Ofsted Report - September 2021
On 28 and 29 September 2021, Queen Elizabeth’s High School hosted an Ofsted Inspection. This is the first time the school has been inspected under the new Ofsted Inspection Framework, having received a full inspection under the previous framework just under thirteen years ago in November 2008 at which point the school was graded as ‘Outstanding’. This was followed by a Mathematics subject survey inspection in November 2014 and a one-day monitoring inspection in January 2016 which confirmed the grading. As an ‘Outstanding’ school, QEHS had been exempt from routine inspection prior to the introduction of the new framework in 2019. Ofsted visits to schools were put on hold during the COVID pandemic, with September 2021 seeing the restart to school inspections.
We are delighted that the Ofsted inspection team found our students to be extremely complimentary of their school, and proud to be members of the QEHS community. Students feel safe, cared for, and welcome the wealth of opportunities available to them both within and beyond the taught curriculum. They appreciate the leadership roles offered to them, behave well and respect others. Students continue to leave QEHS as well-rounded young adults well-equipped to thrive as twenty-first century citizens.
Post-pandemic, Ofsted is not permitted to consider most recent school attendance figures nor students’ academic achievement and progress as part of their body of inspection evidence. This is a genuine shame as despite recognising that many students continue to achieve highly, specific reference to hard data could not be made. Similarly, the target setting, monitoring and tracking which indicate the excellent results and value-added Year 11 and Year 13 are set to attain this summer cannot, regrettably, be taken into account.
The inspection team, however, did identify inconsistencies in the quality, design and implementation of the curriculum and similarly felt that there should be higher levels of curriculum understanding and greater consistency of application across the school. The consequence of these inconsistencies is that the overall effectiveness of the school ‘Requires Improvement’.
Naturally, united as a whole school, we are disappointed by these observations and inspection outcome. Collectively, we seek to implement the recommendations made in the report as rapidly as possible. Crucially, the inspectors recognised this capacity for change and that recent actions have driven school improvement at pace and with purpose. There is a real sense of optimism around the journey QEHS is on. As ever, the loyalty and sustained commitment of the wider school community remains central to supporting this direction of travel and is very much appreciated.
Mr R M Eastham
Headteacher
To view this report, please click here.
Our previous Ofsted Reports
2016 - Ofsted Monitoring Inspection Letter
