Frederick Gough School

Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College Grange Lane South, Bottesford, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN16 3NG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Students do not achieve well because teaching is not consistently good and requires improvement.  Students’ progress slows when activities are not accurately matched to their levels of ability and marking does not tell them regularly or clearly what they know well and the next steps to take. The advice that teachers give them is not often taken.  Teaching in ways to support boys’ achievement is inconsistent across subjects, leading to them achieving less well than girls.  Pupil premium money is not used solely to raise the standards of the pupils it is intended for and these students also achieve less well than other groups.  Attendance rates, although average, hide the below-average rates of some groups of students, which hamper their rate of progress.  Senior leaders do not collect and evaluate data about the progress of all groups of students in order to address what the information reveals about all students’ performance and why they

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

achieve less well in English.  Departments do not have action plans to promote specific literacy skills consistently well across the school.  Leaders have not ensured that teachers’ performance targets are measureable and sufficiently challenging to improve teaching and rapidly accelerate students’ progress.  Subject leaders and year heads do not have specific responsibilities or accountability for monitoring teaching and progress to ensure that improvements in teaching and achievement can be sustained.  Governors do not have a full picture of teaching and achievement across the school to enable them to hold it fully to account.

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The school has the following strengths

 Students behave well, feel safe and have a range of opportunities to support their personal development.  Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well.  Senior leaders are increasingly aware of the areas where improvements are needed. Inspection report: Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College, 29–30 October 2013 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 45 lessons. Seven of them were observed jointly with the headteacher or with individual members of the senior leadership team.  The inspectors considered the 53 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the information from 68 staff questionnaires, in carrying out the inspection.  They held meetings with five groups of students, senior and subject leaders, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation including information about the progress of students through the school, the improvement plan and how it links to the quality of teaching and staff’s performance-management targets. They also checked records of students’ behaviour and attendance, as well as policies to help ensure their safety.

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Inspection team

Lynne Blakelock, Lead inspector Additional Inspector John Townsley Additional Inspector Tony Price Additional Inspector Denis Oliver Additional Inspector Judith Gooding Additional Inspector Inspection report: Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College, 29–30 October 2013 3 of 10

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized secondary school.  Most students are of White British heritage. There are very few students who speak English as an additional language and the figure is well below average.  The proportion of students known to be entitled to support through the pupil premium (additional government funding for looked after children, those from service families and students known to be eligible for free school meals) is below the national average.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.  It uses alternative places for a few students to learn away from school.

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Information about this school

 The school is undergoing a significant programme of refurbishment to improve its facilities and the environment for learning.  It works with two local primary schools in supporting mathematics’ teaching, the learning of the most able and in watching how pupils learn in Year 6 in readiness for them moving to secondary school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is at least consistently good in all subjects and accelerates the rate of students’ progress, through making sure that:  activities in lessons are based very closely on assessment information about the levels at which students of all abilities work so that their learning needs are met and they are accurately challenged  regular marking tells students what they have achieved, the next steps they need to take, and teachers check that their advice is being taken in future work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all groups of students achieve well by making sure that:  effective strategies to raise boys’ achievement are used in all lessons and that the impact of these is checked very regularly by subject leaders  an audit of students’ English skills is carried out, leading to departmental action plans in all subjects, to ensure a focus on promoting literacy consistently in subjects throughout the school  pupil premium money is used exclusively to address gaps in the learning of eligible students and senior leaders check and adapt support given, based on findings about the way it is spent  standards are raised in some subjects to iron out the variability in standards across subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attendance rates to at least 95% by ensuring that:  the attendance of all groups of students is known and checked and strategies are devised to support their improved attendance  students have personal attendance targets to aim for.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the effectiveness of leadership and management in improving teaching and raising achievement by ensuring that:  senior leaders collect data about the progress, standards and behaviour of all groups of Inspection report: Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College, 29–30 October 2013 4 of 10

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

students, evaluate the findings and enable all groups to achieve well  subject leaders and year heads are given specific responsibilities and are accountable for monitoring teaching and students’ progress in their areas of responsibility  performance management targets are measureable and challenging  governors have the information they need about the achievement of all groups of students in order to hold the school fully to account.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance, to include a specific focus on the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved. Inspection report: Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College, 29–30 October 2013 5 of 10

