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INSPECTION REPORT ON |
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Langley School |
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Full Name of the School |
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DfES Number |
926/6005 |
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Registered Charity Number |
311270 |
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Address |
Langley
Park, Loddon, Norfolk, NR14 6BJ. |
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Telephone Number |
01508
520210 |
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Fax Number |
01508
528058 |
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Email Address |
administration@langleyschool.co.uk |
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Headmaster |
Mr
J Malcolm |
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Chair of Governors |
Mrs
M Alston |
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10
– 18 years |
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Gender |
Mixed |
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Inspection Dates |
19th
to 22nd March 2007 |
This inspection report follows the framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The inspection was carried out under the arrangements of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership. It was also carried out under Section 162A(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002, as amended by the Education Act 2005, under the provisions of which the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has accredited ISI as the body approved for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to ISC Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003.
The inspection was not carried out in conjunction with the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and the report does not contain specific judgements on the National Minimum Boarding Standards. It comments on the progress made by the school in meeting the recommendations set out in the most recent statutory boarding inspection and evaluates the quality of the boarding experience and its contribution to pupils’ education and development in general. The full CSCI report can be found at www.csci.org.uk.
The inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting procedures. The inspectors check the school’s health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards they encounter: they do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety examination. Their inspection of the premises is from an educational perspective and does not include in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features.
1.1 The school expects ‘our pupils to leave with their confidence high, aware of what they have achieved and justifiably proud’. It offers a very extensive programme of extra-curricular activities which happen within the school day and participation is compulsory for all pupils.
1.2
The school caters for day,
weekly and full boarders aged from 10 to 18.
It is located in rural
1.3 Since the last inspection the numbers in the senior school have increased by just over a half and a programme of improvement to teaching and boarding facilities has been carried out. A new headmaster has been appointed to start in September 2007; during the academic year 2006-7 an acting headmaster has been in post.
1.4 At the time of the inspection there were 468 pupils on roll, 143 girls and 325 boys, of whom 15 are in Year 6 and 121 in the sixth form. There are 126 boarders, almost three-quarters of them boys; 81 are full boarders and 45 are weekly boarders.
1.5
Pupils’ ability on entry varies
very widely, from well below average to well above average; overall, pupils are
of above average ability, and if they were performing in line with their
abilities would be achieving results in public examinations above the average
for maintained schools. In most year
groups girls make up a third of the total pupil numbers, but in Years 7 and 13
only a quarter are girls. Pupils come
from a wide range of backgrounds, including business, professional, farming and
forces; 39 receive a boarding allowance from public funds. A number of pupils are from mainland
1.6 The school has identified fifty-one pupils as having learning difficulties or disabilities (LDD), of whom six have a statement of special educational needs (SEN). Two are funded by their local authority and four by parents. Forty-eight pupils have English as an additional language (EAL), and most of them receive support for their English.
1.7 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school.
The Educational Experience Provided
2.1 The education offered by the school is consistent with its declared aim that pupils will leave with their confidence high, aware of what they have achieved, and justifiably proud. Pupils are confident in their dealings with staff and show pride in their academic, sporting and social achievements. The school also aims to provide an unusually extensive and wide-ranging programme of activities, which is appreciated by parents and most pupils. At the last inspection the activities programme was described as a particular strength and as providing extensive enrichment. The programme suffers now from lack of monitoring, both of quality and participation in activities. The school knows this and is taking active steps to improve provision by seeking to appoint an activities co-ordinator.
2.2 Small classes and an emphasis on speaking and listening skills provide excellent opportunities for pupils of all abilities to become more articulate. Drama lessons are provided for all pupils up to Year 9, and as a GCSE and A-level option. All pupils study French up to Year 9, and they have the opportunity to add a second modern foreign language from Year 8, but the proportion of pupils that continues with a foreign language beyond Year 9 has been low at around one third or less.
2.3 All pupils study mathematics and science through to GCSE, and good provision is made for design and technology (DT) and information and communications technology (ICT). They enjoy the range of creative and aesthetic opportunities offered through courses and activities in art, drama and music, and would like much more opportunity to study home economics than the school can provide with its current facilities. At all levels pupils contribute to displays around the school, which provide additional creative opportunities.
