Abbot Beyne School

Abbot Beyne School Linnell Building, Osborne Street, Burton-on-Trent, DE15 0JL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Sixth form provision Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Too many students have not made good progress in mathematics until recently. They have achieved standards at GCSE below the national average in this subject. This includes the most-able students and those who have special educational needs.  The gap between the achievement of disadvantaged students and others in the main school is not narrowing rapidly enough.  The quality of teaching that students receive in Key Stage 3 requires improvement. Not all teachers are thorough in checking students’ progress.  In mathematics, teachers in Key Stage 3 do not always ensure that all students are secure in their understanding before moving on.  Teachers do not always set targets that are challenging enough, particularly for disadvantaged students and for those who have special educational needs.  School leaders and governors did not respond to weaknesses swiftly or effectively enough in the year following the previous inspection. This has meant

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

that improvements are only now having an impact.  Governors and school leaders have been too slow in recognising when pupil premium spending has not been providing effective support.

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The school has the following strengths

 This school has shown the capacity to improve through recent changes in subject leadership and more focused responses to areas of weakness by school leaders. This has led to improvements in the quality of teaching and the raising of students’ achievement.  Because of strong teaching, most students make consistently good progress in English and achieve standards at least in line with the national average.  The sixth form is good. Standards are rising steadily and progress is now good because of the improved quality of teaching.  Behaviour is good. Students display positive attitudes to their learning and respect for each other and for adults.  Safety is good. Students learn to keep themselves safe in school, outside school and on the internet.  The high quality and individuality of students’ artwork is evident in displays around the school and in the school’s own gallery space.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed students’ learning in 40 lessons across the school, including in the sixth form. Of these, eight were observed jointly with senior leaders. In addition, the inspection team looked at students’ work in their books and folders.  As well as conversations in lessons and at social times during the inspection, discussions were held with four groups of students about the quality of their educational experiences and the standard of behaviour in the school. The inspectors also held meetings with senior leaders and members of the governing body and conducted a telephone meeting with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 79 responses to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, and considered the 39 responses to a staff questionnaire.  The inspection team examined: the school’s own information on students’ recent and current progress; the school’s evaluation of how well it is doing and its records of the monitoring of the quality of teaching;

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Information about this inspection

records relating to behaviour and attendance; and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Richard Boswell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Abbot Beyne School is smaller than the average-sized secondary school.  The large majority of students are from White British backgrounds. Around a quarter are from minority ethnic groups and nearly a fifth speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disadvantaged students supported through the pupil premium (which provides additional funding for looked after children and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is above the national average.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 11.  A very small number of students attend part-time provision off the school site at Burton Short Stay School, Burton-on-Trent.  Since the previous inspection the school has received support from Local Leaders of Education at The de

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Information about this school

