St Andrew's CofE High School

School report St Andrew's CofE High School for Boys Sackville Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 8BG

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 School leaders have effectively tackled the weaknesses identified by the school’s previous inspection.  Students make good progress from their different starting points. Their attainment is rising rapidly as a result of effective action taken by leaders to improve the quality of teaching, which is now good.  School leaders are relentless in their ambition to raise achievement and improve the quality of teaching even further.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and they use it to plan lessons that motivate students to learn well and enable them to make good progress.  The curriculum is a strength of the school. The variety of courses and the programme of other activities, including opportunities to take on leadership opportunities, ensure students are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Subject and pastoral leaders are increasingly effective in speeding up students’ progress through their effective monitoring of teaching.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Students’ behaviour both in and out of classrooms is good. Relationships are respectful and students’ attitudes to learning are positive.  Governors are well aware of the school’s strengths and of what needs to be done to make it even better.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Students do not always make rapid and sustained progress because some teachers do not provide sufficiently interesting and challenging work for them.  Not all teachers make sure that students make improvements to their work following teacher feedback and marking.  Not all subject leaders fully hold their teams to account for the quality of teaching and learning.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed students’ learning in 30 lessons, several of which were seen jointly with members of the senior leadership team, and they also made shorter visits to a number of other lessons. Inspectors looked at students’ work in lessons and discussed the students’ learning and progress with them.  Inspectors also observed other activities, including tutor group meetings and an assembly.  Meetings were held with three groups of students from Years 7 to 11 and with members of the school council, and there were informal discussions with students before school and at break times to gather their views.  Inspectors held discussions with senior and middle leaders, representatives from the school’s governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the Diocese of Chichester.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation. These included the school’s information on students’

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Information about this inspection

attainment and progress, as well as data on attendance and exclusions. They also examined safeguarding procedures, the governing body minutes, self-evaluation information and development plans.  Inspectors took account of 91 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

David Smith, Lead Inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized secondary school. It is a Church of England boys’ school.  Students enter the school in Year 8.  The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups, or who speak English as an additional language is well below average.  The proportion of students supported by the pupil premium is lower than that found in most schools. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those students known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after.  The proportion of disabled students or those with special educational needs is well above average.  A small number of Year 7 students are eligible for the catch-up premium, which is provided by the government to support those students who have not previously reached the expected levels of progress in English and mathematics.  There is alternative part-time and full-time curriculum provision for a very small number of students at

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Information about this school

Academy 21 and at the local authority’s Alternative Provision Centre.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and accelerate students’ achievement by ensuring that teachers always:  plan activities which are interesting and challenging for all groups of students across all their subjects  make sure that students can regularly make amendments and improvements to their work following feedback from teachers and other adults.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all subject leaders take more direct responsibility for their departments, particularly for improving the quality of teaching and in holding teams to account for the progress of the students in their subjects.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, very ably supported by his senior colleagues, has successfully tackled the weaknesses identified by the school’s previous inspection. Their firm and decisive actions have led to significant improvements in the quality of teaching and assessment.  Commitment, determination and high expectations are fully embedded in the ethos of the school and act as a focus for school development. The school’s judgements on the quality of its work are robust and accurate. Senior staff regularly monitor the quality of teaching and learning across the school and they and the governing body have a clear view of the school’s performance against national benchmarks.  Teachers are set demanding targets for their students and are held rigorously to account by senior leaders. Teachers are given prompt and effective support to improve any underperformance.  Subject and pastoral leaders are playing an increasingly effective role in improving teaching in the areas

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The leadership and management are good

for which they are responsible. This is because senior leaders hold them firmly to account for students’ performance, and more subject leaders ensure that members of their team know their targets and that they are responsible for achieving them. However, not all subject leaders have the skills and confidence to develop their teams, particularly in relation to improving the quality of teaching.  The school has developed highly effective, coherent and practical systems to record and monitor students’ achievements including regular checks on students’ progress and subject reviews. Through an effective staff training programme, effective monitoring and coaching are having a positive impact on improving the quality of teaching and raising students’ achievement.  The additional government funding is used effectively to improve the achievement of most of the disadvantaged students. However, leaders know there is more work to be done to ensure all groups of

