The achievements of an Ellesmere Port high school have been recognised at the very top of Ofsted.
Ellesmere Port Catholic High School on Capenhurst Lane was again highlighted when its recent achievements were noted in a speech by the watchdog’s influential outgoing chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw.
In his London speech, Sir Michael said: “Exceptional headteachers have transformed schools that not so long ago were in desperate straits.”
He continued: “At Ellesmere Port Catholic High School only a third of pupils achieved five good GCSEs.
“Now almost three-quarters do.”
The Catholic High points out the reference continues ‘a string of praise’ for the school from the education watchdog.
In June 2015, senior HMI Joan Bonenfant found: “Outstanding leadership provided by the inspirational, dedicated headteacher has been the impetus to rapid improvement.”
This came just 13 months after the appointment of Caroline Vile as headteacher and only 15 months after the school had been placed in special measures by Ofsted.
In January the school achieved an award from the ‘Good Schools Guide’ with Mrs Vile receiving The Chronicle’s ‘Cheshire Headteacher of the Year’ award in June.
August saw the school achieve its best results ever in terms of pupil progress representing another milestone in its development.
In the sixth form, two sixth form students gained places at Oxbridge universities.
Mrs Vile said: “I am delighted to have received this recognition from Sir Michael. We have worked extremely hard as a school to raise the achievements of our students and this is central to everything we do.
“We aim to be one of the top schools in the country so naturally recognition from Ofsted’s chief inspector shows we are on the way to achieving this.”
In her welcome to parents, Mrs Vile says the Catholic High has ‘a burning desire’ to become an outstanding school. She was previously deputy head at an outstanding school in Trafford, Manchester.
