pdf Section 3 inspection report - Ofsted

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structured carefully to include opportunities for assessment by both the teachers and the pupils. The teachers used praise effectively and it was appropriate to the pupils work and effort. Relationships between the adults and the pupils were positive, polite and relaxed so that even the most reluctant pupils were won over. In the best lessons the pupils understood how the new learning related to previous work, what was expected of them, and how their learning could be expected to develop. Unsatisfactory lessons continue to be heavily but not entirely dominated by behavioural issues and some unsatisfactory behaviour is directly related to the slow pace of teaching and inappropriate level of challenge. Too often a laborious start to a lesson was followed by unchallenging and poorly planned work. The unsatisfactory level of intellectual challenge enabled some able and average pupils to be disruptive for most of the lesson; however, these pupils escaped detention because they were able to complete the task in the last few minutes of the lesson. The quality of lesson planning has improved and is sound. The identification of the pupils with additional needs is a positive development. When included, lesson objectives were usually appropriate; however, these are frequently omitted from lesson plans and consequently not consistently shared with the pupils. The school’s planning proforma does not require teachers to use assessment information to address the pupils’ differing abilities. The quality of the pupils’ learning has improved and was closely related to that of the teaching. Occasionally, the pupils received good teaching but made only satisfactory progress due to weaknesses in their previous learning. Learning was at least satisfactory in 30 lessons and these included nine where the pupils’ progress was good or better. Many of the pupils remain reluctant to participate in lessons or to listen to the teachers’ instructions. Inappropriate responses are common and some staff fail to challenge them. Too many pupils found difficulty in beginning their work; some were easily distracted whilst others were unable to sustain their efforts without direct supervision. The curriculum is broad and balanced; pupils have been offered an appropriate mix of academic and vocational courses to meet their learning needs. All Year 10 pupils are required to choose at least one course that reflects the school’s specialist business and enterprise status; there are satisfactory links with the local further education college which provides additional vocational courses. The school does not comply with statutory regulations to teach religious education to all pupils in Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form. Improvements in provision and the change in the leadership of the school present important opportunities to further extend the range of vocational options. The use of assessment to inform teaching and
learning remains inconsistent; the need for a simple and robust system that will allow the monitoring and evaluation of achievement is a priority. Appropriate steps have been taken to provide more systematic support to pupils with special educational needs. The teaching assistants are appropriately deployed to ensure that the statemented pupils and those on school action plus receive their full entitlement. However, there are insufficient specialist teachers within the department to fully meet the needs of the school. The procedures for referral and support have been updated and refined. Learning support assistants have been reorganised to provide targeted support for most curriculum areas and for individual pupils. Subject areas have not yet taken full responsibility for meeting the individual learning needs of these pupils. The learning support unit now operates separately from the exclusion unit and provides a more dedicated programme of work on basic skills. The support available to the pupils at the initial stage of learning English as an additional language is good; however, the level of staffing is inadequate for those at the intermediate stage of learning English. Provision for the sixth form is satisfactory but is impeded by the small size of many teaching groups. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Sixth form teachers now meet regularly to share good practice and focus on teaching and learning. Directed study time has been introduced and the Gifted and Talented co-ordinator is working with six Year 12 students who have taken part in taster days at Oxford University. The sixth form curriculum is being expanded in 2005-06 to include an extended range of vocational courses. This is appropriate for the pupils and meets the needs and aspirations of the local community. A number of courses currently being offered have too few pupils to be economically viable and educationally stimulating. The school is rightly pursuing the urgent development of a dedicated sixth form study area with access to computer facilities. The quality of the pupils’ tutorial experience is variable. The introduction of target minimum grades has helped the pupils’ to understand what is achievable. The school’s academic monitoring sheets indicate that most students in Year 13 will achieve their expected grades. However, an analysis of pupil performance in Year 12 revealed that a significant number underachieved. At 57 per cent, attendance rates in Year 13 are far too low. The introduction of the education maintenance allowance, which benefits approximately 50 per cent of Year 12 students, has helped to improve attendance rates in Year 12 to 88 per cent. The leadership of the interim headteacher has brought stability and improved organisation to the schools. The spring term review of the school’s strengths and weaknesses made a significant contribution to the revised action plan. The plan is satisfactory, has clarified areas of delegated responsibility and provides an
Page 1 and 2: Institutional Inspections and Frame
Page 3: unsatisfactory. The appointment of
Page 7 and 8: Year 11 pupils who welcomed the new

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