Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566939 Direct F 01695 729320 glaw@cfbt.com www.cfbt-inspections.com

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Mr G Chappell Acting Head of School The Market Weighton School Spring Road Market Weighton YO43 3JF

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of The Market Weighton School

Following my visit with David Thompson, additional inspector, to your school on the 14 and 15 September 2011, 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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Special measures: monitoring inspection of The Market Weighton School

The inspection was the third monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place on 6 and 7 October 2010. The full list of the areas for improvement which were identified during that inspection is 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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Special measures: monitoring inspection of The Market Weighton School

Progress since being subject to special measures − satisfactory

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of The Market Weighton School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection − satisfactory

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of The Market Weighton School

Newly Qualified Teachers may be appointed.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of The Market Weighton School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of The Market Weighton School

I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children's Services for the East Riding of Yorkshire.

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection which took place on 6

■ Establish a culture to sustain school improvement by:  raising the expectations of all staff  raising the aspirations of students.

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection which took place on 6

■ Improve the quality of teaching and, in particular, the use of assessment by:  using the outcomes of lesson observations to inform development needs  providing appropriate training to ensure that all staff are accurate in their assessments of students’ work against national standards  using secure assessment information to plan learning activities that support individual learning needs well  developing teachers’ skills in the use of strategies to check that learning is taking place throughout the lesson  providing greater challenge and pace to accelerate students’ progress  making better use of the pockets of effective practice that already exist to improve the proportion of good and better teaching.

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection which took place on 6

■ Develop the capacity of leadership and management at all levels by:  ensuring that leaders and managers receive support to develop the skills necessary to be effective in their roles  establishing clear priorities for school improvement  producing a plan of action so that everybody understands what is to be done by when and by whom  using the outcomes of monitoring and evaluation to inform the next steps for improving provision and outcomes  holding to account rigorously those responsible for the implementation and impact of agreed actions  providing curriculum leaders with opportunities to experience effective practice elsewhere.

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection which took place on 6

■ Improve the effectiveness of the sixth form by:  ensuring that students have the necessary skills and abilities from the outset to succeed on academic programmes  tracking students’ progress rigorously and taking steps to effectively counter underachievement  ensuring that leadership of the sixth form has the necessary capacity to make the improvements required  working with the local authority and partners to ensure that organisational arrangements facilitate participation across consortium-wide provision. January 2011

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised documents. Students’ work was examined in lessons. Inspectors met with the acting executive headteacher, the acting head of school, senior and middle leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body, members of staff, students and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors also spoke with students informally during break-times and in lessons.

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Context

Governors appointed an acting head of school in July 2011. The executive headteacher, from South Hunsley Academy, continues to lead the school and this arrangement will continue during the academic year 2011/2012. Three new full-time and two part-time teaching members of staff have joined the school at the start of the new academic year including a new subject leader for science. The school has also appointed a student support officer. Seven staff left the school at the end of the summer term. Sixth-form provision is provided for Year 13 students only. Decisions about the future of sixth-form provision are pending.

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Students' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Provisional results from GCSE examinations taken in the summer term 2011 confirm the school’s predictions and show a modest improvement on the 2010 scores. The proportion of students gaining five or more good GCSE passes, including English and mathematics, increased slightly to 56%. Those attaining five or more good GCSE results overall showed a more distinct increase, rising to 77%. There was little difference in the performance of boys and girls. The result for girls, however, was weak in comparison to the score achieved by girls nationally. Differences in subject performance remain unacceptably wide. Good outcomes were achieved in subjects such as art, biology, chemistry and geography while low scores were evident in design/technology, history and citizenship.

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Students' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

The proportion of students gaining grades in each category from A* to E in A level examinations taken in 2011 declined slightly from last year, although there were some notable improvements. All students, for example, taking A-level mathematics achieved an A* or A grade. Students taking biology, business studies, chemistry, mathematics, physical education and physics made better than predicted progress.

