The Mandeville SchoolOfsted inspection, 9 Oct 2013

Mandeville School Ellen Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 8ES

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of students Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of students Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires special measures.  Since 2011, the proportion of students who achieved five A* to C grades, including English and mathematics, at the end of Year 11, has declined and is low.  Achievement is inadequate because too many students make insufficient progress in a range of subjects, including English, mathematics and science.  Too much teaching is inadequate. Teachers do not have sufficiently high expectations of students’ potential.  Information about students’ achievement is used only by a minority of teachers to plan work that is at the right level for students’ abilities.  Senior leaders do not share information about students’ progress with staff in a way that enables teachers to understand how well students are doing.  Students’ behaviour requires improvement. Students are positive about learning, but frequently they are allowed to be passive or lose attention in lessons.  Not all teachers mark books regularly, and

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

marking often does not help students to improve their work.  The sixth form requires improvement because students are not making consistently good progress.  Capacity for securing further improvement has not been demonstrated because leaders, managers and governors have not dealt well enough with the issues from the previous inspection. This is particularly true in English, mathematics and science.  Leaders’ views on the school’s strengths and weaknesses and the quality of teaching are inaccurate. Planning for improvement is imprecise and unfocused.  Governors do not understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school and how to interpret information about students’ achievement, so they are unable to challenge and support the leadership team. They are not clear how funding is spent.

p.1

The school has the following strengths:

 Students feel that behaviour has got a lot better since the arrival of the interim headteacher. Incidences of poor behaviour have halved compared with the same time of year in 2012.  Students feel safe.  The interim headteacher has the overwhelming support of the staff for the changes she is making, although the changes have yet to have an impact on teaching and achievement.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 43 lessons or part lessons. Fourteen lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders and managers.  Meetings were held with groups of students, governors, staff members, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of evidence, including the school’s documents on self-evaluation and safeguarding. They observed the school’s work, and looked at students’ books and the tracking system used to monitor students’ progress.  Inspectors considered the 120 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire, as well as responses to questionnaires from 46 staff.

p.2

Inspection team

Miranda Perry, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Valerie Fenhers Additional Inspector David Smith Additional Inspector John Taylor Additional Inspector

p.2

Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

p.3

Full report

The school is not permitted to appoint newly qualified teachers.

p.3

Information about this school

 The Mandeville School is an above-average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language is above average. The largest minority ethnic group is Pakistani.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs who are supported through school action is below average. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average. This provides additional funding for children in local authority care, those with a parent in the armed services and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  A small number of students attend courses at Aylesbury College and Blueprint Pupil Referral Unit.  The school does not meet the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum

p.3

Information about this school

expectations for students’ attainment and progress.  The previous headteacher retired at the end of July 2013. From September 2013, the school has been led by an interim headteacher, lent from a local secondary school.  There has been a recent high turnover of governing body members.  The local authority is in the process of re-constituting the governing body as an interim executive board.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, so that it is good or better in all subjects, by making sure that:  all teachers have the highest expectations of what students are capable of achieving  teachers ensure that work is accurately matched to the skills and abilities of all students throughout the lesson  work is regularly and accurately marked, so that students are clear how well they have done and what they need to do to improve  all teachers give students regular opportunities to be active participants in lessons.  Improve leadership and management by:  involving all leaders and governors in a thorough review of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and using this information to implement a clear plan for improvement that includes challenging, measurable targets and timescales  organising the school’s programme for checking the quality of teaching so that it is coherent and consistent, and brings about rapid improvements in teaching

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 ensuring that leaders of subjects, particularly English, mathematics and science, understand the strengths and weaknesses of their subject area, and take effective action to bring about rapid improvement in achievement and teaching  ensuring that the new interim executive board has a good grasp of data about students’ performance and the quality of teaching, and holds leaders to account for the school’s performance.  Raise achievement, including the achievement of sixth formers, by:  sharing good quality and accurate information regularly with subject leaders and staff so that they understand how well all students and groups of students are doing  ensuring that lesson planning is based on what this information reveals about what students already know, and what they need to do to improve.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Students’ achievement is inadequate because students make inadequate progress in a range of subjects including English and mathematics and science. As a result, their attainment is low by the time they leave the school.  Students enter the school with levels of skill in literacy and numeracy which are below average. They make inadequate progress in English, mathematics and science through Key Stage 3. Teachers do not use information about students’ performance to plan work that builds on what students can do already on arrival.  Students’ GCSE attainment was significantly below average in 2011 and 2012 in all subjects where there were a high number of students. Overall, GCSE attainment did not improve in 2013.  In 2011 and 2012, students made slow progress in English and mathematics in Key Stage 4. In 2013, progress in English at Key Stage 4 improved, but not significantly, and in mathematics it

