Smithdon High School, Hunstanton.

Inspection team Norfolk school, put on special measures last year.

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A West Norfolk school which was put on special measures following an Ofsted report last year is making ‘satisfactory’ progress.

Smithdon High School, Hunstanton, posted record exam results last year with 47pc of students achieved A*-C grades in GCSE. But it was deemed to be failing in key areas by inspectors and was put on special measures in September.

A monitoring visit by Ofsted has recently concluded that the school is making satisfactory progress, a conclusion welcomed by head teacher Jonathan Goodchild.

The interim inspection team also said there were still areas within school which needed addressing, including persistent absences by a ‘significant minority.’

Mr Goodchild said the report had indicated the school was heading in the right direction although he felt the face-to face meeting with the inspection team had been ‘more positive’ than the written report.

“As in any organisation I have to keep the team going and cannot let morale drop. The feedback from the inspection team had been very positive,” he said.

Schools put on special measures can remain within that status for up to two years, but Mr Goodchild said he was optimistic that Smithdon would be out of the situation sooner.

“To be making satisfactory progress after just one of these inspections is an achievement in itself,” he said.

“I am particularly pleased with the findings in connection with the development of teaching and learning and the positive spirit of determination which permeates our school. We know we are on track to raise levels of attainment next summer and into the future, but we also recognise our areas of weakness and the work which needs to be undertaken to eradicate those weaknesses, added Mr Goodchild.

Inspectors noted that there had been “substantial staffing and structural change at the school” since the last inspection.

Achievement in the sixth form was seen as low, although the report said good teaching was seen in a number of lessons.

“The school is not well positioned to make dramatic improvements to its sixth form. It is delivering a core of academic courses but, with numbers small, vocational options can be better delivered elsewhere,” said the report.

Mr Goodchild said that restructuring of the sixth form leadership, previously heavily criticised by Ofsted, had been noted ‘positively’ as had the relocation of it to the centre of the school.