Ferrers Academy, Burton-on-Trent and John Taylor High School, Burton-on-Trent.  The school has two sites with Years 7 to 9 at the Evershed Building and other years at the Linnell Building.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, and so raise achievement, by all teachers ensuring that:  students who have shown lower achievement in mathematics in Key Stage 3 fully understand each concept and operation before progressing to the next topic  disadvantaged students are consistently set challenging targets, particularly in mathematics, and that they receive appropriate support to achieve them  students’ progress in Key Stage 3 is regularly, consistently and accurately checked.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management and governance by making sure that:  senior leaders and governors target and monitor the impact of the pupil premium funding with sufficient rigour to narrow the gap between the achievement of disadvantaged students and others  the school’s responses to any underachievement by students are swift and that they are regularly checked for their effectiveness.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because actions taken since the previous inspection have not yet been completely effective in improving the quality of education. This is particularly the case for disadvantaged students and in mathematics. While school leaders have created a school culture in which behaviour is now good, the quality of teaching still requires improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The initial responses of senior leaders and governors to the areas of weakness identified in the previous inspection were immediate but were not all well directed. Only after some more recent significant changes among school leaders and a more robust and rigorous approach to the appraisal of teachers has the quality of teaching steadily improved leading to a rise in students’ achievement. However, not all teachers in Key Stage 3 regularly and accurately check students’ progress in all subjects.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher and the governors have a clear vision for the school and this is now shared with senior and subject leaders and increasingly with all staff. The appointments, in particular, of a new head of mathematics and a senior leader responsible for disadvantaged students have had an impact on students’ achievement, including the most able. This is too late, however, for the cohort of students who completed their GCSEs in 2014.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 School leaders recognise in their own evaluation of the school’s performance that achievement still requires improvement. While the school has a commitment to equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination, actions taken so far have yet to show a strong impact in narrowing the gap for disadvantaged students in Key Stage 4. This is because the pupil premium funding has not always been carefully targeted and its impact closely monitored.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school effectively monitors and supports the performance of the above average proportion of students who speak English as an additional language and the proportion that are from minority ethnic backgrounds. The achievement of these students is similar to other students and also requires improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Disabled students and those who have special educational needs receive appropriate levels of individual care and support. However, school leaders have only recently given more focus to their academic achievement and as a result they have not always made as good progress as they should.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The sixth form is well led and managed. Students make good progress and their attainment is improving. As a result, all students go on to further education, training or employment. All students, from Year 7 onwards, receive impartial and much appreciated advice on their future education and careers.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 While inadequate teaching has now been eradicated, there are still inconsistencies across subjects and year groups, particularly in Key Stage 3. The school’s new systems of accountability and the programme of training for teachers that have improved the quality of teaching in Key Stage 4 are beginning to have an impact lower down the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school’s curriculum offers a broad range of both academic and work-related subjects, including in the sixth form, and is well matched to the needs of students. The school provides well for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students. A well-planned programme of assemblies, for example, relate to themes and issues that are explored in the morning ‘mentoring time’ and through lessons. Four class teachers deliver the school’s highly effective ‘Skills of Success’ programme. This provides a smooth transition for students from primary school and successfully reinforces literacy and numeracy skills. The school emphasises the importance of British values and gives students insights into and understanding of other cultures. Students are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Since the previous inspection, the local authority has offered support and guidance to the school. This has had a particularly strong impact in the current school year with a rigorous evaluation of the school’s performance. The school has also made good use of mutually supportive partnerships with two local leaders of education.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Parents say that they are happy with the work of the school and are aware of the impact the headteacher has had on behaviour and attitudes to learning. Responses to Parent View and staff responses to a questionnaire were both overwhelmingly positive about the school, its students and its leadership.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders carefully monitor the behaviour, attendance and progress of the small number of students at alternative provision.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school meets all statutory requirements with regards to safeguarding and the protection of children in its care and ensures that its arrangements are effective.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Under a new Chair of Governors, the governing body has responded to the recommendations made in the previous report and is now more effective. This is as a result of a very thorough review of governance and governors’ swift response to implementing its recommendations. Previously, there had been a period of change in which governors had not always made sure that carefully considered actions to improve pupils’ achievement were taken swiftly.  Governors are acutely aware that they urgently require more guidance and support in the use of the pupil premium funding to improve students’ achievement.  The governors take their responsibilities very seriously and there is close attention to proper record keeping. All school policies are signed and up to date. The governors’ duties with regards to safeguarding meet statutory requirements. The Chair and other governors are more aware of the need

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The leadership and management requires improvement

to offer a constructive challenge to the headteacher and senior leaders. Following additional training on understanding data, they are now more able to ask searching questions about the school’s performance. This is demonstrated in the governors’ minutes.  Governors have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching. They make sure that students’ achievement is used as a critical measure of whether staff should move up the pay spine. They have supported the headteacher in tackling any underperformance.  The school’s finances are prudently managed including the use of the Year 7 catch-up funding. Governors work hard to engage parents from the community and include their view in decision making.

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Behaviour

 Students’ attitudes to learning are good and they have positive relationships with staff. Students are clear, and school records show, that low-level disruption in class is rare. In both formal and informal discussions with inspectors, older students were unanimous that behaviour had improved each year since the arrival of the current headteacher.

