The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in specific areas. This may indicate that the school has improved significantly overall. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. You, your senior team, staff and governors provide a nurturing yet challenging environment which allows all pupils to thrive. The senior team is accurate and forthright in its evaluation of the school and continues to drive further improvements. The middle leaders make a very strong contribution to the school’s work. They have ownership of school-wide initiatives, which, coupled with the use of a range of leadership strategies, ensures that pupils make substantial and sustained progress. Parents, carers, pupils and staff are happy with and in the school. Pupils are polite, diligent and display a work ethic which shows how highly they value their education and how much they enjoy their learning experience. The use of literacy strategies is a strength of the school. One such strategy is the ‘word of the day’, which pupils are encouraged to use verbally and to integrate in their written work. A culture of positive challenge is provided by the governing body, which supports and holds leaders to account. Governors and colleagues from the multi-academy trust have a clear understanding of areas of focus for the school, and they assist the senior team in its drive for improvement. The inspection report on the predecessor school included the recommendation that leaders develop pupils’ independence to enable them to work with enthusiasm and excitement. The school has been extremely successful in this. Pupils are given many opportunities to foster the skills required for them to take control of their own learning. For example, pupils can attend ‘evening study’ sessions where they can complete their homework, and they are supported by staff only when required. Additionally, the inspection report asked the school to improve the progress of the most able pupils so that more of them achieved the highest grades. The school has been largely successful in this. Recent GCSE results showed that this group of pupils made more progress than their peers nationally from the same starting points. You have rightly identified the need to further improve outcomes in mathematics for the most able pupils and those eligible for the pupil premium. The plans you have put in place are already making a difference in ensuring that these groups of pupils achieve well in mathematics. Safeguarding is effective. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Leaders and governors understand their statutory responsibilities to keep pupils safe, and they see this as a high priority. All the required staff employment checks have been completed. Records show that referrals to external agencies about vulnerable pupils are appropriate, timely and followed up. All staff understand the latest guidance given in ‘Keeping children safe in education’. School leaders conduct an annual survey of pupils on all aspects of their safety and well-being. The results of this are used to plan assemblies and activities for pupils to address their specific areas of need or concern. Staff are aware of safeguarding procedures through effective and regular training. If they have a concern about a pupil, they know the correct action to take. Inspection findings I first explored how the school has achieved such high standards in English and in a range of other subjects, including religious studies, the arts, physical education (PE) and sociology, and what leaders are doing to sustain this. We did this because recent GCSE results showed pupils made far more progress than their peers nationally in these subjects. In English, teachers use a range of strategies to inspire and enthuse pupils. Pupils are confident in discussions and routinely give rich and varied answers to demonstrate their breadth of knowledge. An example of the great depth of their understanding of the subject is the way in which they skilfully critique the work of their peers, offering insights which notably enhance the writing they produce. We found that the core curriculum is complemented by a broad range of subjects, allowing all pupils to study subjects which they enjoy and value.