Codsall Community High School

Codsall Community High School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 124400 Local Authority Staffordshire Inspection number 359658 Inspection dates 11–12 May 2011 Reporting inspector Robert Barbour HMI

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Secondary School category Community Age range of pupils 13–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1022 Of which, number on roll in the sixth form 298 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Trefor Williams Headteacher Marjorie Tunnicliffe Date of previous school inspection 7 November 2007 School address Elliotts Lane Wolverhampton WV8 1PQ Telephone number 01902 434200 Fax number 01902 434242 Email address office@codsall-high.staffs.sch.uk

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Age group 13–19 Inspection dates 11–12 May 2011 Inspection number 359658 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and four additional inspectors. Forty lessons were observed, taught by 40 teachers. Meetings were held with students, staff and governors. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at a wide range of documentation, 142 questionnaires completed by parents, and questionnaires completed by staff and students. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  What is the progress of the most-able students currently in the school?  What are the factors behind the very good progress at GCSE of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities and are these factors continuing?  How successful are the school's middle leaders in their current roles?  Are the care, guidance and support provided by the school outstanding?

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Information about the school

Codsall Community High School is a secondary school of just above-average size and serves a mixed area of South Staffordshire. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. A very large majority of students are of White British background and there is also a range of minority ethnic groups. The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average, although the proportion with a statement of special educational needs is close to the national average. The school is a specialist mathematics and computing college. The school has the Investors in People Standard, the International School Award at foundation level, the national Healthy School Status and Dyslexia Friendly Status. In April 2009, the UK's first full-time school-based Football Academy was created at the school.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

Codsall Community High School is an outstanding school. The attainment of students has risen steadily over the past four years and is now high. Teachers know the students well and monitor their progress rigorously. Every student in Year 11 is mentored on a fortnightly basis to make sure that their progress towards GCSE is fully on track. This illustrates how the care, guidance and support provided by the school are outstanding. Where the potentially most vulnerable students are concerned, the school has an outstanding track record of working with local agencies through the Common Assessment Framework and this has made a material difference to the life chances of young people. This practice, coupled with the school's exemplary health and safety processes and the very high degree to which students in the school feel safe, means that the safeguarding provided by the school is outstanding. Teaching is good overall. A small minority of teaching is outstanding and in these lessons

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Main findings

students are given a high degree of independence in their learning and are expected to participate very actively. By contrast, where teaching is satisfactory, there is too much time spent on teacher exposition, giving opportunities for students quietly to lose concentration. A particularly strong feature of teaching is the outstanding way that teachers assess students' progress. The marking of students' work is of a high quality and makes reference not just to what students need to do to improve, but also highlights the areas of success. The information provided by this high-quality assessment enables teachers accurately to provide targeted resources for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities and so enables the students to achieve as closely as possible to their peers. This is a major reason explaining the outstanding progress being made by students with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The support provided for those

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Main findings

students by teaching assistants is also of the highest quality in that they challenge the students to achieve their best and not to be content with a lower outcome. These factors illustrate also how the school is deeply inclusive, with a commitment to making sure that all students can succeed. The gaps in attainment between the average student and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or indeed those with a more deprived social background are shrinking rapidly. In this way, the school is outstanding in promoting equal opportunities and tackling discrimination. The curriculum offered by the school is also outstanding. There is a breadth of choice for students with over 40 options in Years 10 and 11. Events such as the International Days provide memorable experiences. Each week there are over 70 extra-curricular activities with wide participation. Outstanding leadership and management underpin the success of the school. This extends

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Main findings

to the school's middle managers, who share fully in the aspirations and ambitions of the senior leaders. Leaders and managers have a very accurate understanding of the school's

