Moulton School and Science College

Moulton School and Science College Pound Lane, Moulton, Northampton, NN3 7SD

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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 headteacher, senior leaders, managers and governors have improved many aspects of the academy, including teaching. As a result, students are making good progress.  Students achieve well in a variety of subjects. This includes disabled students and those who have special educational needs and those students who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  School leaders check the quality of lessons carefully and help teachers to develop their skills. Teachers are committed to improving and, as a result, teaching has improved and is good.  The behaviour of students is good. They are keen to learn and want to improve their work. Students are well mannered and have good relationships with their teachers and with each other. They behave safely.  The sixth form is good. Teaching is good in the sixth form and students are making good progress in several subjects, often from low starting points.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching in the academy because some of its policies are not applied consistently, especially those relating to marking and meeting the needs of all students.  Not enough students make better than expected progress in some subjects. Boys, in particular, do not make the same good progress as girls.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed parts of 53 lessons taught by 49 teachers. Some of these observations were conducted jointly with the senior leadership team.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, other senior leaders and middle leaders, such as the special educational needs coordinators and some subject leaders. An interview took place with three representatives of the governing body, including the Chair of the Governing Body. Meetings were also held with groups of students.  Forty-one responses to the Parent View questionnaire were taken into consideration.  Inspectors reviewed 61 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspection team evaluated information including: the academy’s self-evaluation; students’ books; behaviour and attendance records; information about students’ achievement and progress; and documents used by leaders to monitor the academy’s work.

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Inspection team

Ian McNeilly, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector John Rutherford Her Majesty’s Inspector Marion Thompson Seconded Inspector Jacqueline Pentlow Seconded Inspector Gwendoline Onyon Seconded Inspector

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Information about this school

 Moulton School and Science College converted to become an academy in November 2011. When its predecessor school, with the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be satisfactory.  The academy is a larger than average secondary school and includes a sixth form. It has a specialism in science.  Most of the students are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is slightly below average.  The proportion of students supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided by the government, mainly for students known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after by the local authority) is approximately half that of the national average.

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Information about this school

 The academy has a student support block which has five rooms allocated to students with special educational needs. One room is allocated for inclusion and students with temporary or permanent disabilities which prevent them from attending lessons in areas of the school which are difficult to access.  A small number of students attend courses offered by four providers: EduBase On Track Education Centre, EYS and Centurion Training Solutions in Northampton, and Pury Hill in Towcester.  The academy meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress by the end of Key Stage 4.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve achievement to outstanding by accelerating boys’ progress so that it matches the good and better progress made by girls.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching through the more consistent application of policies, in particular, ensuring that all teachers are equally effective in: – using marking to inform students about how they can improve their work – adapting learning activities to provide the correct level of challenge for all groups of students.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students achieve well. The majority make at least expected progress and some make better than expected progress in many subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 GCSE results for English and mathematics in 2012 were above average. Students perform well in these subjects in all year groups and their literacy skills are good.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of students getting a good number of GCSEs at grades A* to C is also above average and improving. Ninety-nine per cent of students achieve five GCSEs at grade G or above and this has been the case for the past three years.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students achieve very well in science, which is a specialism of the academy. They also make particularly good progress in French, history, business studies, physical education and health and social care. Students are not making as much progress as they should in geography, textiles and food technology.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of boys making progress at a better than expected rate is not as high as that of girls. This is across several subjects and also includes the sixth form.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The academy encourages students to read widely. The library is effective in promoting reading for enjoyment through a book club as well as monthly displays based on different themes. The English department uses ‘reading passports’ with Year 7 which has encouraged more reading. ‘Quiet reading time’ takes place at least one morning a week, and gives wider reading a high status.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in the sixth form is generally good. Students make particularly good progress in sociology and sport. However, they achieve less well in product design and art.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students known to be eligible for the pupil premium and Year 7 catch-up are making good progress. In English GCSE in 2012, students for whom the school receives the pupil premium were two thirds of a grade behind their classmates and they were one third of a grade behind in mathematics. This gap is closing and pupil premium funding has been used effectively, including to appoint extra staff to improve literacy skills and provide one-to-one guidance and support.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students with disabilities or who have special educational needs are making good progress. The school’s unit set up to support these students is very well used, with 60 students regularly attending to get extra help with their work. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to the progress made by these students.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The few students who are educated away from the academy for some lessons are making good progress in those settings.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Early entry in mathematics has been used for the first time with current Year 11 students. It is used wisely and for the students’ benefit. No student predicted to achieve a top grade is entered before the summer of Year 11. Students who have a C as their target grade are entered in Year 10. Most of those who achieve a C grade continue to study the subject to try and achieve a better grade.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and improving. As a result, students are making good progress. Some teaching is outstanding but there is also some that requires improvement.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Where teaching is good or outstanding, teachers have very good subject knowledge which is used to interest the students and answer their questions in an informed manner, helping their progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Skilful questioning is a growing strength. Students are encouraged to think carefully about tasks they are given. Questions are used to make sure students understood what they have to do. If they do not understand, action is taken to help them to progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Students are engaged in interesting activities for the large part of some lessons. They are enthusiastic when real-life situations are included in lessons, such as working with real clients in sixth form design and technology.

