Myton School

Myton School Myton Road, Warwick CV34 6PJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Progress in some subjects, year groups and for some groups of pupils is too slow and so pupils’ achievements are not high enough, especially for disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who are disadvantaged.  Reading is not given a high enough priority in the school. Pupils lack support to help them to improve their reading skills or to encourage them to read more, such as to find out more about subjects they are studying.  Mathematics teaching in Year 7 fails to build on what pupils have already learned at Key Stage 2. Pupils have too few opportunities to improve their problem-solving skills.  Many disadvantaged pupils underachieve each year and actions taken to make sure this stops are not having enough impact.  A wealth of information on pupils’ achievements is available to teachers, but this is not always used well to help them to plan work for pupils or to identify gaps in their learning.

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This is a school that requires improvement

 School leaders have chosen to continue to teach and to assess work at Key Stage 3 using the old National Curriculum levels. This does not always support high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve at this key stage.  Senior leaders and governors are unable to hold other leaders to account well enough because work to improve the school is not robustly monitored or evaluated to find out whether it is actually making enough of a difference.  Governors do not know enough about whether the pupil premium funding and the Year 7 catch-up funding are helping the pupils who are entitled to this support.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils are kept safe and a great deal of support is available to make sure pupils are happy and exceptionally well cared for at this school.  Pupils behave well around school, showing respect for adults and for each other. Bullying is very rare.  The most-able pupils in Year 11 are effectively challenged through a further mathematics course providing studies in mathematics to greater depth.  The sixth form is good because most sixth-form learners make good progress and develop the skills they need for further education or employment.  Pupils have the opportunity to attend off-site work-based courses, leading to apprenticeships if they wish. Sixth-form learners can take part in work experience.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the teaching of reading for all pupils, making certain that the weakest readers receive the support they need to help them to improve quickly, through: — carrying out checks on the reading ages of all pupils to find out who are those most in need of support — repeating checks to identify any pupils whose reading skills may be slow to improve as they move through the school — providing a suitable programme of support to encourage all pupils to read a wide range of suitably challenging books that interest them.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the teaching of mathematics, especially at Key Stage 3, so that: — teaching in Year 7 builds on what pupils have already learned in their primary school to avoid any unnecessary repetition — all pupils are taught how to understand their mathematics rather than relying on remembering mechanistic rules — pupils develop the skills they need to enable them to solve problems with confidence.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Take prompt and decisive action to make certain that the progress of all pupils, but particularly disadvantaged pupils, in all year groups is accelerated in all subjects by insisting that teachers: — use accurate information from their assessments of pupils’ work to plan where additional support may be needed to fill gaps in learning — review and modify these plans if they aren’t making sufficient difference.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership at all levels, including subject and other leaders and governors, so that information about pupils’ achievements is used more strategically to: — regularly check on the progress of their work to improve the school — identify whether their improvement work has had the desired effect — enable governors to better hold leaders to account for their actions.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

External reviews of governance, and of the school’s use of the pupil premium and catch-up funding should be undertaken in order to assess how these aspects of leadership and governance may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leaders are proud to lead this school and are committed to their vision for all pupils to be happy and exceptionally well cared for at school. However, leadership and management require improvement because leaders have been slow to drive improvements in teaching to prevent disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs from underachieving.  Although senior leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, strategies to address the weaknesses are not checked often, or well enough. Leaders are not always able to demonstrate whether their efforts to improve the school are actually making any difference.  Subject leaders are inconsistent in their approach to monitoring the work of their departments. Senior leaders do not do enough to make sure effective practice in leadership is shared so that all areas benefit from the same analytical approach to self-evaluation as demonstrated in art, or knowledge of teaching

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

and the impact on learning as seen in science.  Senior leaders have decided to continue to teach and to assess using the old National Curriculum levels at Key Stage 3. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are therefore not sufficiently high enough for some pupils because the old National Curriculum levels do not match the new ‘age-related expectations’.  Early entry continues in some subjects. All pupils in Year 10 are entered early for GCSE religious education to provide additional time for booster work in English and mathematics in Year 11. For some pupils, this additional support comes too late. Gaps in learning are not being filled at the first sign of progress slowing.  Some pupils enter one GCSE art course in Year 10, and continue to an additional Level 2 art course in Year 11. Some of these pupils may be entered inappropriately early because they do not attain the highest grades by the end of Year 10, although leaders claim it helps to improve pupils’ confidence.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Language teaching in Year 7 leads to time being wasted due to the way it is timetabled. Pupils spend the first term in Year 7 taking part in taster sessions taught in mixed-ability groups in three different languages, before they choose the one they like best to continue for the rest of the year. This approach is now under review.  Senior leaders’ monitoring of teaching and learning is accurate based on their use of a wide range of information, including observations of teaching, unannounced ‘drop-ins’ to lessons, checks on pupils’ work in books and the views of pupils. However, this has not yet identified the reasons why disadvantaged pupils do not make enough progress or which strategies are having the greatest impact on improving progress.  Teachers enthusiastically share strengths of teaching, identified by leaders, and actively take part in joint planning of teaching activities. Teachers value this approach in helping them to improve their practice and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

