OFSTED 2007
The following is a summary of the schools 2007 OFSTED Inspection Report
Overall effectiveness of the school
The new senior leadership team is making a real difference at this improving school. Staff are increasingly focused on raising the rate of progress made by the students.
At Key Stage 3 students achieve very well in science and are doing increasingly well in mathematics. By the time they leave school in Year 11, the most recent results show that students reach broadly average standards, reflecting their level of attainment when they started school. Recently established arrangements for setting targets and checking on students’ progress, as well as improvements to the curriculum are helping to improve the standards reached by students.
The personal development of the students is good. The popularity of the school, good rates of attendance and good participation in after-school clubs confirm the students’ view that they enjoy going to school. The curriculum has improved and is good, with two particularly impressive features. The school’s
The Headteacher, ably supported by other senior leaders, is leading the school well. The senior leadership team operate effectively as a closely knit group and share a vision for the school which has been shared with the school community.
Arrangements for identifying underachievement are improving and staff are increasingly being held to account for the students’ progress. The governing body provide good support and healthy challenge to the school’s leaders and managers.
Effectiveness and efficiency of the sixth form
Sixth Form provision is good and has improved since the last inspection. There has been a rising trend in achievement over the past three years. Those students who completed advanced level courses in 2005 and 2006 achieved well when compared with students of similar abilities in other schools or colleges.
Leadership and management of the sixth form are good. The recently appointed Director of Sixth Form is providing strong leadership and has a clear vision for future improvement. New policies and practices are having a positive impact on recruitment and retention and are beginning to impact on the further raising of achievement. There has been considerable investment in accommodation and resources and this, together with improving achievement, is making the school sixth form more attractive for students of all abilities.
The school offers a good range of subjects at advanced level and is expanding the curriculum provision in line with student demand. Opportunities for enrichment through after-school clubs, sporting activities, music, drama and cultural visits are extensive. Students appreciate the good teaching and good learning environment in the sixth form. Very good relationships exist between students and teachers. Student attendance levels are very high and students appreciate the support they receive from their teachers. They receive good guidance before selecting their courses and benefit from good care, support and guidance systems during their time in the sixth form. Students are set challenging targets, based on prior attainment at GCSE, and progress towards those targets is checked regularly.
Achievement and standards
Key Stage 3 results are improving and generally have been above average for the last three years. In 2006, the students achieved their best ever results in mathematics and science, with a considerable number of students achieving the higher Level 6 or above.
At Key Stage 4, results have remained at similar levels in recent years, with an average proportion achieving five or more A* to C grades at GCSE. Almost all students leave school with five or more GCSE passes and very few leave with no qualifications at all. In 2006, the best results at GCSE were in English, drama and media studies, science and geography.
Senior managers are placing an increased emphasis on setting challenging targets and checking that students are making enough progress. Students who have LDD also make adequate progress in relation to their starting points. Other groups, including those in public care and from minority ethnic backgrounds, do at least as well as similar students nationally and minority ethnic students do as well as the other students in the school.
Personal development and well-being
Students’ personal development is good and supports their learning well. The school places great emphasis on boosting their confidence and raising self-esteem through a culture of celebrating achievement and praise. As a result students generally display positive attitudes to their learning. Students have a good spiritual, moral and social awareness and display a strong understanding of themselves and their place in the wider world, for example, through studying poetry from different countries and by celebrating achievements and diversity in other cultures. They make a positive contribution to the community as they are
well aware of the needs of those less fortunate than themselves, enthusiastically raising funds for charities through eager participation in ‘health’ and ‘one world’ days.
Students’ feel safe from harassment and they say bullying is infrequent: when it does occur it is swiftly and effectively dealt with by staff. They have an excellent awareness of how to keep themselves fit and healthy. Most choose a healthy diet and high numbers participate in a wide range of sporting activities and clubs which promotes their physical well-being. First rate advice is given on all matters relating to sex, drugs and health awareness through an extensive programme of life skills and personal education. Students are encouraged to become good citizens and develop good workplace skills. As a consequence, they are prepared well for the world of work and their future economic well-being. The school council members are effective ambassadors for the school and take their responsibilities for representing their peers very seriously. They appreciate the way that staff not only listen to their ideas but also implement them. Good examples of this are the recent improvements to the quality of the learning environment and to the school’s reward system.
Quality of provision
Teaching and learning
In the most successful lessons teachers with good subject knowledge focus on what students are to learn. They use a variety of creative strategies that enthuse students and meet their range of needs, interests and abilities. Good assessment of students’ progress also occurs throughout, and at the end of, these lessons. Teachers use interactive white boards well. Their questions reinforce and develop understanding and they encourage students to use technical vocabulary in their responses. In the best lessons all students, including those with LDD, make good or better progress, are motivated and behave well.
The school has improving systems in place to monitor, and to improve, the quality of teaching and learning.
Curriculum and other activities
The curriculum is good with some outstanding elements. Media Arts status has had a positive impact on curriculum provision at the school. A wider range of subjects is available for Key Stage 4 students and a wider variety of creative activities are delivered through a number of subjects throughout the school. All Year 10 students have a compulsory Media Arts option. ICT resources have been substantially improved as a result of specialist status and this has benefited all subject areas, as well as encouraging a more varied approach to teaching and learning. A greater variety of media and arts related activities has helped to enhance the student’s social, spiritual and cultural development, which is good. The needs of students with LDD are met through the work of core departments and by the Raising Achievement Centre, which provides effective and intensive support to raise literacy and numeracy skills. There is a comprehensive citizenship and life skills programme which suitably includes aspects of education for health and safety. There is an excellent extra-curricular and enrichment programme, available to all students.
Care, guidance and support
The quality of care, guidance and support is good. Students are well supported, feel safe and enjoy school. Relationships between teachers and students are friendly. Staff are approachable and students are confident that any concerns are listened to and swiftly acted upon. The school is becoming increasingly assured in using new systems for setting targets and for checking on the progress of students. The school attends carefully to the needs of its vulnerable students and provides good personal support and guidance. The Raising Achievement Centre is a haven for those experiencing difficulties with their learning, concentrating on raising their attainment and self-confidence. Learning mentors provide effective support for students who require additional academic help. Well established links with outside agencies mean that additional assistance for pupils is secured when needed. A comprehensive induction programme helps new students in Year 7 and Year 12 to settle in. The advice to students about their future careers, and information about further study, meets their needs well. Procedures for health and safety, child protection and risk assessments are thorough and checks on the suitability of all adults to work in school are in place.
Leadership and management
The Headteacher and senior leaders are successfully developing a culture of self-review, with a clear focus on achievement. The Headteacher is tenacious in his pursuit of improvement and has introduced arrangements to appropriately hold managers and other staff to account whilst offering suitable guidance and support where necessary. The school runs smoothly on a day to day basis as systems are readily understood by the students. The school has successfully tackled the issues for improvement from the last inspection and this, allied to increasingly strong leadership, means that the capacity to improve further is good.