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Behaviour

 Students are proud of their school and are quick to defend the rights of other students and show respect for all aspects of their environment. There are no well-founded concerns expressed by parents, students or staff about behaviour in the school and there is a positive ethos and a sense of community. Exclusions from school are historically low and below national averages.

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Behaviour

 Students, including those in the sixth form, have many opportunities to show leadership and take on responsibilities. Students are frequently engaged in managing their own charity events.

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Behaviour

 Attendance continues to be broadly in line with national figures and improving. However, persistent absence among a small group of students remains high in spite of the school’s best efforts to work with families and individuals.

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Behaviour

 The school closely monitors the behaviour of students in alternative provision.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good.

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Safety

 Students feel safe in the school and understand the system of rewards and sanctions. Parents and staff also agree that this is a safe school.

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Safety

 Students have a good awareness of different types of bullying and any incidents are rare and are dealt with swiftly and effectively. They also know how to keep themselves safe on the internet.

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Safety

 The two school sites and the path between them are secure and regularly checked and assessed for risks. The school makes good use of closed-circuit television to maintain security.

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Safety

 All educational visits are properly and thoroughly assessed for risks and students increasingly learn to take responsibility for themselves within secure guidelines.

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Safety

 The school keeps a close eye on the safety of students in alternative provision.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching varies and is not yet consistently good, particularly in Key Stage 3. This is because not all teachers in each subject are accurately checking students’ progress on a regular basis.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of mathematics has not been good enough over a period of time to bring about a good level of achievement. Mathematics has recently improved at Key Stage 4. However, teachers do not always ensure that lower-ability students in Key Stage 3 are secure in their understanding of operations and concepts before moving on to the next topic.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not always set challenging targets for disadvantaged students in mathematics. As a result, the gap between this group of students and others is narrowing at too slow a pace.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching in English is generally good. Teachers have high expectations of their students, including the most able, students who speak English as an additional language and students from minority ethnic backgrounds. They encourage a love of reading for pleasure as well as successfully improving students’ spelling, punctuation and grammar.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers make good use of expert support staff to assist all groups of students. Disabled students and those who have special educational needs are well supported by experienced teaching assistants in lessons. However, these students have only recently received a greater level of academic challenge and as a result they have not always made the progress they should.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The positive relationships between students and between staff and students and the strong attitudes to learning make a clear contribution to students’ progress in lessons. This is also the case in the sixth form, in which the quality of teaching is good. This is because teachers make good use of their subject knowledge to provide teaching that stimulates students’ interest and is well matched to their individual needs.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching of the very small number of students who attend alternative provision on a part- time basis is monitored and helps these students to make progress and to remain in education.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The school’s exceptionally well-resourced art department provides a high quality of expert tuition across a range of media including photography and ceramics. Students’ work is celebrated in displays by all year groups on both of the school sites.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Students enter the school with attainment that is generally below that found nationally. When they finish Year 11 the proportion of students with five good GCSE passes including English and mathematics is broadly in line with the national average. This demonstrates that while students do make progress this is neither rapid nor sustained and the weakness, until recently, has been in mathematics. Students who speak English as an additional language and students from minority ethnic backgrounds make similar uneven progress to other students.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The proportion of students at the end of Year 11 having made expected and more than expected progress in mathematics has been below the national average since the previous inspection. In 2014, the school was in the bottom fifth of schools nationally for progress in mathematics. This was because of weak teaching and leadership of the subject. Since the start of the current school year, a new subject leader, with the support of senior leaders and governors, has improved the teaching of mathematics and re- designed the curriculum. School data and evidence from students’ books show that there has been a marked improvement in students’ progress in mathematics in Key Stage 4 and to a lesser extent in Key Stage 3.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Students across the school, including in the sixth form, make increasingly good progress in English. The proportion making expected and the proportion making more than expected progress by the end of Key Stage 4 were above the national average in 2014. School information and a scrutiny of students’ books show that current students continue to make good progress in English. Attainment in science and the humanities subjects has been broadly in line with the national average. Current students’ likely attainment in French is much improved from previous years.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The achievement of disadvantaged students requires improvement. These students represent over a third of the total number of students in the school. Their achievement has been lower than the achievement of other students. In 2013, the difference in attainment in mathematics between disadvantaged students and others in the school was one grade and was nearly one and a half grades when compared with the national figures. In English in 2013 the gap in school was also one grade and the national gap was one grade and one-third. In 2014, in English, while the in-school attainment gap increased by a third of a grade to one grade and one third, the national gap reduced by the same amount to one grade. In mathematics, however, the school and national gaps both widened to two and one-third of a grade and two and two-thirds of a grade, respectively. With new leadership, better-targeted support and improved

