The Norwood School

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Sixth form provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The majority of students’ attainment is in line with, or above, national averages.  Most groups of students, including those with special educational needs, those who speak English as an additional language and those eligible for pupil premium funding, achieve extremely well.  Achievement in the sixth form has improved significantly and is now good.  The majority of teaching is good or better. Most students learn well and make good progress over time.  Some teaching gives rise to outstanding achievement over time.  Teachers’ attentive care and support ensure most students achieve as well as they should.  Behaviour continues to improve. Most students’ behaviour is typically good and sometimes better.  Leaders challenge any behaviour that is less than good through the use of robust monitoring and support systems.  Attendance is good and improving.  Students feel safe and secure.  The work of the headteacher and other senior

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

leaders is contributing significantly to improvements in behaviour, teaching and achievement throughout the school.  Subject and pastoral leaders demonstrate a good understanding of their areas of responsibility which they use effectively to make further improvements.  The curriculum meets the needs of most students.  Governors have a broad knowledge of the performance of students and teachers.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most-able students are not always challenged. Consequently, some do not achieve as well as they should.  Some teacher assessment is not currently accurate enough or well used to decide what students should learn next.  Incidents of poor behaviour over time are falling. Leaders’ efforts to sustain recent improvements are still reliant on the use of strong sanctions.  Senior and middle leaders’ views about teaching do not always take enough account of how well students are achieving over time. A small proportion of teaching over time requires improvement.  Written feedback to students is improving, but remains inconsistent across the school. A minority of teachers have yet to reach the standards leaders expect of them.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 33 lessons to observe teaching and learning, scrutinise work and talk to students.  Inspectors visited seven lessons jointly with senior leaders.  Formal meetings with groups of students and informal discussions with other students around the school were held.  Interviews were held with the headteacher, senior leaders and middle leaders.  Inspectors met with 10 members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The views of 19 parents and carers through the Ofsted online questionnaire Parent View were considered. Inspectors also considered the views of parents surveyed by the school.  Inspectors also considered the views of 48 staff who responded to the staff questionnaire.  The school’s improvement plans, self-evaluation records and the minutes of governing body meetings were scrutinised.  Inspectors also scrutinised records of students’ progress, anonymised performance management records,

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Information about this inspection

records of professional development, the single central record, incident logs and attendance data.

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Inspection team

Michael Pennington, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 Norwood School is smaller than the average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of students supported at school action is higher than average. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is much higher than average.  The large majority of students at the school come from a range of ethnic heritages including Black Caribbean, Black African, and Other White backgrounds. About a third of students speak English as an additional language.  About two thirds of students at the school are eligible for the pupil premium funding (additional funding to support students who receive free school meals and students who are looked after).  The school uses a variety of additional providers to support a very small number of students with alternative provision, including Virgo Fidelis Convent Senior School, Westminster Kingsway College and Lambeth College.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher is a Local Leader of Education (LLE) and provides a range of support to Grey Court School in Richmond upon Thames and Raynes Park High School in Merton.  The headteacher also provides a range of support to schools through the Department for Education’s ‘Securing Good Programme’.  The school meets the current government floor standards.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that the achievement of all student groups in all subjects is consistently good or outstanding by ensuring that: – the most -able students are challenged to achieve as much as they can – teacher assessment is always accurate and consistently used to plan for new learning – written feedback consistently informs and challenges students to make improvements to their work.  Improve leadership and management, by ensuring that:  middle and senior leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching maintain a focus on the impact of teaching on students’ achievement  records and analysis of students’ behaviour are continually used to make further improvements to behaviour management strategies.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s pursuit of excellence permeates to other leaders and all staff. Consequently, leaders throughout the school have high expectations and have used them to secure improvements to teaching, behaviour and achievement despite the challenges of recent significant building work.  Leaders have good systems in place to regularly check teaching, behaviour and achievement. As a result, they have sound knowledge of the strengths and areas for improvement of the school. However, leaders have not used this information to judge some aspects of the school’s work accurately enough.  Leaders target pupil premium funding on activities which have proven to have the most impact. Outcomes for eligible students are impressive because leaders have ensured high quality sustainable support is in place.  Leaders’ understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement of teaching are accurate and, as a

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The leadership and management are good

result, contribute to improvements in teaching. However, judgements about the impact of teaching over time are over generous. This is because leaders are not taking enough account of the progress made by all students over time when making their judgements.  The management of teachers’ performance is closely matched to professional development opportunities. As a result, leaders ensure that programmes are in place to support the needs of all teachers with different levels of experience. Teachers’ performance is carefully linked to decisions about salary progression.  Middle leaders are making a significant contribution to improvements at Norwood School. However, improvements to teaching and achievement over time in some areas have not been matched in others. While new middle leaders in key positions are beginning to make the necessary improvements to teaching and assessment, the impact of their leadership on achievement is yet to be seen.

