Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566862 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: rcowley@cfbt.com

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Mrs Sarah Bone Headteacher Headlands School and Community Science College Sewerby Road Bridlington YO16 6UR

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Community Science College, East Riding of Yorkshire

Following my visit to your school on 11 March 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report on the findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Community Science College, East Riding of Yorkshire

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in November 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Community Science College, East Riding of Yorkshire

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection.

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Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body, and a representative from the local authority (the improvement partner). The inspector jointly observed with senior leaders a small sample of lessons and also looked at students’ workbooks. A number of documents, including records of monitoring activities and information on students’ achievement and attendance were also scrutinised.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection, the pace of improvement has accelerated. The headteacher, in post since June 2013, has continued to build on the emerging improvement seen at the previous inspection in November. Improvements in the quality of teaching, students’ achievement and their attendance are evident. The school’s assessment data indicates that students are making better progress overall, with a similar picture evident for key groups, including those eligible for pupil premium funding. The proportion of students in Year 11 on track to make expected or better progress in English and mathematics is currently similar to the national average, with a stronger profile evident for Year 10 students. The school’s data also indicates that the proportion of students attaining five or more GCSE A* to C grades, including English and mathematics in 2014 is likely to be much closer to the national average.

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Main findings

Robust monitoring procedures and targeted support and challenge for identified teachers have resulted in improvements in teaching. Leaders take a range of evidence into account when reviewing the quality of teaching, notably progress in workbooks and teachers’ assessment data. Systems to ensure greater consistency across all subject areas are in place, including new approaches to classroom practice and marking. Evidence from lessons and students’ workbooks indicates that this is starting to have a stronger impact on pupils’ achievement, but there remains variability in some subjects. As a result, senior leaders have targeted a number of non-core curriculum areas for further intervention, with improvements evident, for example in languages.

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Main findings

This work has been supported further through the use of regular subject ‘health checks’, increasing the accountability of middle leaders, and measurable appraisal objectives for all staff. A further review of leadership and teaching roles is also currently underway, following a strategic restructure of staffing across the school.

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Main findings

Attendance is improving, with a decline in the proportion of students who are persistently absent. This is particularly evident for those key groups identified at the previous inspection, notably students eligible for pupil premium funding and those with additional learning needs. School leaders have introduced ‘attendance panel’ meetings targeted at students in Year 10 with a poor track record. This action together with closer monitoring of these students by leaders and support personnel has moved attendance closer to the national average.

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Main findings

Governors have addressed the significant challenge of reviewing current and future staffing requirements in light of the financial resource available to the school. They have a secure understanding of data and closely monitor all aspects of the school’s work, including achievement and attendance information, and the developing work of middle leaders through the ‘health check’ procedure. The Chair of the Governing Body is also a member of the attendance panel. More recently, the governors have put in place an action plan to further improve their effectiveness. As a result, they have improved the quality of their reporting on ‘linked’ areas, following their visits, with a greater focus on evaluation and measuring the impact of the school’s actions on the areas for improvement.

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Main findings

Ofsted may carry out further visits and, where necessary, provide further support and challenge to the school until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

There has been an increase in support, following a recent review of the local authority’s overall support for targeted schools. The local authority has funded leadership support from a Local Leader of Education and teacher improvement through the Teaching School Alliance The improvement partner has continued to robustly report on the quality of provision and leadership, consultants have supported specific curriculum areas and the education welfare service have worked closely with senior leaders on attendance issues. The impact of this work is evident in some improvements in teaching and leadership in some curriculum areas, notably languages, and in student attendance. The school’s progress is kept under review at the half-termly ‘school review group meetings’ attended by school leaders, governors and local authority officers.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children's Services for the East Riding of Yorkshire.

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