Abbeywood Community School

Abbeywood Community School New Road, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8SF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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 dynamic shared leadership team has effectively tackled underachievement and improved the quality of teaching and learning.  The very experienced governing body is exceptionally effective. It makes sure teaching and achievement improve.  Students are very proud of their school. They display positive attitudes to learning and behave well.  Students thrive because the school is a very caring, inclusive community with very good support systems. Students say they feel safe.  Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively. They gain a good understanding of the responsibilities of citizens in modern British democratic society.  Teaching is good because teachers know students extremely well and challenge all abilities to learn successfully.  Students make good progress, often from low starting points, and achieve well. Some of the least able do better than similar students nationally,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

particularly in English.  The Concorde Partnership provides sixth form students with an extensive range of vocational and academic courses and good specialist teaching which enable them to achieve well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ guidance in marking is not consistently well responded to by students. Consequently, their learning is not reinforced and they do not fully understand how to reach their best standards.  The highest levels are not yet attained in all subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 34 lessons, of which 16 were joint observations with senior leaders. Inspectors made a number of visits to tutorial sessions and carried out short visits to classrooms across a range of subjects.  Discussions were held with the executive headteacher, the associate headteacher, senior and middle leaders, leaders supporting students’ personal development, and the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors.  Inspectors spoke to students in lessons, at breaks and at lunchtimes. They met with various groups of students.  The inspection team looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s checks on how well it is doing, the school 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 school’s documentation relating to: the management of the performance of staff,

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Information about this inspection

training arrangements for teachers and other staff, lesson observations, arrangements for the safeguarding of students, and documentation concerning governance.  Inspectors took into account the 45 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, correspondence from two parents and the 30 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Christine Young, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Abbeywood Community School became an academy in January 2013. It is sponsored by The Olympus Academy Trust which oversees Bradley Stoke Community School. There is shared governance and executive leadership across both schools.  The sixth form is part of the Concorde Partnership between Abbeywood Community School, Bradley Stoke Community School, Patchway Community College and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, Filton Campus, offering an integrated timetable of shared courses at post-16 and some Key Stage 4 courses.  This is a smaller-than-average comprehensive school. Most students are of White British heritage, with a lower-than-average proportion from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium is above average – 32% in the school.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through

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Information about this school

school action is below average nationally, and 14% of students in the school. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average, and 4% of students in the school.  The school manages specially resourced provision for 25 disabled students and those with special educational needs specifically for speech and language difficulties and/or autistic spectrum disorder on behalf of the local authority. All these students have statements of special educational needs.  A small number of students attend alternative provision at Gary Henry Hair Design and Holiday Inn Stoke Gifford.  The school meets the current government floor standards which set the minimum expectations for students’ progress and attainment.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all teaching is never less than good and usually outstanding so that students, including the most able and those in the sixth form, understand how to make even more rapid progress and attain top grades in examinations in all subjects by: – teachers insisting that students always respond to guidance in marking so that learning is fully reinforced and attainment improves.

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The leadership and management are good

 The monitoring visit by Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) in June 2013 confirmed that the school was making reasonable progress in raising standards. Since then, the school’s performance has advanced considerably.  The executive headteacher and associate Headteacher and the leadership team, including those managing the sixth form, have a very focused, inclusive vision for the academy’s future. The school’s ‘RAISE’ initiative (Resilience, Aspirational, Independence, Supportive and Engaged) develops students’ appreciation of skills that challenge and foster their ability to learn effectively. The positive ethos that leaders establish is leading to rapid improvements in the quality of teaching and students’ achievement.  Middle leaders are a strength of the school. They are having a positive impact on teaching, learning and progress. Leaders’ evaluation of how well the school is doing is robust, honest and accurate,

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The leadership and management are good

demonstrating a clear vision of what is needed to take it further forward. These priorities are shown in the well-directed development plan.  Teachers’ performance is monitored closely and support and training provided to achieve the school’s expectation that teaching should never be less than good. Senior leaders are meticulous in checking on the work of teachers in charge of subjects and hold them to account for the quality of teaching and the progress students make.  The leadership of special educational needs is very strong and has an impact on driving up standards. Robust analysis of the performance of disabled students and those with special educational needs results in focused and targeted extra help which ensures more rapid progress where necessary.  School leaders are using pupil premium funding well to tackle disadvantage. Additional staffing, individual support and focused sessions are boosting the achievement of disadvantaged students.

