The Burgate School and Sixth Form

The Burgate School and Sixth Form Salisbury Road, Fordingbridge, SP6 1EZ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Students show each other and staff respect and are determined to work hard. Their behaviour is impeccable and they report that bullying is very rare and is dealt with effectively.  The success of the students is improving and they are now making rapid progress and achieving their true potential in almost all subjects.  The great majority of teaching is engaging and helps students to become independent in their learning, ready for the world beyond school.  The sixth form is good. It offers students a wide range of opportunities to develop as mature, well-rounded people.  Leaders and managers have improved the ways that they check on students’ achievement, especially in Years 7 to 11, in order to make sure that all students do as well as possible.  The governing body provides good direction and checks the school’s work effectively.  The good curriculum caters for all the students and provides them with opportunities beyond

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the school to learn and develop for their lives in the 21st century.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough of the teaching is outstanding. On occasions, students are not given enough time to think for themselves and learn how to solve problems. Not all students’ work is marked in a way that helps them to know exactly what to do to improve further and how to stretch and challenge themselves.  In the sixth form, information about students’ progress is not used well enough to ensure that every student achieves their full potential.

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Information about this inspection

 The majority of the sixth form and Year 11 students were taking examinations during the two days of the inspection but their work was looked at and, where possible, inspectors saw teaching in the sixth form for those students not in examinations.  Inspectors saw 47 lessons taught by 43 teachers. Some lessons were observed with the senior leaders of the school. Inspectors analysed a range of work produced by students.  Meetings were held with students from almost all year groups, representatives of the governing body and school staff. The lead inspector had a conversation with the external improvement adviser for the school.  Inspectors looked at the 100 responses to the on-line Parent View survey, as well as responses to the school’s own surveys of the views of parents and carers. They also analysed 57 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Kathy Maddocks, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Paul Sadler Additional Inspector Babrul Matin Additional Inspector Trevor Woods Additional Inspector Mary Hoather Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The Burgate School and Sixth Form is a mixed secondary school of average size. The majority of students in Years 7 to 11 come from the local primary schools. However, students in the sixth form also come from the bordering counties of Wiltshire and Dorset.  The school converted to become an academy in May 2011. When its predecessor school, The Burgate School and Sixth Form Centre, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be satisfactory.  Most students are from a White British background.  The proportion of students supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below the national average, as is the proportion supported through school action.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding for looked after children, students known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families, is below average.

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Information about this school

 There are considerably more boys than girls in all year groups apart from the sixth form where the ratio is more balanced.  Alternative provision is made for a small proportion of students in Years 10 and 11 through courses at Sparsholt and Wiltshire further education colleges.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Achieve outstanding teaching by always:  stretching and challenging the most-able students through providing more opportunities for them to use higher-order thinking skills and to learn independently  planning work in all subjects that exactly matches the needs, abilities and aptitudes of individual students  marking and assessing students’ work regularly and making it clear what students need to do to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Maximise the achievement of all students in the sixth form through:  improving the analysis and use of data relating to students’ progress  using the findings to ensure that all tasks are appropriately challenging.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students join the school in Year 7 with above average attainment. They make good progress in the majority of subjects. Where progress was slower in 2012, as in art and in design and technology, senior leaders have taken strong remedial action to accelerate progress and this is reflected in the improved work of current students.  By the end of Year 11, students make better than expected progress in English and mathematics in comparison with the national picture. As a result, attainment in these subjects in GCSE examinations in 2012 was well above average. The school has recognised that some of the students who come into the school with lower attainment in mathematics have not made such good progress in the past and have improved the teaching and monitoring of these students so that their progress is improving.  The vast majority of students develop good skills in reading, writing, communication and

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The achievement of pupils is good

numeracy, providing them with the basic requirements for further training, education and employment. Students read widely and well, but the opportunity to provide further guidance on the choice of books to increase engagement and challenge is missing. Literacy across the curriculum is developing well.  The school has reliable information about the performance of current students in Year 11 and it shows that their attainment and progress are set to rise still further. The regular review of this data means that any student who is at risk of making slower progress is very quickly identified and supported appropriately with various strategies to put them back on track.  In some lessons in English, mathematics, art, media studies and German, students’ progress is often excellent.  The majority of disabled students and those with special educational needs are well supported by resources in the classroom and make good progress, reflecting the school’s effective

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The achievement of pupils is good

promotion of equality of opportunity. The recognition that the progress of a few is sometimes slower than necessary to meet the challenging targets that are set is not always identified quickly enough.  The school’s evidence for 2012 and 2013, based on average points scores, shows that the school is closing the gap between the standards of those students who are supported by the pupil premium and those of all students nationally. In 2012, the gap between the performance of these students was greater than that found nationally.  The progress of students attending alternative provision is checked regularly, and shows that they make good progress on the courses they attend.  Generally, sixth form students achieve well. They make especially good progress in AS-level courses during Year 12. In Year 13, those capable of attaining the highest grades do not always achieve their maximum potential.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There has been careful planning and training to improve teaching in the school as well as robust selection processes to recruit and promote staff of high quality. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and are able to correct any misunderstandings by the students, and to use careful and guided questioning to ensure that all students fully understand. The pace of lessons is crisp and positive.  The excellent relationships between students and staff revolve around mutual respect. This allows for a range of activities to be undertaken without risk of disruption or silliness. Where teaching is less effective, it is often because the teacher tries to take too much control and interrupts the learning unnecessarily.  Staff members include all students in their learning and ensure that they can access the work.  Time is allocated for teachers to spend with teaching assistants so that they can plan work

