King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy

Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy Church Lane, Handsworth, B20 2HL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  The academy provides an exceptionally high quality of education, which results in students making outstanding progress.  All groups of students make the same fast progress irrespective of their starting points or backgrounds.  Teaching is outstanding because teachers know students extremely well and adapt learning to suit individual needs and abilities.  Pupil premium funding is used very effectively to support students who need extra help, so that they make the same outstanding progress as the others, especially in English.  Students thrive because the academy is a very caring, inclusive community with excellent support systems. Students say they feel safe.  Teachers’ marking is very good. Just occasionally, they do not make sure students follow up the guidance offered by improving their work.  Outstanding leadership at all levels has established a climate where staff readily share

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

expertise and check the impact of their work.  The very experienced governing body is exceptionally effective. Governors provide a high level of support and challenge.  Robust systems for managing performance reward and encourage staff at all levels to ensure students succeed.  The sixth form is outstanding and the 16 to 19 study programmes meet students’ needs and aspirations well.  Students are very proud of their academy. They display exemplary attitudes to learning and their behaviour is outstanding.  The range of courses and subjects is very well planned and ensures that students enjoy their time in the academy.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the students is promoted extremely effectively.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 35 lessons, of which five were jointly observed with senior leaders. Inspectors also made a number of visits to assemblies and tutorial sessions and carried out short visits to classrooms across a range of subjects.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, and the Chair of the Governing Body.  Inspectors spoke to students in lessons, at breaks and at lunchtimes. They also met with various groups of students.  The inspection team looked at a range of documentation, including the academy’s checks on how well it is doing, the academy improvement plan, and statistical information about students’ progress, achievement, behaviour and exclusions. They looked at the work of a wide range of students.  Inspectors looked at the academy’s documentation relating to the management of the work of staff, training arrangements for teachers and other staff, lesson observations, and arrangements

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Information about this inspection

for the safeguarding of students and for governance.  Inspectors took into account the academy’s own parent responses, and the 51 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Christine Young, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rosemary Myers Additional Inspector Robert Steed Additional Inspector Helen Martin Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy is average in size for a secondary school with a sixth form. It converted to become an academy in November 2012. When its predecessor school, called Handsworth Wood Girls’ Visual and Performing Arts Specialist College and Sixth Form Centre, was previously inspected by Ofsted in January 2011, it was judged to be good.  Almost all students come from minority ethnic heritage backgrounds.  A much higher than average proportion of students speak English as an additional language. Many students are new to Britain from a wide range of countries, and speak very little English.  The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium is well above average. This is additional money allocated by the government for students who are looked after by the local authority and those eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported

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Information about this school

