First new-style Ofsted inspection confirms that Dereham Neatherd High School is “good”

Neatherd High School head teacher Peter Devonish. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant © 2012)

This term the inspectorate started conducting one-day inspections of schools with a 'good' judgment, to be held every three years, to ensure they still deserved that rating.

Inspectors Jason Howard and Anthony Sharpe visited Dereham Neatherd High School on September 29, and, in a letter to headteacher Peter Devonish, due to be published on Monday, said it continues to be 'good'.

Mr Howard wrote: 'You and other senior leaders are sustaining a culture of high ambition for all students, whatever their individual circumstances or starting points, and have maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.'

The previous inspection, in May 2012, had said some teaching required improvement, and Mr Howard found school leaders had been 'resolute in your determination to tackle these areas and this has had demonstrable impact'.

He also praised the school's celebration of difference and diversity within the student body, and the 'exceptionally wide range of clubs, societies and posts of responsibility' that very many pupils participate in.

The report identified two next steps, including the design of assessment tasks at Key Stage 3.

Mr Devonish said he was particularly pleased the inspectors highlighted the level of ambition, which has often been identified as a problem for education in Norfolk.

He said: 'I'm delighted, and I feel the report vindicates the hard work colleagues and students have put in since our last inspection. The school feels very happy and purposeful. I'm really glad they noticed that.'

He added: 'It's the right judgment for the school, but clearly between the lines there's an implication the school is at the top end of 'good', and they made it clear that the things we need to do to be 'outstanding' were doable.'

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