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The leadership and management are good

 The specialist provision in the onsite resource base for statement students with speech and language difficulties and/or autistic spectrum conditions is expertly led and managed. Consequently, students make good progress in communication skills and are successfully included in mainstream lessons and other activities. The school’s promotion of equal opportunities is strong.  The school’s curriculum is well organised and imaginative with an appropriate emphasis on improving students’ literacy and numeracy skills. Extensive use is made of collaborative arrangements and partnerships, especially in the sixth form, to enhance activities on offer.  Partnerships with local businesses and community members are providing opportunities for students to experience the world of work and preparing students for life in modern Britain.  The school’s ‘RAISE days’ provide students with opportunities to work within teams across a range of

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The leadership and management are good

themes. These activities develop leadership and life skills and prepare students in their understanding of life in a modern democratic Britain. Organisations including the army, local banks and businesses contribute to these days.  Careers guidance is effective in preparing students from Year 7 to Year 13 for the next phase of their education, training or the world of work. Good use is made both of school and external agencies to deliver a comprehensive careers education programme.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements, with much best practice underpinning the high quality of care and support provided for students.  Leaders check carefully that students who attend alternative provision off site achieve well. Their progress is good and they demonstrate positive attitudes to learning.  The partnership between the Olympus Academy Trust and the school is very successful in ensuring that standards have rapidly improved.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is greatly strengthened by the partnership with the Bradley Stoke Community School governing body and the Olympus Academy Trust directors through the sharing of skills, training and collaborative leadership across both schools.  The governors hold the associate headteacher and senior leaders robustly to account for all aspects of the school’s performance and self-evaluation. They have a good knowledge of the data on students’ progress, including that of disadvantaged students receiving the pupil premium, disabled students, those with special educational needs and the most able.  Governors question leaders thoroughly to gain a clear understanding of the progress the school is making against its priorities for improvement.  The governing body uses performance management systems effectively to ensure senior and middle leadership and management are of the highest quality and are bringing about continuous improvement

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The leadership and management are good

to the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers are rewarded on the basis of their effectiveness in enabling students to achieve well; systems for managing teachers’ performance ensure students make good progress.  The governing body fully understands and questions the rigour of the school’s assessment system so it is satisfied that the school’s approach to preparing students for life in modern Britain is effective.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good. Students’ attitudes to learning are positive across all year groups and subjects including in the sixth form. Their positive attitudes ensure that they are engaged in their learning and make good progress. Any disruption in class is rare.  The school’s systems to promote positive behaviour are working very effectively, and students appreciate that rules are applied fairly.  Students show a great pride in their school. 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. Their work is neat, tidy and well presented.  They demonstrate a respect for their school environment by not dropping litter. They wear their uniform with pride and are very punctual both to class and in arriving at school. They support each other and are

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Behaviour

generally confident to express their views as they know these are valued.  Good provision for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development contributes to their consistently good behaviour around the building, in enrichment activities and in assemblies.  Students’ enjoyment of school contributes much towards their good behaviour. It also makes a positive contribution to their social and moral development, their developing self-awareness and their self-esteem.  Students attending the specialist resource base provision behave well and gain confidence in using communication skills.  The school has worked hard to improve attendance and has succeeded in slowing the rate of absences. Persistent absence is declining rapidly. Exclusions from school are reducing steadily.  A strong student forum and post-16 leadership team have raised over £10,000 for local and national charities. Students have been trained as ambassadors for anti-bullying and anti-hate crime. This enables

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Behaviour

them to develop as responsible individuals and make a significant contribution to the wider community.  Parents responding to the online questionnaire are extremely positive about behaviour and safety in the school. Staff also state that behaviour is good both in class and around the building. Inspectors endorsed these positive views.  Students attending alternative provision behave exceptionally well in different situations off site.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good. Access to the school is secure and all staff are checked carefully prior to appointment.  The school takes all reasonable steps to check that students are safe when attending off-site provision.  Students understand risk and have a very good understanding of the different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They say there is very little bullying in school and express great confidence that should it happen, it would be dealt with quickly and effectively. Students are well prepared in their understanding of all forms of prejudice including that concerning race, religion and belief and sexual orientation.  Students, including those in the sixth form, say they feel safe. The responses to the online survey indicate that the vast majority of parents are right to think that their children are very safe and exceptionally well looked after. Most would recommend the school to other parents.

