Villiers High School

Boyd Avenue, Southall, Middlesex, UB1 3BT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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 headteacher provides very strong leadership and is ably supported by the senior team. As a result the school is rapidly improving.  Over time, teaching enables most students to make at least good progress in most subjects at GCSE. The quality of teaching has improved because of the headteacher’s decisive and robust actions to support and challenge teachers.  Leaders have ensured that the school is a safe environment in which students can work and learn. The school is a harmonious community characterised by mutual respect and high aspirations.  Students’ behaviour is good because of highly productive relationships across the school between students and their teachers. Students are supportive of each other and show consideration. They are highly inclusive of each other’s cultures and backgrounds when socialising and at work.  The wide variety of courses in the sixth form enables students to study subjects that are a good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

match for their interests and abilities. Most make at least good progress and attainment is rising.  Governors are well informed. They provide good support and challenge to leaders and a strong drive for continued improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching and students’ achievement are not yet outstanding.  Middle leaders have not been consistently effective in ensuring that assessment and marking are used to the best effect to plan activities or adapt them during the lesson to reflect students’ understanding. As a result not all students make rapid progress.  The progress of the most-able students is not as high as other students in the school because not all teachers give enough challenge to students in lessons.  Feedback and questioning does not always give students enough opportunity to think for themselves and develop their own knowledge.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed students’ learning in 40 lessons, including some joint observations with members of the senior leadership team. In addition to this, inspectors observed students during assembly and their conduct around the school during break and lunchtime.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, other leaders, members of the governing body and the school’s local authority improvement partner.  In addition to speaking with students in lessons and informally around the building, inspectors spoke to five groups of students.  Inspectors considered the views of 23 parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and 67 responses from Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents including self-evaluation, monitoring information and improvement planning. They analysed data relating to students’ achievement, looked at policies and

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Information about this inspection

checked safeguarding systems and procedures to promote students’ well-being.

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Inspection team

Christopher King, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Villiers High School is an above averaged sized secondary school.  The proportion of disabled students and those with special educational needs is above average.  There are an above average proportion of disadvantaged students supported by the pupil premium. The pupil premium is additional funding provided to this school for students entitled to free school meals and those in the care of the local authority.  The majority of students are from minority ethnic groups and an above average number of students speak English as an additional language.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which are minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.  There are a small number of Key Stage 4 students that follow some courses that are taught off site. These students attend Uxbridge College to study hair dressing and Acton College for engineering.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve teaching and raise achievement of all students across the school including the sixth form, in particular the most able, by making sure that:  teachers across all subjects provide a range of effective feedback that helps students, especially the most able, to know exactly what they need to do to improve their work so that they can make increased progress  teachers consistently question students skilfully to encourage them to think deeply and extend their learning  all middle leaders consistently check that teachers use assessment and information from the marking of students’ work to plan activities that enable students of all different abilities to be challenged, stretched and to make the most rapid progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s uncompromising belief that all students can achieve drives the decisions taken in school and is shared widely across the staff and teachers. The continual improvement in students’ achievement since the last inspection has had a significant impact on the confidence of students and staff.  Senior leaders have tackled areas in school where teaching was weak. Teaching is now improving strongly. A significant number of new staff have joined the school and a strong culture now exists in which good teaching can continue to improve quickly.  The school’s self-evaluation of its strengths and areas for development is accurate. Senior leaders have clearly defined areas of responsibility and improvement plans and take swift action to tackle the weaknesses. Senior leaders use information about students’ achievement well to direct their leadership activities to make sure that students achieve well.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership is not yet outstanding because the drive of leaders to ensure excellence has not yet resulted in a high enough proportion of outstanding teaching. As a result, although students’ progress is good too few are making rapid progress across all year groups and subjects.  The tracking of all students’ achievement is thorough. The system provides teachers with very simple information to support their lesson planning. At subject leadership level the system provides more detailed information about the achievement of different groups of students and this allows leaders to identify where additional support is needed.  A good range of interventions in school provide extra subject specific help and provide support where needed for issues outside of school affecting students’ achievement or attendance. Senior leaders are tenacious in their ability to find and work with other agencies when necessary. This is making a difference

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The leadership and management are good

to some students feeling more positive about school; as a result they attend more regularly and make more progress in their work.  Middle leaders are effective. Most are supporting their senior leaders well in ensuring all students maximise their achievement and use information about students’ achievement effectively to focus their leadership activities. However, not all of them are ensuring that their teams make the best use of information of how well students have achieved to plan activities that encourage all students to make even more rapid progress.  The school motto to all students of ‘Every Minute Counts’ is evident in leaders’ commitment to equality so that all students reach their academic potential as well as develop the skills that will enable them to secure a job.  The support and intervention for disabled students and those with special educational needs are very effective. Leadership of this area of school is strong and the achievement of students is improving further.

