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Ofsted Reports

Ofsted Recognises Debden’s ‘Ambition’

Debden Park are celebrating the release of their latest Ofsted Inspection which took place on the 25 and 26th of March 2025. With an overall school effectiveness judgement no longer offered by Ofsted, the school was judged to be Outstanding in three out of five areas, meaning that Leadership and Management at Debden has been judged to be Outstanding on every occasion since 2009 and that Debden’s Sixth Form has been judged Outstanding for the very first time.

Head of School, Dr Andrew Hogan, has said “I am thrilled that the report recognises the many strengths we are most proud of, not least about the ambition for our students which drives everything we do.”

DRONE outstanding GIF

The report describes how “the school is ambitious for its pupils and makes sure that all pupils have guidance to help them succeed and fulfil their future aspirations”. The inspectors recognised that the Be Journey and the ethos of Be Your Own Future is at the heart of the school so that “pupils are not only gaining knowledge and skills but also developing character and an understanding of the world around them.” The report equally acknowledged the level of academic ambition in lessons, with “a curriculum that challenges pupils” which ensures that “pupils access lessons that challenge them.”

The report goes on to especially shine a light on Debden's sixth form provision. Executive Head, Helen Gascoyne, stated: “We are especially proud that Ofsted were able to recognise the exceptionality of our sixth form provision, following last summer’s A-Level results which were significantly above average for progress.” Oftsted concluded that:

“Students receive exceptional support in the sixth form. Dedicated teachers have strong subject knowledge. Regular assessments provide detailed feedback on how students can improve their work further. There is high ambition for all. The sixth form offers numerous opportunities for academic success and personal development. Students achieve well. They are passionate about their personal and academic aspirations and model these positive attitudes by actively guiding younger pupils.”

Ofsted commented on how the school has “witnessed rapid improvements in a relatively short time”, which was a nod to the development in the quality of feedback students are receiving since the last inspection. The school is keen to emphasise its commitment to continue to develop and move the school forward. Dr Hogan added: “As always, we will continue to build on these strengths in order to ensure each of our students are able to fulfill their ambitions and to ‘Be Your Own Future’. You can be certain that we will endeavour to address any area for development with rigor.”