2.4 Human and social development are hampered by the limited curricular provision for religious studies (RS) and personal, social and health education (PSHE), both of which are taught for an hour a week for a third of the year (the other third is used for home economics) in Year 7; for an hour a week for half the year in Years 8 and 9, and for even less in Years 10 and 11. The draft timetable arrangements for the next academic year allow for one fifty minute lesson a week in Years 7 to 9, which is an improvement.
2.5 The school’s compulsory activities programme, occupying at least an hour each day, offers a huge choice of sporting, academic, creative and cultural options. It is a major feature of the school’s educational provision, but many pupils in Year 11 and above are not engaged by it. Standards of provision for major team sports and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) are high. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme is offered at bronze level only, and the school does not offer any opportunities for voluntary service. Nor does it yet offer a centrally run programme of work experience, though some sixth formers have organised their own work placements, and arrangements have been made for Year 10 pupils to do work experience from next year.
2.6
The school encourages pupils to
become involved in the wider community.
Fundraising initiatives have included helping a local hospice and
funding a group of pupils to do community work in
2.7 Preparations for the next stage of training, education and adult life are appropriate to pupils’ needs and aspirations. Year 11 pupils receive advice from the head of careers and some use the local youth employment service. Form tutors provide support through the process of university application, and pupils not wishing to apply to university are guided to suitable alternatives.
2.8 Curriculum planning is becoming more systematic and the new curriculum plan has gone through several changes after consultation with senior staff, heads of departments and then the whole staff.
2.9 The curriculum offers equality of opportunity to pupils with EAL, LDD and statements of SEN, and they receive helpful and effective support. Pupils are assessed and education plans are written for them. These are communicated to all staff, who are well aware of the pupils’ needs and the recommendations for their education. EAL pupils are integrated fully into school life, attending lessons as fully as their language skills allow. They are taught English in small groups to maximise progress in speaking, reading and writing. Educational provision for pupils with physical disabilities is excellent; all necessary adjustments for those with a visual impairment and wheel chair users have been made.
2.10 A proportion of overseas boarders leaves up to a week before the end of each term and returns late at the beginning of the next term. This significantly reduces the quality of their education.
2.11 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].
Pupils’ Learning and Achievements
2.12 Pupils achieve good standards in most academic subjects, and high standards in major team sports. In lessons, most pupils learn with enjoyment and enthusiasm, and respond well to encouragement from their teachers. Pupils develop very good speaking and listening skills; those of all ages show sensitive awareness of language and EAL pupils are encouraged to expand their vocabulary. Writing skills are not as strong as speaking, but are satisfactory for the age and abilities of the pupils. They are notably articulate, and at all ages can apply their skills and understanding to developing depth in, and expanding the range of, their knowledge. Pupils demonstrate confident numeracy skills in geography and their mathematical understanding is very good. They show particular talent and achievement in practical and creative subjects. The school aims to ‘ascribe importance to all forms of achievement be they academic, sporting, dramatic or simply the courageous and determined overcoming of difficulties’, and it succeeds in this aim.
2.13 Girls make up a relatively small proportion of the school but their learning and achievements are unaffected by this, and there are no significant differences in attainment between groups of pupils at the school. Pupils with EAL, LDD and statements of SEN achieve well, as was the case at the last inspection.
2.14 The school has only just begun to make use of information from standardised measures of progress. Results in GCSE over the last three years have been above the national average for all maintained schools, and are satisfactory in relation to the pupils’ abilities. The school mentors pupils who are in danger of not achieving their potential in public examinations. The same problem also exists at sixth form level and pupils are carefully monitored by tutors and subject teachers. At A level, pupils’ performance has been in line with the national average for maintained schools. Given the changed nature of the national cohort at 18, these results are good.
2.15 Noteworthy team achievements include unbeaten football, hockey and rugby teams. Individually, students achieve distinctions in drama and music examinations, compete at regional level in chess, gain certificates in the UK senior maths challenge, and have won a national award in the ‘Young Engineer of the Year’ competition.
2.16 Pupils develop the necessary skills and attitudes for work and study. In the lessons observed during the inspection, pupils of all ages and aptitudes were usually keen and interested in their work, applying themselves well to the task in hand, as was the case at the last inspection. They are articulate and speak fluently. Sixth form students reason and argue persuasively, using relevant subject specific vocabulary, while younger pupils read and infer meaning accurately. Generally they listen effectively, despite occasional distractions from a minority of pupils calling out.
