The Burton Borough School

The Burton Borough School Audley Avenue, Newport, TF10 7DS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Students make good progress The number of students gaining five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, has improved over the last three years and is now significantly above the national average.  Teaching is good. Staff have received good quality support and training to help them improve their teaching. Lessons provide engaging and interesting activities that extend students' learning.  Students who need extra help to catch up are given effective support. As a result, the gaps in attainment between different groups are closing and almost all groups of pupils achieve well.  Students are keen to learn and they behave well. Their personal and cultural development benefits from the wide range of opportunities to participate in activities after school and to work with other schools and organisations in the local community.  The leadership team has relentlessly prioritised

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the raising of standards and improving the quality of teaching and learning. The school development plan is clearly focused on improving outcomes for all students.  Governors provide good oversight of the school's work and have an accurate understanding of how well it is doing.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a small minority of lessons teachers do not always plan activities that are pitched at the right level for students' abilities.  In some subjects teachers’ marking does not give students helpful guidance.  Governors do not have a systematic enough approach to reviewing policies. Consequently, some policies are not as up-to-date as they should be.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 37 lessons taught by 36 teachers and an inspector heard a group of students read. All members of the senior leadership team carried out joint lesson observations with inspectors.  Discussions took place with three groups of students, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body, a representative of the local authority and a wide range of staff including the headteacher, senior leaders and middle leaders.  The inspectors looked at the Ofsted on-line questionnaire, Parent View, to inform the inspection findings. In total there were 97 responses. Inspectors also examined questionnaires returned by staff and responses to the school’s own surveys from parents and pupils.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents including, the school development plan, students’ work, progress data, minutes of meetings from the governing body, attendance data and records showing how the school cares for and protects students.

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Inspection team

Jane Millward, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Judith Gooding Additional Inspector Dr Alan Brewerton Additional Inspector Michael Marks Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding for children in local authority care, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, or those who have a parent in the armed forces, is lower than the national average. Most students are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is lower than the national average, as is the number of students who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special education needs is higher than the national average.  The school meets the current government floor standard which sets the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for students’ attainment and progress.  Some students attend alternative provision off-site, for example, Telford College of Arts and Technology.  The school is a specialist arts college.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching by:  ensuring that work in all lessons is set at the right level of difficulty for all students in the class  making sure that all teachers provide clear written guidance to students on what they need to do to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards further so that student’s achievement is outstanding by:  continuing to develop courses taught in Key Stage 3  developing and applying literacy and numeracy skills across all subjects  ensuring lesson observations include enough information on how well students are learning in the lessons being observed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure all policies are consistently implemented, regularly updated and ratified by the governing body.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 School data and evidence from lesson observations show students are making good progress. Their good achievement is a result of effective teaching and high quality care, support and guidance. Staff know students well and target support towards those who most need it. Most parents and carers who responded to the on-line questionnaire believe that their children make good progress.  Students join the school with starting points that are above national averages. The standards they reach at GCSE in most subjects are significantly above average and improving. Current Year 11 students are on track to outperform those who took their GCSEs in 2012.  The school makes good use of the pupil premium to provide extra staffing and intervention programmes to help students make progress. These students attain similarly to their peers and their progress in English and mathematics is better than similar students nationally. Data held by

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The achievement of pupils is good

the school further indicates that the gap in attainment between different groups is closing.  The progress of disabled students and those with special educational needs has improved rapidly and is now good. However, students with a statement of special educational needs make slower, though adequate, progress.  The school enters students early for GCSE mathematics as part of its strategy to raise standards. This decision has been carefully considered and is regularly evaluated. Students continue to study mathematics through their time in school and as a result, attainment is significantly better than the national average.  The Key Stage 4 students who study off-site make good progress because of the high quality, well-tailored provision. Arrangements for monitoring their progress, attendance and punctuality are effective. For example, Telford College of Arts and Technology is an effective provider. All

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The achievement of pupils is good

students who attend alternative provision through the school achieve a qualification.  The school provides effective reading support to students in Year 7 who find reading difficult. Analysis of data show significant gains are made in helping students catch up. For example, in the current Year 7, over half the students who received support improved their reading ages by two years in a 12 week period. Other students read widely and often because they make good use of the library. There are many good opportunities for students to use their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. However, this is not consistently the case and sometimes opportunities are missed to show how literacy and numeracy skills are developed across a wider range of subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved and is now good. Evidence provided from discussions with senior leaders, lesson observations and scrutiny of students’ work shows that good teaching supports all groups of students to achieve well. Since the last inspection leaders and managers have focused on improving the quality of teaching and this work has paid off.  Most parents and carers agree that their children are taught well. Good lessons are characterised by: - effective questioning by the teacher that is directed to individual learners - opportunities for students to discuss ideas with their partner and work in groups - the teacher’s good subject knowledge which is used to motivate and interest pupils - quick pace to learning with well-structured activities that build on student’s prior knowledge.  Teacher’s marking provides students with support and guidance of what they need to do to improve. However, this is not uniform across all subjects because in some cases, feedback does

