Chesterfield High School in Merseyside has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
Good Quality of Education
Chesterfield High School is a larger than average, oversubscribed 11-18 secondary school in Crosby, North Liverpool. There are currently 1,444 students on roll, of which 136 attend the Sixth Form. The number of students in receipt of pupil premium top-up funding is currently 30%, slightly above the national average. The majority of students are from White British backgrounds. The school was last inspected by Ofsted in 2018 when it was judged as continuing to be ‘good’. The short inspection report recognised that, “the leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection”.
The current Headteacher took up post in January 2019. In the Headteacher’s welcome statement on the school website, the Headteacher defines the school’s holistic approach to education, “Chesterfield High School is friendly and welcoming. We offer excellent care, guidance and support for all our students. We have very high standards of behaviour and we strive for academic achievement for all of our students”.
Leaders have a clear understanding of equity and the importance of treating young people as individuals, providing varying levels of support to create a culture of equity. This is articulated in the final statement in the Headteacher’s Welcome, “it’s about equity; it’s about life chances; it’s all about putting students first”.
The Headteacher leads with a truly inclusive heart. All aspects of school improvement are underpinned by inclusive values. The focus at Chesterfield High School is on the individual student, evidenced through the three-year School Development Plan (SDP) which centres on “every learner, every lesson”. The school’s inclusive values were also evident through the meetings with the stakeholders involved in the IQM assessment process; staff and Governors are fully aligned to the leaders’ inclusive vision.
Collective Ambition for Learners to Succeed
There is a collective ambition for all learners to succeed academically. The provision at Chesterfield High School is tailored to meet the needs of individuals. Staff make any necessary adaptations to accommodate the needs of all students. The Inclusion Leaders are solution-focussed and develop creative responses to whatever issues arise. The focus remains on ensuring that the young people are attending school and accessing their education.
There is an embedded culture of high standards and expectations at Chesterfield High School, which is encapsulated in the school’s motto, “cuique optimum” or “for everyone the best”. Due to the consistently high expectations, the school has built up an excellent reputation within the local community, which has subsequently led to the school being oversubscribed year on year. Due to the leaders’ passion for supporting the most vulnerable young people, the current Year 7 cohort numbers are above the Published Admissions Number (PAN).
During the two-day assessment visit, student behaviour observed around the school and in lessons was at least good. Students at Chesterfield High School demonstrate positive attitudes towards school. Excellent relationships between the staff and students contribute to the positive ambiance. In lessons, students show high levels of focus, leading to a productive learning environment.
Warm Atmosphere Around the School
There is a warm atmosphere around the school; visitors are welcomed warmly into the school community. The school is genuinely a happy place to be. Staff retention levels are high, and all staff spoken to as part of the review process say that they enjoy working there. Staff’s viewpoints are regularly sought through formal means such as surveys and an ‘open door’ policy. All staff spoken with said that they feel confident to go to talk to the Headteacher and know that “his door is always open”.
Like all schools nationally, mental health and wellbeing has been brought to the forefront of school priorities by the pandemic. The leaders and governors acknowledge the importance of supporting staff and students’ wellbeing. There have been significant changes to inclusion staffing over recent years to add capacity to support students’ wellbeing.
There are non-teaching pastoral staff, Student Support Managers, who support the Progress Leaders for each year group. There are also two non-teaching Safeguarding Managers who can respond promptly to any safeguarding issues as they arise throughout the day. The use of funding to staff these key roles demonstrates the Headteacher and governors’ genuine commitment to looking after the young people.
The success of Chesterfield High School’s inclusive practice is also due to the excellent relationships which exist between all stakeholders, at every level. Everyone is included to feel safe and part of the Chesterfield community. The Headteacher has an unwavering determination to ensure that all staff develop positive relationships with the students.
For the IQM Assessment, the IQM Co-ordinator and Senior Leadership Team provided wide-ranging documentation to support the process. The Assessor was welcomed into the school with warmth and an honest approach from all. Staff welcomed the process and demonstrated an open culture of self-evaluation. This reflective culture ensures that the school is continuing to improve and move forward. Leaders know the areas of strength and have clear plans to improve any areas which need further development. Our Assessor feels confident the strategic plans outlined in this year’s School Development Plan will have significant impact to further enhance the inclusive practices.
Find out more about the IQM Inclusive School Award
If your school is interested in obtaining the IQM Inclusive School Award or you wish to talk to a member of the IQM team please telephone:
028 7127 7857 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm)
or email: [email protected] for further details.