Ofsted report highlights progress of Bognor Regis school

A team of six inspectors from the education watchdog spent two days at The Regis School less than six months after it opened.

Their report, issued by Christine Raeside, said the quality of education provided at the Westloats Lane school was satisfactory and improving.

“The growing pride and self-belief in the school community has been enhanced by the move to purpose-built premises.

“The headteacher and his team are driving school improvement on a number of fronts.

“Targets for improved GCSE results are challenging but realistic and the school’s early-entry policy has secured examination grades which demonstrate an improving picture,” she said.

Ms Raeside praised the school’s strong community spirit and the extent to which all 1,400 students are known as individuals.

She made reference to the school’s collective determination to raise standards and ‘plans and actions which are heavily focused on the right priorities for improvement’.

Teaching was satisfactory overall, although about half the lessons observed were good and a few were outstanding, she said.

Governors were singled out for praise given the significant changes for the past few years and their focus on teaching and achievement. Engagement with parents was also rated as good.

“The school actively encourages parents and carers to be involved in their child’s learning,” she said.

The inspectors praised the high level of diligence with partnership schools and the fact the ‘school goes out of its way to be an inclusive learning environment’.

An outstanding judgement was given to safeguarding as a result of the excellent procedures around child protection.

The Regis School’s headteacher, David Jones, said: “It was reassuring to have an Ofsted team complimenting the school on the accuracy of our own evaluation.

“We want to create an outstanding learning community and Ofsted indicated that we are poised to do just this.”

Pupils and staff moved into The Regis School from the former Bognor Regis Community College opposite last September.

Ofsted’s initial assessment of the work carried out in the new premises is a long way from the poor report of October 2003 under a previous head.

Ms Reaside said plans and actions put in place by Mr Jones and his staff showed satisfactory progress was being made in raising exam results and rising attainment was predicted.

But more needed to be done to provide better learning.