2.17 Pupils are able to apply mathematical concepts effectively, not simply in mathematics lessons, but for instance, by using statistics in geography. They make very effective use of ICT, for research and presentation of projects in history, to make classroom displays in English or presentations in geography. Although lessons cannot always be timetabled into an ICT room, the pupils make excellent use of the facilities elsewhere in the school; the computers in the music department, for instance, are well used.
2.18 Most pupils show a good ability to reason, argue cogently and think for themselves. In drama, pupils were able to work out how to make improvements to their performance. Discussions in history and business studies demonstrated pupils’ capacities for rational thought. Interviews with pupils showed that they think for themselves, seriously considering the questions asked and helping each other to formulate their ideas.
2.19 In some subjects pupils are skilled at taking notes and organising their work; some files belonging to older pupils are well organised. Techniques such as making notes jointly for class discussion and consolidation led to very good learning. However, the school’s evaluation that many pupils expect to rely on input from their teachers is justified, and efforts are being made to change this.
2.20 Small classes promote very effective opportunities within the lesson for pupils to work on their own and co-operatively. Examples of good team work were seen in music, RS, history and DT, where pupils set up an assembly line to make electronic circuits.
2.21 Pupils usually settle and apply themselves well in class and a very good sense of purpose pervades many lessons. Some poor behaviour was seen, where pupils were restless, talked among themselves and shouted out; and in some modern foreign language (MFL) lessons pupils did not finish tasks which they had missed or found difficult. Mostly, though, pupils took a keen interest in what they were doing and on occasions displayed genuine intellectual excitement. This is consistent with the finding of the last inspection report that the overall quality of learning is good and often very good.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils
2.22 Throughout the school pupils achieve appropriate levels of awareness that contribute to their moral, social and cultural development. Their spiritual development is satisfactory. The school succeeds in its aim of engendering confidence and pride in its pupils.
2.23 Until December the school had arrangements for a period of guided reflection once a week for all pupils, but this no longer happens with the departure of the teacher responsible for it. Sunday evensong for boarders, and weekly meetings of a small Christian Union group under the guidance of the school chaplain remain. During the inspection no evidence was seen of provision enabling pupils further to develop a sense of awe.
2.24 Pupils have a good moral sense, helped by the omnipresence of the statement of the school’s core values. Pupils were able to quote such elements of this as: ‘be honest and live with integrity’; ‘learn to forgive’; ‘do your best to be your best’. They have opportunities to explore moral and ethical questions in PSHE, RS, and many other areas of the curriculum. They usually demonstrate kind, courteous and respectful attitudes to each other, and competition, team games and the CCF encourage fair play. In conversation with pupils, the rules were widely seen as fair, despite a high proportion of pupil questionnaires disagreeing with the statement that ‘teachers are fair with rewards and punishments’.
2.25 Their social awareness is good, both in school and in terms of wider issues; the school is for example running a recycling awareness campaign. All ages work and play together, in whole school projects such as the ‘long weave’ art project, school plays, and fundraising. Chances to take responsibility, whether as MPs in the ‘Langley Parliament’, form, house or school captains, team captains, or in the CCF, mean the pupils develop a sense of social responsibility. They gain valuable leadership skills and develop a sense of self worth.
2.26
Cultural diversity is fostered
throughout the curriculum, particularly in the creative subjects and the
humanities. Cultural opportunities to take
part in music and drama are offered, and the extensive Arts Umbrella programme,
which arranges visits to plays and concerts in
2.27 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils [Standard 2].
The Quality of Teaching (Including Assessment)
2.28 The quality of teaching was good or better in about two-thirds of the lessons observed and in most others it was satisfactory. A very few lessons were unsatisfactory. At the time of the last inspection several unsatisfactory DT lessons were observed. The standard of DT teaching has improved greatly, and the overall quality of teaching remains good.
2.29 Teaching enables pupils of all abilities, including those with EAL, LDD and statements of SEN, to acquire new knowledge, make progress according to their ability, increase their understanding and develop their skills. When challenged, pupils respond positively to demands well beyond expectations, although teaching which is poorly planned or poorly controlled, for example by allowing pupils to call out answers, leads to slow progress. Pupils with EAL, LDD and statements of SEN, and many of relatively low ability, make particularly good progress.
