Greenfield Community College insists it has taken some positives from its latest Ofsted report, despite being told it needs improvements for a second time in just two years.
The school says the Ofsted report from a September visit highlighted a number of strengths within the school and identified a “small number” of key areas for continued improvement.
But the report, published on October 11, says the school’s quality of education and its leadership and management need improvements.
It comes two years after Greenfield was told it required improvements – the school’s last ‘good’ Oftsed report was seven years ago.
Despite the concerns, Oftsed inspectors say behaviour and attitudes and personal development are good, and that Greenfield Community College “has a warmth and a friendliness to it, across both the Newton Aycliffe and Shildon sites”.
“The school is calm and has a peaceful atmosphere – students feel well supported by staff,” added the report.
The school’s head teacher David Priestley (pictured above) said: “We are working to build upon positive changes to our curriculum to provide the very best for our students and to support their experience as self-led learners.
“More and more students are nurturing a love of reading which will allow them to access a wide range of opportunities.
“We are currently developing learning strategies to support a smooth transition from Key Stage 3 to 4 and beyond allowing all students to reach their potential and be ready for their next steps.”
Ofsted remarked that “there is a deep commitment to the arts in school and how pupils’ lives can be enriched by them”.
It added: “Leaders have increased pupils’ opportunities to access the arts subjects and changed the curriculum to try to bring this about.”
This work is strengthened and supported by Greenfield’s own arts organisation and arts centre, Greenfield Arts.
There is also a significant increase in the number of overseas experiences available over the next two years and the school is appointing a new deputy headteacher to support areas of ongoing development.
Greenfield Community College is a specialist Arts and Science School, that is reflected in the curriculum and achievements, including being awarded Arts Council England Platinum Artsmark status.
The school has plans to add to the team of excellent staff in the new year as the curriculum offer continues to expand.
The school will be re-inspected within two years to ensure that any issues raised have been built on and that the school is achieving the very best for its young people.