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The leadership and management are good

Early intervention, sharing of information with staff and sharing of good practice all contribute to teachers and support staff being able to meet the needs of these students effectively.  Leaders effectively focus on the development of basic skills, with a clear determination to improve students’ readings ages and mathematical ability. In particular, effective strategies are in place to support large numbers of students joining the school who speak English as an additional language, many of whom have no experience of formal education. As a result these students develop their understanding of English quickly and make good progress considering their starting points.  The management of teachers’ and leaders’ performance is now linked carefully to the achievement of students. It is used effectively by leaders to ensure the continued improvement of teaching.  The curriculum in school and in the sixth form offers a range of subjects and prepares students well for

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The leadership and management are good

life in modern Britain. Students welcome the wider curriculum, made up of enrichment to promote social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. They explore a wide range of topics, developing their understanding of social and moral dilemmas and wider global issues as well as keeping themselves safe on the internet, living healthily and exploring the values at the heart of British society. This programme promotes tolerance and respect for diversity and contributes well to the respectful attitudes students show towards adults and their classmates.  Leaders use the pupil premium funding effectively to make a positive difference to the achievement of disadvantaged students; these students now achieve well when compared to their peers.  Students across the school including in the sixth form receive good impartial advice about where to study, and information about work placements and courses available at different colleges in the local area.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works hard to involve parents in their child’s education. Support for vulnerable students and their families in the community is highly effective. The school works sensitively with outside agencies to provide support for children and families in need. The school promotes equality of opportunity, fosters good relations and tackles discrimination effectively.  Designated staff are persistent in following up safeguarding concerns with relevant agencies in order to provide the best possible support for those involved including their families. Every care is taken to ensure that policies and practices to keep students safe are rigorous and of the highest quality.  The small number of students who continue to study on courses away from school is monitored closely by the school. Students’ attendance, achievement and behaviour are regularly reviewed to ensure that they continue to be successful on these placements.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership of the sixth form is good. Leaders have an accurate picture of the strengths and weaknesses. Regular checks on students’ achievement, attendance and improvements to the quality of teaching all contribute to students making better progress.  The support that the school receives from its local authority is very effective. Visits and support are carefully planned into the school’s monitoring cycle and provide the senior leaders and governors with detailed and sharply focused evaluations of different aspects of the school’s work. The local authority’s support for students who speak English as an additional language has been particularly effective.  The governance of the school:  The governors share and contribute to the uncompromising drive to make sure that all students achieve well and are ready for their life beyond Villiers. Governors have an accurate picture of the quality of teaching in the school and a good understanding of the school’s areas to improve. Governors use their

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The leadership and management are good

skills from a range of business backgrounds very effectively in school to impact on the operational side of the school. Governors have robust and challenging targets in place for management of the headteacher’s performance and take an active role in reviewing the pay awards of teachers. Governors have secure understanding of how the pupil premium funding is spent and the impact it has on students’ achievement.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good. Students and staff have excellent relationships, providing a calm and supportive atmosphere for learning. Students are welcoming to visitors and extremely interesting and pleasant to talk to.  Students look after each other and make sure that those who have special needs are included and encouraged. Students grow in confidence because their contributions are valued.  Students arrive at lessons well equipped and punctually. They are cooperative and respectful towards their teachers, listen attentively and collaborate with enthusiasm during small-group work.  Occasionally, a few students need to be encouraged to participate fully in discussions and to complete their work to the highest standard they are capable of.  Around school, students are self-disciplined and treat each other with courtesy and respect. They look after the environment and look smart.  The behaviour and safety of those attending off-site alternative provision is monitored and reviewed

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Behaviour

regularly and is in line with their peers.  The attitudes of those students in the school’s sixth form make a positive contribution to the strong ethos of achievement and success in the school.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good. Students feel safe because everyone is friendly and teachers are approachable. Those who spoke with inspectors have an in-depth understanding of bullying in its various forms and the damage it can do. They say bullying is something that is rare in their school and they have every confidence in teachers to sort out any concerns should they arise.  They know how to keep safe when using the internet and social media and what to do if they ever feel threatened. They show a good understanding and are taught about the risks associated with problems like crime and drug abuse in our society.  Students and staff uphold the behaviour and safety policies consistently. Permanent exclusions are rare and the number of fixed-term exclusions is reducing.  Attendance is improving, reflecting students’ enthusiasm for school.