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The rate of students’ progress throughout the school is inconsistent because the quality of teaching is variable. As a result students make expected, rather than good, progress, from their starting points, which vary between average and well-below average.  The proportion of students achieving five A* to C GCSE grades, including in English and mathematics, has been broadly average in recent years, mainly because standards in mathematics have been average. English standards vary significantly over time and fell sharply in 2013. Inspection evidence shows that although teaching overall in English requires improvement, some is good, and new strategies are starting to make a difference to the pace of learning and students’ interest. Standards in other subjects by the end of Year 11 also vary. They have been consistently above average, for example, in religious studies, which has contributed to the school’s consistently above-average point score over eight subjects. Standards

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

are well below average in modern foreign languages.  The achievement of groups of students differs. For example, students entitled to pupil premium funding made much slower progress in 2013 than other students, despite receiving extra learning support in English and mathematics and, for example, access to a school counsellor. Their points score in 2012 was seven terms behind those students not eligible in English and three years behind in mathematics. While in 2013 the gap narrowed considerably in mathematics, it did not do so in English. However, the funding has until now not been used exclusively for these students, a situation which the school is addressing and their targets are now ambitious.  Disabled students, those with special educational needs and the few who speak English as an additional language, make similar progress to other groups; depending on how closely work matches the levels at which they are working. Students educated off-site make at least expected

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

progress.  Girls achieve better than boys, especially in English. The school is addressing boys’ achievement more carefully, through, for example, single-sex classes and staff training in how boys prefer to learn. However, in lessons with a quick pace and a range of activities that interest and challenge them accurately, boys learn equally as well as girls.  The most-able students make expected, rather than better than expected, progress throughout the school because they are not regularly challenged accurately in their work.  Students who did not reach the expected levels in English and mathematics by the end of primary school, receive regular, specific support to enable them to improve their literacy and numeracy skills in Year 7. The school’s data shows that of the 46 students accessing the support last year, two thirds reached the levels expected of them and all students made good progress towards their goals.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Students sit public examinations in mathematics in Year 11 to make sure that they have had time to gain the necessary knowledge and understanding to get the best result they can.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Not enough teaching is consistently good across subjects and year groups to enable students to make better than expected progress throughout the school. Although some teaching is good, it varies from outstanding to inadequate, with too many lessons requiring improvement.  The principle barrier to good learning is that teachers are not, as a matter of course, using the data about students’ achievement to set work that accurately matches the levels at which they work, including for those students entitled to pupil premium funding. In numerous lessons seen, all students were given the same work. Sometimes, work was too difficult for lower-ability students. Inspectors found that the most-able students were often insufficiently challenged and their work did not regularly enable them to extend their knowledge or understanding. Inspection report: Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College, 29–30 October 2013 6 of 10

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The mis-match of task to students’ ability slows the pace of learning and students’ interest and engagement in what they are doing. However, in an outstanding physical education lesson, students made rapid progress because the teacher knew individual students’ capabilities well and planned a highly effective lesson by taking this information into account. As with a lot of the lessons seen, the teacher made the purpose of learning clear.  Inspectors saw strengths in teachers’ questioning of students in several lessons, which helped them to think more deeply about their learning. Some teaching assistants provide helpful, specific support, although this does vary.  Students appreciate the good quality marking in a range of subjects, including in a Year 7 English lesson. However, there is also inconsistency in the regularity of marking and the information it gives students about their achievement and what to do next. Students are not

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

often using the advice they are given to improve later work.  The promotion of students' literacy skills in other subjects is a developing aspect of the school's work in terms of its impact on students’ levels of skills. Literacy planners are potentially very helpful in supporting students’ skills in reading and writing but they are irregularly used and not all departments have good action plans to ensure that specific literacy skills are promoted across the curriculum consistently.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students’ behaviour is good in lessons and round the site. They show courtesy and respect for other students and to staff.  The staff manage well the behaviour of those students who find it difficult to consistently conform to staff’s expectations. As a result their attitudes to learning and to school have improved and exclusions are falling.  Students feel safe in school. They trust the staff to help them with any concerns and feel valued by them. Lessons give them a good overview of the range of potential dangers which they may meet. The issue of cyber-bullying is regularly re-visited and student monitors help to ensure that students use computers safely.  Students enjoy the responsibilities with which they are entrusted, including helping to run the school through being prefects and representing other students on the school council. They 'make a difference', such as by making adaptations to school uniform and highlighting students’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

