Great Baddow High School

Great Baddow High School Duffield Road, Beehive Lane, Chelmsford, CM2 9RZ

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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.  The proportion of students gaining five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics is above the national average. Student progress is improving and is good.  Students who need extra help to catch up are given effective support. As a result, the gaps in attainment between different groups are closing.  The specialist provision for hearing impaired students is a strength of the school.  Teaching is good. There are examples of outstanding teaching in a range of subjects across the school.  Students enjoy school and behave well. They are courteous and polite. Students say they feel safe and that bullying is rare.  The sixth form is good and the students do well in their examinations.  The headteacher and other school leaders have high expectations for all students. They have well-founded plans for making further improvements in student attainment and progress.  The governing body is very well informed and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

offers senior leaders an appropriate balance of support and challenge.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to move student achievement from good to outstanding.  Students are not always given enough opportunity to work independently and find things out for themselves.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 53 lessons or part lessons, of which 21 were joint observations with senior members of staff.  Inspectors spoke to groups of students and looked at samples of students’ work.  Meetings were held with a wide range of staff, including the headteacher, senior leaders and subject leaders, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 105 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, three letters from parents and the 100 responses to the staff questionnaire during the inspection.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s summary of its strengths and weaknesses, records of student progress, other monitoring records, minutes of governing body meetings and safeguarding documentation.

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Inspection team

David Talbot, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rosemarie McCarthy Additional Inspector Michael Stanton Additional Inspector Godfrey Bancroft Additional Inspector Lynne Thorogood Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Great Baddow High School converted to become an academy school on 1 July 2011. When the predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected it was judged to be good.  This is a larger than the average-sized secondary school with a sixth form.  The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for students known to be eligible for free school meals, children looked after by the local authority and those who have a parent in the armed forces, is lower than the national average.  The school receives additional government funds for students now in Year 7 who did not achieve the expected Level 4 in English at the end of Key Stage 2.  Most students are of White British heritage. The proportion of students who are from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion that speak English as an additional language are well below national averages.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs that are

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Information about this school

supported at school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is below average.  There is a specialist resource base for up to 18 students with a hearing impairment.  Some students attend off-site provision at Chelmsford College, Writtle College, Thriftwood Special School, Heybridge Pupil Referral Unit, the YMCA and Galleywood Youth Centre.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum levels expected for students’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of teaching that is outstanding by:  sharing the best practice that already exists within the school more widely  developing the use of more probing and open-ended questioning  promoting more consistency across all subjects in challenging the most able  developing more opportunities for independent learning by the students.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students join the school with levels of attainment that are broadly average. They make good progress and the proportion of students gaining five or more GCSE grades A* to C including English and mathematics is above the national average. Attainment was high in some subjects in 2012, including art, German, mathematics, physical education and science.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 As a result of carefully targeted support and intervention, the progress of students in English is improving rapidly and is now above average. The proportions of students making or exceeding expected progress in mathematics continue to compare very favourably with national figures.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school has used its pupil premium well to provide additional staffing and intervention programmes to help students make at least the same progress as their peers and often greater progress. Results in English and mathematics for these students are improving and are now less than one grade lower than their peers. In Year 7 this intervention has been so successful that there is no significant difference between the performance of these students and their peers in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled students and those who have special educational needs make good progress as a result of the extensive support provided by teachers and other adults who have a very good understanding of each student’s needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The majority of students with a hearing impairment make excellent progress as a result of the high quality specialist support they receive. Those that make slower progress have additional learning needs, but they still make expected progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school uses its additional Year 7 funding well to provide good support for those students in Year 7 who find reading difficult and this is helping them to make at least good progress. Enthusiasm for reading and progress are encouraged by a sports readers’ programme that is run before school, with over 40 Year 7 students attending this on a regular basis.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students are entered for GCSE mathematics early in Year 11. This is done to support good achievement and those students who do not reach their expected grades are given another opportunity to take the examination.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of students who attend off-site provision is tracked and monitored carefully. As a result, most of these students achieve well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Sixth form students demonstrate very positive attitudes to their learning. They are confidently able to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding to new learning, and as a result they make at least the progress they should make.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The overwhelming majority of parents and carers who expressed a view were positive about the progress their child was making at the school and the information they receive about their child’s progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching supports the good achievement of the students. Most of the teaching seen during the inspection was good or outstanding and matched the school’s own evaluation of the quality of teaching.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Outstanding teaching was seen in a number of subjects, including English and science. In a Year 9 religious education lesson, a group of students was given the responsibility of preparing and leading a lesson on the liberation of Auschwitz. There was tremendous energy in this lesson and both the learning and progress of all the students were outstanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of the students and in the best lessons they are actively encouraged to achieve their target grades. Where teaching requires improvement, the lesson is often dominated by the teacher talking for too long and the work is not matched to the needs of the students, particularly the more able, so their progress is slower than it should be.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There was some evidence of good questioning by the teacher in the better lessons but opportunities were often missed to promote outstanding progress through the use of more probing and open-ended questions.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Regular and thorough marking in most subjects provides helpful guidance to students on how to improve their work. Teachers consistently let the students know whether their work is above, on or below their target grade. The students find this very helpful.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Other adults are used well to help those students with additional learning needs. Support from other adults to students with a hearing impairment is of the highest quality and makes a very positive contribution to their progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the sixth form is good. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, know the students well and provide a range of challenging activities that offer students the opportunity to make real progress in their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 There is a very positive ethos in the school and it is a civilised environment. Behaviour around the school is good, including at break and lunchtime. Students are polite, respectful and courteous to each other and to adults.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Disabled students and those who have special educational needs, including those who have a hearing impairment, are fully integrated into the life of the school. One student with a hearing impairment said, ‘Every parent wants their child to be supported and it happens here. This school has made me the person I am today.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The overwhelming majority of students have positive attitudes to their learning and respond well to the systems the school has to manage behaviour. Behaviour is not outstanding because in those lessons that are less strong, students’ concentration can lapse and they go off task.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The number of exclusions has fallen sharply this year. This is due to the range of interventions in place to improve the behaviour of students who might otherwise be excluded.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Students enjoy school and feel safe. They are well aware of different kinds of bullying relating to race, gender or sexual orientation. They have a good awareness of the danger of cyber bullying. Students say that bullying is rare and, when it does occur, staff deal with it and resolve it quickly.  The school successfully combats discrimination and ensures equality of opportunity for all its students. Students show respect and understanding towards others from different backgrounds or circumstances, especially for those who are disabled and those who have special educational needs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Older students, including those in the sixth form, are positive role models for younger members of the school community.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Attendance has improved and is average. There are good systems in place to monitor attendance and the school is prepared to take a firm line with the parents of students who are persistently absent.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The vast majority of parents agree that behaviour is good and their children are kept safe.