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Safety

 The school has excellent provision for child protection and ensure students are aware of the risks associated with child sexual exploitation, domestic violence and substance misuse.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is at least good and promotes good progress across the school. The variety and pace of activities in all subjects, including English and mathematics, keep all students motivated and engaged in their learning. Teachers have high expectations and aspiration for students.  Teachers are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subjects. They provide a wide variety of interesting and thought-provoking tasks. Approaches that encourage students to think critically, explain their thoughts, and make deductions and decisions capture and hold their interest well.  Effective use of assessment and tracking of students’ progress enables teachers to plan learning effectively for all groups within their classes so the work set is challenging for all students.  Excellent working relationships in lessons create an atmosphere where students are confident to work individually, in groups or as a whole class.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Students are not always expected to respond to teachers’ advice given in the marking of their work. As a result, some – including very able individuals – do not reinforce learning from previous lessons and apply this to their next piece of work to raise their attainment. In these situations, students are not engaged enough in improving their standards and some miss out on attaining top grades in examinations.  Some marking and feedback given by teachers in some subjects, for example in English, are exemplary and lead to students having a very accurate understanding of how well they are achieving and what they need to do to improve.  The school’s reading programme in Years 7 and 8 is very effective and is helping to develop students’ literacy skills well, which supports their learning across all subjects. The numeracy programme is still in its developmental stage but is also beginning to have a positive impact on developing skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the sixth form is good, and some is outstanding, for both academic and vocational courses. Students are keen to learn, especially where teaching is aimed at developing their analytical skills and gives them time to reflect on their learning.  Teaching assistants make a strong contribution to students’ learning and progress, particularly that of disabled students and those who have special educational needs. The staff know the students well and are sensitive to individual needs. Teaching in the resource base for students with speech and language difficulties is helpful to those students’ progress.  Students are highly positive about the quality of teaching. They say they are well supported by teachers who care greatly about their futures; this motivates them to improve their learning. However, not all fully respond to the guidance they receive from their marked work.  Evidence from the online survey indicates that parents think their children are well taught and make good

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The quality of teaching is good

progress – and, in general, inspection evidence endorses their positive views.

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is good

 Students’ achievement is not yet outstanding because some, including some of the most able, do not make excellent progress. Achievement is at least good across subjects. In the sixth form, students make good progress and attain above average standards in vocational subjects.  Many students enter the school with below average attainment. They make good progress through both key stages to gain GCSE results above the national average in attainment of five or more grades A* to C including English and mathematics.  Students make good progress in English and achieve well. Their progress in mathematics has improved since 2013, but is less strong than in English. It is improving rapidly in mathematics because extra help for those who need it is proving effective.  Students who attend the on-site resource base for statemented students with speech and language difficulties achieve well and make good progress, including in English and mathematics.

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is good

 Other disabled students and those who have special educational needs are supported very well and make good progress in both English and mathematics – often better progress than that of their classmates. They are catered for well in lessons and receive high quality individual support when they need it.  The most-able students respond well to higher expectations and the challenging tasks set for them. Their response is shown in the growing numbers who are beginning to reach high standards. For example, a Year 7 student successfully attained grade A in a GCSE subject and is now following an A-level course in the same subject. However, not all are yet attaining the highest grades in GCSE examinations that they could.  The school enters some students early for GCSE examination. This practice does not limit the potential of most-able students, and gives them incentive to attain higher standards.  Disadvantaged students make good progress from their starting points and achieve well. The gap between

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is good

the attainment of these students and others in the school in English has narrowed since 2013 by a third of a GCSE grade. In mathematics, it has increased slightly too just under a third of a GCSE grade. These students do not attain quite as well as all students nationally.  Students eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium receive additional support to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. As a result, they make similar progress to that made by other students.  The small numbers of students who attend alternative provision off site make good progress and gain valuable qualifications for the future.  Students from ethnic minority backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Leadership is strong. The Concorde Partnership continues to set the highest aspirations for students’ achievement and provides a rich and diverse curriculum. The Partnership has expanded the range of courses and learning opportunities available for students. Consequently, students follow the programme of study that best suits their abilities and future aspirations.  Teaching is effective and has considerable subject expertise. Teachers challenge, motivate and enthuse learners. Students have positive attitudes to learning. They respond positively and enthusiastically in lessons to the teaching they receive, but do not always act on the guidance they receive on marked work.  Students enter the sixth form with a wide range of prior attainment. They achieve well in both academic and vocational courses, and attain results from vocational courses above the national average. Students who did not attain at least grade C in GCSE examinations in Year 11 are attaining better standards in

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The sixth form provision is good

these subjects in the sixth form. The school has recently redesigned the delivery of post-16 GCSE English and mathematics courses and they are currently taught by specialists.  The sixth form tutorial programme helps students to prepare for life after school by encouraging students to have high aspirations. It provides helpful individual guidance about further education, vocational courses and application to university. Students say they feel safe as staff are prompt to listen to and resolve any difficulties they may have.  There is a strong focus on developing students’ leadership skills and providing a rich and varied learning experience to all. There are opportunities to engage in overseas expeditions, visit cities abroad, take leadership qualifications, and participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and a range of sporting and artistic experiences.

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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 139067 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 447817

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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 Comprehensive School category Academy sponsor-led 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 830 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 130 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Isabel Marsden Headteacher Dave Baker, Executive Headteacher Judith Mee Associate Headteacher Date of previous school inspection not previously inspected Telephone number 0117 3075660 Fax number 0117 3075661 Email address info@abbeywoodschool.com 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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