Leigh Academy Tonbridge

The Hayesbrook School Brook Street, Tonbridge, TN9 2PH

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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.  Standards are in line with national averages and students make good progress from their very low starting points. Progress in English and mathematics is good and improving.  Disabled students and those with special educational needs as well as students eligible for the pupil premium make good progress as a result of extra support including help with their reading.  Teaching is consistently good with an increasing proportion that is outstanding. Teaching is improving as a result of careful monitoring and focused training and development.  Students’ attitudes to their learning are excellent. They feel safe, behave exceptionally well in lessons and take considerable pride in their school. They are courteous, considerate and respectful towards staff, visitors and one another.  Academy Trust staff, the governing body, the Principal and senior staff have worked relentlessly together to successfully address

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the dip in the 2012 results by focusing on improving the quality of teaching.  The governing body has been tenacious in holding the school to account for its performance and monitoring strengths and weaknesses through classroom visits and analysis of information on students’ progress.  Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength. Students value the range of sporting opportunities on offer.  The school is highly regarded for the support it provides to partnership schools in helping them to raise standards, improve teaching and develop leadership and management.  Provision in the sixth form is good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There is not enough teaching that is outstanding to ensure that all students make rapid and sustained progress.  Lessons do not always cater for the full ability range or stretch more-able students.  Opportunities for students to make use of technology within and outside the classroom are limited.  Marking does not always give students clear guidance on how well they are doing and what they must do to improve.  The school does not make sufficient use of available information to identify, evaluate and pursue trends in attainment and progress.  The achievement in the sixth form is not rising as quickly as it is in the main school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 37 lessons or part-lessons including 17 joint lesson observations with senior leaders as well as a number of shorter visits to lessons focusing on attainment and progress.  They spoke to students in each key stage and looked at samples of their work, focusing on their achievement as well as their behaviour.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, middle leaders and other staff as well as representatives from the governing body and The Hayesbrook School Academy Trust.  Inspectors took account of the 96 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), along with an analysis of the school’s own questionnaires for parents and carers, students and staff. Inspectors also evaluated 89 responses to the staff questionnaire.  They looked at a range of documentation including information showing students’ attainment data, performance management records, lesson observation proformas, governing body minutes

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Information about this inspection

and documents relating to safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Victor Chaffey Additional Inspector Roger Fenwick Additional Inspector Roger Garrett Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The Hayesbrook School is smaller than the average-sized secondary school. The school converted to an academy in December 2010 and is part of The Hayesbrook School Academy Trust. When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding. The school has specialisms in mathematics and sport, and is a designated teaching school.  The majority of students are White British with very small numbers of Asian, Caribbean and mixed heritage students. The proportion of students who speak English as an additional language is below average.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding for students in receipt of free school meals, children looked after by the local authority and children from service families, is in line with the national average. At the time of the inspection, there were a small number of children in local authority care and none from service

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Information about this school

families. The proportion of students eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium is above the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above the national average. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above the national average.  A small number of students who are at risk of being excluded attend alternative provision at off- site programmes such as the West Kent Student Support Centre, Hadlow College and K College.  At the end of Year 11, a significant number of higher attaining students leave the school to continue their sixth form education in neighbouring grammar schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress at the end of Key Stage 4.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise students’ achievement further, especially in the sixth form, by increasing the proportion of outstanding teaching by:  making sure that planning and teaching are tailored more closely to the needs of all students, including more-able students  developing opportunities for students to make use of technology within and outside the classroom  ensuring that work is marked to a consistently high standard across all subjects, giving students clear guidance on how well they are doing and what they must do to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make better use of available information on students’ achievement to robustly identify, rigorously evaluate and quickly act upon trends in attainment and progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students join the school with attainment which is below average. Students make good progress and achieve broadly average standards in their GCSE results in Year 11. In 2012, the proportion of students gaining five A* to C grades at GCSE including English and mathematics was in line with national averages. The school’s very good tracking of students’ attainment indicates that this will improve significantly in 2013. Attainment in humanities and the specialist sports subjects was particularly strong.  Students make good progress throughout Key Stage 3 as a result of the school’s strong focus on developing their literacy skills. Their good progress is consolidated in Key Stage 4 with intervention programmes and individualised support. The drop in the 2012 results has been reversed and progress in the specialist subject of mathematics is good while progress in English is improving rapidly. Increasing proportions of students are making good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups of students, including those who are disabled or who have special educational needs and those receiving funding through the Year 7 catch-up and pupil premium, make good progress as a result of extra support including personalised literacy support. The attainment of students who were eligible for the pupil premium was a grade lower in English and half a grade lower in mathematics than for their peers. The gap is reducing over time.  Staff are well aware of the needs of individual students and equality of opportunity is promoted well throughout the school. As a result, students from different ethnic groups, those speaking English as an additional language and students attending off-site provision make similar progress to their classmates.  Progress seen in lessons was good. Strong teaching, careful tracking and individualised support are securing improvements in students’ achievement. Relative underperformance in science and

