Ralph Allen School in Bath has been named as one of the best comprehensive schools in the Southwest by The Times, based upon combined attainment grades achieved at both A-level and GCSE.
Andy Greenhough, Headteacher at Ralph Allen, said, “It’s not normally my style to shout about achievements but this is such a great validation of our work. It wholeheartedly supports our approach of working with the whole student and shows that we deliver grades at the highest level without focussing solely on academic progress.
“We support young people to develop and mature into wonderful individuals who can go on to succeed and contribute to their own communities, wherever that will take them. This is the ethos of our school. I see smiling happy faces every day, lessons where students are safe and are keen to learn.
“Staff are proud and happy to work here and this then reflects in the care and support they give to students. We’re striving to be number one next year, we can do it.”
The ethos and drive of the school has meant a wide range of students achieve top results no matter their challenges, staff strive every day to support, challenge and deliver for their young people. For example, Oliver Chadwick succeeded in securing a place at Bristol university last year, despite having severe dyslexia. He praised his teaching assistants, loved ones and staff at Ralph Allen School for supporting him and steering him towards his strengths. His mum Sophie also praised the SEN department at Ralph Allen for being a constant source of support for her as a parent.
Ralph Allen’s most recent Ofsted inspection report, April 2018, found that the Headteacher ‘is passionate about the school and provides strong and confident leadership, together with a clear sense of direction. You have developed a strong culture of ambition and aspiration among both staff and pupils. … Governors are well informed and provide you with a good balance of support and challenge.’
Ralph Allen is a member of Palladian Academy Trust, a group of like-minded local schools that have chosen to work together in partnership for the benefit of children’s education. As the only secondary school in a group of geographically close primary, infant and junior schools, Ralph Allen builds on existing good practice and benefits greatly from collaborative work across all ages and stages of the national curriculum.