Bishop Gore School is an 11 to 18 comprehensive school situated in the Sketty area of Swansea. There are currently 1,213 pupils on roll. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is significantly higher than the Welsh average. In its inspection, Bishop Gore gained the top Grades for all aspects of its work.
The school provided wide-ranging learning opportunities for all pupils, recognising that pupils have diverse needs. The school had a personalised approach to learning and had established a culture that acknowledged the importance of success in terms of attainment and in other aspects of school and wider life.
The high quality of teaching was a strength of the school. Teaching was good or better in a high proportion of the lessons. Courses kept pupils engaged and met their aspirations.
The headteacher, deputy headteacher and middle managers showed outstanding leadership. The headteacher and deputy headteacher had a well-developed capacity to analyse provision, identify areas for improvement and to plan clear action to bring about improvement. They set high expectations and had a clear vision and a commitment to continue improving standards and provide pupils with the best opportunities.
As a result, learners had outstanding performance at both key stages 3 and 4, which compared well with similar schools in Wales. No pupil left the school in 2009 without a qualification. At the end of Year 11, 84% of pupils continued in full-time education in school or in further education. Fewer than 6% were not in education, training or employment. This is better than local and national averages.
