The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have provided effective leadership since your appointment shortly before the previous inspection in 2013. You have recruited several new senior leaders and built a strong leadership team. Senior and middle leaders use detailed information about pupils’ progress to monitor the quality of teaching and so hold staff to account for the effectiveness of their work. Teaching is improving because you have challenged staff to take responsibility for their professional development and provided goodquality training. In 2016, pupils’ progress across eight GCSE subjects was in line with the national average; however, their progress in humanities subjects was above average. You have secured the improvements in English and mathematics teaching that you were asked to at the previous inspection. The proportion of pupils who attain a grade C or better in both GCSE English and mathematics has risen year on year for three years. Current pupils’ work and the school’s assessment information show that this pattern is on track to continue. You have maintained the Christian ethos of the school. Pupils have good relationships with each other and with staff. Pupils respect their teachers and, in particular, they appreciate the extra help that many teachers offer them at lunchtime and after school. Disadvantaged pupils’ progress lagged behind other pupils in many areas last year. You are successfully improving their progress by providing extra help to individual pupils when they need it. You were asked to increase rates of pupils’ attendance at the previous inspection. Disadvantaged pupils’ attendance, in particular, has improved as a result of the efforts your staff have made. In 2016, pupils who joined the school with low attainment made very good progress. The most able pupils did not achieve as highly. Your work to raise the aspirations of these pupils is paying off. Teachers in most subjects, but not all, are setting work which is sufficiently challenging for the most able pupils. You recognise that this is an area for further improvement. You are reforming and improving support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leadership in this area is strong. Consequently, these pupils’ progress is improving. In 2015, the progress of students in the sixth form taking academic courses was above the national average. Last year, their progress fell back and was in line with the national average. Leaders are working to raise the attainment of students in the sixth form and there are signs that this is having some success. Safeguarding is effective. Senior leaders demonstrate an unwavering commitment to pupils’ safety and welfare. The well-trained safeguarding team is effective in ensuring that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. Staff are aware of possible indications of harm because they receive regular training and ongoing updates about safeguarding practice. The school’s records show that any concerns about pupils’ welfare are acted on quickly and followed up tenaciously. Thorough checks are conducted on the appointment of staff, governors and volunteers. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations including when using the internet. As a result, pupils understand the steps they need to take to avoid these risks. The majority of parents believe their child is happy at school and is kept safe. Pupils who spoke to inspectors confirmed they are well cared for at school and feel safe. They expressed confidence that staff deal with any cases of bullying effectively. The school has good links with outside agencies; consequently, when expert intervention is required, communication with other professionals is rapid and effective. Senior leaders ensure that everyone in the school, including in the boarding house, understands their duty to be alert. Therefore, a culture of vigilance has been established across the school.