Headlands School

Headlands School and Community Science College Inspection report

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Age group 11–18 Inspection date(s) 17–18 October 2011 Inspection number 379540 Unique Reference Number 118085 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 379540 Inspection dates 17–18 October 2011 Reporting inspector Andrew Swallow

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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 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,176 Of which number on roll in the sixth form 170 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair K Johnston Headteacher Scott Ratheram Date of previous school inspection 14 October 2009 School address Sewerby Road Bridlington YO16 6UR Telephone number 01262 676198 Fax number 01262 607907 Email address admin@headlandsschool.co.uk 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

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other secure establishments. It rates 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.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by five additional inspectors. Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 46 lessons taught by 46 teachers. The inspectors held meetings with members of the governing body, staff and groups of students. The inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at the monitoring of students’ progress, the school’s self-evaluation and planning for improvement, and documentation relating to safeguarding. Questionnaires from 73 parents and carers were scrutinised, together with those returned by staff and students.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 How well students make progress and achieve, especially in English.  How effectively teaching and the use of assessment impact on students’ attainment, learning and progress.  How effectively leaders and managers at all levels drive improvement, especially in English.  The extent to which provision and outcomes in the sixth form are improving.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average size secondary school in which the proportion of students known to be entitled to free school meals is in line with the national average. The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is also average. Very few students speak English as an additional language or come from minority ethnic backgrounds. The school has specialist science status. The school has achieved Healthy School status. It is also a recognised centre of excellence for peer mentoring.

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Information about the school

Since the last inspection, the acting headteacher has been appointed to the substantive role, and a new Chair of the Governing Body is also in place. There have been substantial changes in staffing, including a restructured senior leadership team. 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

Headlands School and Community Science College provides a satisfactory and improving standard of education for its students. The new headteacher exudes strong leadership and sets high expectations for all staff. Leaders and managers, at all levels, are increasingly ambitious on the part of all students, and thoroughly committed to raising achievement and improving the quality of teaching and learning. As a consequence, overall levels of attainment have risen sharply since the last inspection and students now reach the national average in several subjects, notably in mathematics and science. Members of the governing body are equally aspirational on the part of the students and the community that the school serves. Rigorous arrangements are in place to check the quality of the school’s work and to hold to account key staff for students’ outcomes. Students, parents and carers are generally supportive of the school. Typical comments are that ‘the school is going

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Main findings

from strength-to-strength’ and that ‘it is an effective learning environment.’

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Main findings

The quality of care, guidance and support, and arrangements to keep students safe, are good. As a consequence, students say they feel secure in their learning and that adults are always there to ‘lend a listening ear.’ Many take full advantage of the range of opportunities on offer to contribute readily to school life and the local environment. Students believe that the school is an increasingly calm and orderly place where they can succeed.

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Main findings

The vast majority of students join and leave the school with broadly average attainment. For the most part they achieve satisfactorily across Years 7 to 11. In the sixth form, achievement is also satisfactory, with increasing numbers of students reaching national expectations by the end of Year 13. Recently, achievement and levels of attainment in English have dipped in the main school, largely due to staffing issues. Staffing is now stable. Latest teachers’ assessments and standards in lessons show that students’ rates of progress are picking up in English, and that attainment is broadly average.

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Main findings

The quality of teaching and learning across the school is satisfactory, with a larger proportion of good lessons than at the time of the last inspection. Nonetheless, in a number of lessons, learning is unstimulating and resources are not used imaginatively in order to enthuse students. Feedback to students about how well they are doing and what they need to do next is not yet a consistently effective feature of all lessons. The curriculum is satisfactory and the school’s specialism has been used well to provide different and exciting contexts for learning. Sixth form provision has improved since the last inspection and the new consortium arrangements are widening the courses on offer. However, opportunities for students to develop key language, mathematical and information and communication technology (ICT) skills are not yet sufficiently embedded in all subjects.

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Main findings

Good procedures are in place to confirm the school’s performance. Self-evaluation is accurate. The governing body understands the strengths and areas for future development, and senior leaders and managers have robust plans in place to continue to raise overall attainment and to accelerate pupils’ progress. All these characteristics highlight the school’s good capacity for sustained improvement.