p.5

The achievement of pupils is inadequate

declined.  Students, including the more able, who sat their GCSE examinations early in 2013, underachieved. Students were entered for GCSE examinations early in mathematics and design and technology.  The achievement of students from minority ethnic groups and who have a first language other than English is inadequate. This affects many Pakistani students, who do not perform as well as their peers. Teachers do not use information about progress in literacy to plan for their needs.  The progress of disabled students and those who have special educational needs is inadequate, although students with a statement of special educational needs tend to make better progress than their non-statemented peers. Support for special educational needs has not been organised effectively and has relied on information about students’ progress which lacks clarity.  In English and mathematics in 2013, Year 11 students who were eligible for pupil premium

p.5

The achievement of pupils is inadequate

funding and those who were specifically eligible for free school meals were a GCSE grade below their peers. Achievement of students eligible for the pupil premium is inadequate overall. Their progress is slower than that of their non-eligible peers and that of eligible students nationally.  The school has introduced some strategies, such as homework support, and ensuring access to computers, to meet the needs of students entitled to pupil premium funding. However, their impact has not yet been measured.  The school’s information on the progress of students targeted for the Year 7 catch-up programme suggests that some students’ reading deteriorates, and progress is inadequate.  The most able students underachieve. They are often given work that keeps them busy but does not develop their knowledge and skills.  The progress of students taking work-related courses at Key Stage 4 is sometimes good. For

p.5

The achievement of pupils is inadequate

example, students taking business studies, music, and health and social care achieve well, particularly because teachers have a thorough understanding of the examination requirements.  The achievement of students in the sixth form requires improvement. All students begin their AS-level programme with GCSE attainment below that of other students following these courses nationally. Mostly they make steady progress from their starting points. The progress of students studying sociology was inadequate however, but the school has stopped running the course.  The small number of students who attend courses at Aylesbury College and the pupil referral unit make good progress because they attend well and benefit from the variety of subjects on offer.

p.5

The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Teaching is inadequate because it is not resulting in students making adequate progress.  Too many teachers do not have high enough expectations of what students are capable of achieving, so many lessons do not proceed quickly. This often leaves students waiting with nothing to do.  Some teachers teach the whole class together for too long, without taking into consideration the individual learning needs of the students in the class. In these whole class sessions, some students can find it difficult to understand what the teacher is trying to teach them, and teachers do not take enough note of those who are struggling and adjust their approach.  In many lessons, students are given the same activity to do as each other, irrespective of their different skills and abilities. More able students describe work as sometimes being too easy, while less able students say that they can struggle with work and often do not get to finish.

p.5

The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Marking is weak. Students complain that in some lessons their books are not marked. When they are, marking can be inaccurate, imprecise, and unhelpful in supporting students to understand what they have achieved and what more they need to do.  Students are not given every opportunity to improve their literacy. Spelling mistakes in English are marked as correct and inaccuracies in their writing go unchallenged in mathematics.  Overall, students with special educational needs underachieve. They are often not given opportunities to learn in a way that suits them. For example, in mathematics, students with special educational needs find it difficult when calculation methods are not worked through with them on the board.  Students with a statement of special educational needs often achieve better in lessons than their peers with other special needs because they receive personalised support. Staff who support

p.6

The quality of teaching is inadequate

them have good subject knowledge.  Sixth form teaching is frequently better than teaching in other key stages. For example, students can benefit from effective questioning which challenges them to develop their ideas and build on their knowledge. However, teaching does not always take full account of what students can already do.  There are some good examples of teaching in work-related subjects. Students in practical lessons improve their knowledge because they make choices about what they make and the best way to make it.  However, overall, students are not given many chances to use their initiative. They usually have positive attitudes in lessons and want to learn, but are often talked at rather than listened to. This restricts the feedback a teacher gets about how well students are understanding, and over a lesson limits both their engagement and their pace of learning.  There are indications that teaching has improved since the beginning of term, but the impact on

