Lutterworth College

Lutterworth College Bitteswell Road, Lutterworth, LE17 4EW

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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 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 achieve well. They make good progress from their starting points and standards at the end of Year 11 are above average.  Achievement in English is particularly good. There is a strong emphasis on developing students’ literacy skills in a range of subjects.  Teaching is good overall, with some outstanding practice. Skilled questioning and regular checking of learning help students to make consistently good progress in many subjects.  Students behave well. They have good attitudes to learning and work very well together.  Senior leaders are working successfully to drive improvements in teaching and learning.  Governors have the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles well and all leaders are strongly committed to the school’s continued improvement.  The school offers a wide range of subjects and activities that appeal to students’ interests and ambitions. The work of the school’s off-site

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

enterprise centre is outstanding.  The sixth form is good. Students are given good quality support, advice and guidance and achieve well.  The school’s promotion of equal opportunities is strong. All students are encouraged to fulfil their potential.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to make sure all students make rapid progress. Occasionally, students are not given opportunities to find things out for themselves.  The quality of marking and feedback is not consistently high across the school.  Achievement in mathematics is not as high as that in English. Questioning is not always used well in mathematics lessons and, sometimes, expectations of what students can achieve are too low.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 42 lessons taught by 42 teachers. Four of these observations were carried out jointly with members of the school’s leadership team. Inspectors also carried out a series of shorter visits to lessons.  One inspector visited the school’s enterprise centre to gather evidence on the quality of teaching and learning in this setting.  Meetings were held with staff, groups of students and five members of the governing body.  Inspectors took account of the 99 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). Responses to questionnaires completed by 102 staff were also analysed and considered  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation including national published assessment data and the school’s own data, the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plans, safeguarding policies, behaviour policies and records and documents relating to setting targets for teachers to

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Inspection team

Julie Price Grimshaw, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Kevin Harrison Additional Inspector Christine Young Additional Inspector Kerin Jones Additional Inspector Robert Steed Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Lutterworth College is much larger than the average–sized school.  The great majority of students are of White British heritage and very few speak English as an additional language.  The school converted to become an academy school on 1 June 2012. When its predecessor school, also known as Lutterworth College, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is below average. This is additional support for looked-after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils with a parent in the armed services. No students from service families

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Information about this school

currently attend the school.  There are places for 16 students at the school’s own off-site enterprise centre, with placements varying in length depending on students’ individual circumstances. In addition, 31 students attend Guthlaxton College and South Leicester College for two days per week to follow courses in hair and beauty, motor vehicle mechanics or construction.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards for secondary schools, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by making sure that:  the quality of marking and feedback is consistently high across the school  students are given more opportunities to take a more active role in their learning and find things out for themselves.  Raise achievement in mathematics so that it is in line with that in English by making sure that:  all teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve  questioning is used well in mathematics lessons to check understanding, increase students’ engagement and extend their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students’ attainment on entry to the school is above average and their overall progress is good. Examination results in 2012 were above average. Students’ work and information on their attainment and progress show that current standards are also above average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in English is particularly good. Students also make rapid progress in a number of other subjects, including design and technology, history, drama and religious education, and attainment in these subjects is well above average. The school does not make early entries for GCSE examinations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although standards in mathematics are above the national average, achievement in this subject is lower than that in English. Nevertheless, the rate of students’ progress in mathematics has recently begun to accelerate.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled students and those who have special educational needs achieve well. The progress of individual students is very carefully tracked and staff make sure that they receive good quality support. Students supported through school action plus and those with a statement of special educational needs do particularly well. There are no significant gaps between the achievement of different groups of students across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s effective use of the pupil premium funding means that students receiving this support achieve well. In 2012, there was little difference between the attainment of these students and others in English at the end of Key Stage 4. In mathematics examinations, students eligible for the pupil premium attained approximately one grade lower than other students; however, this gap is now closing rapidly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in the sixth form is good. Students following A level courses achieve well and those following applied programmes, including BTEC, make especially good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s strong emphasis on the development of literacy and communication skills across a range of subjects supports students’ good achievement. A recent initiative to encourage students to increase their enjoyment of reading, and to read a variety of different types of books, is proving to be very successful.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students who attend the school’s enterprise centre benefit greatly from the high quality provision there and many make rapid progress as a result. Students following programmes offered through local colleges of further education also achieve well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Throughout the school, the climate for learning in lessons is at least good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and often plan a range of activities that keep students engaged in their learning. Where teaching is best there is a strong and constant focus on progress, with students reflecting continuously on what they are learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The majority of teachers have responded well to the school’s drive to improve the use of questioning in lessons and this is often a strength of teaching. Where teaching is most effective, questions are carefully targeted at individuals and this helps to build students’ confidence, as well as enabling teachers to gain information on their understanding and progress during the lesson.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In mathematics lessons questioning is not always used well to check students’ understanding, extend learning and increase engagement. Occasionally, the same few students answer questions while others are less involved. In addition, teachers’ expectations of what students can achieve in mathematics lessons are lower than in most other subjects, and this slows students’ progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In contrast, where teaching is outstanding, expectations of students are extremely high and most rise to the challenge very well. Teachers make frequent checks on students’ learning and are quick to adjust work, or try different explanations, if there are any doubts about students’ understanding. Because these teachers make sure that students have a very secure understanding of the work before moving on to new tasks, progress is rapid.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use praise and encouragement well to motivate students. Where teaching is best, feedback during lessons is used to create a highly positive learning environment where all students are keen to contribute and are not afraid to make mistakes. This was evident in an outstanding modern languages lesson observed during the inspection where students were very keen to share their oral work with their teacher and classmates, taking all advice on board and making excellent progress as a result.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the small amount of teaching that requires improvement, teachers often talk too much and do not always give students the opportunity to find things out for themselves.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Much of the marking and feedback given by teachers is of exemplary quality and leads to students having a very accurate understanding of how well they are working and what they need to do to improve. However, this excellent practice in not sufficiently widespread and some teachers do not give enough good-quality guidance to students. In a small minority of teaching groups, students’ work is not marked regularly enough.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Almost all students are polite and courteous. They have a mature and responsible approach and incidents of poor behaviour, either in lessons or around the school buildings, are rare. Exclusion rates are low.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attitudes to learning are good overall. Where teaching is outstanding, students have excellent attitudes to learning and are keen to make rapid progress. They develop resilience, drive and confidence. Their enthusiasm is an important factor in their good, and sometimes outstanding, achievement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students’ attitudes to learning are occasionally less positive when they are not given enough opportunities to take responsibility for their learning. Nevertheless, learning is very rarely disrupted by poor behaviour and most students maintain focus and concentration even when their role is largely passive.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students feel safe in school. They have a secure awareness of the different forms of bullying, partly due to the school’s good provision in this area. They are confident that the school would deal promptly and effectively with any such incidents. Some students have a particularly good understanding of the problems caused by various forms of discrimination, for example racism and homophobia, and take an active role in raising other students’ awareness of these issues, promoting tolerance, sensitivity and compassion.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has good systems for managing students’ behaviour and also provides good quality pastoral support. There are established and effective procedures for ensuring the good behaviour and safety of those students who attend off-site provision.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is broadly average and improving, especially for sixth-form students. Most students attend well and arrive at school, and their lessons, on time.