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The quality of teaching is good

together. This means that the assistants work more effectively with those students who need the support to improve their learning.  Students are articulate and able to share points in discussion, ask relevant questions and express their own opinions. This was particularly effective in tutorials when subjects such as road safety, politics, healthy eating and finance were discussed.  Marking provides some good feedback but it is not consistently strong in all subject areas. Exercise books are sometimes not marked regularly to help students structure and organise their work effectively. Instructions on how to improve are not always sufficiently precise.  Senior leaders and teachers have tried different approaches to ensure that teaching meets the needs of all students in the many classes that contain an unusually high proportion of boys. They are rightly evaluating the relative success of these approaches in order to ensure that the

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The quality of teaching is good

differing needs of boys and girls are always met.  In the best lessons, for example in Years 7 and 8 in modern foreign languages, the teaching was exceptionally well planned so that the work was matched exactly to the needs of the students. This approach is not fully established in all subjects, such as science and design and technology, hence teaching is not yet outstanding.  Most teaching in the sixth form is good or better. In an outstanding mathematics lesson, the students worked independently using their own portable technology equipment and then brought their findings together through a carefully crafted discussion facilitated by the teacher. This was an example of highly skilled problem solving. In lessons where this approach was less evident, the most able were not sufficiently challenged in a way that would secure their chances of attaining the highest grades.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school has had almost no exclusions since becoming an academy and attendance rates are consistently well above the national average. Students are mature and responsible young people who respect the adults in the school, each other and the buildings and equipment. These features are an excellent reflection of the school’s strong fostering of good relationships.  Students’ attitudes in the classroom are extremely positive and even the most modest misbehaviour is almost unknown. On the rare occasions when this occurs, it is dealt with calmly and effectively without disturbing the learning of others. Students are punctual to lessons and prepare themselves well for learning.  Students feel very safe in the school and parents, carers and staff agree that this is the case. Students are aware of the many different types of bullying and have received comprehensive guidance on how to deal with cyber-bullying and to keep themselves safe when using the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

internet. Records show that occurrences of bullying are rare. Students are confident in the way with which these situations are handled, showing that discrimination is tackled effectively.  Students who attend alternative provision, such as college courses, attend well and feel safe in the different learning environments.  The excellent care, support and guidance in the sixth form are particular strengths, with a wide range of extra-curricular activities offered and high-quality guidance provided on opportunities beyond school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has been in post for two years and, together with the governing body and other senior leaders, has a good understanding of the needs of the school.  With his senior leadership team, the headteacher has worked hard to implement the necessary changes to ensure a curriculum appropriate for a school in the 21st century, with students who are globally aware. Further work remains to be done, especially in the areas of information and communication technology (ICT) and students’ access to it. The project to enhance ICT in the sixth form has been successful and it is rightly planned to extend this to the rest of the school.  The performance management and professional development of staff is focused relentlessly on improving teaching and learning, to ensure that the results for all the students reflect their full potential. Appropriately robust action to improve teaching has been taken where necessary, and

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The leadership and management are good

the use of coaching by more skilled staff has also led to improved teaching.  The school improvement plan and evaluation processes are in place but lack sharpness with respect to clear time lines and explicit ways of checking that the actions taken have been successful.  The school promotes students’ understanding of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues well through assemblies, tutor time and in many lessons. In a Year 11 geography lesson, students considered arguments for and against building a housing development near an airport, and in an English lesson, Year 10 students considered whether they would have been as willing to fight for their country as the young men who signed up for the First World War. The leadership of this area is strong.  Pupil premium funding is carefully managed and provides one-to-one teaching, extra literacy support and additional learning resources as well as training to relevant staff. There is additional

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The leadership and management are good

provision at the start of the day and at break times for these students, so that they are well prepared and ready to learn.  An independent external adviser provides effective support and challenge to the leadership team.  Students are not routinely entered for GCSE and other examinations before the usual time. When this happens, it does not limit the student’s potential to attain the highest grades in the subject or course.  The school works well with parents and carers and the great majority are appreciative of this. One set of parents and carers described how they valued the way that the headteacher was prepared to involve himself and seek solutions. Another wrote in support of the exceptional care and guidance that has been shown to her child since entering the sixth form.  The sixth form is of good quality. Its leadership has ensured a positive ethos for students, but the monitoring of students’ progress and of teaching is not rigorous enough. Appropriate

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The leadership and management are good

interventions for those who are struggling to achieve their potential are not checked effectively.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements and all staff are updated regularly on the requirements for child protection.  The governance of the school:  Leadership of the governing body changed in December 2012. Minutes of its meetings show that the governing body questions the actions of senior leaders and ensures appropriate value for money. Governors understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are aware of students’ achievements and how these relate to the national figures. Their understanding is more secure for Years 7 to 11 than it is for the sixth form. They also understand the use of the pupil premium and its impact. They know how performance management is used, its rewards to teachers as well as its impact on improvement, and challenge this when necessary.

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The leadership and management are good

A policy linking teachers’ remuneration to their performance is rightly under development. Governors fulfil their responsibilities well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 136719 Inspection number 406648

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Academy converter School category Foundation 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 1002 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 283 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jenny Hair Headteacher David Pover Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01425 652039 Fax number 01425 656625 Email address burgate@burgate.hants.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

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. 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

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School details

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

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School details

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

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