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The leadership and management are good

students achieve as well as each other, particularly the disadvantaged students.  The school provides a number of opportunities for students to read more often, including in tutor periods and during the weekly “Drop Everything and Read” time. This is effective in helping the students to develop their literacy skills across their subjects.  The curriculum is broad, balanced and well matched to the needs of the students. The curriculum at Key Stage 4 is particularly good because it provides opportunities for all students to progress to further education courses which are suited to their abilities and aspirations. Good careers education and independent advice allow students to make informed choices about their future education and employment.  The school’s promotion of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. This is provided in lessons, through assemblies and personal development lessons which enable students to gain

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The leadership and management are good

a mature appreciation of people in British society with different lifestyles, faiths and cultures. Students regularly take part in a wide range of sporting and other activities after school and there are many educational visits including trips to the theatre. Students also have the opportunity to benefit from the school’s partnerships with schools in Mombasa and Mumbai. All these activities help students to be well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The school’s Christian ethos permeates the school and relationships between all members of the school’s community are excellent. There is no sign of any racist or extremist behaviour, and no evidence of discrimination.  Equality of opportunity is promoted well through the highly inclusive culture of the school and by support for individual students.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding students, including those who attend different settings, meet

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The leadership and management are good

statutory requirements and are very effective.  The progress, attendance and behaviour of those students who attend off-site provision are well monitored by leaders. They visit and receive regular updates from the providers to ensure that students are safe and that the courses meet their needs.  The headteacher manages the performance of staff well and ensures that any pay rises are linked explicitly to teachers’ achievement of their own, and the school’s, targets for improvement.  The school has received good support from the local authority, especially in successfully addressing areas of concern in the last inspection report.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is effective. Governors bring a good range of experience and skills to their role. They have undertaken an external review and have restructured their committees following advice. As a result, they have a secure knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, supported through regular updates, on-site visits and regular feedback. They know how well students are attaining and achieving compared to those in other schools. They have an accurate view of the quality of teaching and what leaders have done to improve it, including by linking pay to performance.  Governors take good care of the school’s finances and know how the school is using extra funding, such as the pupil premium, for students’ benefit. They hold leaders accountable for meeting agreed targets and are clear about what the school needs to do to improve still further.  Governors ensure that all statutory requirements are met, including those for safeguarding and child

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good. Their behaviour around the school and at break times is excellent.  Students display very positive attitudes to learning. They listen attentively and respond appropriately to questions and requests.  Good relationships between students and between students and staff ensure that learning flows with little interruption. Students show consideration to one another and are respectful of each other’s views. They are friendly and courteous towards visitors and are confident when speaking to adults.  Students speak highly about the school and they wear their uniform with pride. The school campus is free of litter and graffiti.  There are many opportunities for students to take on positions of responsibility, for example as members of the School Council. Year 9 students have the opportunity to act as mentors and to provide additional support in mathematics for some Year 6 pupils. Through the Junior Sport Leadership Award programme,

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Behaviour

students work with local primary schools and help to organise sporting events. The “Make Learning Better” group gives students the opportunity to comment on the quality of teaching, which leads to improvements in their experience at the school.  Attendance has improved as a result of effective strategies, including the rewards system, and is now above the national average. The amount of persistent absence is lower than the national average. Students are punctual to school and to lessons.  Exclusions have reduced and are below the national average.  The behaviour and attendance of students attending the off-site provision are good. These are checked closely to ensure that students achieve well and develop good attendance habits to prepare them well for employment.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because students do not consistently display a thirst for, and a love of, learning, especially when teaching is less than challenging.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Students feel safe and are aware of the dangers associated with using the internet. They are also aware of different forms of bullying and they are confident that any bullying would be dealt with effectively.  School leaders ensure that those students who attend off-site provision for their education are kept safe.  All staff have appropriate training in safeguarding procedures, and some senior leaders and governors have undertaken safer recruitment training.  Parents are very positive about the way their children are looked after at the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good, with aspects that are outstanding, especially in mathematics and physical education. This is a result of a successful focus by leaders to improve the quality of teaching and to raise students’ achievement.  Relationships between students and teachers are good, and this establishes a very positive atmosphere in lessons.  Most teachers have high expectations of both students’ achievement and their attitudes to learning. Occasionally, teaching does too little to extend students’ thinking or deepen their skills and there is insufficient challenge. Here, students are not as engaged in their learning as they should be and so students’ attainment and progress targets are not as high as they could be.  Students receive high-quality and continuous feedback on the quality of their work, with clear information about where improvements need to be made. Leaders have ensured that the quality of marking has

