Gosforth East Middle School

Gosforth East Middle School Inspection report

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Age group 9–13 Inspection date(s) 30 April 2012–01 May

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Inspection number 377771 Unique Reference Number 108521 Local authority Newcastle Upon Tyne Inspection number 377771 Inspection dates 30 April 2012–1 May 2012 Lead inspector Ann Ashdown

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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 Middle Deemed Secondary School category Community Age range of pupils 9–13 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 463 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair George Snaith Headteacher Tim Stout Date of previous school inspection 27 January 2009 School address Harewood Road Gosforth Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 5JT Telephone number 0191 2855445 Fax number 0191 2130492 Email address admin@gosfortheast.newcastle.sch.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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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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Introduction

Ann Ashdown Peter Harrison Additional inspector Additional inspector Shirley Fall Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. Inspectors observed 27 teachers teaching 29 lessons of which three were joint observations with senior staff. In addition, they visited specialist sessions teaching literacy and numeracy, looked at reading records and listened to students read. Meetings and discussions were held with groups of students, members of the governing body and school staff. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at students’ books, progress data, safeguarding information, and other documentation. They took account of the responses to the online Parent View survey, analysed 211 questionnaires from parents and carers and also those from students and staff.

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Information about the school

This middle school is well below the average size of most secondary schools. A below average proportion of students is known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average and a similar proportion speaks English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs is below average, including those supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. The school meets the government’s current floor standard which sets out the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher have all been appointed to their posts since September 2011. The school has gained Healthy School status. 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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Key Findings

 This is a good school. Recently appointed leaders and managers have a very clear view of its strengths and weaknesses. Their good leadership of teaching, sensitive management of staff performance and closer tracking of students’ progress are instrumental in building the school’s good capacity for further improvement. The school is not yet outstanding because teaching is good rather than outstanding and the roles of middle managers are not yet fully developed.

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Key Findings

 Students enter Year 5 with attainment which is broadly in line with that expected for their age. They make good progress as they move through the school so attainment is above average when they leave Year 8.

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Key Findings

 Teaching and learning are good. Teachers know their students well and lessons are conducted in an atmosphere of respect and trust. In the best lessons teachers ask challenging questions, activities are varied, and students have ample opportunities to work independently and take risks in their learning. However, this good practice is not yet widely shared across the school. In slower paced lessons students are sometimes asked to listen for too long and have fewer opportunities to work independently.

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Key Findings

 Students’ behaviour is typically good and they say they feel very safe in school. They have good attitudes to learning and are keen to succeed. They are respectful to each other and to staff and welcoming to visitors.

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Key Findings

 Students’ achievement is accelerating because senior leaders and managers are acutely aware of the progress students are making and extremely skilful in ensuring they receive high quality, sharply focused and timely intervention in their learning when extra help is needed. However, although middle leaders are beginning to take more responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the work of their departments and making use of assessment data to plan learning, their roles remain underdeveloped.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so all lessons are at least good and more are outstanding by: - ensuring all lessons have a good balance of teacher-led and student- initiated activities - asking more complex, open ended questions which challenge students to think deeply - allowing students more opportunities to take risks in their learning - sharing good practice more widely across the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the roles of middle leaders and managers by: - ensuring they are fully involved in monitoring and evaluating the work of their areas of responsibility - further developing their expertise in analysing assessment data and using this to plan learning. 

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Achievement of pupils

In lessons students answer questions readily, work hard and concentrate on the task in hand. In an English lesson younger students were seen making good progress as they confidently selected a range of suitable adjectives, such as ‘bleak’, ‘angry’ and ‘deserted’ to write a negative description of a park. Most parents and carers, rightly, feel that their children are making good progress and the school is helping them develop good basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Students’ good progress and above average attainment in reading was confirmed when inspectors scrutinised reading records, listened to students read and talked with them about the books they enjoyed. Students’ interest in literature was clearly seen when they asked well- informed and perceptive questions of an author who was visiting the school. Work in students’ books and that on display in classrooms confirmed the good progress that

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Achievement of pupils

all groups of students are making. Disabled students and those who have special educational needs, students who speak English as an additional language and those who need extra help to reach challenging targets all receive timely and sharply focused help from teachers and teaching assistants which enables them to make the same good progress as their peers.

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Achievement of pupils

From broadly average starting points, students achieve well. After two years in the school, their attainment is above average in English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 and also above average when they leave the school after Year 8. Although results in national tests were slightly lower in 2011, the school’s detailed tracking system indicates that the progress of students in all year groups is now accelerating and they are on track to achieve challenging targets this year.