readily take part in ‘tea and teach meets’ where they share ideas that have worked, for others to try.  Following a review of the way behaviour is managed in the school, school leaders introduced the ’10 habits’ to better support pupils as they develop the skills they need to make them more successful learners. This has resulted in improved pupils’ attitudes to their work.  Senior leaders plan to carry out a review of care for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Leadership of this area of the school has recently improved and there are early signs of pupils’ progress improving to address historical underachievement. Leaders are highly knowledgeable about pupils’ needs and rapid action is now being taken to provide additional support for these pupils when needed.  Pupils are able to take part in a wide range of enrichment activities, clubs and the school council. These activities, together with much of the taught curriculum, contribute effectively to pupils’ spiritual, moral,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

social and cultural development.  Most staff who responded to the online questionnaire say that the school is improving and they enjoy working here. However, a small proportion do not feel leaders do all they can to motivate staff and some say they are not given enough support in helping them to manage the behaviour of pupils.  The governance of the school: is not sufficiently effective because governors are unable to hold senior leaders to account well enough for actions in the school development plan lacks sufficient knowledge about how the pupil premium funding is used to support those entitled to this funding and the difference being made to the progress of these pupils in subjects across all years is unclear about the use and impact of the Year 7 catch-up funding knows how information about the quality of teaching and learning is used to inform decisions about teachers’ pay makes sure that checks on all people employed in the school are carried out in detail. Records are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

exemplary and processes are robust, leading to the development of a safe culture in the school.  The arrangements for safeguarding are highly effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because there is too much variability across the school. However, consistently strong teaching and learning were seen by inspectors in English, science, humanities and in the sixth form.  Reading is not given a high enough priority. Pupils are not given enough support to help them to improve their reading. Checks on reading are not carried out with sufficient frequency, and for all pupils. It is unclear whether the weakest readers are receiving the support they need to help them to improve quickly. Leaders are aware of the problem and are about to change the phonics scheme in use for the weak readers in Year 9 as the books are not sufficiently engaging or interesting for some.  Mathematics teaching in Year 7 fails to build on what pupils have already learned from Key Stage 2. Pupils told inspectors that they had already mastered work on adding fractions with the same

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

denominator when they were in Year 5 and this was evident from the success seen with this work. Pupils in a Year 8 mathematics lesson were seen using ‘Chinese multiplication’ rather than a method which supports a good understanding of place value. Pupils have too few opportunities to improve their problem-solving skills, especially at Key Stage 3, and this slows their progress in mathematics.  Teaching in languages in Year 7 leads to slow progress for many pupils as the work set is too hard for the less-able pupils who need extra support and too easy for those pupils who have studied a language at Key Stage 2.  Pupils’ presentation of their work in books is not good where teachers do not have high enough expectations for the standard of their work. In mathematics, diagrams were seen drawn inaccurately in pen and without a ruler. Scruffy handwriting often goes unchallenged and some teachers do not correct

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

poor use of punctuation, such as commas missing and semi-colons or colons used inappropriately. However, in some subjects such as science, literacy is given a high priority. In these lessons, inspectors saw effective use of what the school calls ‘literacy mats’, and consistent and correct use of subject key words.  Teachers appear to have a wealth of information on their pupils’ previous achievements from tests and other assessments of their work. However, this is not used effectively in their planning to identify where there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge, skills or understanding and to make sure work is planned to fill these gaps quickly.  Pupils do not know enough about their current attainment or what skills they need to improve, or knowledge to deepen, to be confident of attaining the next sub-level or grade. A small number of parents confirm that they do not know enough about their child’s progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Inspectors saw consistently strong subject knowledge being used by teachers to craft questions, targeted at individuals, to make them think harder about their work. Teachers are enthusiastic for their subject and use praise well to encourage all pupils to take part, even the most reluctant learners.  The school’s marking policy provides effective guidance to teachers to support them in assessing pupils’ work. Pupils commented that they could see the improvements for themselves, such as in their work in English as they compared their re-drafts with earlier versions.  In physical education, pupils responded immediately to the oral feedback from the teacher and improved their performances in gymnastics and movement as a result. Pupils worked exceptionally well together as they checked each other’s work in ‘peer review’.  Effective checks on learning were seen in geography where teachers checked what pupils understood and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

