Deyes High School

Deyes High School Deyes Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, L31 6DE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy 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

 Leaders at all levels are passionate about ensuring that every student can achieve his or her best and are diligent in pursuit of this aim. Leaders have the ambition and capacity to lead further improvements.  Students’ achievement is good. Students have maintained standards that are above the national average since the school opened. Progress across most subjects is good.  Teachers know their students well and plan lessons which engage and interest them. Teachers’ assessments are accurate. Marking helps students to improve their work.  Students’ behaviour is good and their attitudes to learning are very positive. Students are consulted about matters in school and so have a strong student voice.  The choice of subjects on offer is carefully tailored to meet the needs of individual students and this supports their good achievement. Students enjoy the many opportunities to attend clubs and extra classes and to develop their leadership skills.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Students quickly gain a strong understanding of British values through the school’s ethos and through well-planned opportunities for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The sixth form provides rich experiences that prepare students effectively for the next stage of their education, training or employment. An increasing proportion of students go on to study at the top universities. Achievement in the sixth form is good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some teachers do not provide sufficient challenge for all students.  Sometimes students do not respond to the advice on how to improve their work which their teachers provide through marking.  Initiatives implemented to raise students’ achievement higher are not always checked and measured rigorously enough by subject leaders and managers. Consequently, they do not know for certain how effective they are in the classroom.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in a wide range of subjects across all age groups. Some learning was observed jointly with members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors held formal meetings with groups of students from each year including the sixth form. They spoke informally to many other students at breaks and lunchtimes and in lessons.  Inspectors sampled work in students’ books in all year groups across a range of subjects including English, mathematics, sciences, modern languages and the humanities.  Inspectors held discussions with parents, staff, governors, senior leaders and representatives of the academy trust.  Inspectors looked at a range of school documents. These included information relating to safeguarding and child protection, attendance and behaviour, development planning, subject planning, tracking information on students’ progress, performance management systems and procedures for checking on the

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Information about this inspection

quality of teaching and learning.  The views of staff were gained from the 44 responses to the staff questionnaire as well as from conversations with staff.  The 229 responses to Parent View, the Ofsted online questionnaire, were analysed as well as the school’s own parental questionnaires conducted this year. Inspectors considered the views of parents who emailed or telephoned during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Judith Straw, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Deyes High School converted to become an academy school on 1 October 2011. It is the lead school within the Lydiate learning Trust, which sponsors other academies. Although it is now an academy it is generally referred to as a school by staff, parents and students. When its predecessor school, also called Deyes High School, was last inspected by Ofsted in February 2011 it was judged to be good overall. Deyes High School is larger than the average-sized secondary school with a sixth form.  The proportion of disadvantaged students eligible for support through the pupil premium is low compared to the national average. The pupil premium is the government’s additional funding for those students who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of students with disabilities or special educational needs is below the national average.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion that speak English as an additional language are both very low compared to the national picture.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  In 2014, the school met the government’s current floor standards. These are the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress by the end of Key Stage 4.  Since converting to academy status, the headteacher has become the executive headteacher of the academy trust. Day-to-day management of the school is lead by an acting head of school. A new head of school has been appointed for September 2015.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve teaching and learning by:  supporting all teachers to be equally adept in using progress data to provide an effective challenge for all students  ensuring that students consistently respond to their teachers’ marking comments.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop leadership and management by ensuring initiatives and agreed school policies aimed at raising students’ achievement are consistently implemented by all staff.

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The leadership and management are good

 All staff share the executive headteacher’s determination and passion to make the school the best it can be. Under her outstanding leadership the school has improved rapidly. Staff feel proud to work at the school and value the high-quality support and professional development they receive from senior leadership. The school is able to support other schools and academies by sharing expertise and is a sponsor to two other academies.  Leaders at all levels have worked hard to improve the school and to ensure that achievement is good. School leaders make frequent checks on the quality of teaching and use evidence from these checks to plan staff development and training. This enables leaders to improve teaching and effectively support staff that are new to the profession.  Middle leaders manage their subject areas well. They feel empowered to take a leading role in ensuring that students gain the highest possible results by checking the work in students’ books and visiting

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The leadership and management are good

lessons. Occasionally, the school commissions departmental reviews which involve an in-depth analysis of work including student interviews and observation of all teachers. Improvement plans are based on the outcome of these reviews. However, while regular checks on teaching take place, some of the monitoring by leaders and managers of school initiatives is not rigorous enough to identify that some teachers do not fully embed whole-school initiatives quickly enough.  Rigorous performance management of staff ensures that only staff with a track record of success progress up the salary scales.  Additional funding through pupil premium and the Year 7 catch-up programme is used to provide tailored support for some students, including one-to-one tuition and pastoral support, guidance and advice. However, in 2014 the gap between their attainment and other students in the school widened in mathematics. This year, disadvantaged students have closed the gap considerably and are making good

