Setting

Mr Tony Ryles The Executive Principal Kings International College for Business and the Arts Watchetts Drive Camberley Surrey GU15 2PQ

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Business and the Arts

Following my visit with Joan Lindsay, Additional Inspector, to your school on 10–11 November 2010, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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Business and the Arts

The inspection was the second monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in January 2010. The full list of the areas for improvement which were identified during that inspection are set out in the annex to this letter. The monitoring inspection report is attached and the main judgements are set out below.

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Business and the Arts

Progress since being subject to special measures – satisfactory

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Business and the Arts

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – satisfactory

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Business and the Arts

Newly Qualified Teachers may not be appointed.

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Business and the Arts

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be posted on the Ofsted website. I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the chair of the interim executive board and the Director of Children’s Services for Surrey.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

Tribal 1-4 Portland Square BRISTOL BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0845 123 6001 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email :Fiona.allan1@tribalgroup.com

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place in January 2010

 Rapidly ensure that students’ attainment meets or exceeds national levels at both Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form.

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place in January 2010

 Review the quality of the sixth form provision to secure better outcomes for sixth form students.

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place in January 2010

 Significantly raise the proportion of teaching which is consistently good or better to at least 75% by July 2010.

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place in January 2010

 Rigorously embed the use of assessment in lesson planning and teaching so that: - lessons meet the needs of every student - higher achievers and gifted and talented students receive significantly more challenge in lessons - the pace of lessons is brisk and fully exploits the 75 minutes of teaching time, providing extension tasks as well as opportunities for some students to work at a slower pace than their peers - marking is much more detailed and gives students clear advice so that they know how to improve their work.

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place in January 2010

 Secure much greater capacity for improvement by: - establishing more penetrating insight into the progress of all student groups - sharpening the understanding of effective teaching in every department - raising the expectations of all leaders and teaching staff to more quickly secure improvement.

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the school’s work, scrutinised documents and met with the executive principal, head of college, staff, groups of students, the chair of the interim executive board, a representative from the local authority and the school improvement partner.

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Context

This term, a head of college has been seconded full time from a local school while the executive principal divides his time between Kings and its partner school. Two vice principals have also been seconded from local schools and the senior leadership team has been reorganised, with a new structure for line management, faculty leadership and year group leadership. The sixth form is being phased out, so there are students only in Year 13. The interim executive board has been approved by the Secretary of State and has met frequently.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

For current Year 11 students, the school’s data show some improvements in attainment expected by the end of the year in mathematics and science. In English, where there is a substantial backlog of underachievement, measures have been put in place this term to raise students’ attainment and progress through changes in the curriculum and teaching, as well as intervention, but it is too soon to see their impact. In science, the restricting of separate physics, chemistry and biology courses to higher-attainers only and broadening of the vocational route have already shown signs of reducing previous underachievement, although it is early days. Having identified that some students just missed attaining grade C in both English and mathematics in 2010, concerted efforts have been made early this year to identify and support Year 11 students at risk of this. In Year 10, students are building on improved Key Stage 3 attainment in 2010, which rose to above average, although a

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

low proportion reached the higher levels in English. Even though the Year 11 students joined the school with lower attainment than other year groups, there are signs that attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 is rising in some areas in Year 11 and more broadly in the higher prior-attaining Year 10. It is too soon in the year for indications of the impact of the many changes in provision on students’ progress since last year. There continue to be lessons in which students make at least good progress because of the strong teaching, but others where progress is satisfactory and occasionally inadequate. The 2010 Key Stage 4 results reflected the underachievement evident when the school was placed in special measures. There was very little time between new leadership being put in place and the examinations. Although attainment of five GCSE grades A* to C rose, the proportion that included English and mathematics did

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

not. Attainment in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science remained below average, particularly in English and science. Girls attained more highly than did boys. In 2010 the progress students made between Key Stages 2 and 4 remained low in English and fell to below average in mathematics. The school’s data show that current Year 11 students are on track for improved progress in mathematics.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

In the sixth form, the results for 2010 show that attainment and progress improved in the International Baccalaureate, but that some students did not meet their expected outcomes in BTEC courses and too few reached grade C when retaking GCSE. Sixth form provision has been tailored more effectively to focus on the needs of the one remaining year group of students, now that there is no mixed-year teaching. This has contributed to students being on track to meet their targets. Students find the support for retaking GCSE in English and mathematics better. Their attendance has also risen. Advice and guidance has helped students to plan for their future work or education, but there is room for it to be more proactive to ensure that all are fully supported in finding the best solution for them. It is important that students who joined the school expecting to continue into its small sixth form with vocational choices receive advice and guidance on suitable provision. An information

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

programme on future choices has already commenced for Year 11 students.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:  rapidly ensure that students’ attainment meets or exceeds national levels at both Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form – satisfactory  review the quality of the sixth form provision to secure better outcomes for sixth form students – satisfactory.

