The King David High School

The King David High School Eaton Road, Crumpsall, Manchester, M8 5DY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Sixth form provision Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The achievement of students is outstanding. The progress students make from their starting points in different subject areas, including English, mathematics, science, languages, humanities, the arts, and physical education is outstanding. This is the case for all groups of students, including those of different abilities and both boys and girls.  Disadvantaged students make outstanding progress from their different starting points. The gap in progress between these students and their classmates is closer than that seen nationally. Often the progress made by these students is more rapid than that of their peers.  The attainment of different groups of students across different subjects is very high, including in English and mathematics.  The quality of teaching is often outstanding. Teachers have an excellent understanding of their students’ needs and meet those needs very closely.  Teachers’ questioning of students is often very

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

skilful. Teachers use the information from the checks they make on students’ understanding very well. This informs planning and teachers make adjustments where necessary to move students’ learning on very rapidly.  Marking and feedback is often very strong. Very occasionally, feedback does not direct students clearly enough on how to improve their work. When this happens, students’ response to feedback is not as good as is seen in the large majority of classes.  The behaviour of students is outstanding. They conduct themselves exceptionally well at all times. There are very strong relationships between students of different ages and between students and staff.  Students are very safe in school and they are very well informed about how to keep themselves safe in various situations, including when they use the internet.  Students’ exceptional behaviour makes a strong contribution to their learning. They demonstrate

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

consistently a real thirst for knowledge and a strong will to do their very best. This drive is matched by the teachers’ very high expectations of the students.  Leaders set very high expectations of the staff and the students. Leaders have an exceptional understanding of individual teachers’ needs and ensure that they are well supported through training, which often leads to outstanding teaching and student achievement.  The work of the governors is also outstanding. Governors’ commitment to the school is exemplary. The attention to detail of students’ data and the day-to-day running of the school have supported the leaders in school exceptionally well to make improvements in teaching and the outcomes for all groups of students.  The sixth form is outstanding. Very effective teaching and guidance support students to achieve outstandingly well. The proportion carrying on to higher education and to prestigious universities is

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a wide range of part-lessons, two of which were observed jointly with members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors observed and spoke with students during lessons and at break times. They also met formally with groups of students from Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. The team observed assemblies and a tutorial session.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders. Meetings were also held with governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. Inspectors observed the school’s work to monitor teaching and looked at a range of documents, including case studies of certain students’ needs, students’ work in their books, the school’s arrangements and policies for safeguarding, performance management procedures, and the students’ attendance data. Inspectors also looked at information about students’ progress and attainment.  There were 28 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) which were used to help inspectors to

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Information about this inspection

gauge the views of parents. Over 40 members of staff were spoken to regarding their views of the school, which were considered.

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Inspection team

Fiona McNally, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average secondary school.  The King David High School converted to become an academy school on 17 August 2011.  The large majority of students are White British.  There is a much smaller than average proportion of students supported through the pupil premium. (The pupil premium is additional government funding to support students who are known to be eligible for free school meals or are in the care of the local authority.)  There is a smaller than average proportion of disabled students or students who have special education needs.  A very small number of students attend Langdon College.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 11.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement even further by making sure all marking is of the same quality as the very best seen in school in supporting students to make improvements to their work.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leadership is outstanding. The leaders’ work to ensure that all students’ needs are met very closely has meant that all groups of students make excellent progress over time and reach very high standards in their examinations.  Leaders have a very clear understanding of how well their school is doing and are ambitious about how they wish it to move forward to further improve standards and progress. In this way, their evaluation of their provision is clear, detailed and accurate.  The leadership of teaching is such that individual teachers’ needs are met very closely through training. Teaching is checked regularly and teachers’ strengths and areas for further improvement are clear. This has led to excellent training opportunities for staff, which are tailor made for individuals’ needs. This means that teachers are able to use a variety of strategies exceptionally well in the classroom, while always mindful of the need to check regularly and adjust plans accordingly and this contributes to

