November 2023

It is with great pleasure that we can share with you the outcome of our recent OFSTED inspection. We have now received the final report from OFSTED following our inspection on 14th and 15th November. 

The grades that can be awarded are Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate.

I am delighted to announce that for the first time in over two decades, Glossopdale School and Sixth Form is officially a 'Good' school. Previously the school was judged as ‘Inadequate’ in 2018, although the Sixth Form was ‘Good’ at this time.

Glossopdale School and Sixth Form Ofsted report November 2023

The inspection process was very thorough, and a number of judgements were made about the progress of the school. These are summarised below:

Overall effectiveness                      Good

The quality of education               Good

Behaviour and attitudes               Good

Personal development                  Good

Sixth Form                                         Good

Leadership and management    Good

The inspection noted the strong progress that has been made since the last inspection. OFSTED said, 'The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)’.  The team stated that 'The school's curriculum is ambitious and has been carefully designed so that pupils learn about increasingly complex aspects of the subjects they study’. We are particularly proud that they specifically recognised how, 'Pupils develop positive relationships with their teachers and feel safe and most pupils learn in calm classrooms’ and that ‘Students in the Sixth Form talk about the positive and supportive environment they enjoy…and support younger pupils in lessons.’ Staff work tirelessly every day to nurture these caring and supportive relationships and we are delighted that Ofsted inspectors were very complimentary about this aspect of our school community.

The staff at Glossopdale have worked incredibly hard to achieve this fantastic result. I could not be more proud of them and our wonderful students who contributed so much over the two days of inspection and indeed continue to do so throughout the school year.

Ofsted reports are now very short in style and tone; often not fully capturing the fantastic verbal feedback we had from the inspection team about the school. It will also be available on the Ofsted website within the next week.

We clearly could not have achieved this positive outcome without your continued support, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all. We have amazing children, a hugely dedicated staff team and committed governing body. Without their hard work, commitment and dedication, Glossopdale would not be such a wonderful place to learn, work and succeed.

I am fiercely proud of everything we’ve been able to achieve here at Glossopdale and I look forward to continuing on this strong upward trajectory. This report is a crucial step in our school improvement journey and it of course does not stop here. We are as determined as ever to ensure the success of all of our students; providing a learning environment in which they will continue to ‘thrive’.

I am extremely pleased that this Ofsted report validates what many of you already know. We are a brilliant school and care deeply about our students, putting them at the forefront of all we do, and that this is a tangible and obvious characteristic to all within our school community and to those who visit.

As always, your continued support is greatly appreciated and I am sure you will want to celebrate all that the inspectors have recognised about our school with your child at home - just as we will do in our assemblies next week in school.

I hope that you enjoy reading our Ofsted report and thank you for your continued support of our school.

Debbie McGloin

Headteacher