A Bury school was praised by the education watchdog for its personal development and wellbeing as it “supports pupils to become thoughtful citizens”.
Bury Church of England High School, on Haslam Brow, was evaluated by Ofsted, with the inspection taking place on May 6.
The school was ranked as a strong standard for personal development and wellbeing.
It was ranked as expected standard for achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance.
Inspectors found that “personal development and wellbeing are at the heart of leaders’ work at this school.”
The programme of learning was described as “thoughtful and well-planned,” helping pupils to understand “important ideas of tolerance, democracy, and the rule of law.”
The report highlighted that pupils have a “thorough knowledge of what constitutes a healthy relationship” and “know how to stay safe online.”
The personal development programme was praised for supporting pupils to become “thoughtful citizens.”
Inspectors found that pupils “take part in sponsored walks to raise money for charity and volunteer at a local nursing home.”
The importance of kindness is well-understood, and pupils “make a positive difference to their community.”
The school provides a “broad range of extra-curricular activities,” allowing pupils to “try new things and discover hidden talents.”
These activities include drama productions, sports, and learning British Sign Language.
The pastoral care was described as “personalised and highly effective,” ensuring pupils receive the care and support they need promptly.
The school also provides access to a mental health professional, counselling, and other specialist support.
Inspectors found that this support “has reduced barriers to pupils’ learning and/or wellbeing effectively.”
The report noted that pupils’ achievement in public examinations at the end of key stage 4 is “broadly in line with national averages,” with some subjects achieving better than their peers nationally.
The school has a “sharp focus on monitoring pupils’ achievement” and uses “targeted support to help them to catch up” where needed.
However, the report also found that “in some cases, pupils do not readily recall their prior learning,” which can hinder their ability to connect current and prior learning.
The school was commended for its efforts to track and monitor patterns of absence, with the use of mentors having a “positive impact” on attendance.
However, the attendance of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities remains below national averages.
The report also highlighted the school’s high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, with pupils knowing what is expected of them and rising to the challenge.
The school values of resilience, respect, and responsibility were found to support pupils in treating each other well, with bullying described as “rare.”
The curriculum was described as “ambitious” and “ordered in a logical way,” with teachers using their “secure subject knowledge to deliver new learning.”
However, the report noted that there are occasions when teachers do not identify misconceptions swiftly enough, leading to repeated mistakes.
The school has made recent positive changes to school life, with leaders acutely aware of what is working well and what needs to develop further.
The report concluded that “pupils are happy at Bury Church of England High School” and “enjoy positive relationships with staff.”
They are confident, talk about their school with pride, and are keen to share what they are learning.
The report recommended that leaders continue to strengthen the consistency of teaching across the school and develop strategies to improve rates of attendance, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
Headteacher Dr Suzanne Wrigley paid tribute to staff, pupils and their families for their role in the achievement. She praised staff for their commitment and professionalism, and pupils for embracing higher expectations with maturity and resilience. She also thanked parents and carers for their continued support.
“We are incredibly proud of this outcome,” she said. “It reflects the hard work of our whole community, and we are determined to build on this success to deliver an exceptional education for every pupil.”
This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s Editors’ Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here
© 2001-2026. The Bury Times is owned and operated by Newsquest Media Group Ltd, an audited local newspaper network.
Visit newsquest.co.uk to view our policies, terms and legal agreements.
The Echo Building, 18 Albert Road, Bournemouth, England BH1 1BZ. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637
Data returned from the Piano ‘meterActive/meterExpired’ callback event.
As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles.
Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services.
These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local community.
It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times.