2.30 Teaching fosters in pupils the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort. The school’s motto, ‘Perseverando’, while not explicitly referred to, was observed by many pupils. Younger pupils are motivated by an effective system of merit stickers, and most older pupils try hard to meet the expectations of their teachers. Those who encourage pupils to think for themselves find that the pupils respond well; discussion is lively, and all points of view are given a hearing. Frequent references in homework diaries to non-set homework suggest that not all teachers enable regular effort outside lessons.
2.31 Most teaching is well planned, with written lesson plans a feature of lessons in some departments. The unusual lesson structure involving 14 or 16 periods of 20 minutes each, timetabled in doubles or trebles, with bells therefore at 20 minute intervals, encourages changes of activity at frequent intervals. A suitably brisk pace and variety of activity were seen in almost all lessons, with a good mixture of teacher-led work, individual and group or pair work.
2.32 One of the strongest points of the teaching is the knowledge shown of the aptitudes, needs, and prior attainment of the pupils. Teachers know their pupils very well; they know their individual needs, and questions of varying difficulty are directed at the appropriate pupil. In some cases different tasks, or the same question but with different resources to prepare an answer, are set, and this leads to excellent teaching specifically tailored to the needs of the pupils. Teachers also know their subjects well.
2.33 The resources in the classrooms are plentiful and of high quality. They range from newly published textbooks in excellent condition to interactive whiteboards, and include, where appropriate, individual whiteboards and pens for rough work. The classrooms themselves have colourful and relevant displays, many of them created by the pupils themselves.
2.34 Marking is regular and pupils understand the different departmental systems. Many departments use a clearly understood five point system of grades for effort and attainment; others use marks out of ten, or examination board schemes. Teachers keep detailed records in their mark books and many departments set half-termly assessment tasks across the whole year group.
2.35 Teachers do not follow a uniform approach to encouraging pupils to behave responsibly, with a widely varying range of styles sometimes allowing calling out and irrelevant chatter. There is a conflict over responsibility for pupils’ progress when, in some cases, lessons are cancelled because the teacher is required to officiate at a sporting fixture.
2.36 Pupils’ performance is evaluated by the school against its own norms, and the results are sent to parents through grade cards and an annual full report. The school has begun to use some data from a standardised test but this is in its infancy.
2.37 The school meets the regulatory requirements for teaching [Standard 1].
3. THE QUALITY OF CARE AND RELATIONSHIPS
The Quality of Pastoral Care, and the Welfare, Health and Safety of Pupils
3.1 At the last inspection, it was reported that the quality of pastoral care was very good and led to high standards of behaviour. The staff know the pupils very well and spend much time guiding and supporting them, and on the whole standards of behaviour are high. Since September there have been suspensions of varying lengths and two exclusions. In the pupils’ questionnaire slightly less than two-thirds of the pupils agreed that they could turn to an adult if they have a personal problem, but in conversation with individual pupils almost all said that they knew who they would go to in these circumstances.
3.2 The pastoral arrangements support the staff very effectively. The structure is clear, through form tutors to year heads to heads of section, all under the joint umbrella of the two senior pastoral teachers. Pupils said they choose who to go to, depending on the problem. Communication between members of staff is effective, both formally and informally. A system of yellow slips provides a mechanism for subject teachers to communicate with form teachers and year heads. Information is also passed directly to the pastoral heads who frequently contact parents when difficulties with pupils occur. Detailed records are kept about incidents and complaints, and any necessary further action is taken. Information about pastoral issues is supplied to all staff on a weekly information sheet.
3.3 Relationships between staff and pupils, and among the pupils, are characterised predominantly by care, courtesy and consideration for others. Working relationships are positive, and the school’s extensive activities programme means that pupils and staff see each other frequently outside the classroom and in different roles. Good co-operative practices in the classroom and on the sports field manifest the community values espoused in the school’s core values. Great kindness is shown to those who need help to get around, and also to those who need help in their academic work.
3.4 Measures to promote good discipline and behaviour are in place, including effective teacher intervention in response to any disruptive behaviour in class. The school’s anti-bullying policy complies with obligations, and pupils felt, when asked, that any instances of bullying would be taken seriously and dealt with effectively. Nonetheless, about a fifth of the responses to the pupil questionnaire disagreed with the statement ‘the school deals effectively with any bullying’, although no evidence of bullying was seen.