through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The academy runs a ‘nurture’ group to support students in literacy and numeracy.  The academy supports an alternative provision free school, St George’s Academy. It has partnerships with the Handsworth Association of Schools, the Titan Partnership, the James Brindley and Wood Green Academy Teaching Alliances and Citizens UK Birmingham.  The academy is the first academy in Birmingham to achieve the Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Quality Mark.  A small number of students attend off-site work-related training at Birmingham Metropolitan College, Gordon Franks Training, City Learning Centre, Hamstead Hall Academy and University College Birmingham.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that marking and feedback are consistently effective in helping students to improve their work across the academy.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The vast majority of students make rapid and sustained progress from below-average starting points. Students’ attitudes to learning are excellent. The calm, purposeful atmosphere that prevails in the academy promotes learning.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 In 2013 over two-thirds of all students attained five or more A* to C GCSE grades including English and mathematics; 74% gained A* to C GCSE grades in English and 73% in mathematics, which was considerably above average. Overall achievement is excellent and has been sustained. The academy’s own recent data suggest that GCSE results in 2014 will be even better.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students’ achievement in both academic and work-related qualifications in the sixth form is outstanding. The proportion of students who stay on in the sixth form is extremely high. The school prepares them exceptionally well for higher education.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students thrive and respond to the school’s high expectations, so that students from diverse backgrounds all achieve extremely well. Students who are at an early stage of learning to speak English make outstanding progress because of the academy’s exemplary tracking of their progress, the identification of their learning needs and good planning by all teachers to address their special needs, including the development of literacy.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disabled students and those who have special educational needs make very good progress. Teachers and other adults support and guide these students and the extra help they receive makes a considerable difference to their achievement.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students read widely and often. They write extensively across all subjects and apply a wide range of skills very effectively to ensure they are very well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. No student leaves the academy without clear options that have been carefully planned for their future lives.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The academy has highly effective links with the providers of alternative education that support a few students with specific needs. Their progress is monitored in line with all students in the academy and provision amended where necessary, so that they make the same excellent progress as other students.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The achievement of students eligible for the pupil premium is similar to that of other students. They make even better progress than others in English, where because rigorous programmes of support boost their performance.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students who are eligible for the Year 7 ‘catch-up’ premium receive additional support in the ‘nurture’ group to develop their numeracy and literacy skills. This excellent help and guidance ensures they make rapid progress. The academy does not enter students early for GCSE examinations.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The exceptional quality of display around the academy and in classrooms enhances its appearance and promotes learning very well.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Consistently high-quality teaching promotes excellent progress across the academy. The variety and pace of activities keep all students fully motivated and engaged in their learning.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Warm, constructive relationships pervade classrooms; disruption of any kind is virtually unknown. Courtesy is the norm and students enjoy numerous opportunities for pair, group, and individual work. Students show a strong desire to learn and all teachers have very high expectations of them.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers and teaching assistants work together to provide support that is well matched to the accurate assessments they make of students’ abilities. This ensures that all students, including disabled students and those who have special educational needs and the most able, make excellent progress.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The quality of teaching in the sixth form is outstanding. Students are very keen to learn, especially where teaching is aimed at developing their analytical and reflective skills. Students are most confident when applying skills, knowledge and understanding to real situations.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers find a variety of ways to motivate students, including through providing opportunities for them to work with each other to share and develop ideas. For example, in a Year 7 graphics lesson students were challenged to create a moving animation. Excellent discussions between students quickly enabled them to share ideas and create clear frameworks, which led to some exciting animations being devised.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers use praise well, which underpins the high levels of enjoyment shown by students in lessons. Teachers and students have excellent working relationships, which develop confidence and enables teachers to test students’ understanding of the topic being studied.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers’ excellent subject knowledge promotes assured teaching, which improves students’ rates of progress. They ask questions that challenge, encourage and help students to think more deeply and come up with their own ideas and answers to problems. This was clearly evident in a Year 8 geography lesson, where students entered into a practical exploration of how glaciers move which captured their imagination and made learning fun.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Many students commented on how supportive their teachers are and what a difference their commitment and high aspirations are making to their achievement.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The academy’s literacy programme is very effective and is helping to develop students’ literacy skills and to support their learning across a range of subjects. ‘Literacy mentors’ help students to improve their reading skills.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Some of the marking and feedback given by teachers is very good and leads to students having an accurate understanding of how well they are working and what they need to do to improve. However, this good practice is not sufficiently widespread and some teachers do not give students enough good-quality guidance.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of students is outstanding, both in lessons and around the academy. Attitudes to learning are exemplary. Students are very smart and well dressed and are excellent ambassadors for their academy.  