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

strengths and have been very successful in resolving the issues identified at the last inspection. Not only have results and the quality of teaching improved, but also inspectors found a clear link between the various focuses that the school had adopted to improve teaching and the good features now observed. This shows the highly effective way in which the development of teaching has been led and managed. In their running of the school, leaders and managers go to extraordinary lengths to make sure that students have a strong voice. Every student takes part in one of 16 school forums that review each aspect of the school and report to the main school council and from this to the school leadership itself. This illustrates the outstanding way in which students contribute to the school and the wider community. The high quality of school self-evaluation, coupled with the strong track record of success in raising the quality of teaching and of student outcomes, means that the capacity for

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

sustained improvement is also outstanding. School leaders and managers are also outstandingly successful in achieving value for money in their allocation of resources.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by: sharing further the outstanding practice currently present in the school giving students opportunities in more lessons to develop as independent learners.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

While students have a background attainment when they join the school that is a little above average, by the time they reach Year 11, their attainment is high and they have made good progress. Students with special educational needs and/or disabilities make outstanding progress. In some GCSE results in 2010, the proportion reaching the highest grades of A and A* was too low, but the performance of students currently in the school shows that able students are now making good progress. There is little difference between the performance of boys and girls. In a Year 11 drama lesson, students explored a 'dark' poem through the techniques of the 'Theatre of Cruelty'. The short plays that they developed were realistic and convincing and the students were also able to assess each other's work well according to set criteria. In a Year 9 citizenship lesson, students reflected in groups on a video illustrating the work of

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

the United Nations in less-developed countries. In a variety of engaging activities, students with special educational needs and/or disabilities made good progress, using writing frames as appropriate. In a Year 9 information technology lesson, the skilled questioning by a teaching assistant and an additional sheet of key words enabled students with special educational needs and/or disabilities to produce an extended piece of writing. In a Year 11 English top set, students demonstrated a good understanding and mastery of the requirements for A and A* grades, and were able accurately to assess each other's work and recommend improvements. As well as contributing to the school through the school forum structure, students take an active part as peer mentors in supporting younger students and in reading support. They take on responsibilities as sports leaders. They have been active in the community through

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

a 'living history' project, a 'citizen watch' scheme for potentially vulnerable adults, tea dances and work in local first and middle schools. They are prepared well for the world of

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

work, with their above-average attendance, their good skills in English and mathematics and the opportunities they receive to work together. Those wider skills are mapped, tracked, taught and assessed as students move through the school. A greater proportion of students than average for this age take part in school sport.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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2

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Teaching is good and is characterised by a good pace to lessons, variety of activity, good questioning and outstanding use of assessment to support teaching and learning. Students are articulate in explaining their answers. In the run up to their GCSE examinations, the teaching of Year 11 groups has been particularly successful in making revision interesting and positive. In an outstanding Year 11 geography lesson, students explored the demands made by examination questions and the key words used. The teacher used the degree of success that students had with an earlier question to target support for later questions. The students assessed each other as to how well they had met the demands of examination questions and then recommended improvements. As a final activity they had to work out in pairs what an examination question might have been, given the model answer from the examiner. Over the course of the lesson, the students undertook a

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How effective is the provision?

variety of activities and participated actively in the processes of both revision and assessment.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The school's curriculum makes available a wide range of courses and extra-curricular activities to meet students' needs, aspirations and interests. It is also innovative in the provision, on site, of a fully equipped hairdressing salon and the presence of the Football Academy. Those facilities have a positive impact on students' attitudes and motivation. The use of on-line courses is highly effective and has grown in extent since the last inspection. Those courses show how the school's specialist computing status has enriched the use of information and communication technology across the school. The care, guidance and support provided by the school are a key reason for the success of the school. The all-age tutor groups are appreciated by the students and are a vehicle for highly effective pastoral care. All students benefit from the high-quality tracking of student progress and the widespread use of mentor support. Potentially vulnerable students

