Setting

Mr David Barton Headteacher Budehaven School Valley Road Bude Cornwall EX23 8DQ

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Budehaven School

Following my visit to your school on 4 December 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Budehaven School

The visit was the second monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in January 2015. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Budehaven School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I met with you, other senior leaders, subject leaders, the governing body and representatives of the local authority to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. I made short visits to lessons to determine the quality of pupils’ work and to talk to pupils. I also scrutinised records relating to pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Ofsted

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Evidence

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Context

Some staffing changes have taken place at subject leadership level and in teaching staff since September 2015. In particular, you have appointed new leaders and teachers to the mathematics department.

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Main findings

You and your senior leaders have raised expectations significantly across the school, particularly with regards to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’ outcomes. Since my previous visit, impressive improvements have been made and the school is providing pupils with a more effective standard of education. Subject leaders have shown a real determination to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in their departments. One subject leader said, ‘Your last visit gave us a real wake-up call.’

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Main findings

Senior leaders have grown in confidence and talk with real passion and pride of the areas they are leading across the school. A very accurate understanding of pupils’ outcomes in 2015 is held. While outcomes have improved, leaders have an astute awareness of the areas that need to improve further, in particular the performance of disadvantaged pupils. More rigour and regularity in the monitoring of pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are bringing about rapid improvement in these areas; it is important that this momentum is maintained.

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Main findings

A new marking and feedback policy is now being implemented consistently across the school. As a result, pupils talk in great depth about what they have done well and what they need to do to improve further. Pupils are positive about being more involved in their learning and they are very clear that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved; I fully agree with this.

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Main findings

During my visits to lessons, it is clear that pupils are far more engaged in their learning. Classrooms are highly positive learning environments where pupils work very well with their teachers and each other. Pupils take much more care and pride in their work; much of the presentation of pupils’ work I saw was exceptional. The quality of work in pupils’ books shows that they are being challenged much more to make better progress across all year groups and subjects, including the sixth form. Teachers are routinely demanding more from pupils and pupils thrive on this. Pupils’ literacy skills are now being more effectively developed in all subjects; in particular, far greater opportunities are in place for pupils to complete extended writing. Subject leaders acknowledge that much more is expected of them now; they fully accept that this was needed and have risen with real positivity to the challenge. You

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Main findings

and your senior leaders carry out more regular visits to lessons alongside subject leaders to scrutinise the quality of teaching, learning and assessment more closely. Subject leaders recognise the improvement in their departments and are now proud to show the improved quality of work that pupils produce.

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Main findings

Governors have a much better understanding of the school’s performance. They provide more effective challenge and support to leaders to ensure that the rate of improvement is rapid. Through regular visits to the school, including much closer scrutiny of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils, governors now have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas in need of further improvement.

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External support

You, your leaders and teachers have taken regular opportunities to visit other schools to observe effective practice. This has given staff a renewed energy and focus to improve aspects of the school’s work, in particular the support given to disadvantaged pupils. Subject leaders attended the Ofsted middle leader and mathematics sessions, which has raised their awareness of effective strategies to monitor and evaluate their departments.

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External support

The local authority monitors the school very closely. It offers very helpful support and challenge to leaders. Through its regular reviews of the school’s effectiveness, the local authority has an accurate understanding of the clear improvements across the school.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Cornwall and the Education Funding Agency.

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