Henry Beaufort School

School report Henry Beaufort School East Woodhay Road, Harestock, Winchester SO22 6JJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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.  Attainment has continued to rise and is now significantly above national averages. Progress in English and mathematics is significantly above national averages with all groups making similar progress to that of their peers. Year 7 catch-up and pupil premium students are now doing as well as their peers.  There has been a relentless drive to raise the quality of teaching and develop independent and resilient learners. Relationships are strong, expectations are high and teachers make use of a variety of teaching methods which are well matched to students’ needs and interests. Students display positive attitudes to their learning and there is a strong focus on independent learning and research so that students make good progress.  Students are proud of their school and demonstrate very high levels of consideration, courtesy and collaboration within and outside of lessons. The school is a purposeful place in

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

which to learn. Behaviour is good and instances of bullying are extremely rare, and exclusions have reduced significantly. Attendance rates are improving.  All leaders and managers, including middle managers and those responsible for governance, have high expectations and ambitions for the school. The headteacher has challenged underachievement and ensured that every child really does matter. Self- evaluation is accurate.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, and students’ literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology skills are well developed. Provision for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding to ensure that students consistently make very rapid progress from their starting points.  Middle-attaining students have not made as much progress as their lower- and higher- attaining peers, although this is now being addressed by the school.  Marking is variable and does not always provide students with clear guidance on how well they are doing and what they must do to improve.  Leaders and managers do not make sufficient use of available data to identify, evaluate and address trends in achievement and attendance.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 33 lessons, of which seven were joint observations with senior staff. In addition, the inspection team made a number of shorter visits to lessons as part of themed `learning walks’.  They spoke to groups of students and looked at their work, focusing on achievement, especially the achievement of students known to be eligible for pupil premium funding and those supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, middle leaders, students, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors considered the 138 responses made by parents and carers to the online Parent View survey and took account of the 61 questionnaire responses returned by staff.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including students’ progress data, lesson observation pro forma, performance management records, safeguarding information, governing

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Information about this inspection

body minutes and case studies of students whose circumstances make them vulnerable.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Marion Hobbs Additional Inspector Linda Kelsey Additional Inspector Carol Worthington Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Henry Beaufort School is an average-sized comprehensive school with specialisms in technology and humanities.  The vast majority of students are of White British heritage as well as a very small number of Asian, African, Chinese and mixed-heritage students. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is in line with national averages.  The proportion of disabled students and those with special educational needs supported by school action is in line with national averages. The proportion of students supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also in line with national averages. The school has a hearing-impaired unit on-site for up to 15 students which is managed by the school.  The proportion of students in receipt of the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who

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Information about this school

are looked after by the local authority and children from service families, is below average.  Approximately one tenth of Year 7 students are eligible for the catch-up programme for students who did not achieve the expected level in English at the end of Key Stage 2.  A small number of students attend alternative provision off-site programmes at The Bridge providing for students with behaviour, emotional and social difficulties.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and raise students’ achievement by:  making sure that that there is a greater proportion of lessons where learning and progress are outstanding by sharing best practice in the school  increasing the level of challenge in lessons for middle-attaining students so that more of them meet and exceed national expectations  ensuring that marking provides students with 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 school data to identify, evaluate and address trends in achievement and attendance in order to improve planning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students’ attainment by the end of Year 11 has continued to rise since the previous inspection and is now significantly above national averages. The proportion of students gaining five or more good GCSE passes including English and mathematics fell in 2012. Lesson observations and scrutiny of students’ work confirm the school’s own data that current Year 11 students are on track to be above national averages in 2013. This is a result of better teaching and more focused intervention. Very few students are entered early for examinations, and only when they are ready.  Students enter the school with attainment roughly in line with national averages, although many have low literacy skills. Students’ progress in English and mathematics is significantly above national averages, and this is particularly true for lower- and higher-attaining students, although less so for middle-attaining students. The school is aware of this variation, and lesson

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The achievement of pupils is good

observations, work samples and school data confirm that progress is now similar to that of their peers.  Disabled students and those with special educational needs, as well as the small number of hearing-impaired students, make similarly good progress to other students because of individualised programmes and exceptional support from specialists and teachers as well as their peers. Students attending off-site alternative provision are tracked well and make similar progress.  Students from different ethnic groups, and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress as a result of the additional literacy and intervention support on offer. The progress made by service students, during the time they are at the school, is good.  Students eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium have benefited from the extra literacy and counselling support, allowing them to catch-up with their peers. The gap between all students

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The achievement of pupils is good

and those in receipt of pupil premium is approximately two grades, but this gap is narrowing rapidly, and data for 2013 confirm that these students now achieve similar average point scores in GCSEs, English and mathematics as their peers.  In lessons, students make good progress, with an increasing number of lessons where progress is outstanding. They display positive attitudes to their learning, behave well and act responsibly. Teachers provide them with activities that capture their interest and encourage them to learn by themselves or in small groups for extended periods of time. A large majority of parents’ and carers’ responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) agree that progress is good.  Individual students are known well, and teachers are well aware of their specific needs and how to cater for them. Examination techniques are reinforced, and regular reference is made is to GCSE grades and marking criteria, which reinforces students’ understanding of what they need

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The quality of teaching is good

 There has been a relentless drive to raise the quality of teaching and develop independent and resilient learners utilising the ‘Henry Beaufort – Habit Building’ initiative, which empowers students to become reflective and resourceful in considering their own learning.  In most lessons, teachers plan work which takes good account of the needs of individual students, especially lower- and higher-attaining students. Relationships are particularly strong and expectations are high, resulting in students’ fast rates of progress.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong and they make use of a variety of teaching methods which are well matched to students’ needs and interests. There is a strong focus on independent learning and research. Students’ literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology skills are well developed across a range of subjects.  Where teaching is not as strong, lessons suffer as a result of teachers talking too much and