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Main findings

Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate students’ progress across Years 7 to11 so that it is more rapid, especially in English by: - using data to pinpoint and tackle underperformance earlier - ensuring that all students understand fully their targets for improvement and have frequent opportunities to put them into practice.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is at least good across the school by: - ensuring all lessons motivate all learners and capture their interest - eliminating over-prescribed routines so that students are involved sooner in their learning - providing more time for learners to work together and think for themselves - matching activities, time and adults’ support more closely to individual students’ needs - providing frequent feedback to all learners about how well they are doing and what they need to do next, throughout all lessons - making sure that leaders and managers are more rigorous in checking the quality of students’ learning and progress in lessons, and in using findings to promote more effective learning experiences.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enhance further the curriculum by: - ensuring that key language, mathematical and information and communication (ICT) skills are reinforced and developed across all subjects - increasing the time available for physical education and sport in Years 10 and 11 so that all students enjoy a minimum of two hours per week.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Students show generally positive attitudes to learning. Their enjoyment is most evident when lively teaching challenges them to think for themselves. In a large number of lessons, however, students spend too long listening to the teacher and become passive, sometimes lethargic. As a consequence, they are not always keen to learn. Since the last inspection, standards have risen year on year, particularly the numbers of students gaining five or more good GCSE grades. In several subjects such as mathematics, science and the performing arts, students reach national averages and achieve satisfactorily. A robust action plan to address a recent shortfall in attainment in English has already resulted in standards recovering. During the inspection, attainment in English lessons and in students’ work was predominantly average. The most recent teachers’ assessments indicate that the vast majority of students are making satisfactory progress in English and mathematics, including

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Most students enjoy school. They understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, although many do not eat a nutritional meal at lunchtimes, and the numbers involved in regular exercise and sport in Years 10 and 11 are not as high as they might be. Most students are polite and courteous. The lively behaviour that occurs, at times, around the school, is well managed. Students attend school regularly and enjoy the numerous responsibilities on offer, such as peer mentors and sports leaders, and participating in major performances. They are active in the local community through their work with the elderly and in keeping Bridlington tidy. Students’ satisfactory spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is seen in their maturing work on conflict, tolerance and anti-discrimination in assemblies and tutorials.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils' attainment 1 3 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3 The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress The extent to which pupils feel safe 2 Pupils' behaviour 3 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils' attendance 1 3 The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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How effective is the provision?

Teaching and learning are satisfactory and improving. Students make good progress when their thinking is challenged and when they are expected to work things out for themselves. In a Year 9 history lesson, for example, the use of different witness statements and time to share opinions in small groups, enthused learners, spurring them on to draw up a profile of ‘Jack the Ripper’. Students grasped fully the contradictions and similarities in the statements provided. However, where teaching is still satisfactory, it frequently provides too many answers too readily for students. Lessons are slow to get underway, with the sharing of too many learning objectives

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low and outcomes, at the expense of immediately igniting students’ curiosity. Some teachers spend too long explaining and providing information. This encourages passivity in students’ learning, limits the development of independent learning skills, and slows students’ potential rates of progress. The use of assessment to support learning is satisfactory. Where teaching is good, students receive constant feedback about how well they are doing, often in one-to-one and small group situations. However, in some lessons assessment is restricted to asking and answering questions as a whole class, and to rushed interactions at the end of lessons. As a consequence, not all students understand fully whether they have achieved their individual targets. Too many lessons still provide the same tasks for all students

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How effective is the provision?

irrespective of their needs and, as a result, some have insufficient opportunities to re-visit and improve on particular weaknesses in their knowledge and understanding.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum has been overhauled recently to make it much more appropriate to the abilities of different groups of learners. The new Key Stage 4 pathways are designed to make sure that the courses students follow are appropriately challenging. The science specialism has also been well used to provide different science courses and enrichment opportunities, such as science week and astronomy evenings. Provision for the performing arts is a strength. However, not all students in Years 10 and 11 have access to two hours of physical education per week.

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How effective is the provision?

Pastoral care and support for all students are good, especially in enabling students who are potentially vulnerable to be fully included in the life of the school. Transition arrangements for students into Year 7 are successful and they settle quickly. Students are happy with the advice they receive throughout the school when choosing subject options and making key decisions. Effective procedures are in place for promoting attendance and have led to significant improvements in reducing absence over the last three years.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning 3 The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher has high aspirations on the part of all learners and sets a very positive tone for the work of the school. Recently, he has reorganised the management structure of the school to provide much clearer roles and responsibilities. Leaders and managers, at all levels, are now driving the school forward more strongly and with gathering pace. Information on students’ progress and attainment is used increasingly effectively to hold staff rigorously to account for outcomes. Senior leaders recognise that there is scope to do this much sooner. Weaker teaching is being challenged and wide-ranging procedures are in place to check the quality of teaching and learning. However, the concentration is on teaching, without an equal focus on checking precisely the quality of learning and what it leads to in lessons. Leaders and managers recognise the importance of combining the two. The governing body is very well informed about the school’s

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How effective are leadership and management?

performance and provides good support and challenge to the impetus to secure higher achievement and standards.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school provides equal opportunities for all students to achieve and tackles any discrimination that arises. Improvements in attainment and achievement over time are evident for all groups of learners, and are testimony to the school’s systematic arrangements to check regularly their rates of progress. Procedures for safeguarding are fully in place. Recruitment of adults to work alongside students is carried out meticulously. Training in child protection for staff is regular and of a good quality. Appropriate links have been forged with families and outside agencies to provide necessary support for potentially vulnerable students. The school promotes community cohesion satisfactorily. The school itself is a harmonious community, and students are increasingly active in their local environment. Trips abroad and opportunities in the curriculum make students aware of cultural differences. Nonetheless, there are limited plans to promote first-hand experiences of other

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How effective are leadership and management?

cultures and religions in a range of community groups beyond the school and the immediate locality.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for the leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning 3 The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school's engagement with parents and carers 3 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 3 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 3 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Sixth form

Students make satisfactory progress during their time in the sixth form. The latest Year 13 results indicate improving attainment and are close to national averages. Students show mature and responsible attitudes to learning. They understand their targets and can discuss them in detail. They speak warmly about the school and feel they are well supported. They make positive contributions to the life of the school through their roles as mentors for younger students and school prefects, representatives on the various sixth-form leadership groups, and by taking the initiative in charity fund raising activities.