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Quality of teaching

In most lessons teaching is good and never less than satisfactory. Of the high proportion of parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire most agree that their children are taught well. Students respond well to the teaching they receive. In the best lessons they relish the challenging questions, demanding tasks and varied learning opportunities that teachers provide. Year 5 students greatly enjoyed the opportunity to make good use of laptop computers to research information about volcanoes and earthquakes. They then developed good social and teamwork skills by working together to write an explanatory text before presenting and displaying their information in varied and attractive ways. In a history lesson older students were asked challenging and complex questions about the way in which Elizabeth I presented herself through portraits which made them think deeply and greatly extended their understanding. This good practice within the school is not

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Quality of teaching

yet fully shared. In some lessons teaching, although well planned and highly structured, does not allow students opportunities to make maximum progress by learning independently, taking risks and making mistakes. In these lessons teachers’ questioning does not demand students to think deeply enough. Work is marked regularly and students receive good pointers on how to improve their work. Disabled students and those who have special educational needs are well supported both in class and in specialist teaching sessions for smaller groups of students which enable them to make the same good progress as their peers. Teachers implement the planned curriculum well and take every opportunity to promote students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Students have good opportunities to explore other cultures and religions particularly during the recent ‘diversity days’ when differences between people were celebrated.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Students typically behave well. A few parents and carers expressed concerns about behaviour in lessons. Inspectors followed up these concerns rigorously and found, both from observation and the scrutiny of records, that behaviour over time both in lessons and around the school is good. Students speak knowledgeably about different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying and show a sensible attitude to risk and a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe. They say they feel very safe in school and are confident that any rare incidents of bullying will be quickly and firmly dealt with by staff. Students are proud of their school, speak appreciatively of their teachers and clearly enjoy learning. Attendance is consistently above average and students are punctual to school and to lessons. The school provides good support for students whose circumstances make them vulnerable. Several parents and carers commented at length on how well the school has supported their children

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

who are disabled or have special educational needs. The overwhelming majority of parents and carers say that their child feels safe at school.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher and senior leadership team have an excellent understanding of the school’s strengths and an equally clear view of what needs to be done to further raise students’ achievement. They have clearly communicated this to members of the governing body and all staff who share their firm focus on improving the school. In the short time they have been in post they have ensured that assessment data are very well used to rigorously track students’ progress. They have regularly and accurately monitored the quality of teaching, managed performance well and put in place high quality professional development to allow staff to improve their skills. These actions have had a significant impact on accelerating students’ progress over time and are contributing significantly to its good capacity to improve further. With very good support from senior leaders, middle managers are now making much greater use of data to plan learning and are monitoring the work of their

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Leadership and management

departments more closely; this in turn is having a positive impact on students’ learning. However, this work is not yet fully developed and remains an area for improvement. Members of the governing body are very supportive of the school and are kept well informed about students’ achievements. All groups of students are given good equal opportunities to succeed and any gaps between the attainment of different groups of students are narrowing rapidly. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated and the views of all individuals, both students and staff, are equally valued. Safeguarding procedures fully meet requirements and staff are well trained and highly aware of child protection issues.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum meets the needs of students well. It maintains a clear and successful focus on ensuring students are equipped with good basic skills while also providing a range of enrichment activities and courses which add greatly to students’ enjoyment of learning. Students speak enthusiastically about high quality art work they have produced, dramatic productions in which they have taken part and a wealth of trips and visits they have enjoyed. They were equally enthusiastic about visits to national landmarks such as the Olympic stadium and the Houses of Parliament as those to local museums and churches. Thought-provoking assemblies, personal, social, and health education lessons and a rich variety of extra-curricular activities all promote students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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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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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school 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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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school's efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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

Floor standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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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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Inspection of Gosforth East Middle School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 5JT

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave the inspection team when we inspected your school. A particular thank you to those of you who read aloud to us and shared your views with us by filling in the questionnaires and telling us so much about your school. Please thank your parents and carers who also filled in the questionnaires. This is what we have said about your school in our report.  Yours is a good school.  Your behaviour is good and we agree with your view that you are kept safe in school.  Your achievement is good because you make good progress and attain above average standards.  We agree with your view that the teaching you receive is good.  The way your school is led and managed and the curriculum you follow are good.

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Inspection of Gosforth East Middle School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 5JT

This is what we have asked your school to do to help it improve.

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Inspection of Gosforth East Middle School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 5JT

 Make your lessons even better by asking your teachers to: - ensure that you have opportunities to learn by both listening to your teacher and working on your own - ask you challenging questions and give you opportunities to take risks in your learning and learn from your mistakes - share their best ideas for teaching really good lessons.

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Inspection of Gosforth East Middle School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 5JT

We have also asked your teachers to keep checking on the quality of the school’s work and make good use of your test and assessment results to help plan your learning. All of you can help your school become even better by working with your teachers to achieve the very best you can. Yours sincerely

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Inspection of Gosforth East Middle School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 5JT

Ann Ashdown 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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