3.5 Child protection procedures meet statutory obligations, including those for training, as do admission and attendance registers. Generally punctuality and attendance are very good.
3.6 Buildings have smoke detectors and alarm points linked to a number of alarm systems in different buildings. Alarms are checked weekly for operational effectiveness on a rotational basis. Fire extinguishers are placed where needed and checked regularly by an outside contractor. Records of alarm testing and day time fire drills or evacuations are kept.
3.7 The school provides suitable facilities for pupils who are ill. Medicines are safely stored and administered by the matrons, and detailed records are kept. The meals provided are varied, delicious and healthy, with plenty of choice, particularly at lunch time. Fresh vegetables, salads and fruit form a large proportion of what is on offer.
3.8 The school has reasonably effective arrangements to ensure health and safety but there are a few weaknesses related to ways in which the school manages potential safety issues. Some departments and areas of the school have excellent procedures, for example science and DT, both of which are exemplary. The re-training of a member of staff in portable appliance testing is intended to ensure that repeat testing is done at appropriate intervals. Technical staff, as well as almost all the teaching staff, have received training in first aid, of whom four are trained at the higher level. The health and safety committee records show that it has been meeting only twice a year, and that the governor responsible for health and safety does not attend the meetings; indeed it is rare that the full complement of school staff attends. Problems with flooring in the home economics room were reported to the committee in January 2005 but no action has been taken so far.
3.9 Detailed procedures to ensure safety on educational visits are in the staff handbook and are managed by the acting headmaster. Supervision of some of the activities programme is not satisfactory. The rule that those whose activity session is cancelled must go to private study is not enforced.
3.10 The school meets almost all of the regulatory requirements for the welfare, health and safety of pupils [Standard 3]. In order to meet all the requirements, the school must:
(a) ensure proper supervision of all pupils during the activities programme including the registering and monitoring of attendance at these [Regulation 3.(7)].
The Quality of Links with Parents and the Community
3.11 The quality of links with parents and the community is good. Less than a quarter of parents responded to the questionnaire sent out by the school before the inspection, but those who replied showed a high degree of satisfaction with the education and support provided for their children, except that about one fifth of those who replied to the question on boarding were not satisfied with some aspects of boarding provision. The inspectors and CSCI share some of their concerns. At the last inspection, one of the weaknesses identified was that school reports were insufficiently informative for parents and pupils. Reports are much improved, and almost all parents are satisfied with the information they receive from the school about their children’s progress.
3.12 Parents agreed that they had good opportunities to be involved in activities in the school and in the work and progress of their children. The active parents’ association has a large and effective committee which arranges events to raise money for school equipment such as the new exercise machines in the gymnasium. They are kept well informed by the school of events, pupil achievements and activities.
3.13
Parents are provided with all
the information required, either as inserts in the prospectus or in the
introductory information sent before a new pupil starts at
3.14 The school complaints policy meets legal obligations and most of the parents are satisfied that the school handles parents’ concerns with due care. All complaints logged in the last two years have been resolved informally, with no recourse to the formal procedure. However, a few parents complain that boarding issues are not dealt with properly. The inspectors’ judgement is that the school makes considerable efforts to resolve these complaints, but that the gap between the pupils’ rightful concern for privacy and some parents’ demands for increased supervision is too great to be bridged so that all can be completely satisfied.
3.15
The last inspection report said
that there was further potential to develop and extend links with the
community. This has been done
effectively by sharing physical resources.
3.16 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the provision of information and the manner in which complaints are to be handled [Standards 6 and 7].
The Quality of Boarding Education
3.17 The quality of the boarding experience satisfactorily supports the education and development of most of the pupils. The late arrival and early departure of some boarders at either end of the school term significantly impinge upon the quality of education those pupils receive. The school satisfactorily meets the needs of its boarding pupils by attempting to keep pace with national norms and standards in boarding. Recently, CSCI have highlighted significant issues and made a list of recommendations which aim to ensure that all the standards are met. No aspects of boarding have been deemed unsatisfactory by CSCI. The staff who oversee and manage boarding are committed and willingly give their time and energy to meeting the pupils’ needs. The teams of staff are effectively organised to provide supervision of the boarders’ time outside school hours. Formal training of staff in pastoral matters, other than child protection, is voluntary rather than procedural and induction is primarily practical. The boarders’ handbook makes clear to staff, pupils and parents how boarding works and the expectations the school has of the pupils. Most of the protocols and policies are sound. CSCI has expressed concern with the style of the school’s risk assessments. These have recently been re-written to conform to requirements. Boarders are well supported in their lives. Some pupils say they are not always heard but systems and structures such as a suggestions box and pupil ‘listeners’ exist; however, they are little used.
