A SECONDARY school placed in special measures just over two years ago is making rapid progress since joining an academic trust, say inspectors.

Forest High School in Cinderford was placed in special measures in June 2015 after schools’ inspectorate Ofsted expressed concern about its academic performance.

The school was taken over by the South Gloucestershire and Stroud Academy Trust around the same time, and following an inspection last month, Ofsted says it is now improving rapidly.

Kevin Hamblin, trust chief executive officer, said: “The board of trustees and governors of Forest High School are delighted to report that the hard work and changes brought about at the school since joining the SGS Academy Trust is beginning to pay dividends.”

In the report, Ofsted inspector Paul Williams said the headteacher, school staff and leaders, including governors, had put the school on the road to improvement.

The report highlighted the way in which new head Paul Holroyd had “secured the confidence of staff”.

Leadership of teaching had become more effective and good practice was being shared within the school, while “the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved [and] teachers’ expectations are higher.”

Soon after taking up his post last January, the new head “ensured that the timetable was rewritten and the timing of lessons changed. Teachers are now deployed more efficiently and so a larger proportion of pupils are taught by subject specialists.”

Teachers had responded well to his simple motto of “know your pupils,” added the inspector.

The report noted the effective mechanisms which now existed to ensure that governors challenge and support senior leaders to increase the pace of improvement.

Senior leaders had also had some effect in building links with local primary schools and had been successful in recruiting more local people to the governing body.

The leadership team was now outward looking and developing partnerships with schools and community groups across the Forest of Dean, with closer links with Dean Magna School in Mitcheldean seen as an extremely positive step forward.

The inspector also referred to the effective arrangements at the school to keep the pupils safe, and how polite, friendly and courteous the pupils were at the school and praised them for the openness and honesty during the inspection.

Mr Williams concluded: “Leaders and managers are taking effective action towards the removal of special measures,” but recommended that newly qualified teachers were not taken on at this stage.

Headteacher Mr Holroyd said: “We are so proud of our pupils; they are great ambassadors for the school and impressed the inspectors with their honesty and very positive attitude towards the school.

“The monitoring inspection validated our self-assessment and our plans for the future. The school had to change radically and this takes time, however there is now a momentum and a belief that what we are doing will create a school that the whole community can be proud of.

“In line with the report, we shall continue to concentrate on making sure the quality of teaching is consistently good and challenging throughout the school, that marking is precise and helpful and importantly, we shall make sure we communicate more regularly and effectively with parents.

“This is a really exciting time in the history of Forest High School with a positive Ofsted report and the planned refurbishment of both our science and technology blocks.

“We look forward to the whole community getting involved in working with us in shaping the future of the school - a school at the heart of its community.”

Parents can read the Ofsted report on the school website at www.foresthigh.org.uk