School delight at ‘outstanding’ Ofsted

Reporter: Ask Rossendale
Date online: 30 July 2010

Staff and students at a Rawtenstall secondary school are celebrating once again after receiving an ‘outstanding’ review in its latest Ofsted assessment.

Alder Grange Community & Technology School has maintained the prestigious status by the national inspection body, which is measured on several factors including students’ high attendance figures and academic performance.

Headteacher Iain Hulland said he was delighted with the news and paid tribute to the hard work of the students, parents and staff. He said: “We have shown that by keeping the strong values and clear ethos of the school at the centre of all we do, we can, as a partnership between pupils, staff, parents and governors achieve really great things.

“The results underline the success as a school. It is a very exciting time at the moment and there is lots to celebrate, particularly as we prepare to open our new sixth form building at the end of this year.”

Ofsted last visited Alder Grange in October 2006, but the results of the latest assessment mean that the school does not have to be re-inspected until September 2011.

Assessments are carried out on ‘outstanding’ schools to determine whether it needs an inspection in the coming months, or whether it can be deferred. The assessment is based on the pupils’ academic performance and attendance, any visits carried out by Oftsted since the last inspection, complaints about the school by parents and any other significant issues brought to Ofsted’s attention.

Alder Grange’s state-of-the art Sixth Form facility is set to open at the end of the year. It will cater for 300 students and will include: science laboratories; a media studio and performance space; an industry standard catering kitchen; nursery and creche facilities for child development students, plus ICT and library facilities.