'˜Absolute delight' as Hayling College secures '˜good' Ofsted grade
PUPILS and staff at a secondary school are celebrating after they were given a glowing review by Ofsted inspectors.
More than two years after they were told they needed to improve, bosses and youngsters at The Hayling College have been declared ‘good’ in all areas.
The welcome news comes after the Church Road site was monitored during a two-day inspection last month.
Colin Rainford, the college’s headteacher since September 2014, said he is ‘absolutely delighted’ at the result.
‘There has been a lot of hard work gone into this,’ he said.
‘Children, teachers, parents, governors – everyone has pulled together to achieve this rating – and I am immensely proud to say all our hard work is now validated in this report.’
When inspectors last visited the school in January 2016, bosses were dealt a blow when they were told they needed to up pupil outcomes and the quality of their teaching, learning and assessment.
But that verdict has now been turned on its head, with inspectors citing clear developments at the college.
In the key findings section of its report, released last week, Ofsted said: ‘The headteacher has relentlessly focused on creating an improvement culture in the school.
‘This has led to better outcomes for pupils.’
One aspect of this hike, it added, was the way in which recent exam results at the college matched up with national standards – with ‘disadvantaged’ pupils accelerating their grades.
‘In 2017 GCSE examinations, disadvantaged pupils did not do as well as other pupils with similar starting points nationally.
‘The progress of disadvantaged pupils has now improved and they are catching up with their peers.’
And while success is the word on everyone’s lips at the 534-pupil Hayling College, Mr Rainford said there is more to come yet.
The leader – who before his promotion worked at the site as a deputy headteacher since 2001 – said: ‘The message in this report is very clear, but we know we can be outstanding.
‘We will enjoy quiet celebrations over the coming weeks, but we are in the middle of exam period now, so we will keep our feet on the ground.’
To read The Hayling College’s latest Ofsted report, visit hayling.hants.sch.uk/ofsted.