Achieving an all “exceptional” Ofsted judgement report was obviously a very proud moment for us as a school - and one that has led to lots of questions about how we did it.

But the truth is that there was no single initiative, quick fix or dramatic change programme. It was the result of seven years of incremental improvement, relentless consistency and a refusal to move on from something until it was truly embedded. Driven by a simple principle, tomorrow will be better than today.

That is probably the most important thing for other schools to understand about our journey. There was no silver bullet.

Every improvement was built carefully over time. At each stage of every initiative, leadership drove it, embedded it and ensured it became part of the fabric of the school before shifting focus elsewhere.

Building successful practice

We have always believed it is better to do some things very well than to do many things ordinarily.

That philosophy underpins everything we do, whether it is teaching and learning, attendance, behaviour systems or school culture.

For example, with pedagogy, we deliberately focus on one area of development until it is consistently used across the whole school before introducing another priority.

Assessment for learning was one such example. We worked on it relentlessly until it became an embedded practice in classrooms across the school. Only then did we move on to the next area for refinement.

The same principle applies to wider school systems. Whenever we want to improve something, we begin by throwing everything we have at making it work.

Once we know what successful practice looks like, we then work backwards to create the systems that make sustaining that success easier and more manageable.

Refining the process

Attendance is a good example of this. Last year, despite our attendance being 94.3 per cent, it still sat below pre-Covid levels, and we did not think that was good enough for our students.

Initially, the response was highly labour intensive: senior leaders and available staff calling every absence before 9.30am, getting in cars, collecting students and removing barriers to attendance wherever possible.

Over time, as we refined our systems and processes, the work became more efficient and sustainable. But the starting point was simple: if something matters enough, leaders have to demonstrate that through their actions.

That culture has also been central to our success. When I arrived at the school, I spent a significant amount of time understanding what was already special about Bishopshalt School.

Rather than replacing everything, we built on the strengths that already existed and revitalised them strategically to support the wider direction of the school.

Is this good enough for my child?

Our house competitions are one example of that. Our school values are different. Seven years ago, they were wonderful phrases - Bright Futures, Build Character, Chase Brilliance, Love Learning and Show Kindness - that were relevant to some but not all.

So we worked to align these carefully so that they were not simply symbolic, but actively reinforced the ethos, events in the calendar, the whole school curriculum and our expectations of students.

We also wanted students to experience these values every day. One of the questions we ask ourselves constantly is: “Is this good enough for my child?” If the answer is no, then it is not good enough for any child.

That mindset shapes our approach to inclusion and opportunity. We do not label children or lower expectations. We work hard to ensure that all students, all of the time, have access to the same opportunities, support and ambition.

Importance of student voice and staff wellbeing

Student voice is also hugely important to us. We listen carefully to students, both formally and informally.

I meet weekly with student representatives, and we actively encourage students to take responsibility within the school community, whether through leadership duties, mentoring younger students or supporting intervention programmes. Young people consistently rise to responsibility when adults genuinely trust them with it.

Equally important has been the recognition of staff. “Exceptional” schools are built by exceptional people, and it is vital that staff feel valued, supported and appreciated for the work they do for young people every day.

At the same time, we recognise that staff also have families, friends and lives beyond school. Sustaining improvement over time requires people to be able to strike a healthy balance, and we work hard to protect that wherever possible.

Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of reading the inspection report was that it genuinely felt like it reflected our school. The language, values and experiences described by inspectors were recognisable to us because they matched the lived reality of the community.

However, fundamentally, it is still only a report.

What matters most is not the headline judgement, but whether the school is better tomorrow than it was today. That mindset of continual refinement and improvement is what brought us to this point, and it is what will continue to drive us forward.

Liam McGillicuddy is headteacher of Bishopshalt School