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The leadership and management is good

 The school is very well led by the headteacher and her senior team. They work well together with subject leaders and promote a real sense of purpose and high expectations among staff and students.

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The leadership and management is good

 Senior leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and there are well-designed improvement plans in place to drive up standards further. There is no complacency.

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The leadership and management is good

 Leadership and management are not yet outstanding because, although student achievement is improving as a result of better teaching and more focussed intervention, it is not yet at the highest level. The improvements do demonstrate the capacity for further improvement.

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The leadership and management is good

 Staff morale is high, with one member of staff commenting that the school ‘has never been as good as it is now’. Every member of staff who completed the staff survey agreed that the school is well led and managed.

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The leadership and management is good

 The monitoring of teaching and learning is at the heart of the school’s drive for improvement. Where teaching falls short of good, an individualised support programme is put in place and this includes regular observations, with developmental feedback.

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The leadership and management is good

 There is a close link between teachers’ performance and pay awards with targets closely linked to the school’s priorities and student achievement. There are good professional development opportunities for staff, including the opportunity to become an associate member of the senior leadership team for a term, something that is highly valued by middle leaders.

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The leadership and management is good

 The curriculum has been adapted well to meet the needs and aspirations of the students. There is an appropriate mix of academic and vocational courses at Key Stage 4. Alternative provision, mainly through a wide range of off-site courses organised by the school, supports the academic and social progress of vulnerable students very well.

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The leadership and management is good

 Leadership and management of the sixth form are good. The students value the way in which the sixth form is run, as well as the expert support they are given when applying for the next stage in their education.

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The leadership and management is good

 The specialist unit for students with a hearing impairment is well managed. Where necessary, specialists from outside the school are brought in to support the students. The unit successfully involves the parents of hearing impaired students.

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The leadership and management is good

 The school supports students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through its positive ethos, inclusive community, appropriate curriculum and wide-range of activities outside the timetabled day. There is an exceptionally large number of sporting opportunities for students to join. In the first two terms of this school year there were over 300 fixtures.

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The leadership and management is good

 The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements, including checks on the attendance, welfare and safety of students at alternative provision.

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The leadership and management is good

 Parents and carers agree that the school is well led and managed.

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The leadership and management is good

 The school has a productive relationship with the local authority, which provides a good balance between support and challenge in order to help the school make further progress.

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The leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is very effective. Members are supportive of the headteacher and her senior colleagues, readily holding them to account for the performance of the school. They have a very good understanding of how well the school is doing and the quality of teaching and learning. They make sure that the pupil premium is targeted at the right students and regularly check on the impact that it is having. Governors understand the system for setting targets for teachers, how good teaching is rewarded and how underperformance is tackled. They regularly check the school’s budget, ensuring that the school remains financially secure and that money is used wisely.

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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 136904 Local authority Essex Inspection number 413422

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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 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1371 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 201 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sally Clifford Headteacher Carrie Lynch Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01245 265821 Fax number 01245 348614 Email address admin@gbhs.co.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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