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

quality of teaching in the current school year, the gap is finally narrowing in mathematics and continues to narrow in English.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Until the current school year, the most able, along with other students, have not made the progress they should in mathematics. Fewer students than nationally achieved the highest grades in mathematics in 2014. The progress in mathematics of the most-able students currently in Key Stage 4 is much improved but is less consistent in Key Stage 3. In English, as a result of high expectations and challenging work in the classroom, the progress of the most-able students is above the national average at the end of Key Stage 4 and is strong in Key Stage 3.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress of disabled students and those who have special educational needs has been similar to other students and requires improvement. The proportion making expected progress in mathematics has been below that found nationally while in English it has been in line. While the care and guidance of this group of students has been good, a new school leader responsible for special needs has improved the identification of specific needs and the school now provides more effective academic support.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Students in Year 7 who underachieved in English or mathematics in Key Stage 2 benefit from extra support in reading, writing and mathematical skills provided by catch-up funding. As a result, many of these students are making improved progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In the sixth form there have been sustained improvements in students’ achievement since the previous inspection and their achievement is good in both work-related and academic subjects.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The achievement of the very small number of students in alternative provision is closely monitored and the success for some lies in continuing to engage with their education while others are making more rapid progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school no longer uses early entry to GCSE examinations.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Achievement in the sixth form is good for students on both academic and work-related courses. Students make good progress from starting points that are generally below those found nationally with very few entering at the highest level. In 2014, students made particularly good progress in English Language and in no subjects were they below the national average. The school’s tracking of students’ progress, which has been accurate in the past, is continuing to improve.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Attainment in the school’s sixth form surpasses the government’s minimum standards and an increasing number of students are achieving the higher grades at AS and A level.

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The sixth form provision is good

 A small number of students successfully re-take their English or mathematics GCSE in the sixth form and almost all students remain in the sixth form for the full two years. The number of students going on to academically prestigious universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, has increased and every student goes on to further education, training or employment.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Students make good progress in the sixth form because they are on appropriate courses, they are committed to their studies and the quality of teaching is consistently good. Teaching in the sixth form is better than in the rest of the school because both the content and delivery of lessons in the sixth form are well matched to students’ individual needs and abilities. Teachers have good subject knowledge and share their enthusiasm for their areas of expertise with their students.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Behaviour and safety are good. The attendance rate is high and students are very positive about the support and guidance they receive in their work and in making plans for the future. Sixth-form students play an important part in the life of the school. They run the school council, support younger students in their learning and run a variety of competitions and activities.

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The sixth form provision is good

 The leader of the sixth form has a clear vision to provide for all students and this is evident in the similar progress that disadvantaged students are making when compared to others. There is an ongoing review of the sixth-form curriculum, ensuring it is responsive to the changing needs of students, including disabled students and those who have special educational needs. Assessment of students’ progress is regular and accurate. What inspection judgements mean

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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 124449 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 462555

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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 controlled 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 644 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 113 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Martin Beavis Headteacher Annabel Stoddart Date of previous school inspection 30 April 2013 Telephone number 01283 239835 Fax number 01283 239852 Email address office@abbotbeyne.staffs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . 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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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