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The achievement of pupils is good

design and technology, mostly resulting from staff shortages and staff turnover, has been tackled decisively and this is confirmed through lesson observations and the school’s own information on students’ progress. Most parents and carers agree that their child is making good progress.  The school enters a small number of students early for GCSE mathematics examinations but any student not achieving their target grade is automatically re-entered so this does not have any adverse effect on their potential grades.  Students enter the school with very low levels of literacy which are addressed through reading support and writing clubs. Students’ basic skills in literacy are very well supported in English as well as across the school, especially humanities. Older students speak, write and read with growing confidence. Their numeracy skills are suitably reinforced in mathematics and science. Students are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or work as a result of

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The achievement of pupils is good

supported options choices and ongoing careers advice.  The attainment of students on entry to the sixth form is below the national average. Attainment is broadly in line with the national average and better at A2 than AS level. Progress across academic and vocational courses is improving and is now in line with expectations. The school has recognised that achievement in the sixth form is an area for further improvement.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good with an increasing proportion that is outstanding. It is improving as a result of the supportive programme of lesson observations and bespoke training provided by advanced skills teachers and specialist leaders of education. Lesson observation information suggests that teaching is now better in the sixth form than in the main school.  Where teaching is good or better, lessons are well planned and resourced, with effective use of support staff in the classroom. Relationships are excellent, expectations are extremely high and behaviour management focuses on praise and encouragement. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge which motivates and encourages students to learn.  Where teaching is not as good, lessons do not always cater for the spread of ability or challenge higher attaining students. Opportunities for students to undertake group work or make use of technology were limited both within and outside the classroom, and especially for completing

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The quality of teaching is good

homework. Students commented on the difficulty of using the school’s electronic information portal.  In lessons, teachers made good use of a range of strategies to monitor students’ learning and progress including questioning and the use of whiteboards. Marking in books is variable and does not always give students clear guidance on how well they are doing and what they must do to improve.  Disabled students and those who have special educational needs as well as students who speak English as an additional language benefit from extra support to develop their literacy skills especially their reading skills. Students eligible for the Year 7 catch-up funding and pupil premium funding have access to specialist support for reading, writing and spelling as well as pastoral support and peer mentoring. This has reinforced their learning and enabled them to make good progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour, both in lessons and around school, is exceptional and school records confirm that this is typical of behaviour over time. Students are courteous, considerate and respectful towards staff, visitors and one another. Relationships are excellent allowing teachers to teach and students to learn.  Olympian values and the effective promotion of ‘Personal excellence’, ‘Respect and friendship’, ‘Inspiration’, ‘Determination and courage’ and ‘Equity’ (PRIDE), support the academic and social progress of all students. Parents and carers confirm that students are well behaved and the school deals effectively with instances of bullying.  Students feel safe at school and appreciate issues related to their safety. They are tolerant of one another and student interviews confirm that they are aware of the different types of bullying. Racist and homophobic attitudes are always challenged. Parents and carers agree that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

that their child is happy, safe and well looked after.  Attendance in the main school has improved and is now above the national average. This improvement has been the result of better communication between the school and parents and carers as well as the support of student services and education welfare. Attendance in the sixth form is above average. Punctuality across the school is very good.  The proportions of permanent and fixed-term exclusions have fallen dramatically over the past year. This is a direct result of earlier identification and intervention, as well as the school’s focus on rewards and restorative practices which are well supported by pastoral support managers.

