Rayner Stephens High School Review 2026: An improving 11–16 academy with strong personal development and clear next steps

A school in active change tends to feel different, there is more clarity about routines, more emphasis on relationships, and a sharper sense of direction. Rayner Stephens High School sits in that space. It is an 11–16 academy in Dukinfield, part of Stamford Park Trust, led by Mr Martin Davies, appointed in September 2021.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (September 2023, published November 2023) judged the school to require improvement overall, while rating personal development as good and confirming safeguarding as effective.

For families, the headline is straightforward: this is a local secondary that is rebuilding consistency in teaching and Key Stage 4 curriculum design, while putting real structure around personal development, wider experiences, and transition into Year 7 and beyond.

The tone is warm and grounded, with an emphasis on respectful relationships. Pupils are described as proud and happy to attend, and they value positive relationships with teachers. Year 7 settle quickly, supported by peer mentors, which matters for children arriving from multiple primaries and feeling unsure about the scale of secondary school.

There is also a deliberate attempt to create daily rhythm. Key Stage 3 pupils take part in “family dining” at lunchtime, a practical mechanism for calm routines and responsibility rather than a slogan. Behaviour systems are used consistently by staff, and disruption is reported as rare, even though overall behaviour and attitudes were still judged to require improvement at the time of inspection.

Identity is built through the house system, which uses recognisable local and national role models: Turing, Erinma, Sissay, and Pankhurst. Houses function as a pastoral spine alongside form tutors, giving pupils more than one trusted adult and a clearer route to help when something is not going well.

A final part of atmosphere is the way the school talks about inclusion. Public-facing information repeatedly frames the school as inclusive and aspirational, and the trust positions the academy as being on a rapid improvement journey, including investment in facilities such as a new library, science labs, food technology rooms, and a creative arts centre.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. What matters most for outcomes is whether the improvements in curriculum and teaching are translating into stronger attainment and progress for older year groups.

On the latest available GCSE performance measures Attainment 8 is 34.1. Progress 8 is -1.03, indicating pupils make below-average progress from their starting points. EBacc average point score is 2.83, and 6.5% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc combination.

Ranked 3,567th in England and 2nd in Dukinfield for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits below England average, broadly in the lower 40% of schools in England on this measure.

The inspection evidence helps explain why results may not yet fully reflect the wider improvement narrative. Key Stage 3 curriculum changes were already helping pupils build learning more securely, while Key Stage 4 curriculum work was not complete, with insufficient breadth and depth in some subjects for Years 10 and 11 at the time.

Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view nearby schools side by side, and the Comparison Tool to keep the GCSE picture in context rather than relying on one measure alone.

Teaching has a clear direction: knowledge is meant to build over time, and reading is treated as a priority rather than an add-on. The inspection notes that pupils who have gaps in reading are identified carefully and supported effectively, helping them become confident, fluent readers more quickly.

In classrooms, the best practice is about sequencing and connection. In some subjects, teachers link prior knowledge to new learning well, creating a secure foundation. Where learning is weaker, it is often a matter of task design and assessment follow-through: some activities do not help pupils learn the intended subject content, and assessment strategies are not consistently used to identify and close gaps or misconceptions.

A realistic way to interpret this is that the school is aiming for consistency. That consistency is often the difference between pupils doing “fine” at Key Stage 3 and doing well at Key Stage 4, particularly for pupils with SEND or those who have missed school and carry knowledge gaps forward. The school identifies SEND needs appropriately and teachers use information about needs well, but weaknesses in Key Stage 4 curriculum design were limiting outcomes for older pupils with SEND at the inspection point.

As an 11–16 school, the key transition is post-16. The school focuses on routes and employability awareness, including meaningful work placements and education about different pathways. Pupils are described as knowing the routes available to reach desired careers, and most pupils move into education, employment, or training when they leave.

Within Stamford Park Trust, the wider context includes Ashton Sixth Form College, which the trust describes as part of its local 16–19 pathway offer across Tameside. For some families, that trust connection can make post-16 planning feel more straightforward, particularly if a child is likely to thrive in a sixth form college setting rather than a school sixth form.

For pupils who need confidence and a broader sense of self before choosing post-16 routes, the PD+ programme matters. It is built so that all students participate in personal development groups across the year. Year 9 are given a distinctive option, every student in Year 9 completes the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as part of PD+ time. This is a concrete, structured experience that can strengthen resilience, teamwork, and personal organisation, especially for pupils who do not naturally see themselves as “club joiners”.