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The effectiveness of provision

There is a wide range of teaching quality, including much that is good or better, and there are indications that weaker teaching is improving. Time is used much more effectively in the shorter 50-minute lessons. Students concentrate better during them and behaviour has improved, although there are occasions when it slips and progress slows. Teachers are planning a wider range of activities to meet students’ different needs, but this remains a key area for development. In some lessons the work does not challenge everyone from the outset, and sometimes extension activities are given only when higher-attainers have already spent too much time on easier work. Hierarchical learning outcomes are identified, although the quality of evidence required to meet each of them is not routinely specified clearly enough for students to assess and improve their work. Teachers use a wider range of questioning and assessment techniques, but do not always ensure that all students

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The effectiveness of provision

respond. In line with the new teaching and learning policy that is being developed, teachers are involving students more in peer assessment and self-assessment to encourage them to reflect on their learning. Teachers have also enhanced their written feedback to specify strengths and how to improve, although comments sometimes focus on effort without providing subject-specific guidance.

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The effectiveness of provision

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:  significantly raise the proportion of teaching which is consistently good or better to at least 75% by July 2010 – satisfactory  rigorously embed the use of assessment in lesson planning and teaching so that:  lessons meet the needs of every student  higher achievers and gifted and talented students receive significantly more challenge in lessons  the pace of lessons is brisk and fully exploits the 75 minutes of teaching time, providing extension tasks as well as opportunities for some students to work at a slower pace than their peers  marking is much more detailed and gives students clear advice so that they know how to improve their work – satisfactory.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

When observing lessons jointly with inspectors, leaders made accurate judgements. During brief observations throughout the term, leaders have gained a clear view of strengths and identified important areas for development. For some of the longer observations, there is little evaluation of the degree of students’ progress, or of any variation between groups. Training has been provided for all staff on teaching, including differentiating work to meet students’ needs, and on assessment. This has played a part in teachers’ deepening understanding of factors contributing to effective teaching. Nevertheless, the link between judging teaching as good and data showing that the students have made good progress in the recent past has not always been made, although it is early days for records to show this.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The way in which leaders have followed up instances of inadequate teaching has brought about some improvement. In addition, there is evidence that support has contributed to improvement in some satisfactory teaching. However, there has been a greater emphasis on the overall proportion of good teaching than on identifying, supporting and evaluating improvement on each teacher’s areas for development. Consequently, there has not been a systematic follow-up of all satisfactory teaching to move it forward, particularly in English and science where previous underachievement is most marked.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Staff are working together keenly in their new faculty and year groupings to improve provision and raise standards and progress. The structures and systems that have been put into place rapidly have the growing potential to offer them appropriate support to achieve this. Leaders are producing evaluations and plans that focus more sharply on areas for improvement. The interim executive board is collecting first-hand evidence from students, parents and staff, providing challenge for senior leaders and planning for the formation of a shadow governing body.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Senior leaders have just begun to use half-termly tracking of students’ attainment to provide records for leaders of faculties and years, with facilities for efficient analysis of the performance of some groups. This is already informing targeted intervention for Year 11 students on the borderline of attaining grade C in English and mathematics. Further provision of records is planned to highlight readily those who are at risk of making insufficient progress to meet their targets across the whole attainment range. Accuracy of the assessments entered into the tracking system has begun to improve following revised guidance, produced after some of last term’s predicted grades exceeded those attained in examinations. Staff have received some training on the analysis of performance data and more is planned for the main school and sixth form.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:  secure much greater capacity for improvement by: - establishing more penetrating insight into the progress of all student groups - sharpening the understanding of effective teaching in every department - raising the expectations of all leaders and teaching staff to more quickly secure improvement – satisfactory.

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External support

Through support from the local authority, senior staffing has been put into place quickly to provide a full team for this school year. Local authority consultants have provided effectively targeted support in many areas, and the school improvement partner has provided useful advice on achievement and accuracy of monitoring. However, there is not a clear plan for the quantity and intended outcome of support for this term or next, drawn up with leaders and the interim executive board. An external consultant has provided weekly input that has improved the breadth and quality of teaching. Links with two local schools are beginning to support developments in core subjects.

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