quickly intervened to correct errors and address misconceptions when these occurred.  Inspectors visited two providers of off-site, alternative education to see Year 10 pupils in their work- related courses. Pupils worked diligently on their work in hair and beauty and sport support and talked very enthusiastically about the difference these courses are making to their education.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good because teachers and other adults care about pupils at this school. As a result, they are exceptionally well looked after, are happy and enjoy coming to this school.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe from a range of threats and dangers, including when using the internet and using social media or ‘chat rooms’.  Pupils know about other faiths and cultures from their work in religious education. Almost all pupils are entered for GCSE religious education and achieve results that are above the national average in this subject.  House assemblies, delivered through the approach to ‘vertical tutor groups’, includes themes such as extremism and radicalisation. Although pupils understand how to keep themselves safe from the dangers associated with these threats, not all pupils who were asked knew what these terms mean.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils in Year 10 who attend off-site, alternative provision are kept safe. Their attendance, punctuality and behaviour are checked very carefully by a senior leader, who also keeps a close watch on their academic progress.  The family support worker, employed directly by the school, works closely with the families of those pupils who are potentially vulnerable. The support worker provides a range of care, including helping with referrals to child and adolescent mental health services and helping pupils to attend school regularly.  School leaders take seriously the need to ensure equality of access for all. Immediate action was taken in response to a concern regarding access for disabled pupils to a part of the school.  About three quarters of pupils who responded to the online questionnaire would recommend the school to a friend. A small number of pupils say that they would like more information on apprenticeships and

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Personal development and welfare

universities, and more help in writing application forms and curricula vitae.  Attendance overall is above the national average and continues to improve further. However, disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs have much lower attendance than their classmates and are often absent, although attendance is now improving for these groups.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good because pupils care about each other, respect their teachers and other adults and are proud to be members of the ‘Myton School family’.  Pupils conduct around the school site is excellent. They walk purposefully to their lessons and sit calmly, chatting sociably with friends, at break- and lunchtimes.  Pupils told inspectors that rare incidents of bullying do occasionally occur but when reported to teachers, immediate action is taken and it usually stops.  On a few occasions, some low-level disruption was seen by inspectors in some lessons where pupils did not have enough work to do. Sometimes pupils sat back in their seats, clicking pens and sighing audibly.  A very small number of pupils can sometimes be thoughtless, for instance, laughing at the efforts of others when pupils read aloud in class.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Outcomes require improvement because although a higher proportion of pupils attain five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C than the national average, pupils’ achievements are not high enough. Progress in some subjects, year groups and for some groups of pupils is too slow, especially for disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who are disadvantaged.  In the 2015 GCSE examinations, as in previous years, disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs did not achieve as well as their classmates overall. Teachers’ forecast grades indicate that this is unlikely to change much in 2016, although pupils with special educational needs and disabled pupils are now making better progress overall.  In English, teachers’ forecast grades in 2015 were woefully inaccurate for pupils completing their GCSEs and leaders were shocked by the decline in results in English. Leaders claim forecast grades for 2016 are

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

now more accurate and, based upon this information, disadvantaged pupils in Year 11 are on track to make similar progress to other pupils of similar ability nationally. This is a good improvement since previously, underachievement was seen for disadvantaged pupils from a Key Stage 2 Level 4 starting point.  However, in mathematics, forecast grades for 2016 for disadvantaged pupils in Year 11 indicate that those starting from Level 4 at Key Stage 2 will continue to make less progress than other pupils of similar ability nationally.  For pupils in Years 8 to 10, progress made by disadvantaged pupils in English and mathematics is gradually improving and the existing wide gaps with other pupils nationally are starting to narrow. However, disadvantaged pupils in the school continue to make less progress overall in English and mathematics compared with their classmates.  Although the numbers are relatively small, disadvantaged pupils in languages in some year groups make

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

slower progress than their classmates.  Pupils’ achievements in design and technology have been variable due to staffing difficulties, with some classes being taught by temporary teachers.  A culture of reading has not yet been established across the school and pupils are not routinely encouraged to read widely, or often enough, such as to find out more about subjects they are studying and to read for pleasure.  More pupils than average start Key Stage 3 and the sixth form with attainment that is above the national average. The most-able pupils are well supported in science as a result of good teaching and these pupils make rapid progress in their separate science courses.  The most-able pupils in Year 11 have the opportunity to study mathematics in greater depth through a further mathematics course. These pupils coped well in a two-hour mathematics lesson where they made excellent progress in applying their knowledge of similar shapes to solve challenging problems on similar