The academy’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. Students, including those in the sixth form, say they feel safe. They understand risk and have a very good understanding of the different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They say that there is very little bullying in school and express great confidence that should any happen, it would be dealt with quickly and effectively.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students show a great pride in their academy. The atmosphere is one of respect, sharing and learning together. Students are very polite, well-mannered and courteous towards each other and to adults and visitors. They are inquisitive and fun to talk to.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students’ leadership skills are promoted both within the classroom and throughout the academy community. Participation in the Academy Council, The Young People’s Parliament, Sporting Leadership Academies and the Arts Award provide opportunities, develop clear personal skills and have an impact on academy life. Students speak very highly of the chances they are given to explore ideas and take part in activities beyond their lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students are active in raising funds for local and national charities including Cancer Research. This enables students to develop as responsible individuals and make a significant contribution to the wider community.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The academy’s house system has helped to build a strong community and healthy competition that inspires aspiration and excellence. The academy’s celebration of diversity is exemplary.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students’ behaviour in the sixth form is exemplary, as are their attitudes to learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is a major strength of the academy. Assemblies focus on values and encourage students to reflect upon their lives.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance is above average, and as a result of the work done with parents it is continuing to rise during 2014, reflecting students’ enjoyment in learning. The attendance of potentially vulnerable students is also high; far fewer than found nationally are persistently absent.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The responses to the academy’s own parental survey indicate that the vast majority of parents agree that their children are very safe and exceptionally well looked after, and that they would recommend the academy to other parents.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher and the senior leadership team, including those responsible for the sixth form, have a focused, inclusive vision for the academy’s future. This is leading to rapid improvements in the quality of teaching and students’ achievement. They have a clear awareness of the academy’s main strengths and weaknesses.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher is determined in her ongoing focus on improvement. This is driven by her passionate belief that all students, irrespective of their circumstances, are entitled to the best possible education. The academy’s commitment to equality of opportunity is demonstrated by its determination to give all students the chance to excel and achieve their potential.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders use well-developed systems and processes to check the performance of students and staff. As a result, they have an accurate view of strengths and any areas requiring further improvement.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The leaders’ rigorous and accurate analyses and evaluations provide all teachers and governors with a clear understanding of the academy’s performance. Its track record, reflected in students’ outstanding achievement and effective teaching, also shows capacity for continued improvement.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Comprehensive checks on students’ progress, through analysing assessment information, enable all staff to follow how each student is progressing. Leaders use the results to challenge staff to ensure their efforts promote the best possible progress.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Weekly two-hour sessions enable teachers and managers to develop their expertise through workshops and other training that are linked to their targets for improvement.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The academy’s links with the Teaching School’s Alliance Programme has enabled it to build on high-quality, targeted training for teachers. This has helped to improve the quality of teaching and raise standards.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The leadership of the sixth form is outstanding, and it offers a wide-ranging curriculum including work-related subjects. Very few Year 11 students do not stay on into the sixth form. The school is very proud of the individual support that guides students to make the right subject choices for Year 12. Practically all sixth form students move on to apprenticeships, university, further education or employment.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Students who join the school with low levels of literacy are given special support to develop language skills, self-confidence and understanding. Their reintegration into main school from the nurture group enables them to accelerate their learning and achieve the same success as other students.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Pupil premium funding is being used successfully to give students extra help in English and mathematics, which includes one-to-one support, small-group work and focused learning sessions. It pays for additional teachers, literacy and numeracy support.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 All safeguarding requirements are fully met. All documentation is meticulously completed. Child protection procedures are exemplary. All staff are appropriately trained and are aware of child protection and risk assessment procedures.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has planned meticulously to ensure that the school provides a motivating and inspirational school community. Governors hold the headteacher to account for the accuracy of predictions, the quality of teaching and attendance. They have a very good understanding of data on how well the school is performing when compared to all schools nationally. They have completed RAISEonline data analysis training. A series of well-planned meetings for governors help them to maintain a robust but balanced overview of the effectiveness of the school. Governors make sure that the Year 7 catch-up and the pupil premium funding is well managed and they have a very good awareness of how to evaluate its impact on students’ achievement. They have a firm grasp of the school’s finances and of systems for pay progression linked to performance management. They monitor the performance management of the principal and monitor targets for senior leaders.

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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 138937 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 440699

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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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Girls Gender of pupils in the sixth form Girls Number of pupils on the school roll 790 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 160 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Amjid Mahroof Headteacher Nicola Walters Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 0121 554 8122 Fax number 0121 551 6805 Email address enquiry@hwga.org.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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