Applications for Year 7 are coordinated through the local authority (Tameside), rather than made directly to the school. For the September 2026 intake, the school published the following key dates: applications opened on 01 September 2025, the deadline was 31 October 2025, and families were notified of allocations on 01 March 2026.

Open events are used sensibly, as a practical chance to see routines, meet staff, and understand expectations. For the 2026 entry cycle, the school’s open evening ran on 25 September 2025. As that date is now in the past, families should treat late September as a typical timing and check the school’s admissions pages for the next round of open events.

In-year admissions are also handled through coordinated local authority arrangements and the local Fair Access Protocol, which is relevant for families moving into the area mid-year or needing a change of school.

Pastoral support is organised through layers: form tutors and heads of house monitor progress and barriers; the Hive Centre offers support when difficulties emerge; and the inclusion team supports pupils who need additional help to access a broad curriculum.

Mental health support is positioned as both in-school help and signposting. The school identifies a mental health lead and describes access to guidance about the level of support a child may need, including referral to external agencies where appropriate and targeted support for exam stress and managing strong feelings.

Safeguarding information is transparent about leadership responsibility and named safeguarding roles, and the most recent inspection confirms safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Attendance is a continuing focus. The school and trust liaise with external agencies and review systems to understand and address absence, but some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, were still missing school frequently at the inspection point, which leads to learning gaps that are difficult to close later.

A key strength is the school’s structured approach to enrichment and personal development. PD+ is not simply a menu of optional clubs for confident pupils. It is designed so that all students experience personal development groups over the year, with groups aligned to values and rotated by term. Year 9 stand out, PD+ time is used to complete the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for the whole year group, turning personal development into a shared experience rather than an elite add-on.

The extracurricular timetable shows a mixture of creative, academic, and sporting options, and it is specific rather than generic. Examples include Vocalize Choir, Polyglot Club, Eco Council, Science Club, Computing and Idea, Art Club, Drama Club, Dance, Badminton, Netball, and morning Table Tennis in the sports hall. That range matters because pupils can find an identity hook that is not tied to academic confidence alone.

Facilities and investment are also part of enrichment. The school has highlighted refurbishment of a new library space, explicitly linked to promoting reading and taking books home, and the trust describes wider building projects including science labs, food technology facilities, and a creative arts centre. These types of capital improvements are only useful if paired with consistent classroom routines, but they do support curriculum ambition and pupil engagement when teaching is aligned.

Leadership opportunities sit alongside this. Pupils take on ambassador roles, including in sport and anti-bullying, and pupils lead community-facing activities such as fundraising and hosting events for older residents. This is the sort of experience that strengthens confidence and communication, particularly for pupils who may not be top-set academic high fliers.

The school week is published as 32 hours and 40 minutes. Period 1 starts at 8:30, and the finish time varies, with some days ending at 3:45 and some at 1:45, which is worth factoring into family logistics and transport planning.

For travel, the school signposts local bus information and Bee Network resources, and suggests families do a trial run of the route before the start of term. Pupils who travel by bus are directed to apply for an igo card via local transport guidance.

The inspection report also notes the availability of before and after school care. Availability and eligibility can vary in practice, so families should check the current arrangements directly with the school when planning wraparound support.

• GCSE progress remains a key challenge. A Progress 8 score of -1.03 indicates that outcomes are still well below where the school wants them, even as behaviour systems and personal development strengthen.

• Key Stage 4 curriculum work was not complete at the last inspection. The inspection highlighted insufficient breadth and depth in some subjects for Years 10 and 11, and inconsistency in teaching and assessment, which can affect pupil confidence and exam readiness.

• Attendance can be a limiting factor for some pupils. The school has systems and external-agency links in place, but frequent absence still leads to learning gaps and weaker outcomes for affected pupils.

• Finish times vary across the week. With some days ending at 1:45, families may need a clear plan for transport or supervision, especially in the early weeks of Year 7.

Rayner Stephens High School is best understood as a local, inclusive 11–16 academy in the middle of a structured improvement journey. The most recent inspection confirms a warm culture, effective safeguarding, and good personal development, with consistent behaviour systems and distinctive enrichment such as Year 9 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh for all.

Who it suits: families who want a community-based secondary with strong personal development, clear routines, and a school that is actively working to improve curriculum and outcomes, particularly for pupils who benefit from structure and belonging. The main question to weigh is whether the pace of academic improvement at Key Stage 4 is moving fast enough for your child’s exam years.