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The leadership and management are good

progress.  Leaders have designed the programmes of study to equip students for the current labour market and to prepare them well for life after school. There is an effective programme of careers education and advice. All students progress into further education, training or employment. The school has no need to use alternative provision because the subjects taught meet the needs and aspirations of all students. Extra support for literacy and numeracy in Years 7 to 9 helps students to cope with the academic requirements in Years 10 and 11.  A wide range of enrichment experiences and activities includes trips to other countries, numerous opportunities to participate in sport, music and drama that help to promote students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. The school actively celebrates a range of cultures and religions and promotes effectively an understanding of British values of tolerance and respect. A well-planned

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The leadership and management are good

programme of topics taught across the school includes human rights, local and national government, recycling, homelessness, enterprise and health education.  Arrangements to support the move from primary to secondary school are very effective. Students who require extra support are identified and work through an accelerated reading programme. The most able students benefit from a mathematics Level 6 programme.  Good relations are fostered well and discrimination is tackled effectively so that all students have equality of opportunity.  Parents’ views of the school are very positive. Internal school questionnaires, as well as the online Parent View, indicate that parents feel staff contribute effectively to the success and happiness of their children.  Arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements. All staff are well trained in matters of child protection. The school has excellent links with other agencies and a governor leads regular checks to

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The leadership and management are good

ensure the school’s systems are secure and effective.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a good understanding of the quality of teaching and achievement in school. They gain information through presentations and reports from the headteacher and other staff, through visits to the school and by talking to staff and students. Governors undertake regular training to enable them to perform their role successfully. They know how to use published data to measure the school’s performance against others locally and nationally. Governors ask challenging questions to make sure that leaders keep focused on improving standards. The performance management of staff is closely aligned to the school’s aspirational targets. Systems are in place to swiftly tackle any weaknesses identified in teaching. Governors ensure that pay progression is linked to teachers’ success in meeting targets for students’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors’ sound financial planning ensures resources are well used to improve all groups of students’ progress and well-being, especially for disadvantaged students and those who have special educational needs. Governors check on the progress and achievement of disadvantaged students and look closely at how pupil premium funding and the Year 7 catch up-funding is used to the benefit of students.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good.  Students are proud of the school and keenly participate in a range of leadership roles. Senior students attend some governors’ meetings and also take part in interviews for new staff. They have a good understanding of democracy from experience at school and know about local and national government. During the inspection, Year 10 students were conducting their own mock general election. Students support numerous local, national and international charities.  Students move around the school’s site purposefully and are punctual to lessons. They conduct themselves well at the start and end of the day and between lessons.  Most students show a positive attitude to learning and are quickly responsive to teachers’ instructions. In most classes, students display a strong work ethic and are keen to do well. They generally show a level of maturity and are ready to learn. Very occasionally, students report that learning is held up by poor

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Behaviour

behaviour but this is rare.  Many students take pride in their work and their books in most subjects, and particularly in history and geography, are well presented.  Students are aware of the many different kinds of bullying but all students spoken to by inspectors stated that they had not experienced bullying. Students felt that the school would deal with any incidents very positively. Students say that use of racist, homophobic or other abusive language is rare. They say that they can talk to staff openly about any concerns they might have.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good.  Students understand how to keep themselves safe and are aware of situations where they may be groomed or encouraged to take part in risky behaviours. They have a good understanding of the rules for safe use of the internet.  Students feel safe and free from any kind of intimidation.  Aspects to secure the welfare of students and support them are outstanding. A team of adults do all they can to provide for the well-being of students.  Students’ attendance is consistently above the national average.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Evidence from the work in students’ books, school progress tracking data and from observing students’ learning and speaking to them shows that teaching is good across the school.  Subjects are delivered in an engaging and stimulating way, often related to areas students are interested in and to real-life situations. An example was seen in Year 8 where students in history were relishing creating BBC-style breaking news bulletins about Oliver Cromwell. High expectations for participation and learning are evident in many subjects, particularly in English, drama, design technology, geography and history.  Teachers regularly check understanding and correct misconceptions so that students’ learning is consolidated. Many teachers are experts in targeted and probing questioning which allow students to develop their understanding. This was seen in art where frequent reflection and self-assessment skills are

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The quality of teaching is good

part of every session. Many students in Key Stage 4 were engaged in revision sessions during the inspection and teachers made this enjoyable, interesting and productive.  Teachers skilfully choose methods and create opportunities which help students to express themselves clearly and learn how to discuss and debate with confidence.  Opportunities for extended writing are offered, allowing students to articulate and expand their ideas in different subjects.  Support for disabled students and those who have special educational needs is effective so that these students make the same good progress as others. Teaching assistants are well briefed and they work in partnership with subject teachers to be able to provide good support for such students.  Teachers have developed a new marking policy based on feedback from students about what type of marking is the most helpful to them. Generally, marking is effective but the policy is not always adhered to