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

benefit from the excellent links with external agencies. Pastoral leaders demonstrate an active concern for students' wider welfare both in the school and the community, as well as their progress in school. When students have special educational needs and/or disabilities, identification of need is prompt and support for the students is targeted very effectively.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Leaders and managers are ambitious and highly effective. The governing body is effective in holding the school to account, monitoring its progress and reviewing strategy and policies. Through the mathematics and computing specialism, the school has established good partnerships with local schools and has supported a local school to improve significantly. Close partnerships with other nearby schools have enabled many of the innovative courses to be offered, especially in hair and beauty and in construction, providing students good choices at a cost affordable to the school, and without the need to travel. The governing body takes its duties to promote equal opportunities and ensure safeguarding seriously. Policies and procedures are in excellent order, but, more significantly, are achieving outstanding outcomes. The promotion of community cohesion is good. In particular, the school has been able to demonstrate a reduction in perceived

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How effective are leadership and management?

anti-social behaviour in the community through schemes designed to increase positive contact between its students and local citizens from older generations.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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1

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Sixth form

Sixth-form students are appreciative of the good support that the school provides. Good induction procedures help students to choose from the wide range of academic and vocational courses available so that they can succeed in line with their career expectations. Sixth-form students develop into responsible young adults and make a strong contribution to the running of the school, organising whole-school fashion shows, talent competitions and charity collections. They play a major role in mentoring students in the main school and in the all-age tutor groups. They are proud of their work in the community, including giving support to a local special school. In recent years, examination results have been improving, but have been variable between subjects. Students currently in the sixth form are making good progress and the quality of their teaching is good. Sixth form leaders and managers have taken concerted

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Sixth form

action to improve results and the amount of variation between subjects has been reduced substantially. The progress that students make is monitored closely, as is the quality of teaching. Sixth form leaders intervene as soon as issues with a student's academic progress emerge.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Overall effectiveness of the sixth for m 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for students in the sixth form

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Overall effectiveness of the sixth for m 2

The quality of provision in the sixth form 2

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Overall effectiveness of the sixth for m 2

Leadership and management of the sixth form 2

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Views of parents and carers

Parents and carers gave a positive view of the school. A particularly large proportion of those who responded feel that their children enjoy school and are safe. There were few written comments; these included a mixture of positive and negative comments, but there was no pattern to the small number of negative comments that were made.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Codsall Community High School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 142 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 1022 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 36 25 99 70 7 5 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 40 28 98 69 3 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 44 31 87 61 10 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 35 25 97 68 7 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 35 25 97 68 7 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 31 22 89 63 19 13 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 25 18 92 65 19 13 2 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 41 29 83 58 10 7 2 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 39 27 87 61 11 8 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 36 25 90 63 9 6 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 17 12 99 70 13 9 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 41 29 90 63 9 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 43 30 87 61 10 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 December 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Codsall Community High School Wolverhampton WV8 1PQ

Thank you for your help and for taking time to talk to us during the recent inspection. This letter is to tell you about our main findings. We were very impressed with your school and have judged it to be outstanding. You are achieving very good results and are making good progress in your time at the school. You have a very good range of subjects available to you, both in the main school and the sixth form. You have a wide range of extra-curricular activities available also. You are well taught and your teachers make sure that lessons are adapted to meet everybody's needs. Where teachers give you opportunities to work independently, either on your own or in groups, your progress is often particularly good. The tracking of your progress is thorough and you told us that you find the Year 11 mentoring very useful. We were also pleased to see how you are developing as individuals. You are proud of your

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Inspection of Codsall Community High School Wolverhampton WV8 1PQ

school, articulate and make an excellent contribution to your school in many ways, including through the school forums. Many of you have been able to contribute your skills to the local community and local first and middle schools. We have recommended to the school's leaders that they increase the number of lessons in which you are actively involved as independent learners. This will enable you to make even more progress in future. Your headteacher and her colleagues have achieved a great deal since the school was last inspected in 2007. All of you can play your part by continuing to work hard, behave well and join in with the activities that the school offers.

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Inspection of Codsall Community High School Wolverhampton WV8 1PQ

Robert Barbour Her Majesty's Inspector (on behalf of the inspection team)

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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