Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing

School report Davison Church of England High School for Girls Selbourne Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 2JX

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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.  Previous underperformance has been tackled so that achievement is now good and improving rapidly.  From their low starting points, all groups of students achieve well, including disabled students and those who have special educational needs, and those students who are eligible for additional financial support.  Teaching is good, and improving. Teachers enjoy good relationships with, and have high expectations of, their students.  Students and staff are very proud of their school and are highly committed to its values and ethos. Students behave well in lessons and around the school. Students’ security and safety are outstanding.  Attendance is good and improving. Exclusions are reducing.  In the short time since his appointment, the headteacher has taken decisive action to improve teaching and behaviour, as well as, rightly, trusting senior leaders and middle managers and giving them additional

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

responsibility.  The curriculum and the provision made for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are major strengths of the school.  The school is well governed. Governors are knowledgeable about the school and have a good understanding of its strengths and areas for improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The progress of students is not yet outstanding. Over time, there has been some variation in students’ attainment and progress.  Not enough teaching is outstanding. Low level disruption is evident in a small number of lessons.  Teachers’ feedback on students’ work does not always give students clear enough guidance on what they need to do to improve their work further.  The improvement in monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning by leaders is still relatively new so that its impact on achievement remains limited.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 28 lessons and part lessons, 17 of which were observed together with members of the school’s leadership team, including the headteacher. They also attended two assemblies and several tutorial sessions.  They looked at a range of documentation including the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s development plan, minutes of governing body meetings, records of lesson observations, examples of reports to parents and safeguarding documentation.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, middle leaders and other staff, as well as discussions with the Chair of the Governing Body, five other governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held meetings with groups of students in both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. Discussions also took place with students informally in lessons and during break times. Inspectors observed the behaviour of students in lessons as well as during lesson changeovers

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Information about this inspection

and break times.  The inspection team examined students’ work across a range of subjects including English, mathematics and science, focusing on attainment, progress and the quality of marking and feedback.  Inspectors took account of 136 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as surveys of parents’ views undertaken by the school. Inspectors also received 34 questionnaires completed by members of staff.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Ann Betts Additional Inspector David Butler Additional Inspector Mick Pye Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Davison Church of England High School for Girls is a larger than average 11 to 16 girls’ school. The current headteacher was appointed in September 2013.  The majority of students are White British, with others from Other White and Bangladeshi backgrounds. The proportions of students from minority ethnic groups and those who are learning English as an additional language are similar to national averages.  The proportion of students supported by school action is above the national average. The proportion of students supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is in line with the national average.  The proportion of students eligible for the additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, which is provided for those students known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children and children from service families, is below the national average.

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Information about this school

 The number of students eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium is very small as most students enter the school in Year 8. This extra funding is provided by the government to support those students who have not reached the expected standards in English and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 2. However, there is provision for students to enter in Year 7 to accommodate girls in neighbouring catchment areas where the age of transfer is different.  Three students are educated off site at Asphaleia in Worthing, Freshbrook in Lancing and the Chalkhill Unit at the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 11.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement and increase the amount of outstanding teaching by:  eliminating low level disruption from all lessons, by ensuring that all teachers make consistent use of the recently introduced behaviour management policy  improving teachers’ written feedback so that it consistently provides students with clear guidance on what they need to do to improve their work  improving the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning by leaders at all levels  sharing more widely the very best practice in teaching and assessment from across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students enter the school with attainment which is below average for their age. The attainment of students by the time they leave is improving and is now in line with national averages. In 2013, the proportion of students gaining five A* to C grades GCSEs, including English and mathematics, was similar to the national average. This represents good progress from students’ starting points.  Underperformance in mathematics and English in 2012 has been robustly tackled, so that attainment in 2013 in mathematics was in line with the national average for mathematics and significantly above the national average for English. Attainment in dance, history and core science is high.  Progress in English and mathematics in 2013 was good and the school’s regular and accurate assessment confirms that the 2014 results will be even better. Lesson observations and work samples confirm that these improvements are being sustained for current students. A very large

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The achievement of pupils is good

majority of parents who responded to the online questionnaire agree that their children make good progress.  Students’ reading and writing skills are developed well in their English lessons and, increasingly, across the curriculum. Students’ calculation and problem-solving skills are developed well in mathematics lessons. Students use their good information and communication technology skills very confidently, and these are developed well across the curriculum.  All groups of students, including the most able and those who come from different backgrounds, achieve well. Disabled students, those who have special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language make progress which is similar to, and occasionally better than, that of their peers. This is as a result of leaders’ strong focus on teaching and learning and the good contribution made by teaching assistants and by older students in lessons

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The achievement of pupils is good

in Key Stage 3. Students attending off-site provision make good progress on courses that cater well for their specific needs.  The small number of students eligible for support through the Year 7 catch-up funding makes good progress, because the school uses this funding wisely to help develop their skills in reading, writing and mathematics. This prepares them well for their future studies.  The attainment of students supported by pupil premium funding was three terms in English and four terms in mathematics behind their peers. The gap is reducing because the school quickly identifies and tackles any potential underperformance. It also provides students with good- quality reading support from older students and extra assistance in mathematics.  The school enters small numbers of students early for GCSE English, mathematics and science. In all cases, careful consideration is given to the benefits of such arrangements and these