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Sixth form

Teaching overall is satisfactory, but there are examples of good and sometimes outstanding teaching. It is most effective when students are given the freedom to explore issues, deepen their thinking and justify viewpoints, for themselves. The post-16 curriculum has recently been reviewed. The new ‘shores’ offer is providing an appropriate choice of traditional and applied GCE A-level and level 2 and 3 courses, in partnership with other local post-16 providers. Guidance on relevant sixth-form courses is good and resulting in improved retention and completion rates. Students receive unbiased and regular advice on their future career pathways which they appreciate. This ensures that a large proportion of Year 13 students progress to either further or higher education or employment.

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Sixth form

Leadership and management of the sixth form are satisfactory. The sixth-form team of staff work well together, know their students, and are developing plans to improve their outcomes. To this extent, they recognise the importance of pinpointing earlier the underperformance of some students, and challenging more vigorously individual subjects to improve the impact of teaching on the quality of students’ learning.

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Sixth form

These are the grades for the sixth form Overall effectiveness of the sixth Form Taking into account: Outcomes for students in the sixth form 3 The quality of provision in the sixth form 3 Leadership and management of the sixth form 3

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Views of parents and carers

The questionnaires returned by a very low proportion of parents and carers indicate that most are satisfied with the education provided by the school. A number of returned questionnaires, however, indicate that some parents and carers do not think that the school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour, takes sufficient account of their suggestions and concerns, or helps to them support their children’s learning out of school. Inspectors looked closely at these issues. They were satisfied that the school manages unacceptable behaviour well, when it arises, seeks to act on parents and carers’ views wherever appropriate, and makes suitable efforts to help families to support their children’s learning beyond the school day.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Headlands School and Community Science College 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 73 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 1,176 pupils registered at the school.

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questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 19 26 41 56 11 15 1 1 The school keeps my child safe 17 23 50 68 3 4 0 0 The school informs me about my child's progress 14 19 53 73 2 3 1 1 My child is making enough progress at this school 15 21 47 64 8 11 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 12 16 44 60 4 5 1 1 The school helps me to support my child's learning 11 15 41 56 14 19 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 11 15 44 60 9 12 2 3 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) 15 21 46 63 6 8 1 1

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questionnaire

The school meets my child's particular needs 16 22 43 59 7 10 2 3 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 16 22 38 52 10 14 3 4

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questionnaire

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 10 14 42 58 7 10 4 5

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questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 16 22 49 67 1 1 3 4 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 20 27 41 56 4 5 3 4

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questionnaire

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. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. 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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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9 Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5 All schools 10 44 39 6

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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.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above is for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Bridlington, YO16 6UR

 Inspectors enjoyed their visit to your school and would like to thank you for your contribution to the inspection. We judged Headlands to be a satisfactory school with some good features. You receive good care and guidance, and the school makes good arrangements to keep you all safe. As a result, most of you attend regularly and involve yourselves readily in the school’s activities and local community’s events. The achievement of students at the end of Year 11 is improving and is overall satisfactory. This is because teaching is satisfactory and the curriculum is matched to most of your needs. We do recognise, however, that recent changes in staffing in English may have affected some students’ progress. Standards in English in the 2011 GCSE examinations were not as high as expected. We were pleased to see in lessons that achievement in English is picking up and is now satisfactory. We judged your behaviour to be also satisfactory and the large majority of those of you who

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Bridlington, YO16 6UR

completed the questionnaire agreed with this.

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Bridlington, YO16 6UR

In order to improve the school further we have asked the headteacher to:  raise standards and quicken the rate at which you make progress, especially in English, by ensuring that teachers spot underperformance sooner, and make certain that you all have time to put your improvement targets into practice  improve the quality of teaching by ensuring all lessons are motivating, involve you sooner in your learning, provide more time for you to work things out for yourselves and more feedback about how well you are doing and what you need to do next  enhance the curriculum by providing more opportunities for you to develop key skills in language, mathematics and ICT across all subjects, and additional time for physical education and sport for those students in Years 10 and 11 who, currently, have only one hour a week.

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Bridlington, YO16 6UR

All of you can help by behaving well and taking an active part in all of your lessons.

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Bridlington, YO16 6UR

Andrew Swallow Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted's website: 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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