Golborne High school rated 'Outstanding' in Ofsted inspection

After numerous inspections rated them as ‘Good’ since 2006, the senior leadership team, the education quality, personal development strategy and outstanding behaviour has tipped them into the inspector’s highest ranking bracket.

The journey to outstanding has been a collective effort according to the headteacher, who stated it has come from a "shared vision of excellence".

Inspectors spoke to a number of pupils and highlighted how they had been helped through the coronavirus period by staff. They scored the Lowton Road school top marks in all departments.

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Golborne High, on Lowton Road (Image: Golborne High)

'Pupils keen to be the best versions of themselves'

The Ofsted inspection, which took place on January 12, reads: "Pupils are determined to be successful, and they are keen to be the best versions of themselves.

"Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve exceptionally well. They take great pride in both their personal and academic accomplishments. Pupils delight in celebrating these achievements in school."

Pupils are also said to "benefit from highly supportive relationships with teachers", who are approachable about subjects such as mental health and examination stress. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe in school. 

Teachers are said to be "experts" in their subject fields, with a curriculum designed as "highly ambitious, carefully thought out and designed well".

Safeguarding arrangements are reported to be effective at the school, while pupils with additional needs provided with appropriate support, and any incidents of bullying or hurtful language are "dealt with swiftly".

With the aspiration to achieve highly, the inspector added that pupils live out the ‘Golborne Way’ through their actions each day – an ethos drummed in by the whole school, according to their headteacher.

Headteacher Alison Gormally spoke of her great pride at the Ofsted achievement (Image: Golborne High)

Outstanding rating an 'amazing achievement'

Alison Gormally, headteacher of Golborne High School, said in a statement: “It is with great pride that I can celebrate the amazing achievement of being judged as ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. This is the outcome of years of dedication, diligence and commitment from our governors, staff, associated professionals and parents. 

“We have been driven by a shared vision of creating a beacon of excellence for the children of Golborne and Lowton. It is a considerable achievement for a community school to be judged as ‘Outstanding’ and that can only be achieved by a shared drive for excellence from all stakeholders."

Staff and students with a commemorative plaque to the Golborne mining disaster in 1979 (Image: Golborne High)

With the help of stakeholders, teachers, staff members, and pupils, Mrs Gormally said that Golborne has become "an exceptional school".

She added: "What makes us unique at Golborne is that we share the core values of the school and we communicate transparently to ensure the children in this school have an exceptional education in a safe and caring environment.

"I have been privileged to work with many, many families over the years and I feel very lucky to lead a school in an area where parents want the very best for their children and support the school in so many ways.

“My greatest thanks go to the children at Golborne High School who are quite honestly amazing. I have worked in this locality for 20 years and have always been amazed by the warmth, honesty, humour and dedication of the children from Golborne and Lowton.

“They are resilient, talented, ambitious and know they deserve the best. The last two years have brought unprecedented challenges to our children and they have continued to smile in the face of adversity. 

“It is my greatest pleasure to work with children who genuinely believe in themselves.”