p.6

The quality of teaching is inadequate

progress is not significant. In the best lessons, teachers use what they know about students’ progress so far to plan activities which match their knowledge and skills, and inspire and engage them. This is not the case in the majority of lessons.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Students believe that behaviour has improved rapidly, recently, and feel it is much easier than it was to learn in lessons without distraction. However, ‘We still have a way to go,’ one Year 11 student said, ‘before our behaviour is good.’  Students think their best lessons are when expectations of good behaviour are high, and they are disappointed that these expectations are not maintained across all lessons.  Attendance rates have improved, although they are still below the national average. The recent appointment of a new attendance officer means that rates of long-term absence have improved.  Students feel safe, and understand how to keep safe. They can explain how the school keeps them up to date with issues related to e-safety.  Students do not think bullying happens often, and are confident that, if it does, it is dealt with.  When students are asked to become more involved in their learning, for example by working in

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

pairs or groups, they are always willing to do so, and work hard. However, often, students are allowed to remain passive. Sometimes, during a whole class session, the teacher only expects a few students to put their hands up, allowing the rest to become disengaged.  Students are polite and courteous. They enjoy it when the school has visitors and go out of their way to be welcoming and friendly.  Staff and students enjoy good relations with each other. Students feel the school is sensitive to their differences in its promotion of equality of opportunity. Students are clear that racist comments are very rare and not tolerated, and that the school is effective at tackling discrimination.  If lessons do not challenge them, students are rarely disruptive. In some lessons, they find their own work to do, like taking notes, or redrafting their work, until they are given the next activity.

p.6

The leadership and management is inadequate

 Leadership is inadequate because leaders have not been successful in addressing the long-term decline in students’ achievement, or responding to the areas for improvement identified in the previous inspection.  Leaders and managers have not acknowledged the decline in performance in their assessment of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and have been consistently too positive in their analysis of how well the school is doing.  Senior leaders maintain information about students’ progress. Subject leaders, particularly of English, mathematics and science, have not been developed professionally so they are competent in understanding what the information tells them about their subject area’s strengths and weaknesses. Information about students’ progress is not shared with teachers, so they can use it to inform what and how they teach in lessons.  The school’s improvement plans have not focused on the right areas for improvement, or

p.7

The leadership and management is inadequate

identified action to address them rapidly. There has been no consistent approach to, or urgency about, bringing about improved teaching, attainment and progress.  The quality of teaching has not been measured accurately. Programmes to bring about improvements in teaching have been incoherent and have not had a positive impact.  The school does not have a history of working closely with the local authority. This has made it difficult for the local authority to support the school, even though it had identified concerns. Very recently, the school has signed up to a local authority programme helping raise teachers’ expectations, but this has not yet had enough effect.  The manager of the sixth form is clear about areas for development and, from 2013, the school is running new courses to better engage interest and develop the skills of the sixth formers.  Students do not always think that the way the subjects are covered in class is interesting. They

p.7

The leadership and management is inadequate

enjoy events and activities that take place out of the classroom, and they want more of them. During the inspection, students were taking part in an opera project, which they loved and in which they excelled.  The school offers advice and guidance on what students want to do when they leave school in Years 9, 11, 12 and 13, and the majority of students think it is impartial and helpful.  Leaders and managers, including governors, make sure all statutory requirements with regard to safeguarding are met.  The governance of the school:  Many of the governors are new to their roles and do not have the expertise and training to understand what makes teaching good, how they can use information about the school’s performance to bring about improvement, and how it compares with similar schools nationally. They are, therefore, not in a position to challenge and support leadership effectively. They are not fully aware of decisions about how pupil premium funding is spent and its impact on

p.7

The leadership and management is inadequate

eligible students. They are unclear about how the school manages the performance of teachers and makes decisions about teachers’ pay. The Chair of Governors welcomes the local authority’s move to create an interim executive board, and inspectors endorse this as an immediate measure to address weaknesses in governance.

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its students’ needs. This ensures that students 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 students’ needs. Students 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

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its students 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.

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 110497 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 426542

p.9

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.9

School details

Type of school Secondary School category Community 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 1000 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 93 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jo Burgess Headteacher Geralyn Wilson Date of previous school inspection 11−12 October 2011 Telephone number 01296 424472 Fax number 01296 745431 Email address office@mandeville.bucks.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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

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

p.10