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Students' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

In other year groups, assessment evidence points to marked differences in the performance of groups of students. In Years 7 and 8, girls outperformed boys, particularly in English January 2011

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Students' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Page4 while those eligible for free school meals did less well than others. Younger students with special educational needs and/or disabilities tended to perform better in English than mathematics. In Years 9 and 10, while there is general improvement, some targets were not achieved.

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Other relevant student outcomes:

Students have settled quickly at the beginning of the new school year. Year 7 students, in particular, comment on how welcome they feel and appreciate the support they receive from staff and other students. They are particularly impressed by peer mentor arrangements and the school’s pastoral system. The behaviour of most students is now good both in lessons and around the school. Attitudes to learning continue to strengthen. The school’s new behaviour policy has been readily accepted by students who talk about its fairness and transparency. They continue to express confidence in staff. Year 13 students consider that their needs and aspirations are well known and understood. They are confident that course choices are meeting their needs and aspirations. Attendance remains broadly average, although the poor attendance of a small number of students continues to have a negative impact on the school’s efforts to reduce absence rates.

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The effectiveness of provision

Inspectors observed 24 lessons. The proportion of good teaching continues to improve with just over half the teaching observed in the main school being good. The remainder was satisfactory. Teaching was also good in the small number of sixth form lessons seen. Too many teachers, however, still lack confidence to develop new ideas and adapt their practice, despite the school’s well-targeted and bespoke training programme.

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The effectiveness of provision

Increasingly, teachers are exhibiting higher expectations of students’ capabilities. Students are more routinely expected to review their own progress and to stretch their ambition. Teachers are becoming more adept at using probing questions to test out students’ knowledge and understanding. Paired and group work is more commonplace and effective. In most cases, detailed learning objectives are providing a clear rationale for the lesson with better sequencing of activities. Although not yet commonplace, teachers’ lesson planning for the new school year is showing greater acknowledgement of students’ differing abilities. An increasing number of lessons offer a wider scope of activities and a more proactive use of teachers’ time to support and work with groups and individuals. This was most obvious in a Year 10 information and communication technology lesson (ICT) where groups of students were given carefully tailored work. Successful interventions by the teacher provided specific

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The effectiveness of provision

support to groups and individuals which effectively moved their learning forward. Nonetheless, in too many lessons, all students still complete the same tasks irrespective of their ability. More-able students, in particular, complete unchallenging activities before being offered more testing work. This remains a key limiting factor in the drive to raise standards.

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The effectiveness of provision

Overly-long introductions to lessons remain too frequent. This has a demotivating effect on students and limits opportunities for them to engage in productive activities. The use of January 2011

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The effectiveness of provision

Page5 teaching assistants within lessons to support students’ learning is still underdeveloped. While some effective support is provided for specific individuals, the use of their time, particularly at the beginning and end of lessons, requires improvement.

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The effectiveness of provision

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:

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The effectiveness of provision

■ Improve the quality of teaching and in particular, the use of assessment – satisfactory

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The strategic benefits accrued through the school’s partnership with South Hunsley Academy continue to develop and are evident in the school’s strengthening leadership capacity. The new action plan reflects sharpened priorities and provides clear direction and strength of purpose. It is underpinned by the leadership’s secure understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and affords a context for rigorous evaluation and informed decision making. Management structures are becoming embedded and accountability strengthened.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The school is benefiting from an expanding core of capable middle leaders who have an increasingly secure grasp of their roles and responsibilities. They are working successfully to embed new working practices. Nonetheless, there is still wide variation in the effectiveness of middle leaders per se. Action to improve matters remains ongoing.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Good progress has been made in raising expectations of what students are capable of achieving. Targets show greater challenge with students expected to stretch expectations of their capabilities. Older students, including those in the sixth form, are keen to accept heightened ambitions. Decisions about future sixth form provision are expected imminently and will be reported on at the next monitoring inspection.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on areas for improvement:

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

■ Establish a culture to sustain school improvement – good ■ Develop the capacity of leadership and management at all levels – good

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External support

The local authority continues to provide valued and effective support which is becoming increasingly customised around the needs of individual teachers. Plans to progressively withdraw support as the school’s internal capacity improves are currently being considered.

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