Setting

Miss Clare Skelding Feversham College 158 Cliffe Road Undercliffe Bradford West Yorkshire BD3 0LT

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Feversham College

Following my visit with Jane Austin, Her Majesty’s Inspector and Angela Headon, Her Majesty’s Inspector to your academy on 10 and 11 June 2014, I am writing this letter on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Feversham College

The inspection was a monitoring inspection carried out in accordance with the no formal designation procedures, and conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was carried out because the Chief Inspector was concerned about the effectiveness of safeguarding, and leadership and management at the academy.

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Feversham College

Please note that this letter will be published on the Ofsted website in due course.

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Evidence

Her Majesty’s Inspectors scrutinised the single central record and other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection arrangements, including individual personnel files and child protection files. Minutes of meetings of the governing body, examples of reports to the governing body and a range of curriculum documents were scrutinised. Her Majesty’s Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders and staff, groups of students, the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors and a representative of Bradford local authority and the Bradford Partnership. A meeting was held with a representative of the police who regularly works in the academy. Her Majesty’s Inspectors undertook brief visits to classrooms and observed teaching and learning and the work in students’ books and on display. CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231

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Evidence

Text Phone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566932 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: hcarnall@cfbt.com They observed the behaviour of students around the academy. The views of the 64 staff who returned questionnaires were taken into account.

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Context

In 1994, Feversham College evolved from Bradford Muslim Girls Community School, an independent school with 26 girls on roll. The College acquired voluntary aided status in 2001 and converted to become an academy in August 2011. The academy has expanded significantly in recent years. Feversham College is under the trusteeship of the Muslim Association of Bradford which appoints most of the governors. The academy directors, staff and parents and carers work together to educate girls in the context of the Islamic Sunni Faith as a way of life. Feversham was awarded Teaching School status in 2012 and is in partnership with Skipton Girls High School in the Northern Lights Teaching Schools Alliance.

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Context

Feversham College is smaller than the average size secondary school with 664 on roll; 163 of these students are in the sixth form. All students are from minority ethnic backgrounds, with 87% being of Pakistani heritage. The number of students who speak English as an additional language varies throughout the academy with only 25% in Year 8 and 88% in Year 9. The proportion of students for whom the academy receives pupil premium funding is well above average. This is additional funding for students in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of disabled students and those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is high compared to other schools. However, the proportion of students with a statement of special educational need is low. The academy has extremely low mobility, currently 98% of students remain at Feversham College throughout their compulsory secondary education.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Supportive and respectful relationships characterise the academy; students of all ages comment that they feel safe and secure. The atmosphere within the academy is calm and conducive to learning. Students say they enjoy coming to Feversham College and welcome the leadership opportunities they are given, they participate confidently and enthusiastically in lessons and in a wide range of enrichment opportunities. This is evidenced by above average attendance and the high proportion of students who choose to continue their studies into the sixth form.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Students are prepared for life in modern Britain through their citizenship and guidance lessons, where there is regular involvement of the local police and other agencies to develop the students’ understanding of risk and to promote safety. The academy is aware of the risk of extremism and radicalisation and implements the Prevent programme. An annual ‘health check’ by the local counter terrorism unit ensures the academy is following best practice. Academy leaders are aware of risks such as forced marriage and female genital mutilation, and provide sensitive and appropriate information and guidance, working with other agencies and individual families as the need arises.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

E-safety is given a high profile and all forms of bullying are discussed. Bullying ambassadors are in place and students say they are confident to approach them or any member of staff should they need to. A check was carried out on the record of visitors to the academy, the log of bullying and racist incidents, and child protection procedures and training records. All safeguarding requirements are met. A recently commissioned external safeguarding audit resulted in minor adjustments to ensure that safeguarding practice is exemplary.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The headteacher senior leaders and governors demonstrate high ambitions for the academy and its students. It takes students from about 40 local primary schools and has strong links with parents as part of its transition programme. Ofsted is not aware of any parental complaints. Governors are proud of the tradition of excellent education for local Muslim girls. They wish to retain and build on the academy’s current ethos and vision while ensuring they comply with the most recent legal requirements.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

There are ongoing negotiations between the academy and the Department for Education regarding the academy’s recruitment policy. While this, in and of itself, is not a matter for Ofsted, it may have a bearing on any judgement to be made about leadership and management, as this judgement has to take account of the extent to which the academy is meeting its responsibilities under the terms of its funding agreement with the Department for Education.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The monitoring and evaluation by senior leaders and governors of teaching and students’ achievement is highly effective with evidence of consistently high achievement over time. Regular and robust practice is evident and embedded in the routines of the academy. Performance management policies and processes are clear and well documented, with evidence that teachers’ targets are linked effectively to improving the quality of teaching over time, and pay progression. Some teachers’ targets are linked to the development of the academy’s Islamic ethos but these are in the minority. There is extensive evidence of continuing professional development that improves the quality of teaching, including external courses linked to the academy’s teaching school designation.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Members of the governing body express a range of different views on the rationale for the retention of an all-female learning environment. These views are now being regularly discussed in an open and transparent way at governors’ meetings. Staff governors effectively represent the views of the staff on the governing body and fully contribute to agendas, debate and decisions across all areas. Male governors are not role models within the academy because they do not interact with students in this all-female environment. Male governors attend parents’ evenings, whole- academy events and consult with parents and staff regularly to discharge their responsibilities.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The curriculum meets the requirements of the academy’s funding agreement, and has been extended in some areas to meet students’ interest, for example, the inclusion of a film and media qualification at Key Stages 4 and 5. Academic and vocational courses provide a suitable balance to meet a range of needs and interests, and breadth is achieved through a good range of subjects. There are plans to extend the choice of subjects further from September 2015. Carefully-targeted interventions ensure there are no gaps in the performance of different cohorts of students. Music is not taught as a separate subject in Key Stage 3 but was evident within drama, film and media courses, together with the opportunity that students have for performance within form time, in extra-curricular activities, and at academy events.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Leaders have developed strong links and clear referral routes to a wide range of external agencies that support students to confidently take the next steps in their education and development. A wide range of partners (all female) visit the academy and they provide workshops and work with individual students as necessary. Work experience plays an important part in preparing students for their next steps and all Year 10 and Year 12 students undertake work experience in a wide range of mixed gender settings. Sixth form students visit a range of higher education institutions. Seventy-seven percent of students progress to higher education and all continue into education, employment or training. There are a wide range of educational trips and visits including camping, caving, debating and the opportunity to work with other schools on projects. The academy has a range of charitable links, local, national and

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

international, and fields a full range of teams in local competitive sports leagues, including netball and football. All girls take at least one lesson of physical education each week and the enthusiasm for sports day was evident in assembly.

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External support

The academy plays an active part in the Bradford partnership and welcomes external challenge that helps it to improve the quality of education it provides. The headteacher is a local leader of education and the academy has four designated specialist leaders of education who promote best practice in teaching and learning within the academy and in other local schools. The local authority and the Bradford partnership have asked the academy to support and sponsor other schools. As a teaching school, Feversham College provides a range of professional development opportunities to other schools and contributes to teacher training. The academy has undertaken extensive partnership work with its nearest primary schools, particularly to develop work in science.

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Priorities for further improvement

 To continue to review the breadth and balance of the curriculum so that it maintains current high levels of achievement and continues to extend students’ range of experience.

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Priorities for further improvement

 To increase opportunities for the broadest range of positive role models, including men and male governors, to be part of students’ learning.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the Director of Children’s Services for Bradford, to the Secretary of State for Education, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Academies Advisers Unit at the Department for Education. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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