successes.  Attendance is improving very steadily and is now average. The school is very aware of the variations in attendance rates between different groups of students.  Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is supported well through a range of activities. Opportunities for students to develop their spiritual understanding show good improvement since the last inspection, including through the use of English texts.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching and achievement has not resulted in students of all groups and abilities making better than expected progress throughout the school.  The senior team know where improvements are needed and these are reflected accurately in the learning plan. They collate regularly a range of data about students’ progress, standards and behaviour but they have an incomplete picture of achievement because it has not included all of the groups of students in the school. Leaders are aware of the need to increase the rates of progress made by all groups of students to effectively promote equality of opportunity so all groups of students succeed well.  In recent months, sensible and more-robust actions to raise boys’ achievement and to help ensure quicker progress in English have been implemented and there are signs of quickening progress in some lessons and subjects. Because an audit of students’ skills and needs has not

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The leadership and management requires improvement

Inspection report: Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College, 29–30 October 2013 7 of 10

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The leadership and management requires improvement

been undertaken in English, the rate of progress is not as quick as it could be.  Although the school’s judgements of teaching over time are over-generous and do not match the rates of progress made by students in lessons or the quality of work in their books, senior leaders judged the quality of teaching accurately during the inspection. A comprehensive programme of coaching and support, linked to areas identified for improvement, is developing and strengthening teaching practices. It confirms the school’s capacity to improve.  Procedures to appraise teachers’ performance are established and the school is using the targets agreed with teachers to improve the quality of teaching and strengthen leadership. Some targets are not clearly measureable or sufficiently challenging to improve teaching and accelerate students’ progress as quickly as possible.  Middle leaders have made a good start in strengthening leadership, through their checking of

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The leadership and management requires improvement

aspects of teaching and learning. They need further development and a set of clear and specific responsibilities, including in the leadership of special educational needs, to ensure improvements in teaching are sustained, which include overseeing students’ progress towards their targets.  Students speak positively of the range of courses, subjects and after-school activities, which they enjoy. They say the school gives them a broad and varied education, including within the local community, which matches their aspirations and interests. From Year 9, they are given regular and relevant careers advice. Year 11 students feel they have been provided with relevant careers information and skills, from several sources, to help them to decide on the next stage of their education  The school’s partnership with primary schools helps to ensure that it understands how pupils learn, in preparation for them joining secondary school. Its major link is with parents, whose

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The leadership and management requires improvement

views are listened to, such as in the content and meaning of reports. Parents support the school’s work.  The local authority provides four days support and advice each year to the school, including training in observing and judging lessons.  The governance of the school:  The governors, who are very committed to the school’s development and improvement, ensure that safeguarding procedures meet the statutory requirements, including for students who spend time off-site on vocational courses. They check policies regularly. Governors know the areas in which the school needs to improve, including boys’ achievement, and find out some information about the school’s effectiveness for themselves through their links with subject leaders. They feel well-informed by the headteacher, who explains what national data is saying about students’ achievement and the quality of teaching, including where it is good and where it needs improvement. Although they are able to hold the school to account for

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The leadership and management requires improvement

some aspects of its work, and minutes of meetings show that they do so, they do not know enough about the progress of all groups of students to be able to hold it fully to account. The governors speak knowledgeably about the uses of pupil premium funding, but less so about the results of spending. They understand the purpose of performance management and the procedures, as well as the principle of it raising standards and rewarding good teaching. Finances are sound. Inspection report: Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College, 29–30 October 2013 8 of 10

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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. Inspection report: Frederick Gough School - A Specialist Language College, 29–30 October 2013 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 118097 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 427273

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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 Secondary School category Community Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,120 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Galey Headteacher Ben Lawrance Date of previous school inspection 20 October 2010 Telephone number 01724 292930 Fax number 01724 271007 Email address admin@frederickgoughschool.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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