Parliament Hill School loses ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating

Staff at a Dartmouth Park secondary school have expressed their disappointment at the loss of its “outstanding” rating.

The all-girls Parliament Hill School in Highgate Road was downgraded to a “good” rating in an Ofsted report.

The specialist technology college was not deemed outstanding as there was a difference in results between pupils “for whom the school receives additional funding, and all other students”, inspectors said following a visit in November.

“A small minority of teaching requires improvement” and there is “some inconsistency in teachers’ marking and feedback”, they also noted.

But the safety and behaviour of pupils, along with the leadership and management of the school, is still deemed “outstanding”.

“Students feel very safe and are proud and happy to be at school,” the report said. “Relationships and pastoral care are of the highest quality”.

A Camden Council spokesman said: “While the Ofsted report is disappointing, we still believe that Parliament Hill is an excellent school.

“An outstanding rating was given for behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management. But, unfortunately, the new way in which Ofsted measures performance means it is now more difficult for schools to achieve an overall outstanding rating. We will now work with the school to do everything we can to regain an outstanding status at the next inspection.”