Scarborough's George Pindar School rated as 'requires improvement' by Ofsted at latest inspection

The school standards regulator visited George Pindar School in Eastfield in October last year, but in its recently published report said the school needs to make further improvements to address attendance, behaviour and standards of teaching across all subjects.

The report said leaders have taken action to improve attendance, however, a significant minority of pupils do not attend regularly enough and attendance of the most vulnerable pupils “remains too low”.

Inspectors said pupils with special educational needs and disabilities do not “consistently” receive the support they need, as staff do not “precisely” follow plans that identify pupils’ needs to inform their lesson planning.

The report highlights that “most pupils enjoy school and feel safe”, however, pupils are “concerned” about behaviour in lessons and at social times. Leaders have since taken steps to change the school’s behaviour policy to address this.

Inspectors praised the school’s leaders for prioritising the curriculum, with most subjects now having clear plans in place outlining what pupils will learn throughout their schooling.

It said pupils’ personal development is a priority for leaders, with the curriculum carefully planned to underpin the school’s values – ensuring that pupils have a strong understanding of healthy relationships and protected characteristics.

Lesley Welsh, Principal of George Pindar School, said: “I am really pleased that Ofsted has recognised that our school has made progress in recent years.

“There was a lot to do when we started and we have not completed our improvement journey. But this report demonstrates that we are well on our way.”

Helen Winn, Chief Executive Officer of Hope Sentamu Learning Trust, said: “This is a positive report that shows how far the school has come.

“As a Trust, we are working closely with the school and assigning specialist and experienced colleagues to support the school to address highlighted areas. Both we and the school will continue to work hard every day so that the school continues to improve.”

George Pindar was previously rated as “inadequate” at its last inspection in 2017 but has since joined Hope Sentamu Learning Trust in March 2019.