3.18
A suitable range of supervised
activities, appropriate to age and gender, is offered. Cinema trips and other outings, and the
wide-ranging Arts Umbrella programme, cater for a wide variety of interests,
and pupils are allowed to visit Loddon and
3.19 The boys’ boarding accommodation, in its splendid Georgian setting, struggles to balance the needs of its heritage with the flexibility needed to cope with increasing numbers of pupils and at the same time, frequent changes in the proportion of boarders in each age group. The school has a maintenance and refurbishment programme which goes some way to dealing with the study bedroom furniture and accommodation. Much remains to be done. At the time of the last inspection, it was reported that some of the accommodation for boys was congested, making it difficult to personalise their areas. The improvements made have kept pace with increased numbers, and to an extent, higher expectations. The girls’ accommodation is slightly more spacious.
3.20 The younger pupils enjoy their boarding experience. The seniors appreciate their common room facilities. Some differences between the provision of facilities for boys and girls, for instance those for cooking, and the different rules for access to houses during the school day, are a source of mild debate. The needs of individuals for disabled access are very thoughtfully, and very well, provided for. The school has successfully provided accommodation for those with visual impairments and wheelchair users.
4. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
4.1 The structure and management arrangements related to the governing body are reasonably well defined but they do not support effective oversight of the school, and governance of the senior school is unsatisfactory. The last inspection report stated that the governors held the school accountable for its use of resources and standards achieved. Currently, the first part of the statement remains true, but the governors exercise no effective oversight of educational matters and standards achieved. Recent changes to the governing body have brought in a wider range of experience and more determination to oversee the school. The Governors are seeking to recruit another governor with educational expertise, as they are aware of the shortcomings here.
4.2 Most of the work of running the school has in the past been delegated to the chief executive, but there has been no-one fulfilling that role this year. This has led to a period of uncertainty where the school has continued to function largely because of the hard work of the staff, led by the acting headmaster. Key issues of staff and their responsibilities have not been tackled, although steps have recently been made in this direction. Attendance at governors’ meetings is poor and few governors visit the school. Only the chair of governors is at all well known by the staff. The governors meet with staff to discuss any concerns raised by the staff, and meet two members of the parents’ association for half an hour before the termly governors’ meetings in order to hear any concerns.
4.3 The governors show some awareness of their responsibilities. The chair of governors stated that she deals with child protection matters when they arise, but the governing body has not reviewed child protection on an annual basis. The governor allocated to boarding has not visited the boarders or their accommodation, and the governor allocated to health and safety no longer attends health and safety meetings. The governors have not systematically monitored standards and the quality of education provided. The construction and implementation of the school development plan has been left entirely to the school, and has not been satisfactorily monitored by the governors.
4.4 The governors show good financial awareness and exercise tight control over budgets, requiring detailed information from the school about its spending plans.
4.5 The school has expanded rapidly with the result that it is overcrowded in several areas, notably the science laboratories and common rooms.
4.6 Relationships between governors and staff in the senior school are limited. Most staff said they would not recognise, or had never met, any of the governors except the chair, who visits the school and the staff common room regularly. The governors as a body are therefore not in a position to, and do not, provide staff with support, advice, or challenge.
The Quality of Leadership and Management
4.7 Leadership and management are satisfactory. Changes in the leadership and areas of weakness in governance have contributed to difficult circumstances. It was difficult for the acting headmaster and his senior team to provide clear educational direction at senior level for the first part of last year. Those with senior management responsibilities show an awareness of the school’s needs, its strengths and shortcomings, and have attempted to set priorities. Some new initiatives, including a start on the use of standardised data to measure progress, and an increased emphasis on effective marking, have been undertaken by the senior managers. Internal advertising of posts, and the provision of job descriptions for new posts, have been introduced by the acting headmaster.
