-quality training for staff so that they routinely support disadvantaged pupils to overcome the barriers they face.

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