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The quality of teaching is good

by all teachers. The school’s data show that students who regularly read and respond to teachers’ comments make better progress than those who do not.  The teaching of mathematics and English is good. The school ensures students with weaker reading skills are supported to improve through programmes to develop reading and writing which are put in place promptly when they join in Year 7. There is a systematic strategy to improve literacy embedded across the school. Students have plenty of opportunities to practise and improve their literacy across other subjects such as science, history, geography and religious education.  In most subjects, the level of challenge is good and tasks are planned around the needs of the students. However, in some classes there is an over-reliance on teaching to the middle ability. The school is addressing this by a teaching focus on challenge in this academic year but, as yet, extension work or work

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The quality of teaching is good

at different levels for students of differing abilities is not consistently in place.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The percentage of students gaining five A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and mathematics, has been significantly above average since the opening of the school. Published data for 2014 shows average standards but this data is based on students’ first entry to GCSE examinations and masks the fact that the proportion gaining five or more passes including English and mathematics was 70% when examinations were re-taken. Progress information for 2015 shows a higher proportion of students making good progress, not only in English and mathematics but in many other subjects including languages, humanities, creative arts, science and design technology.  The school’s rationale for entering students early for GCSE was to give them examination practice in English and mathematics and to build their confidence. This practice does not appear to be limiting the potential of most students. However, the school is using ‘mock’ GCSE examinations now and in the future.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Only a very few of the most able students enter mathematics at the end of Year 10 so that they can study further mathematics in Year 11. Progress in English has been faster than in mathematics, but the progress in mathematics is fast improving.  Students do consistently well in a wide range of subjects. Examination results in geography, history, drama and physical education are especially strong. Underperformance in science in the past has been addressed so that students are making good progress in the full range of courses including applied science and single science subjects.  Disabled students and those who have special educational needs are identified early and the support that they receive enables them to make good progress. Over the last three years, these students have made increasingly better progress in English and mathematics and have attained well in catering, expressive arts, art, technology, dance, science and physical education.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most able students benefit in a number of ways, even before they join the school. A Level 6 project is run in collaboration with local primary schools to ensure that, once in high school, students in Year 7 remain challenged and respond to the high expectations set. Some of the most able mathematics students have successfully studied further mathematics in Year 11.  The proportion of disadvantaged students supported by the pupil premium funding is small and results vary from year to year. In 2014, the attaintment of disadvantaged students in English lagged behind that of other students in the school and other students nationally by more than one GCSE grade. The gap in performance in English has narrowed over the past three years. In mathematics, disadvantaged students were behind others in school by one-and-a-third GCSE grades and by other students nationally by one- and-a-half GCSE grades. This gap widened in 2014. However, disadvantaged students did particularly well

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The achievement of pupils is good

in some subjects, including hospitality and catering, expressive arts and technology and all of them have progressed into training, further education or higher education. Current progress information indicates that disadvantaged students in the current Year 11 are making much better progress than in the previous year.  Students are encouraged to read widely and frequently. Some students receive specifically targeted support. Progress information for Years 7, 8 and 9 shows that students are making much better progress by the end of Key Stage 3 and are better prepared for study at GCSE than was the case in the last two years.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Achievement in the sixth form is good. Students’ attainment has maintained an upward trend since the school opened. Over the last three years attainment has improved from below average in many subjects to above average in the great majority of subjects at AS and A-Level and in vocational subjects. Students make consistently good progress.  Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. Actions to address underperformance in some subject areas have been very effective. Teachers use their strong knowledge of subjects and enthusiasm to engage students fully in their learning. Students have many opportunities to develop reasoning powers, discuss and debate and to collaborate with other students in problem-solving tasks. Students receive good feedback on their work which enables them to accelerate their progress. All students are set targets for each subject but sometimes these targets can be too ambitious.

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The sixth form provision is good

 The sixth form equips students well for life after school. The curriculum is well matched to the needs of students of different abilities and their aspirations. Students’ attitudes to learning are good. They embrace the many opportunities to broaden their experience such as through fund-raising, community projects, work experience, the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, trips at home and abroad and visits to universities.  Students regard their time in the school as a positive experience. They feel stretched academically and well prepared for the future. They feel safe and have an accurate awareness of extremism and other potential negative influences.  Students’ behaviour is good. Students work well together and respond to leaders’ consultations on many aspects of their education. They make a strong contribution to the rest of the school as peer mentors, sports’ leaders, and prefects. There is an effective focus in the sixth form to develop young professionals

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The sixth form provision is good

and good citizens.  Leadership in the sixth form is good. Leaders closely check on students’ progress, take prompt action to address any underachievement and provide very effective pastoral care and guidance. Students benefit from strong support in helping them to make sensible subject choices and applications to higher education, further education or apprenticeships. Sixth-form tutors, under the guidance of the head of sixth form, work very effectively together as a team.

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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 137533 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 461901

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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 1,322 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 196 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Graham Principal Ann Stahler Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 0151 526 3814 Fax number 0151 526 3713 Email address admin@deyeshigh.co.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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