4.8 The school has several versions of its development plan and it is not clear (as they are not dated or numbered) which is the most up to date one. Most of the targets do not have completion dates and where they have review dates, these have not always been met. A review meeting took place this term and discovered that some progress had been made in some areas, but that no progress had been made in others, and it is not clear what it is planned to do about this. Departmental development plans are ad hoc: departments have received little advice about how to draw them up, and it is not clear to departments what action, if any, has been taken by senior management on these.
4.9 The school is extremely proud of its activities programme, some of which, such as the CCF and team sports, is of high standard. It has also begun new initiatives, such as a gifted and talented programme. However the time necessary to implement and monitor new and existing programmes has not been allocated, and the necessary planning has not been done, nor have the staffing and other financial implications been considered sufficiently. Management at all levels is fairly effective in drawing up appropriate procedures and policies but little checking or reviewing of these takes place.
4.10 Many staff do not have agreed job descriptions; accountability and lines of communication suffer as a result. It is also difficult to appraise those whose roles are not clearly defined, or to allocate training which accords with the school’s development needs and plans. Documents such as policies are not routinely dated so that earlier versions can be destroyed. Overall, risk assessments and other safety policies are adequate; the excellent practice in the science, DT, maths and ICT departments sets a standard for the other departments to reach. Departmental practice on monitoring teaching and learning varies widely, with very good practice seen in some areas such as English, MFL, DT, maths and ICT.
4.11 The school has secured well-qualified staff, and many of them have stayed at the school a long time. Good leadership at departmental level has maintained the effectiveness and motivation of many staff, which explains why teaching and learning are good. Individually, senior managers offer guidance and advice, and are warmly commended by staff for their support, but the division of responsibilities is not always clear. In many ways the school is still run as the small school it was until very recently, but it is aware that it now needs a systematic management structure and lines of accountability, and to communicate these to all staff.
4.12 Financial resources are well managed and improved teaching accommodation has been built over the last few years. Classrooms are a very positive environment for learning, mostly light, spacious, well decorated and well equipped. ICT provision is good, not only in specialist rooms but for example, interactive whiteboards have been installed in many classrooms. The pupils benefit hugely from the beautiful and well maintained grounds and games facilities, and funds have been allocated for the next phase of building. The home economics room needs urgent attention before this takes place.
4.13 Reception and administrative staff are helpful. Day to day financial management is good. The staff lists are not up to date, nor are the timetables, and much routine information such as the names and form bases of the tutor groups, or the places for year assemblies, is not easily available. The new management information system is used effectively for morning registration, although lists of pupils going off site for the day or part of the day are not always received in time for the information to be put into the registers before next registration. The system for registering and monitoring attendance at activities is unsatisfactory.
4.14 Checks on all new staff, including references, confirmation of qualifications and checks with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) are meticulously carried out. These cover all recently appointed governors, music and games coaches, and all other staff who could have access to children. The programme for the induction of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) works well, as does the induction process for newly appointed staff who are not NQTs. The school has also appointed staff through the graduate training programme and here too practice is effective.
4.15 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the suitability of proprietors and staff [Standard 4].
4.16 The school meets almost all of the regulatory requirements for premises and accommodation [Standard 5]. In order to meet all the requirements, the school must:
(a) attend to the floor covering in the home economics room [Regulation 5.(s)].
4.17 The school participates in the national scheme for the induction of newly qualified teachers and meets its requirements.
5.1 The school goes some way to fulfil its aims and aspirations. Many of its pupils are proud of what they have achieved, and are generally self-confident and articulate young people. The school provides good, often inspiring teaching for pupils of all ages and abilities, and the pupils respond well to this, most of them enjoying their work and making progress. The school also provides good pastoral care. Most pupils leave with qualifications in line with their abilities, sometimes higher, and achieve entry to the university or school of their choice. The school has identified pupils who are not achieving the levels indicated by their ability, and takes steps to support and encourage them. The quality of links with parents and the community is good. The school prides itself on its activities programme which is appreciated by parents and most pupils. Poorly monitored attendance leads to a number of pupils who frequently avoid participation in activities.
5.2 Of the two recommendations from the last inspection, reports have been improved while curricular links with the preparatory school remain undeveloped. The schools are run separately, to the extent that parents of Year 5 pupils in the preparatory school can choose to keep their children in that school for Year 6, or start them at the senior school. In this way, the very different provision offers a choice.