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Safety

 Parents have very positive views of the school. Parents say their child is happy at school, feels safe and is well looked after. Parents feel that students are well behaved and the school deals effectively with bullying.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and get to know the students extremely well. They usually adapt teaching successfully to meet the varied needs and abilities within each class. Students concentrate well in lessons and are especially productive during a variety of different activities.  Teachers provide good explanations and go on to question and prompt students effectively to make them think. Most teachers use questioning skillfully to challenge students to think deeply about their learning; however, in some lessons the most-able students are allowed to get away with superficial answers that are not as well explained and developed.  Teachers usually assess students’ learning thoroughly, in order to plan activities that build on their existing knowledge and skills. There are occasions in some subjects, however, when students’ day-to-day work in their books is not assessed thoroughly enough to make sure the teaching that follows is at just the right

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The quality of teaching is good

level.  Marking supports students to make good progress. Sometimes, however, students are not given enough information or advice on how to make even more rapid progress. Students are not always given sufficiently precise or detailed guidance to improve their work as they progress through the topic. Consequently, they are not challenged enough to complete all their work to the standard they are capable of.  Disabled students and those who have special educational needs thrive because they are included and supported effectively in lessons and are provided with very effective extra help, in small-group or individual sessions. Students’ needs are fully met by the school.  Literacy is taught effectively across subjects. Teachers reinforce literacy learning wherever possible and work effectively with large numbers of students who speak English as an additional language.  Teachers encourage reading whenever possible in their lessons. Those students who speak English as an

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The quality of teaching is good

additional language receive specialised support to ensure that they quickly integrate and gain the skills needed in reading, communication and mathematics to take part effectively in lessons.  The majority of parents who responded to Parent View feel their child is well taught and makes good progress. Students told inspectors how much they valued the support from their teachers and how much additional support they got if they were falling behind.

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is good

 Students join the school with levels of attainment well below that expected nationally. The proportion of students who obtain at least five A* to C grades including English and mathematics at GCSE was 51% in 2014 and broadly in line with the national average.  All groups of students make good progress as they move through the school. The proportion of students making expected and above expected progress in English and mathematics was above the national average in 2014 and is set to increase further.  In 2014, disadvantaged students in English attained in line with other students in the school and half a grade less at GCSE compared to other students nationally. Disadvantaged students in mathematics attained half a grade less than other students in the school and two thirds of a grade less at GCSE compared to other students nationally. Over time these gaps in both English and mathematics are closing

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is good

quickly.  Those disadvantaged students making expected and more than expected progress in English are above the national average compared to other students in the school and to other students nationally. In mathematics those making expected progress are in line with other students nationally but below other students in the school. This is set to improve further for both of these measures with the current students in the school.  The majority of disabled students and those who have special educational needs make at least good progress from their individual starting points because of the high quality support they receive. Value added scores for those students that are disabled or who have special educational needs are significantly above national expectations.  The most-able students are not making as much progress as other groups in the school.  The school’s monitoring information indicates that the small number of students who attend alternative

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is good

provision make good progress from their individual starting points. They gain skills and knowledge in their courses that prepare them well for the next stages in their education.  The school no longer automatically enters students early for GCSE examinations. It now does so only when it is clear that this is in the best interests of particular individuals and that it will not restrict the grades they can attain.  ‘Catch-up’ funding to support those who have not achieved at least a Level 4 in the Key Stage 2 national tests has been used effectively. It has been particularly effective in improving students’ literacy and in supporting those students improving their reading skills.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Most students in the sixth form go on to make good progress in almost all subjects.  Leadership of the sixth form is good. Students can choose from a range of qualifications that meet their individual interests and abilities. The head of sixth form and other leaders monitor standards carefully and intervene quickly if these are not high enough. They provide effective support and challenge to teachers. The quality of teaching has improved over time as a result, as have students’ progress and attainment.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong; most use a variety of techniques to develop students’ understanding and skills successfully, including good questioning. However, sometimes students are not challenged to develop their own thinking on topics and as a result do not make as much progress as they might.  Students appreciate the positive relationships they have with their teachers and the individual guidance

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The sixth form provision is good

they receive. Very often, feedback on students’ work is clear although sometimes inconsistent between teachers. Scrutiny of students’ work indicates that most students act on the advice they are given and make the necessary changes to improve their work.  Sixth form students are safe and secure, and say that they enjoy being members of a diverse and tolerant community. Students’ attendance is high, and their conduct is good.  The school’s monitoring information indicates that the progress of current students is accelerating and that the improvement seen in examination outcomes in 2014 is likely to be sustained. This reflects continuing improvements in the quality of teaching over time. Those students that need to retake GCSE mathematics or English are well supported and successful.  Students receive good quality support and guidance when preparing for the next stages of their education. employment or training. The non-qualifying activities students take part in support their academic

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The sixth form provision is good

qualifications and enable the vast majority to be successful in their next steps.

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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 101928 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 462176

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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 Secondary School category Foundation 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 1076 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 120 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Elizabeth Mee Headteacher Remo Iafrate Date of previous school inspection 24–25 April 2013 Telephone number 020 88138001 Fax number 020 85743071 Email address info@villiers.ealing.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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