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The leadership and management are outstanding

students’ outstanding achievement.  Appraisal is used well. The school can demonstrate clearly that teachers are held to account and that they are given challenging, yet reasonable, targets. Staff agree that targets are appropriate and that the school is generous in providing training where needed.  The use of the pupil premium funding has had a very strong impact on students’ achievement in recent years. This impact continues to increase and so disadvantaged students make outstanding progress and often learn more rapidly than non-disadvantaged students in school.  The leadership of provision for students who are disabled or who have special educational needs is excellent. The whole school philosophy of considering each student as an individual and understanding how their education can be improved is epitomised within the school’s approach to students who have particular needs. As a result, these students are catered for very well within lessons and this leads to their

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The leadership and management are outstanding

outstanding achievement.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Students of all abilities have access to a wide range of subjects and pathways dependent on their interests and abilities. In addition, where students are not making very rapid progress the leaders consider these students’ subject range and support the students in making appropriate changes, so that they can increase their progress over time.  The school’s work to enhance the students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exemplary. There is a wealth of opportunities for students to become involved in activities outside of the classroom, such as drama productions, music events and sporting competitions. Sport has become increasingly important to students in recent years, due to the status it now has in school, following excellent leadership in this area. In turn, this has led to a surge in the number of sports available through physical education

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The leadership and management are outstanding

lessons and in events during lunchtime and after school.  The students are very proud of their school, because they say it is unique and represents the Jewish community in the area. Even so, they are particularly proud of the school’s commitment to working with students from other faiths through the inter-faith partnerships with a local Muslim and Catholic school. ‘The values of tolerance and love pervade all we do, especially when we meet and work with people from other faiths and communities’, reported one student. This exemplifies the school’s strong commitment to preparing the students well for life in modern Britain.  Leaders work very well with leaders from Langdon College to ensure that the classes undertaken at the college are useful for students who go there on a weekly basis. As a result of very strong collaboration, the students who attend the college do so very regularly and make outstanding progress. The behaviour

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The leadership and management are outstanding

of these students is also excellent at both the college and the school due to the close consideration of their needs.  The leadership of behaviour and safety is excellent and as a result, students attend very well, there are very few behavioural incidents and little bullying. Students are safe and say they feel very safe.  The teaching of literacy, numeracy, communication and technology is excellent. Because of this, students make excellent progress in English and mathematics, as well as in many other subject areas. The school has a reading policy, which is used particularly well when students enter the school with lower than expected reading standards. The school’s policy to ensure that teachers check on students’ literacy skills and reinforce numeracy skills is adhered to very well across the different subject areas.  The very positive climate for learning and the excellent support to develop students’ spiritual, moral, social

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and cultural growth ensure that good relationships are fostered between different groups of students and discrimination of any sort is not tolerated. The school’s success in promoting equality of opportunities is evident in the outstanding progress of all groups of students,  Students receive excellent care, guidance and support to ensure that they are well prepared for their next stage of learning. This is apparent throughout Key Stages 3 and 4, when supporting students to understand the pathways available and through the broad range of subjects on offer. For the minority of students who do not continue into the school’s sixth form, the school supports students very well to ensure that they attend the right setting for their needs. In addition, the information, advice and guidance that sixth form students receive mean that many of them carry on to higher education and some of the most prestigious universities.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school does not work with a school improvement partner.  The leaders ensure that the safeguarding of students is a key priority. In this way, all pastoral staff, as well as those staff who supervise students at social times, receive the highest level of training. All staff have regular training on the safeguarding of students and both staff and students are very clear about who they can go to if they have any concerns in this regard. In this way, the requirements for safeguarding students are fully met.  The governance of the school: - Governance is outstanding and is a key strength in the school. The Chair of Governors has been pivotal to the continued success of the school, including its raised status within the local community over the years. Governors’ knowledge of the operational aspects of the leadership in school is very detailed and ensures that the school is always moving forward. - The governors are exemplary in their commitment and dedication to the school and generous in the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