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The quality of teaching is good

 A key strength of the academy is the positive relationships teachers have with their students. In most lessons, students are keen to learn and want to improve their work. Even in some lessons which are not good, students try hard.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking is good in some subjects, for example, history, geography and health and social care, where it leaves students in no doubt about what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. These strengths are not always evident in other subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The needs of some students are not being met in all lessons. As with marking, the academy does this very well in some areas. Good examples were seen in subjects including English and physical education.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The academy gives its teachers good guidance on teaching literacy across a range of subjects and this is seen in many lessons. There is less evidence of numeracy being taught well other than in mathematics.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students are positive about their school and they are keen to make as much progress as they can. They treat their teachers with respect and are polite to visitors.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students feel safe in school. They understand how to keep safe and have worked effectively in information and communication technology on using the internet safely. In practical lessons, students behave with safety in mind.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students are considerate to each other and behave well during break times and lunch times.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The academy monitors students’ behaviour closely through a behaviour log and this is supported by a detailed policy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students have a good awareness of different forms of bullying and they know what to do if they should ever come across any. Students have been made aware of issues concerning cyber bullying and the misuse of mobile phones. Bullying is rare and when it does occur, the academy takes steps to address it.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students value the academy’s reward system for good behaviour. As a result, some students’ behaviour has improved in lessons and around the school as they are keen to have their good behaviour acknowledged.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is slightly above average although it is below average for students in receipt of the pupil premium. Two family liaison officers have been appointed to work with these students and, as a result, their attendance is improving strongly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is not outstanding because on a minority of occasions, low-level disruption is seen in lessons, usually when the teaching is less interesting.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet all statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership and management of the academy are good. As a result, this is a good and improving school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has focused successfully on improving the quality of teaching. Improvements have been made because of an effective system for managing teachers’ performance. Teachers are observed at least three times a year and set targets for their development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Inspectors carried out joint observations with five senior members of staff and found their judgements to be accurate, which means the academy’s teachers benefit from having their lessons observed by senior leaders. The headteacher wants to develop a culture where all teachers take responsibility for improving the quality of their lessons, and he is beginning to achieve this.

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The leadership and management are good

 Improvements in teaching still need to be made. The headteacher is aware of this and is determined to keep the progress going. This is an indication of the headteacher’s ability to be self-critical, as was seen in the academy’s strong self-evaluation.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and governing body ensure that teachers do not progress up the pay scale unless they are making a significant contribution to raising standards.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders have created a system to identify and meet teachers’ training needs. This has made a significant contribution to improving the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The academy engages regularly with parents. They receive six reports a year on their children’s progress and five pastoral support assistants are responsible for contacting parents. There are also two members of staff who build relationships with families of students in receipt of pupil premium funding.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is generally broad, balanced and well organised. Students in Years 7 to 9 are all taught drama and every student in the school is taught physical education for at least two hours a week. Option choices begin in Year 9 so younger students can try subjects before they commit to a GCSE course. A small number of vocational courses are available for those students who are more suited to these. The sixth form offers A level courses and there is a good choice of options for students.

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The leadership and management are good

 Many enrichment activities are provided for students. However, after-school clubs are very limited because students rely on buses to get home. Much is done at lunchtime for a wide variety of interests including art, music, drama and sports. The school does not do as much as it could to make students aware of other cultures though opportunities in French and Spanish, music and art contribute to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership and management are not outstanding because leaders have not secured consistently outstanding teaching to bring about outstanding achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: – The governance of the academy is good. The governing body benefits from committed individuals who bring a wide range of expertise to their roles. The governing body has several specialist committees to improve its ways of working. An external adviser has been appointed to help with the performance management of the headteacher. The governing body does not rely solely on the senior leaders’ view of teachers’ performance; governors have invited subject teachers to meetings to get their views. The academy’s use of pupil premium funding has been monitored effectively by the governing body and governors are clear about its positive effect, particularly on attendance. Governors have insisted on having accessible school performance data and regularly challenge what is presented to them, refusing proposals if and when they feel it is required.

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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 137614 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 402764

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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 1336 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 221 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Simon Barrick Headteacher Trevor Jones Date of previous school inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01604 641600 Fax number 01604 641601

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School details

Email address admin.dept@moultonschool.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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