Declining standards at a Newcastle school, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, are now improving thanks to “effective improvement strategies,” according to a recent Ofsted inspection.
Although inspectors said in their report that Studio West, a specialist Studio School in West Denton, “requires improvement” they recognised that “Now, there are signs of effective improvements.”
Studio West Principal, Andrew Dryden, who took up the post in September 2024, said “I am really proud of the improvements we have made to date and delighted that inspectors recognise the progress we have made. Together with my colleagues in school and within Northern Leaders Trust, and with the support of our students and their families, we are committed to continuing on this journey of improvement. We are dedicated to providing opportunities to our students which allow them to achieve their full potential, academically and personally, preparing them for life after school.”
Inspectors said that improvements at the school are also noted by pupils who “recognise and appreciate the changes the school is putting in place.”
The Ofsted report goes on to say that “Many pupils are happy in the school. They are safe.” Students “speak about how they are learning more” and are beginning to “engage in a wider curriculum” which has been overhauled with the support of specialist staff in Northern Leaders Trust and is described as “well thought through.”
Inspectors also noted the popularity of Studio West’s new ‘elective curriculum’, with every pupil engaging in a range of activities in mixed age groups, enhancing their personal development and social skills.
Inspectors noted that an “effective pastoral team supports pupils’ attendance and behaviour well” and that because there is a “well-informed improvement strategy” in place, “attendance is increasing and behaviour incidents are reducing” with a notable reduction in repeated behaviour incidents.
Leadership is praised in the report, which states that leaders, including trustees and governors, share “a strong vision.” Staff also reported a positive experience of working at Studio West, where they “feel valued and supported in their work” and “collectively state that leaders are taking the school in the right direction.”
Mr Lee Kirtley, who took up the position of CEO at Northern Leaders Trust, to which Studio West belongs, in January 2023, said “We know that we still have more work to do, but we have made huge progress recovering the school over the last couple of years. We have put strong foundations in place, so that we can confidently and effectively continue to implement our improvement strategies. We have invested heavily in our physical environment, improving security and the safeguarding of our pupils. We have a strong Trust Education Improvement Team, with specialists now in place who lead on Teaching and Learning, SEND and Safeguarding, Attendance and Inclusion, and Curriculum. We have also introduced a strong curriculum and appointed specialist Subject Directors to support effective teaching.
“We are also working hard on improving pupil outcomes. Studio West’s performance outcomes were previously in the bottom 1% in the country, and whilst we still have some way to go to improve outcomes further, we are pleased that we are now much closer to national average. Last summer our students achieved their best ever results in English and Maths which is fantastic.
Mr Dryden adds “The culture at Studio West has improved significantly, it is a calm and more productive place in which pupils can learn and develop, and where staff feel valued. We have a new Parent Teacher Association which supports two-way communication between school and home. I am proud of Studio West and would welcome visitors into school so that we can show you the impact of the changes we have already made and talk to you about our plans and commitments.”
The Ofsted report states that “Following changes in staffing and leadership, the school now needs time to review, improve and embed their recent work.” Identified improvements include:
Chair of the board of trustees at Northern Leaders Trust, Dr Thérèse Quincey said “I would like to thank everyone for their hard work as Studio West continues on its journey of improvement. With our dynamic team of trustees, governors and senior leaders, I am looking forward to building on the progress to date and taking Studio West into a successful future.”
The Ofsted report can be found on the Studio West website: https://sw.northernleaderstrust.org/ofsted/
Studio West was last inspected in May 2019 when it received a ‘Good’ rating.
20 January 2025