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The leadership and management are good

 The Academy Trust staff, the governing body, the Principal and his senior staff have worked cooperatively and successfully to address the dip in the 2012 results which had not been anticipated. School improvement targets are ambitious and the school’s extensive use of information on students’ progress enables swift identification of students who are at risk of falling behind so that interventions can be quickly offered.  The school is very knowledgeable about its strengths and weaknesses but does not make sufficient use of available information to identify, evaluate and pursue trends in attainment and progress. For example, students are regularly assessed against challenging targets but the school does not check progress against national averages. In the sixth form, the proportion of students above, below and in line with their target grades is not cross referenced to national norms for measuring progress overall.

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The leadership and management are good

 Well-developed systems are in place to manage the performance of teachers. Staff targets are monitored and linked to pay and progression so that wage increases are dependent upon targets being adequately met. Feedback from lesson observations is suitably linked to training which is well targeted to reflect the needs of the school and the individual.  Pupil premium and Year 7 catch-up funding has been spent appropriately to make sure it has the greatest possible impact for eligible students. Additional funding has been made available for literacy, numeracy and dyslexia support as well as the appointment of additional staff to offer personalised provision. Year 7 catch up funding has been used to provide a valuable Year 6 summer term and holiday programme to assist students in transferring to the school.  The curriculum is broad and balanced to meet the needs of all students. There is a strong commitment to developing students’ literacy and numeracy especially in Key Stage 3. The Key

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The leadership and management are good

Stage 4 curriculum allows students to study triple sciences and two English qualifications where appropriate. The sixth form curriculum offers a limited range of academic and vocational subjects with partnership arrangements extending available choices. Alternative provision for students at risk of exclusion is successful.  The school offers an extensive range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities ranging from animation to woodwork clubs as well as the opportunity to be involved in performances and the school choir. There are over 40 community sports clubs operating on the site as a result of the school’s specialism in sport. Students value the range of sporting opportunities available to them.  Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength and particularly well supported through assemblies as well as citizenship and religious education lessons. Participation in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme promotes social awareness while involvement with

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The leadership and management are good

other schools enhances students’ wider cultural experiences and raises their appreciation of equal opportunities. Students show respect and consideration for those from different religious, ethnic and social backgrounds.  The school enjoys supportive relationships with parents, carers and the community. Parents’ and carers’ responses to school surveys are invariably positive with significant numbers confirming their confidence in the leadership and management of the school. The school is highly regarded for the support it provides to partnership schools in helping them to raise standards, improve teaching and develop leadership and management.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements. The school actively promotes safe practices across the school and this was seen especially in science, technology and physical education. Off-site provision is regularly checked.  The school is part of The Hayesbrook School Academy Trust which has given ongoing support to

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The leadership and management are good

the school’s leaders and managers. The school also enjoys a strong relationship with the local authority which has provided ongoing support for the sixth form.  The governance of the school:  Governors have been tenacious in holding the school to account for its performance as a result of their classroom visits and checks on students’ progress. Governors are knowledgeable about the achievements of students supported by pupil premium funding and Year 7 catch-up premium, and understand how developing their reading skills is improving their performance across other subjects. They are actively involved in decisions about performance management and teachers’ pay progression which is related to students’ achievement and the quality of teaching. Ongoing training means that they have a better awareness of the school’s performance information and how it compares to that of similar schools. As a result, they

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The leadership and management are good

know how to analyse this information to check how well students are progressing.

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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 136349 Local authority Not applicable Inspection number 412042

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Boys Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 860 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 81 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Daker Principal David Rowe Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01732 500600 Fax number 01732 500556 Email address secretary@hayesbrook.kent.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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