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The leadership and management are good

 The provision for students with special educational needs is outstanding and demonstrates leaders’ drive for equality of opportunity. Students’ needs are identified quickly and supported well without delay. Students are extremely well supported in their learning by teachers and achieve exceptionally well as a result.  Leaders’ care for the students and their safety is exceptionally good. Statutory safeguarding requirements are met with meticulous attention to detail. Leaders’ engagement with parents and their use of a wide range of partnerships contribute to high quality care for the students at Norwood School.  Students’ achievement is supported by a curriculum which meets most of their needs. Leaders and governors have ensured the curriculum is continually reviewed to offer a range of pathways for all students. They recognise that some students with higher starting points would benefit from a greater

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The leadership and management are good

range of academic options in the sixth form.  Leaders offer an extensive range of opportunities for students’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. A wide range of events, trips and visits ensure that students’ development extends far beyond lessons. For example, teachers’ and other adults’ contributions to the extra-curricular programme, Wonder 7, give students the opportunity to take part in a range of enriching activities beyond the school day. As a result, students enjoy the freedom to gain and improve skills with their peers from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.  The local authority offers ongoing support and challenge tothe school. Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching and achievement are supported, developed and validated by the local authority. The local authority recognises the school’s key areas for improvement. However, they do not attach enough importance to the achievement of some students over time when making judgements about the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance of the school is good. Governors challenge leaders frequently and have a broad understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement of students’ achievement and the quality of teaching.. However, governors recognise they do not know enough about the progress of younger students at the school. They have observed the apparent mismatch between leaders’ evaluation of teaching and the outcomes of some students and subjects and have accepted leaders’ judgements about teaching too readily.  Governors’ knowledge of pupil premium plans and spending is very good. They are acutely aware of the amounts and purpose of funding and regularly, and effectively, challenge leaders about the impact of spending.  Governors have a rigorous process for the headteacher’s appraisal. Consequently, targets for improvement are challenging yet realistic. They also have very clear processes for the review of

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The leadership and management are good

teachers’ performance management. As a result, recommendations for pay progression are well founded on key performance indicators.  Governors’ statutory duties are undertaken diligently and efficiently.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of students is good. Leaders’ management systems have secured significant improvements in behaviour over recent years. Recognition of students’ positive behaviour is matched with emphatic responses to poor behaviour when necessary. As a result, exclusions and serious behaviour incidents are both falling. However, school records show this much improving culture of behaviour is still reliant on firm responses from leaders.  Students pride of Norwood School is clear and the vast majority demonstrate good order around school, showing high levels of respect for each other and adults. This is because teachers and other adults act as positive role models and maintain a high presence at key points and times in the school day. As a result, the vast majority of students are polite and courteous.  Students’ behaviour in the alternative provision is also good. Regular checks by leaders ensure that they

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

can respond quickly to the behaviour of these students over time.  Students’ attitudes to learning are often good and sometimes impeccable. Teachers promote a developing sense of responsibility as students mature. Students acknowledge the impact that high quality caring relationships with teachers and other adults are having on their behaviour over time. Despite this, inspectors observed that there is still some low-level disruption to learning in some lessons.  Students’ attendance is continuing to improve and is now slightly higher than national averages. Leaders’ relentless focus on checking and reducing persistent absence has contributed to impressive improvements over time. Careful attention is given to individual students and their families to encourage and support good attendance.  The school offers students a very wide range of opportunities beyond the school day which is contributing to their improving behaviour and attitudes towards learning. For example, breakfast clubs and after-school

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

activities are popular and provide opportunities for adults to model positive behaviours for students.  The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. Students’ sense of risk and safety is very sharp. This is because leaders use the curriculum and other opportunities to guide students about their responsibilities including e-safety and community safety. School records confirm students’ views that bullying of any form is infrequent and extremely well dealt with.  All staff are well informed about their role in keeping students safe. Leaders ensure this is regularly considered throughout the year. Consequently, students express confidence in teachers and other adults and know who they should speak to if they have concerns about safety.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Although much teaching over time is good or outstanding, some teaching does not have enough impact on the progress of students. Some students’ learning is rapid, and many make significant gains in their knowledge, understanding and skills. However, inconsistencies in the quality of teaching mean this is not the case in all subjects and is most notable for some students with higher starting points.  Students’ achievement is best when teachers make good use of assessment to set a demanding pace. In a Year 9 mathematics lesson, rapid learning activities with regular assessment meant students quickly developed the confidence to apply the skills of expanding brackets to a variety of problems. Students benefited from immediate identification of their misconceptions and moved on without delay.  Not all teaching takes enough account of the prior learning or starting points of individuals. As a result,