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The achievement of pupils is good

students achieve the grades of which they are capable.  Students’ achievement is not outstanding because students do not consistently make rapid and sustained progress from their starting points. As a result, there has been too much variation in their performance in the recent past.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good and there is some that is outstanding. Teaching is characterised by high expectations, detailed planning, supportive relationships and a very good knowledge of students’ abilities, aptitudes and interests.  For example, in a Year 10 mathematics lesson, the teacher’s strong subject knowledge, detailed planning and good relationship with students ensured that all were fully involved and suitably challenged in considering how to find the mid-point of a line.  Teaching is not outstanding because, in a small number of lessons, learning was slowed by low level chatting and a lack of focus on the part of a small number of students, which were dealt with but not eliminated.  Disabled students and those who have special educational needs, as well those who are learning English as an additional language, benefit from teachers who have a very good awareness of their particular needs. Teachers are well supported by knowledgeable teaching assistants, as

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The quality of teaching is good

well as the willing help given by older students acting as classroom assistants.  Students supported by the Year 7 catch-up programme and those eligible for pupil premium funding are identified and well supported so that their achievement is similar to their peers. Teaching for the most able students provides them with a suitable level of challenge and, as a result, they achieve well.  Marking is regular, but the quality of teachers’ feedback on students’ work is variable across subjects and within subjects. Students receive valuable verbal feedback, but less written feedback and guidance on what they need to do to improve their work further.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of students is good inside the classroom and across the school. It is not outstanding because a small minority of students chatter or remain off task until they are reminded by staff to reapply themselves to their studies.  Students are punctual to lessons and bring the correct equipment and exercise books with them. Adherence to school uniform rules is good. Attendance is improving and fixed-term exclusions are falling. Attendance is now above national averages and exclusions are below national averages.  Effective pastoral care and early identification of problems promote students’ good and better behaviour. Students confirm that behaviour is improving as a result of the school’s recently introduced behaviour management policy. Most parents agree that behaviour is good.  Students treat each other with respect and courtesy. The large majority of students say that they have never experienced bullying. Students are confident that any instances of bullying are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

dealt with quickly and effectively.  Students have a good awareness of different forms of bullying, including cyber and homophobic bullying. Students are actively involved in supporting one another and offering advice and guidance to their peers.  Staff are aware of the needs of different students and have put effective strategies in place to cater for their specific needs. Support for students’ welfare and well-being is strong. Students comment positively about the ‘family’ feel of the school.  The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. The overwhelming majority of parents say that their child feels safe at school. Students have no concerns about their own and others’ safety, and have an extremely good awareness of how to keep themselves safe in different situations, for example when using potentially hazardous equipment in science lessons or javelins in physical education. Health and safety and child protection arrangements are

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and his senior staff provide very good leadership which has done much to tackle weaknesses arising from the 2012 results. They have significantly improved students’ achievement, as well as the quality of teaching and the behaviour of students in the school.  The headteacher, in the short time since his appointment, has improved the effectiveness of other senior managers and heads of department. He has done this by giving them greater responsibility to solve problems and take decisions, whilst holding them accountable for their actions.  The school has an accurate view of its own performance and has the capacity to bring about the further improvement needed to make the school outstanding.  Staff are positive about the leadership and management of the school. Their confidence is shared by the local authority, which has given school leaders good advice and support following the dip in results in 2012.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff morale is high, and teachers are committed to improving their practice and raising the students’ achievement. Staff are well supported by a strong training and coaching programme, which is well tailored to their individual needs. The headteacher ensures that any pay increases are closely related to the quality of teaching.  Students and parents are very positive about the recent changes that have taken place in the way the school is run and the impact this is having on the quality of teaching and on behaviour in and around the school.  Communication with parents was identified as an area for improvement in the last inspection report. Parental survey results indicate that the great majority are satisfied with the ways in which the school communicates with them. They are also positive about the extent to which the school involves them in their child’s education. They cite, in particular, family learning events

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The leadership and management are good

which focus on areas such as supporting revision, making option choices and post-16 education.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, providing students with a wide range of options, including work-related courses, to match the needs of all groups of students. A very high proportion of students benefits from the excellent range of extra-curricular activities. Good provision is made for disabled students and those with special educational needs, as well as for the highest attaining and most talented students.  Students benefit from careers education and guidance, including access to a qualified adviser based in the school. They are strongly supported in making the transfer from primary and middle schools, in making their option choices for Key Stage 4 and in preparing them for further education, training or employment. A very high proportion of students goes on to further education and around three quarters of the students then go on to higher education.

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The leadership and management are good

 The provision made for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a major strength of the school. Students are very caring and supportive of each other. Religious education and personal development, as well as the general ethos in the school, help them develop a strong understanding of right and wrong. Very substantial numbers of students take on responsibilities within the school, which do much to develop their social skills and prepare them effectively for the future. There is a rich programme of visits and other activities that help to promote students’ cultural awareness. Equal opportunities are promoted well. The school is a harmonious community and there is no evidence of any discrimination. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding students fully meet government requirements.  Leadership and management are not outstanding. This is because not all leaders do enough to

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The leadership and management are good

improve teaching by regularly checking and accurately judging its quality. Teachers do not have enough opportunities to share good and outstanding practice that has been developed in the school.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a very secure knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses supported through regular feedback and frequent visits to the school. They provide the school with support and challenge in equal measures, and ask searching questions of the headteacher and other senior leaders.  Regular training has ensured that governors have a good understanding of how well students are achieving compared with those in other schools, and of what constitutes good teaching.  Governors are increasingly involved in decisions about teachers’ pay progression and ensuring that this relates to the quality of teaching. They are aware of how the pupil premium and Year 7 catch-up money is spent, and ensure that all requirements are met, including those for

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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 126093 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 441063

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Comprehensive School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Girls Number of pupils on the school roll 1,050 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ray Oxenbridge Headteacher Chris Keating Date of previous school inspection 24–25 November 2010 Telephone number 01903 233835 Fax number 01903 211417 Email address info@davison.w-sussex.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 and 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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