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Whitmore High School receives a glowing report from Estyn inspectors

Whitmore High School has been roundly praised in its first ever inspection report.

 

  • Thursday, 26 May 2022

    Vale of Glamorgan



Whitmore High SchoolThe newly-built school opened last year, boasting a music studio, full-size 3G sports pitch and an outdoor learning area among other state-of-the-art facilities.


Alongside the new school building has come a new ethos and approach to learning introduced by headteacher Innes Robinson, leading to Estyn giving the school a superb review.

 

They visited to carry out inspections of five key areas: ‘Learning’; ‘Well-being and attitudes to learning’; ‘Teaching and learning experiences’; ‘Care, support and guidance’; ‘Leadership and management’.


Whitmore opened in March 2021, part of the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Sustainable Communities for Learning programme, a partnership with Welsh Government that involves comprehensive upgrading of educational infrastructure across the county.


Following an on-site inspection and interviews with staff, pupils and parents, Estyn have published a report of their findings.


The report overview reads: “Whitmore High School’s philosophy is grounded firmly on the ‘four pillars’ that provide the basis for developing the whole child and which form ‘The Whitmore Values’. This philosophy is advocated by nearly all staff who work to ensure that pupils are valued and listened to, are treated as individuals, and receive consistently good teaching and extensive opportunities outside lessons.”


Whitmore High School StudentsIn the section on ‘Well-being and attitudes to learning’, the report continues: “High School pupils develop successfully into responsible and caring citizens because of the strong ethos created by ‘the Whitmore Values’. Staff model these values consistently in their interactions with pupils and, as a consequence, there is a high level of mutual respect and trust between all members of the school community.”


The positive feedback continues in the category of ‘Learning’: “Many pupils make strong progress in their learning and benefit significantly from effective teaching and assessment. In lessons, they demonstrate secure knowledge and understanding of subjects.”


In the area of ‘Teaching and learning experiences’, inspectors found teachers foster positive working relationships with pupils and manage their classrooms effectively: “Most teachers have strong subject knowledge and teach with enthusiasm. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and provide support that encourages active participation in learning. These teachers plan lessons effectively, organising knowledge and skills into sequential steps that build logically on each other.”


The glowing review continues in the category ‘Care, support and guidance’, which states: “The school cultivates a highly supportive and inclusive ethos that promotes the wellbeing of its pupils successfully. Its inclusive ethos and strong culture of participation in learning and enjoyment is successfully reinforced by the ‘Whitmore Values’. A well-established ‘Culture for Learning’ is valued by staff and pupils and has a significant impact on the positive attitudes and behaviour of most pupils.”


Finally, under the heading of ‘Leadership and management’, the report reads: “The headteacher offers Whitmore High School inspirational leadership. He is well supported by his extended senior leadership team. Together, they have developed a clear vision to support and nurture the passions and talents of each individual pupil in preparation for their future lives. This vision has been shared successfully with staff, pupils, and the governing body.”

Headteacher Innes Robinson said: "It’s great to see the hard work and dedication of our staff and pupils recognised in the Estyn report. We are thrilled with the positive feedback we have received throughout all categories in the report and we will continue to work hard to give our pupils the very best learning experiences.”

Cllr Rhiannon Birch, Cabinet Member for Education, Arts and the Welsh Language, said: “I was delighted to read the outstanding inspection report of Whitmore High School. The report reflects the tremendous effort of staff and pupils and so they should be extremely proud of what they have achieved. Congratulations, Whitmore High School!”