time and energy they devote to the school. This has led to a very clear understanding of the quality of teaching in school and where improvements have been needed. As a result of the governors’ very strong collaboration with the school, students make outstanding progress. - Pupil premium money is used extremely well and governors are fully aware of where money is spent and its impact in ensuring that disadvantaged students achieve outstanding results. - Governors’ detailed understanding means they know where there are pockets of underachievement and they challenge leaders very well to ensure that these students’ achievement improves through extra support. - The performance management of the headteacher and the teachers is rigorous. Pay progression is given only when supported by strong evidence of targets being met.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is outstanding. Students’ conduct around school is exemplary. They move about the school well, following rules to ensure that there are no areas which are overcrowded. In addition, they are very respectful of each other, always considering their peers’ needs and taking turns to move through corridors.  Students get on very well together and this is seen between different age groups of students and between students with special educational needs or who are disabled and their peers. They all learn and socialise together very well.  Students and staff also get on very well together and respectful attitudes are always apparent between adults and students. Adults in school are held in high regard by students. For example, one student reported to inspectors that ‘the brilliant relationships between students and adults show me how to get on well with people which will help me when I go into the wider world’. Another student reported that ’this

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Behaviour

school prepares me for life and once I leave I will always remember how the school taught me about the goodness in people’.  The students have excellent attitudes to learning. This is seen in all year groups and classes with different teachers and for students of different abilities and from different backgrounds. They have a genuine thirst for learning, evident in their work in books, as well as in lessons observed during the inspection. Students are so used to offering their views about the work they study that often discussions continue to become in-depth debates, essentially run by and controlled by the students. Teachers support these activities with guidance and questions, but students manage their behaviour for learning because of the excellent climate for learning evident all around the school.  Students, parents and staff in school believe that behaviour is managed well and there are no concerns

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Behaviour

raised by parents or students to which the school does not listen and respond. As a result, all members of the school community feel valued and this contributes to the excellent relationships seen around the school.  Students who attend Langdon College for some lessons achieve good attendance both at the college and at school.  Students’ overall attendance is excellent. It is above average and continues to increase each year. In addition, there are very few students who are absent on a regular basis.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. Students have a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, due to the regular assemblies and tutorial sessions which ensure they know how to be safe in different situations. This includes their understanding of how to keep themselves safe on the internet. Students receive specific teaching in this area.  Students are fully aware of the different types of bullying, including prejudice-based bullying and cyber- bullying. The school’s records show that there are very few incidents of bullying and students confirm that this is the case and believe it is because their school community is so close and friendly. They also say that the repeated focus on learning the values and teachings of faiths other than their own ensures they understand how their faith differs from and compares with other faiths. In addition, the close collaboration

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Safety

the school enjoys with a local Muslim school and a Catholic school reinforces the central teachings of love and tolerance.  Students say they feel safe in all areas of the school because of the security measures taken by the school.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching is outstanding. The very close attention to all students’ needs means that learning activities and extra support are very well targeted and therefore students make very rapid progress over time. In addition, the level of challenge in learning activities means that all groups of students are able to reach high standards, in particular the most able students, who often gain the top grades at GCSE.  The regular marking of books allows teachers to understand how well students are doing and to adjust planning where learning needs to be moved on more quickly, or further reinforced. Feedback to students is mostly specific and very good and helps students to improve their work further. Very occasionally the quality of feedback is not as good as this. In a small minority of books, some feedback is too vague and does not support students as well as that seen in the large majority of classes.  Questioning by teachers is very skilful. Excellent questioning over time, together with teachers’ insistence

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

on students giving full answers in correct English with accurate subject terminology, results in students becoming very confident and articulate communicators. Clearly verbal communication is taught extremely well.  English and mathematics are also both taught extremely well. Literacy and mathematics feature across the curriculum and so students constantly reinforce and use their skills in practical problem-solving situations. Inaccurate spelling, punctuation and grammar are noted by all teachers in all subjects and students are expected to correct and learn from their errors.  Teachers create a very positive climate for learning which students respond to exceptionally well. Teachers are ambitious for their students and set tasks which challenge students to reach the highest levels, but also to be fully engaged at all times. Teachers plan exciting activities of which students can see the value. As a result, students show a keen interest and are very willing participants in oral and written

