Staff, parents, governors and pupils at Dowdales School in Dalton-in-Furness are celebrating today after Ofsted inspectors praised the school for their hard work and achievements.
Inspectors said that the school is a very good school with pupils achieving above the national average. Results are rising faster than results nationally because teaching and learning are good. Pupils achieve well academically and outstandingly well in their personal development. Much of the provision is either excellent or very good because of the outstanding leadership of the headteacher, Liz Moffatt.
The main findings in the report are as follows:
1. Excellent curriculum provision in performing arts reflecting the school's specialist status as a performing arts college
2. Pastoral care is outstanding. Pupils' attitudes are excellent and their behaviour is very good
3. Links with the community and other schools and colleges are excellent
4. Provision of pupils with special educational needs is very good; intervention to support pupils with dyslexia is innovative and highly effective
5. Achievements in drama are excellent and very good in science, citizenship, dance and work related learning
6. Leadership, management and governance are very strong and focused on pupils achieving the highest possible all-round standards
7. Support and guidance procedures for pupils are excellent
8. Pupils' learning is underpinned by a highly effective curriculum and supported through a very good programme of extra-curricular activities.
Liz Moffatt, Headteacher at the school said:
"We are really delighted with this report and particularly pleased that it recognises the tremendous efforts made every day by the staff, teachers, ancillary staff and Governors. Everyone's contribution helps to make Dowdales the great place it is. There are no significant issues - a situation which, inspectors tell us is extremely rare. Inspectors told us that they themselves would have liked to teach at the school and would have liked their children to be pupils here which was lovely to hear.
However, we at Dowdales will not be complacent. The challenge for us all now is to get even better. Where we are judged to be good we become very good and where we are judged to be very good we become excellent. I will continue to lead our drive for excellence in all areas so that pupils at Dowdales get the best possible education and the best possible start to adult life as they can."
The school was last inspected in 1999 and improvements since then have been very good. Parents continue to be very pleased with the quality of education, the standards achieved by pupils and how the school continues to consult them on a wide range of important issues. In 1999 the school had no significant areas for improvement. In 2005 the situation is still the same. Dowdales has no significant areas for improvement. Inspectors say it is a very good school!