How learning and teaching was improved at Reigate School Reigate School

 Reigate School is a years mixed community secondary school in Surrey with 1249 students on roll;  The previous Ofsted inspection in 2007 graded the school ‘Outstanding’ with ‘Good’ in teaching and learning;  The July 2012 Ofsted inspection graded the school ‘Outstanding’ in all four categories.

The Geography and History departments were amalgamated in September 2010 to form the Humanities department; Geography and History are taught separately at KS3 and KS4; KS3 Geography and History is allocated three hours each a fortnight; Geography and History are both options subjects at KS4. At KS4 approximately half the cohort take GCSE Geography. In the July 2012 Ofsted inspection the four out of five teachers observed were graded ‘Outstanding’.

OutstandingGood Quality of Teaching Teachers plan and teach lessons that enable pupils to learn exceptionally well across the curriculum; The teaching of reading, writing, communication and mathematics is highly effective and cohesively planned and implemented across the curriculum; Teachers use well-judged and often inspirational teaching strategies are accurately matched to pupil’s needs. Consequently, pupils learn exceptionally well across the curriculum; A rich and relevant curriculum, contributes to outstanding learning and achievement. Exceptionally, achievement may be good and rapidly improving. Teachers plan and teach lessons that deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding and enable them to develop a range of skills across the curriculum; Reading, writing, communication and mathematics are taught effectively; Effective teaching strategies, including targeted support and intervention are matched well to most pupils’ individual needs, including those most and least able means that pupils learn well in lessons; Very positive attitudes to learning ensure that pupils’ achievement is at least good.

OutstandingGood Student Learning and Progress Almost all pupils currently on roll in the school, including disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those for whom the pupil premium provides support, are making rapid and sustained progress; Appropriate homework, together with sharply focused and timely support and intervention, match individual needs accurately. Most pupils and groups of pupils currently on roll in the school, including disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, and those for whom the pupil premium provides support make good progress and achieve well over time. Appropriate homework and appropriately targeted support and intervention are matched well to most pupils’ individual needs, including those most and least able.

OutstandingGood Assessment and Feedback Teachers systematically and effectively check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where they may need to intervene and doing so with notable impact on the quality of learning; Consistently high quality marking and constructive feedback from teachers ensures that pupils make rapid gains; Teachers listen to, carefully observe and skilfully question pupils during lessons in order to reshape tasks and explanations to improve learning; Teachers assess pupils’ learning and progress regularly and accurately. They ensure that pupils know how well they have done and what they need to do to improve;

OutstandingGood Behaviour for Learning All teachers have consistently high expectations of all pupils; Teachers and other adults generate high levels of engagement and commitment to learning across the whole school; Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary; Skilled and highly consistent behaviour management by all staff makes a strong contribution to an exceptionally positive climate for learning. There are excellent improvements in behaviour over time for individuals or groups with particular behaviour needs; Pupils’ pride in the school is shown by their excellent conduct, manners and punctuality. Teachers have high expectations; Teachers and other adults create a positive climate for learning in their lessons and pupils are interested and engaged; Pupils’ attitudes to learning are consistently positive and low-level disruption in lessons is uncommon; Behaviour is managed consistently well. There are marked improvements in behaviour over time for individuals or groups with particular behavioural needs; There is a positive ethos in the school, and pupils behave well, have good manners and are punctual to lessons.

OutstandingGood Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Development The school’s thoughtful and wide-ranging promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development enables them to thrive in a supportive, highly cohesive learning community. Deliberate and effective action is taken to create a cohesive learning community through the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There is a positive climate for learning.

"Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”

"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

“Students are like flowers, each individual and unique. They require personalised learning opportunities in order to bloom.”

“Tracking student progress is like a lesson in History – you must have an understanding of the past, present in order to impact on the future”

“If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values -- that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control.”

“The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one's opportunities and make the most of one's resources.”

“You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward.” The next challenges Implementation of the new National Curriculum; The increased use of new technologies within the curriculum; Implementation of the GCSE reforms.