Sponsored by
Morale boost for South Leeds High on eve of transformation
South Leeds High in Beeston has been boosted by inspectors on the eve of its closure.
The school has made good progress in recent months, as it prepares to be converted into South Leeds Academy.
* Click here to sign up to free news and sport email alerts from Beeston Today.
The 1,135-pupil school has raised pupils' achievements while continuing to tackle poor attendance, punctuality and behaviour, according to education watchdog Ofsted.
* Click here to become a fan of Beeston Today on Facebook.
There is still much more to be done, said the inspection team, but changes to staffing structures, improvements in teaching and work with partners had all had an impact.
* Click here for latest news in Beeston and Holbeck.
"We have put the school in a good position as it becomes an academy and goes on to the next level," said headteacher Colin Bell, who will become principal of the new academy - effectively a state-funded independent school.
"We always said that this was a five-year plan.
"You don't make changes overnight at schools with challenging circumstances – you have to build on a solid foundation. The governing body and staff here are top drawer."
South Leeds has gone through difficult times since it opened in 2004.
It formed by the merger of two of Leeds most challenging schools –
Merlyn Rees in Belle Isle and Matthew Murray in Holbeck. Initially, all pupils continued to be taught in the buildings of the former schools, where riot police were called on several occasions.
Students and staff moved into a new building in 2006, but within a year Ofsted said the school was failing its pupils and put South Leeds into special measures.
Subsequent monitoring visits reported steady progress, although in April the school was again widely criticised in areas such as pupil behaviour, the quality of teaching and exam pass rates.
The latest and last report before the school closes in August said wide-ranging improvements had been made, while giving the school an overall grade of "satisfactory".
Inspectors noted the rapidly rising exam pass rates, improved teaching, better behaviour, higher attendance figures and effective support from Education Leeds and the Garforth-based School Partnership Trust, which will sponsor the new academy.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Simon Grayson sacked: Whites keeping managerial options open LATEST
- January 2012 Premier League and Championship transfer round up
- Leeds United: We wouldn’t have got Alan Smith for £2,500 a week! - Grayson UPDATED
- Web poll: Who should be Leeds United’s next manager? VOTE HERE
- Leeds United: Celtic star set for Whites loan move?
- Simon Grayson sacked: Whites keeping managerial options open LATEST
- Leeds United: A fresh start is just what we need - Lorimer
- Web poll: Who should be Leeds United’s next manager? VOTE HERE
- Are you satisfied with Leeds United’s dealings in the January transfer window? VOTE HERE
- Match report: Leeds United v Birmingham City
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
