Valley Park School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 January 2025

Pupils are proud to say that 'We are Valley Park' and act out the school's values of 'ambition, respect and kindness'. Pupils agree that the school is a happy and welcoming place to be. Pupils and sixth-form students have warm relationships with adults built on mutual respect and trust. Pupils respond well to the high expectations that the school has for their achievement. Raised expectations of pupils' behaviour have had a positive impact across the school. Pupils, staff and parents all say the school is now calm and orderly. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school site. The school provides strong pastoral support. Staff make sure that help is available if pupils need it. For example, the school offers mental health support and counselling. There is encouragement and support for pupils to attend well. Pupils are provided with a wealth of opportunities to nurture existing talents and interests and discover new ones. Performing arts clubs are popular, and many pupils show enthusiasm for taking part in music and drama performances. The school offers an array of trips and visits, including to Borneo and Milan. The school ensures that every pupil has the opportunity to benefit from these rich experiences.

What the school should improve

• Some teachers do not consistently check pupils' learning well enough in lessons. As a result, some misconceptions or gaps in knowledge go unnoticed. The school should ensure that the best practice is shared so that all staff are confident in checking pupils' understanding at the point of learning and adapting learning accordingly.
• Sometimes, teaching is not adapted to the needs of all pupils. As a result, there are times when pupils are ready to move on in their learning, but they are not provided with opportunities to do so. The school needs to embed approaches to adaptive teaching so that the achievement of all pupils is raised.
• Some pupils have a limited understanding of some essential content included in the school's PSHE curriculum, including democracy and the rule of law. This means pupils do not always have the knowledge they need in readiness for life in school and the world beyond school. The school must ensure that the teaching of the PSHE curriculum addresses any gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding.

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