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The quality of teaching is good

there are occasions when students of all abilities, including the most able, are not given work which is appropriately challenging.  Some teaching makes very effective use of questioning and discussion to develop students’ oracy and communication skills. Scrutiny of students’ work shows that, at its best, written feedback ensures attention is given to developing students’ literacy skills. Such practice is not consistent enough for all students to benefit from this approach.  Teachers’ and other adults’ close support for most students in lessons is a strength. For example, students with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make good or outstanding progress over time because their needs are attentively and carefully considered. Students agree that care, support and respect are common features of teaching at Norwood School.  Many students’ learning benefits from high quality written feedback which helps them to improve their

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The quality of teaching is good

understanding. However, this is not consistent across all teachers and subjects. Some marking has little impact on students’ progress because it is too superficial and does not guide or challenge students enough.  Inconsistencies in teaching are also evident in the sixth form. Some teaching makes very effective use of discussion to develop and apply students’ understanding. In a Year 13 history lesson, discussion ensured that students’ prior knowledge was developed so that they were able to compare pre-First World War democracy with modern day examples. In other subjects, however, a minority of students find it difficult to retain an understanding of recent learning activities because teachers do not consider the quality with which students record key learning points.  Much teaching gives close consideration to developing students’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding. For example, in a Year 7 physical education lesson, students rose to the challenge of

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The quality of teaching is good

considering the moral implications of whether it is appropriate to cheat in sport.  The accuracy of teachers’ assessment of students’ progress over time is inconsistent in some subjects. Leaders of a small number of subjects recognise that some students’ progress has suffered in the recent past because assessment did not identify how well they were doing or what they needed to learn next.

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The achievement of pupils

 From low starting points, the majority of students at Key Stage 4 attain above or in line with national averages. Achievement is not outstanding because this is not consistently the case in all subjects. For example, the attainment of some students in mathematics and humanities is not as high as it should be.  Students who are eligible for pupil premium funding often make better progress than others in the school. Eligible students’ progress in English far exceeds recent national averages for other students. However, in mathematics they achieve slightly less well.  Students with special educational needs and students from all different ethnic heritages, including those who speak English as an additional language, make or exceed expected progress. Support for these students ensures their outcomes either exceed or are very close to standards expected for all students nationally and demonstrates the school’s commitment to equality of opportunity.

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The achievement of pupils

 Students with low starting points make outstanding progress because of the careful attention from teachers and carefully planned catch-up programmes.  A minority of students join the school with higher starting points. Some of these students do not make enough progress in a few subjects. For example, in 2014 less than two thirds of students with high starting points in Year 11 made the progress they were expected to in mathematics. School records show that some students with higher starting points in younger year groups do not always make the progress they could.  Most students develop their reading, writing and communication skills well and this contributes to their outstanding progress in English. However, conceptual understanding in mathematics is not as consistently strong. Consequently, some outcomes in mathematics have declined since leaders have ceased early examination entry in 2013−14.

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The achievement of pupils

 Students who attend the alternative provision benefit from a range of courses including hair and beauty, engineering and building crafts. In 2014 all of these students achieved a pass or merit in each of their courses in line with expectations.  Students’ A-level and BTEC outcomes in the sixth from have improved significantly in 2014, following weaker achievement in 2013. Some students achieved higher than expected outcomes in vocational courses and many more are now meeting expectations in A-level subjects. However, a small number of A-level subjects are still not reaching the same standards.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Students of all starting points benefit from a varied menu of academic and vocational pathways in the relatively new sixth form. This is because the school’s guidance ensures students make choices that suit their needs. As a result, the sixth form is expanding and achievement in 2014 has risen significantly.  Students experience a wide range of enrichment opportunities which contribute to their development in areas such as sport, arts and community activities. Leaders have recently ensured that a programme to develop personal, social and employability skills has been incorporated into the sixth form. It is too early to evaluate the impact of this.  Students’ conduct and attitudes to learning consistently live up to teachers’ expectations. The students make good use of opportunities to learn in lessons and consistently act as positive role models to younger students around school.  Students receive good quality and impartial information, advice and guidance about possible next steps.

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The sixth form provision is good

Leaders make good use of dedicated careers advisers and links with further education establishments to offer wide ranging information to students. As a result, students express confidence in their readiness to make choices about their future.  Leaders’ checks on the sixth form have increased in rigour over the last year. While these checks have proved successful in improving outcomes, leaders recognise that they do not currently comment explicitly on the quality of teaching in the sixth form.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 100624 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 448727

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Community School School category Secondary 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 804 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 130 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Errol Forbes Headteacher Denise Webster Date of previous school inspection 17 March 2010 Telephone number 020 86709382 Fax number 020 87615933 Email address stanton.s@thenorwoodschool.org 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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