Extract from the recent (5 July 2011) Ofsted report about the Frank F Harrison Engineering College in Walsall:
"Frank F Harrisons overall effectiveness is satisfactory and improving. The headteacher has systematically and determinedly tackled a wide range of weaknesses and endemic low expectations. From the outset she has motivated, supported and challenged staff to implement change rapidly on a broad front. She clearly communicates her high expectations both to staff and to students. In this drive for change, she has been well supported by the carefully targeted work of a dedicated senior leadership team, which has grown significantly in its effectiveness since the previous inspection. Middle leaders provide energetic support and challenge to their teams, and creatively adapt whole-school initiatives to work well in their subjects. The staff have risen to the challenge of improving all aspects of the colleges work, to good effect. The governing body is a well led and committed group which has made a positive contribution to the colleges improvement. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the colleges effectiveness and the steps needed to improve further. The combination of these factors demonstrates that the college has a good capacity to improve further.
Teaching has improved significantly. It is satisfactory overall, with a growing proportion that is securely good. The innovative spectrum of success, a way of explaining levels and progress to students, has had a particularly good impact on creating a clear focus on learning and achievement for all. As a result of the improved teaching, assessment and curriculum, students achievement is accelerating and their attainment is improving. Where teachers take time to talk to students about their learning and the levels that they are aiming for, which happens increasingly often, this helps their understanding, their motivation and their ability to assess their own learning. Many students still lack the confidence and the vocabulary to discuss their work, though this is improving week by week. The college is aware that weak literacy skills remain a barrier to learning for many students. It has begun to develop a range of appropriate strategies to deal with this and to develop literacy skills across the curriculum. The use of assessment information is being used increasingly well to plan lessons that meet the needs of the range of learners, though there is still an occasional mismatch. The improved accuracy of assessment has enabled the college to set up a comprehensive database which is well placed to allow staff to notice more quickly any underachievement and to tackle it decisively.
The college has systematically and effectively implemented a range of measures to improve students behaviour. The very large majority of students are responding positively to the improved teaching, and many behave consistently well. A few show inconsistent patterns of behaviour, behaving well in one lesson and less so in another, although this number has decreased dramatically. Sometimes this variation relates to staffs expectations and confidence, and the college is aware that supporting some staff to manage behaviour more effectively remains a priority. During the inspection, many students emphasised to inspectors how much behaviour had improved, how they were now able to learn without interruption, and how much they enjoy their many interesting lessons. This significant improvement has been greatly assisted by the firm emphasis on high expectations, supported by the colleges code of conduct, though this is not yet entirely consistent across the school. The wide-ranging new systems of praise and rewards are already having a significant impact on students motivation and behaviour. A small number of students have identified behavioural difficulties and find it challenging to cope with the standard school day. The college has successfully adapted the curriculum and support for the majority of these students and recognises the need to extend these strategies further.
Care, guidance and support are strengths of the college. The college provides students with a wide range of support to meet their individual needs, and this is a key factor in improving their academic outcomes as well as their well-being. Students appreciate the level of individual attention they receive from staff. The colleges relentless focus on tackling poor attendance has successfully reduced the number of students who are persistently absent. Attendance is still low but many students are starting to understand and act upon the need to attend college every day in order to achieve. Senior leaders and staff fully appreciate the need to ensure that improving attendance remains a high priority.
The overall effectiveness of the sixth form is satisfactory and improving. Sixth form students are benefiting from the improved provision and ethos evident in the rest of the college, and enjoying their learning more as a result."
In other words, this is a school that has had problems but is now improving under an efficient headteacher and has been moved out of Special Measures.
So speaking personally I would probably be quite happy to send my child there.
As for the engineering bit, it is as I suspected: this is an ordinary secondary school which has added to its title to indicate that it also has a speciality (which schools like to do as a selling point)- not some kind of vocational school.