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The quality of teaching is good

dominating the lesson so that students are not encouraged to learn on their own and develop their thinking skills. In these lessons, teachers did not always cater for the spread of ability in the class or set tasks, including starter activities, which took account of their ability.  Students understand how well they are doing and know their target levels and grades. However, the quality of marking in books is variable and does not always provide students with clear guidance on how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve their work. Best practice was seen in English and humanities where detailed feedback offered useful comment on how well the students were doing and what they must do to improve further.  Disabled students and those who have special educational needs, as well as students in the hearing-impaired unit and those who speak English as an additional language, benefit from the

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The quality of teaching is good

additional help provided by support staff. Students eligible for the pupil premium and those who are supported by the Year 7 catch-up programme benefit from one-to-one and small-group teaching, which has allowed them to make good progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students are proud of their school and thrive in an ethos of respect and support. They demonstrate very high levels of consideration, courtesy and collaboration within and outside of lessons. The school is a purposeful place in which to learn.  Instances of bullying, including cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying, are extremely rare. Issues concerning the safety and welfare of students are raised and addressed through assemblies, citizenship lessons and visiting speakers.  Students are calm and polite. In lessons, they demonstrate positive attitudes towards their teacher, to one another and to their learning. Students and school records confirm that this is typical of behaviour over time.  Students feel safe and happy in school as a result of the supportive and mutually respectful relationships with one another and with staff who provide good-quality care for students from all backgrounds and circumstances. A very large majority of parents and carers who expressed their

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

views through Parent View agreed that students were well behaved and that their child was happy and safe in the school.  Fixed-term exclusions have reduced significantly and the school works extremely hard to support the complex needs of students with behaviour, emotional and social difficulties as well as families whose circumstances make them vulnerable. Close links with alternative settings such as The Bridge are monitored closely with reintegration seen as a priority.  Attendance rates show an improving picture over time and the latest figures suggest that attendance is in line with national averages. The recently appointed attendance officer has strengthened existing systems, such as text messaging and phone calls, as well as fixed penalty notices in extreme cases. However, improvements are slow and the school does not make sufficient use of attendance data to identify and address trends in attendance by different

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

groups. Students are punctual to school and to lessons.  Older students are good role models. They behave impeccably, and share their knowledge and aspirations with younger students, especially in form tutor time in the mixed-age tutor groups. There are good links with a variety of post-16 providers and students are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment.

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The leadership and management are good

 The effective leadership of the headteacher has been pivotal in the development of teaching and learning. She has been determined in driving up standards, challenging underachievement and ensuring that every child really does matter.  She is particularly well supported by her middle leaders, who have mirrored her vision and ensured that this is nurtured and developed within their own areas. All leaders and managers, including those responsible for governance, have high expectations and ambitions for the school.  The school’s checks on how well it is doing are accurate and well-grounded as a result of the school’s honest appraisal of its performance against external benchmarks. The school judges itself to be good with outstanding features. Inspectors agree.  However, the school does not interrogate available data rigorously enough to identify, evaluate and address trends in achievement and attendance. For example, the school had undertaken

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The leadership and management are good

little analysis of the 2013, other than measuring performance against its own targets, and attendance data are not sufficiently categorised to pinpoint where attendance problems are occurring.  Procedures for performance management meet requirements, with a good link between classroom performance and salary progression. Leaders monitor teaching regularly and accurately, providing useful feedback, including subject-specific feedback, on how to improve. Senior leaders are not afraid to address underperformance as well as recognise those teachers whose lessons represent best practice. Professional development is well matched to individual needs. Senior leaders have rightly identified the need to share outstanding practice more widely across the school.  Parents’ and carers’ responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) were mostly positive and supportive of the school, especially in terms of their child being well looked after, feeling

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The leadership and management are good

safe and being happy. A very small minority expressed concerns about teaching, and the quality of leadership and management, although the inspection team judged these areas to be good.  The curriculum is broad and balanced to meet the needs of all students, with an appropriate balance between academic and vocational courses. The school has identified and is addressing weak literacy skills on entry to the school. The development of literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology across the school are real strengths. The very large majority of students leave the school to go onto full-time education. Extra-curricular activities are extensive.  Provision for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Students have a well-developed understanding of right and wrong, and they support one another very well, especially in their mixed-age tutor groups where older students look after younger students.

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The leadership and management are good

The school is particularly effective in ensuring equality of opportunity and students confirm that they have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures from around the world. Senior leaders are rigorous in ensuring there is no discrimination.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements. The single central record is comprehensive, training needs are supported and safer recruitment procedures pursued.  The local authority enjoys good links with the school and has provided appropriate support for school leadership, including governor training.  The governance of the school:  Governors are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school as a result of talking to students, and parents and carers, as well as visits to the school and talking to staff. Recent training had helped them to better understand performance data and appreciate how the school compares with similar and national schools. Governors receive regular feedback about

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The leadership and management are good

the quality of teaching and they are actively involved in decisions about teachers’ pay progression. They understand how students in receipt of additional funding through the pupil premium and Year 7 catch-up are supported and the impact of this spending in terms of improving achievement. They are supportive of the school but ask challenging questions and set challenging targets.

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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 116438 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 412127

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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 Comprehensive School category Community Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,008 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Brookes Headteacher Sue Hearle Date of previous school inspection 3–4 March 2010 Telephone number 01962 880073 Fax number 01962 883667 Email address admin@beaufort.hants.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

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

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