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

volumes.  Pupils in Year 10 who attend off-site, alternative provision are making good progress with their Level 2 work-related learning courses in motor vehicle studies, hair and beauty, and sport support, which are appropriate to their needs and interests.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 The sixth form continues to be a strength of the school as it was at the time of its last inspection. The 16 to 19 interim minimum standards (which are the government’s minimum expectations for sixth-form study) are met, as are all the requirements of the 16 to 19 study programme.  The majority of learners in the sixth form choose to stay on in the school from Year 11; very few come from other schools in the area. The majority follow a two-year programme of academic studies. There are very few vocational courses. Retention is similarly high from Year 12 to Year 13.  Learners typically make at least the progress that is expected of them, based upon their ability, particularly in their AS studies.  Sixth-form leaders have high ambitions for the sixth form and their work to reduce any variability in teaching between subjects or between AS and A level is having a positive impact. This is being achieved

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

through better teaching characterised by teachers using their excellent subject knowledge to plan work that is suitably challenging and reflects teachers’ high expectations for learners.  Sixth-form learners are well cared for and say they feel safe in school. They know that making good choices in their relationships and avoiding substance misuse will have a positive effect on their lives. Learners spoke very warmly about the support they receive from sixth-form leaders, for their personal welfare as well as academic support.  All Year 12 learners have the opportunity of a work placement which provides a good introduction to employment and work-based skills.  Most Year 13 learners successfully gain places at universities or other colleges, and a small number go on to employment. They are well prepared for the next stage in their education, employment or training as they have access to good-quality careers advice and guidance and leave with good qualifications in their

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

chosen courses.  Although A-level progress for Year 13 fell in 2015 compared with that for previous years, school leaders have taken decisive action to find out the reasons for this and to make sure that learners make better progress in the future. Forecast grades provided by teachers indicate faster progress for 2016.  Success in GCSE re-sits in English and mathematics has been low. In response to this, more time has been allocated on the timetable to provide for learners to improve their knowledge. This improved support had a positive impact in November when all learners entered for GCSE English were successful in attaining a grade A*–C. Not all learners were as successful in mathematics.  Attendance, previously a concern for the sixth form, has improved because of a more rigorous approach to following up learners who are absent.

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School details

Unique reference number 136907 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 10005657

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,651

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Kelham Headteacher Paul MacIntyre Telephone number 01926 493805 Website www.mytonschool.co.uk Email address head@myton.co.uk Date of previous inspection 1–2 February 2012

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized school.  As the school is an academy converter, the local authority has no role in supporting or challenging the school. Where leaders identify areas requiring support, this is bought in through external consultants they choose.  A smaller than average proportion of pupils are supported by pupil premium funding.  Almost a third of pupils are from minority ethnic groups, the largest proportion of which are of Indian heritage. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is similar to the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average. Virtually all of the pupils with a statement of special needs or an education, health and care plan are classed as having an autistic spectrum disorder.  A small number of pupils in Year 10 attend alternative or off-site provision at Warwickshire College and St

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Information about this school

Nicholas’ Leisure Centre to study courses in hair and beauty, sports studies and motor vehicle studies.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 42 lessons and carried out around 10 short visits to other lessons, including meetings to find out about the support provided to disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Pupils’ work in books was reviewed and inspectors talked to pupils about their work during lessons. The literacy and numeracy work of pupils in the accelerated progress group was looked at in greater detail.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders and other leaders in the school. An inspector met with the Chair of the Governing Body and one other governor and scrutinised the minutes of governors’ meetings.  Inspectors observed behaviour at break- and lunchtime, and attitudes to learning during lessons.  Meetings were held with a group of disabled pupils and pupils who have special educational needs. A separate meeting was held with pupils entitled to support through pupil premium funding to find out

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Information about this inspection

their views on the support they receive. A group of sixth-form learners met with an inspector to talk about their experience of the 16 to 19 study programme in the school.  An inspector visited two providers of alternative education, where a small number of pupils from Year 10 receive some of their education.  The 78 views from parents expressed in the last 365 days on Parent View, the online questionnaire, were considered, along with the 68 responses from staff and the 83 responses from pupils at the school to the online questionnaire.  A variety of other information was reviewed in detail about pupils’ achievements, attendance and behaviour. The school’s processes for self-evaluation and action planning were considered and a thorough check was made of the school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe.

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Inspection team

Denah Jones, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Patrick Amieli Ofsted Inspector Derek Barnes Ofsted Inspector Nigel Griffiths Ofsted Inspector Josie Leese Ofsted Inspector Graham Tyrer Ofsted Inspector Robert Steed Ofsted Inspector Bianka Zemke Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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