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The quality of teaching is good

not set out in clear steps exactly what students need to do to improve work to the next level.  In most lessons teachers regularly check on the progress students are making, for example in an art lesson work had been matched skilfully to the abilities of all learners and the teacher ensured students made outstanding progress. In a small minority of lessons, work is not set at the right level for all students so that some find it too easy and others too hard.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour around the school is generally good. Students are polite and courteous to adults and most are respectful to each other. In lessons, students work well in teams and groups. Students attend registration in mixed year groups ranging from Year 7 to Year 11. This has helped to improve relationships and the older students are effective in supporting younger ones in tutor time.  The school provides good support for students whose circumstances make them vulnerable. Teachers and support staff work closely with outside agencies to ensure students receive specialist help. This has a positive impact on student’s behaviour and parents and carers told inspectors they value this help.  Students respond well to good and outstanding teaching, showing positive attitudes to learning. However, in some instances when students find work too easy or too hard, behaviour is a little less positive because students go off task. Nonetheless, this is usually managed well by

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

teachers.  The school’s ‘help desk’ is appreciated by students. It acts as a point of contact for reporting infrequent incidents of bullying. Students told inspectors they value this facility and, as a result, it helps students to feel safe in school. Students understand the different types of bullying and are encouraged to keep themselves safe. Particular support is given to help students understand the dangers of the internet.  The large majority of parents and carers feel the school deals effectively with bullying. A few concerns were raised with how behaviour sanctions are consistently applied. However, inspectors found behaviour to be good.  Attendance continues to improve and is above the national average. The school has worked hard to encourage students to attend school regularly and employs an education welfare officer to continue to improve this aspect of the school's work.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders are united in their approach and leaders' skills complement those of one other. Improvements have been made because all leaders are highly focussed on improving standards for all groups and developing teaching and learning further. The headteacher consults and listens well to staff, governors, students and the local authority to bring about change.  The headteacher uses effective methods to develop the way in which targets are used to further improve teacher’s performance. National guidance on teaching is used well and there is a clear link between lesson observations, feedback, roles and responsibilities and the targets set to improve individual performance. Any identified weaknesses in teaching become a focus for improvement.  Lessons are observed regularly and staff are given feedback on how to improve their work. However, the way in which lessons are observed gives a significant focus on teaching and the

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The leadership and management are good

school acknowledges that greater focus is needed on student’s learning.

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The leadership and management are good

A wide range of training has been delivered to improve the quality of teaching. Well-tailored, individual support has been given to teachers to improve lessons. In the past where teachers have not performed well enough, they have been given effective support and their development has been closely linked to targets to manage their performance.  The monitoring of pupil premium funding is effective and the impact is clearly measured. Student’s rates of progress are checked and the school helps these students through the use of additional adults and intervention programmes. As a result, students make good progress.  Leaders know the school very well. They accurately assess the strengths and priorities and work successfully to improve outcomes. Leaders tackle discrimination and ensure the progress of different groups of students have improved. Subject leaders are developing their roles and effectiveness. They evaluate the success of their subjects and have plans of how they will make

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The leadership and management are good

a difference. New literacy and numeracy leaders are currently writing policies which reflect good practice. These policies have not yet been presented to the governing body.  The courses taught in Key Stage 3 are being reviewed to make it more innovative. A group of teachers and a governor are developing this work across the school. This shows how the school continually improves and how leaders look at ways to improve even further. The school’s arts specialism is well led and managed.  The local authority provides a range of good support for the school that is well received. For example, governors have received training on how to interpret the school’s data. The school is working with a range of partners, such as an executive consultant and a local leader of education. This support has been organised through the local authority.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are knowledgeable about the work of the school. They provide effective support and have received training on how to better challenge school leaders. They understand how the school is using pupil premium funding and are aware of the difference it is making to student’s performance. Governors understand the school’s data and know where the strengths and weaknesses lie. They regularly discuss the quality of teaching with the headteacher and the impact this has on the school’s performance. Teacher targets for improvement are shared with governors and the governing body supports the headteacher by tackling underperformance. Governors, along with leaders in school, take the safety and well-being of all students seriously. While they meet regularly and are focused on the school’s priorities, they do not have a rigorous structure to review policies and procedures in a systematic way.

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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 123574 Local authority Telford and Wrekin Inspection number 402178

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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 Secondary School category Community Age range of pupils 11-16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1044 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Broomhead Headteacher David Hill Date of previous school inspection 17 March 2010 Telephone number 01952 386500 Fax number 01952 417552 Email address burton.borough@taw.org.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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