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The leadership and management are good

 The principal and other members of the senior leadership team, including those responsible for the sixth form, have a focused and clear vision for the school’s future. This is leading to improvements in the quality of teaching and students’ achievement. There is a clear awareness of the school’s main strengths and areas for development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching and learning are managed well. There is a robust system for managing teachers’ performance, linked to pay increases. Targets for teachers to improve their work are linked to the school’s main priorities for development, but leaders also recognise that individual teachers may need support and training in particular aspects of their work. Training activities are organised to tackle these areas and improvements in classroom practice across the school are already evident.

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The leadership and management are good

 The good range of subjects and programmes on offer, both in Key Stage 4 and the sixth form, is constantly under review. As a result, students are able to choose subjects, either at the school or through off-site provision, that appeal to their interests and prepare them well for the next stage of their education, training or employment. A good variety of extra-curricular activities ensures that there are plenty of opportunities for students to continue their learning outside the classroom, for example through sporting and musical events.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s enterprise centre offers an innovative approach to supporting students with a range of particular learning and behavioural needs. The quality of provision here is outstanding. Students are given high-quality support and are encouraged to participate in a range of creative projects linked to enterprise work. They take tremendous pride in their work and have produced some beautifully crafted items. The enterprise centre has had a substantial impact on the achievement, attendance and attitudes of its students.

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The leadership and management are good

 Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. The school recognised the need to focus more on cultural development and is now working on a number of initiatives to promote greater cultural awareness amongst students.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works particularly well to ensure that all students, regardless of their circumstances or backgrounds, have an equal opportunity to succeed. This is evident through, for example, the work of the enterprise centre, but also in the school’s good use of the pupil premium funding. This funding is used to purchase a range of resources, but also to make sure that those eligible for support have access to opportunities such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. The funding is also used for bursaries for eligible students who choose to join the sixth form and can be then spent on resources that they need to support their learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school makes good use of external support provided by consultants engaged directly. School leaders recognise the potential to extend further some of the successful work already carried out with its external advisers.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors offer high–quality support to the school but also provide challenge by making sure that all issues are explored thoroughly with the school’s leaders. The governing body has an accurate view of the school’s performance when compared to other schools. Training has ensured that governors have a secure understanding of how students’ achievement is tracked and measured. The governing body has taken an active role in discussing how pupil premium funding is spent and also its impact on the achievement of students who receive this support. Governors have an accurate view of the quality of teaching in the school and are also involved in discussions on the performance management of teachers, including links between performance and pay. The budget is well managed and the governing body makes sure that all statutory requirements, including those relating to safeguarding, are met.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors are frequent visitors to the school and are keen to find out as much as possible about day-to-day issues. For example, an inspector observed a planned lunchtime meeting where governors gathered a great deal of evidence from student representatives on their views, using this information to plan further discussions on future strategies. Members of the governing body are strongly committed to the school’s ongoing improvement and have the skills and expertise necessary to support senior leaders.

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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 138150 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 413451

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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 Non-maintained Age range of pupils 11–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1897 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 612 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Warren Headteacher Andrew Cooper (Principal) Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01455 554101 Fax number 01455 553725 Email address enquiries@lc.leics.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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