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The quality of teaching is good

improved and is now mostly effective. This is not always the case, however, and marking does not always show students what they need to do to improve their work or follow up whether students have acted on this advice.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and they use this to plan activities to motivate students well. Teachers now have a wide range of information about students’ achievement which allows them to plan activities that are set at the right level to meet their needs. However, some teachers are not as effective in providing sufficiently stimulating work, which results in students making less good progress.  In 2014 the most-able students made less progress than other students but they are now given more challenging and interesting work. As a result, they are now making rapid progress.  Teachers speak highly about the opportunities they have to share good practice within the school. There

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The quality of teaching is good

are an increasing number of opportunities for some of them to work with teachers from other local schools.  Students spoke very positively about their experience in a range of subjects. Most parents and carers who have responded to the Parent View questionnaire agree that their children are well taught and receive appropriate homework.  The school’s work to promote students’ skills in reading, literacy and writing is good. There is a strong focus on helping specific groups, such as disadvantaged students and those with special educational needs. Individual support and opportunities to practise their skills in literacy and numeracy are helping increasing numbers to speed up their rates of progress.

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is good

 Students’ attainment when they join the school is in line with national averages. Students’ attainment improved more rapidly in 2014 compared to that of earlier years, and is now above the national average. The proportion of students gaining five or more A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and mathematics, is above the national average and getting better.  Overall, students’ progress in 2014 was good. The proportion of students making the expected progress in English improved and was in line with the national average. Students’ progress in mathematics was above the national average. School data show that progress in both English and mathematics has improved even more in 2015.  In 2014, fewer than expected of the most-able students achieved the higher grades, particularly in English and science, but this has been addressed and these most-able students are now attaining in line with their ability.

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is good

 The achievement of all groups, including disabled students and those with special educational needs, is improving. In 2014, some students did not make as much progress as they should have, but this underperformance has been tackled and progress of these students is now much more in line with that of other students in the school.  In 2014, the attainment of disadvantaged students was just under one grade lower in English than other students in the school. In mathematics, it had widened from two thirds of a grade in 2013 to almost two grades, but this was as a result of a staffing problem which has now been addressed. The school’s data show that these gaps are reducing significantly and rapidly, and current students, from all year groups, are on track to make progress which is closer to that of other students nationally.  In 2014, some most-able boys did not make as much progress as their peers, which had not been the

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is good

case in previous years. The school has taken prompt and robust action to address this underachievement, and most-able students across all year groups are now making good progress across all their subjects.  There are continuing improvements in all subjects, with attainment and improvement at least broadly in line with national averages. Attainment and progress are particularly strong in mathematics and physical education, and students are now making better progress in science.  Teachers and leaders are now held to greater account for the progress of their students. The school has developed effective tracking systems which allow teachers and leaders to check more accurately on students’ progress. Teachers take prompt action to support students who are not achieving as well as they should.  The school uses the Year 7 catch-up funding well to improve the attainment of students who enter the school with below-average skills in literacy and numeracy. This additional government funding is used to

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is good

boost performance in these areas, including for students who speak English as an additional language.  The small number of students who attend off-site provision make appropriate progress on courses which are personalised for their specific needs. Smaller class sizes and more individual attention mean that their learning and emotional needs are better catered for and they are developing skills which will equip them for future life.

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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 126094 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 462361

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 12–16 Gender of pupils Boys Number of pupils on the school roll 735 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Clive Purser Headteacher Steve Mercer Date of previous school inspection 8–9 May 2013 Telephone number 01903 820676 Fax number 01903 231880 Email address office@st-andrews-boys.org.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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