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

tasks. In one lesson seen by inspectors, the whole class was involved in a revision lesson on physics, where all students had to be fully focused in order to know when it was their turn to give the answer and ask their own question. In a very short space of time, the students worked in collaboration to revise a large number of facts, which they could then put into the appropriate context. In this way, students were very well prepared for their upcoming examinations.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 From their starting points, regardless of their ability, students make outstanding progress during their time at the school. This is consistently the case for all different groups of students in all subject areas, including English, mathematics, science humanities, languages, the arts and in physical education.  The achievement of disadvantaged students is also outstanding. Their progress is in line with that of their peers in school and above that of non-disadvantaged students nationally. Often, disadvantaged students make the best progress seen in the school, which is more rapid than non-disadvantaged students in school. In 2014, 100% of disadvantaged students achieved five good GCSEs, including English and mathematics.  The attainment of students is very high. Virtually all students gain five GCSE grades at A* to C, including English and mathematics. A high proportion gain A* to C GCSE grades across eight subjects. The

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

proportion of students gaining top GCSE grades in a variety of subjects is also significantly above the national average.  The achievement of disabled students or those who have special educational needs is outstanding. They make very rapid progress across different subjects. These students’ needs are constantly reviewed and checked to ensure they are able to access learning appropriate for their ability and that they are given support where necessary. As a result of very close attention to their needs, they make outstanding progress across different year groups and reach standards that are above, or sometimes well above, what is expected for their age.  The most able students’ achievement is outstanding. A very high proportion make very rapid progress across the different subject areas. A significantly higher than average proportion reach the top grades at GCSE, allowing them many choices as they carry on to post-16 provision.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The achievement of disadvantaged students is outstanding overall. In 2014 disadvantaged students in Year 11 were less than a quarter of a GCSE grade behind their peers in the school and were over a grade ahead of non-disadvantaged students nationally. Data seen of disadvantaged students currently in school show that in English and mathematics these students are making outstanding progress and that this is also replicated in other subjects. In addition, the proportion of disadvantaged students reaching the top grades is in line with their peers in school and significantly higher than non-disadvantaged students nationally.  In general, the school does not enter students early for GCSE, although there are two exceptions - Modern Hebrew and Classical Hebrew, for which students are often entered in Year 10.  Students who attend Langdon College do very well. They learn life skills which prepare them very well for

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

their next stages of learning. In addition, their learning supports the work they do in school, in particular in English and mathematics, where their progress is outstanding.

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The sixth form provision is outstanding

 The education in the sixth form is outstanding. Attainment over the last three years has been above average and continues to rise at both AS and A-level. In 2014, 50% of the A-level passes were at grades A* and A. School predictions for 2015 show a further increase of passes at grades at A* and A.  Attainment across different subjects and among different groups of students is equally impressive.  At the heart of students’ high attainment lies excellent teaching in, and leadership and management of, the sixth form. The quality of teaching is checked very regularly by leaders and the findings inform subsequent training opportunities for teachers. As a result teaching continually improves. One of the notable features is the exceptionally high expectations that teachers have of their students. There is also very strong promotion of students’ independence in their learning which impacts on the students’ thirst for

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The sixth form provision is outstanding

learning and knowledge. Teachers have very strong subject knowledge and they are very enthusiastic practitioners, who are very keen to check what students have understood and what needs to be reinforced. As a result, students make outstanding progress during their time in sixth form.  The curriculum is very well thought out to provide a wide range of courses and subjects which match students’ needs and interests very well. As a result, virtually all of the students who start Year 12 finish their course at the end of Year 13.  A relatively small number of students join the sixth form from other schools, sometimes without a Grade C pass in either English or mathematics. These students re-sit examinations to reach a Grade C and every student passes these examinations by the end of Year 12.  Students’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. They show a real desire to give their best. They enjoy the challenge of the teachers’ high expectations and drive themselves to improve further.

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The sixth form provision is outstanding

 Outstanding advice, information and guidance is tailored to each individual student to make sure they are on the appropriate course and that they understand their choices for when they leave sixth form. As a result, nearly all students go on to higher education with the majority attending prestigious universities, including Cambridge.  Tracking of students’ progress towards exceptionally challenging targets is rigorous and leads to individual support where necessary.  Care and support for students’ well-being is of the highest order. It results in students who are interested in the world around them, have high personal aspirations and have high levels of self-confidence.

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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 137309 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 461782

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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 Academy converter 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 801 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 207 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Joshua Rowe Headteacher Mr Brian Levy Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 0161 740 7248 Fax number 0161 740 0790 Email address admin@kingdavidhigh.manchester.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

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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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