John Willmott School

John Willmott School Reddicap Heath Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B75 7DY

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate school

 Leadership is inadequate because the school has declined since the last inspection in 2013. Leaders do not have the capacity to improve the school.  Outcomes are inadequate. Too many pupils are underachieving, particularly the most-able pupils.  Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make slow progress in mathematics and science.  Teaching is inadequate. Too many teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour and progress. Work is frequently too easy, particularly for the most-able pupils.  Teachers’ questions are not challenging enough, which means that pupils have few opportunities to think deeply.  Some teachers do not insist that pupils complete work and present it neatly and accurately. Pupils’ work is not checked carefully enough, so they carry on making the same mistakes, particularly in mathematics.  Behaviour is inadequate because there is too much low-level disruption in many classes in Years

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This is an inadequate school

7 to 11. Too many pupils arrive late to lessons.  The sixth form requires improvement because learners do not make good progress in academic subjects.  Leaders, including subject leaders, do not check the impact of their plans to improve teaching, achievement and behaviour in enough detail and many lack the skills to do this. Senior leaders do not do enough to stop low-level disruption in some classes, even though they have information about this.  The governing body does not have the skills to hold the school to account adequately. As a result, it is ineffective.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress when they receive effective additional support.  Safeguarding procedures are effective and thorough.  Pupils who join the school in Year 7 with levels of attainment below those that are expected catch up well in English and mathematics.  Learners in the sixth form make good progress in vocational subjects. Inspection report : John Willmott School, 13–14 January and 26 February 2016

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Rapidly improve teaching and thereby achievement in Years 7 to 11, particularly for the most-able pupils, by: – making sure that work which is set for pupils is appropriately challenging – asking probing questions that require pupils to think deeply – ensuring that pupils know how to improve their work – insisting that work is completed and presented neatly and accurately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress in mathematics across all year groups, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, by: – ensuring that teachers regularly check pupils’ and learners’ work so that they do not continue to make the same mistakes – improving the curriculum so that pupils and learners have opportunities to use a range of mathematical skills to solve problems.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching in science in Years 7 to 11 so that pupils can achieve much more than they currently do, including those who are disadvantaged, by making sure that all teachers have the skills to teach the subject effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ punctuality to lessons and behaviour in class in Years 7 to 11, particularly the behaviour of girls, by insisting that all teachers always follow the school’s code of conduct policy.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve learners’ achievement in academic courses in the sixth form so that it matches their achievement in vocational courses.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact that all leaders, including governors, have on improving teaching, outcomes and behaviour by: – making sure that all senior and subject leaders have the skills to effectively check and improve teaching, achievement and behaviour – regularly checking the impact on pupils of the various improvement plans, including the subject action plans, and making sure that these plans contain clear targets and milestones – making sure that the information leaders have about low-level disruption in classes is used effectively to improve behaviour – insisting that teachers follow the school’s marking policy so that pupils’ work is accurate and neat and errors are noticed and corrected – providing specialist support to improve teaching in mathematics and science.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance and the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how these aspects of leadership and management may be improved. Inspection report : John Willmott School, 13–14 January and 26 February 2016

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Leaders are failing to provide pupils with a good level of education. They have been ineffective in improving the school since the last inspection.  Outcomes, teaching and behaviour have all declined and show little sign of improvement. The quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in mathematics and science has also declined and too many pupils are continuing to significantly underachieve in these key subjects.  Leaders have not made sure that all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed and achieve to the best of their ability, particularly the most-able pupils and those who are disadvantaged. Leaders have not made sure that all pupils benefit from effective marking and feedback in mathematics because too often mistakes are not corrected and pupils continue to make the same mistakes.  Not enough is being done by leaders to create a school culture where all pupils and staff have high aspirations. For example, leaders have not succeeded in ensuring that all staff follow the principles of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

school’s code of conduct, particularly with respect to low-level disruption and lateness to lessons. The low expectations that some teachers have are having a detrimental impact on the aspirations of a significant minority of pupils.  Leaders do not monitor the impact on pupils of their plans and actions adequately. For example, the school has had a plan to improve the progress of the most-able pupils in place for 16 months but inspection evidence indicates that these pupils are making slow progress.  The impact of senior and subject leaders’ monitoring of teaching and achievement is minimal, as too many do not have the skills to do this. For example, although leaders check work in pupils’ books, analyse assessment information and check the quality of teaching, they do not join up all of this information as well as they should. As a result, they do not have a detailed understanding of why some groups of pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

are underachieving and precisely how teaching needs to improve for these groups.  Subject leaders are required to produce action plans at various points throughout the year. However, leaders are unable to check objectively if the plans are having sufficient impact on pupils’ progress, behaviour and on teaching because they often lack clear targets and milestones at various points throughout the year.  Leaders monitor incidents of bad behaviour and they have appropriate procedures in place if a pupil behaves poorly. They also monitor low-level disruption in lessons and they have a strategy for improving this. However, too much low-level disruption occurs in some classes and leaders’ actions are having little impact.  Staff are able to access regular training opportunities in the school. While this is helping to improve some teaching, it is having little impact where it is most needed in mathematics and science. Leaders are not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

doing enough to improve these areas, including any specialist subject training for staff.  Although the school offers an appropriate range and balance of subjects, the curriculum does not have as much impact on pupils’ academic progress and behaviour as it should because it is not taught well. The extra-curricular sports and arts activities, as well as assembly themes such as respect and tolerance for the values and views of others, make an adequate contribution to pupils’ personal development and well- being as well as pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. These aspects of the curriculum are further developed in ‘guidance’ lessons where pupils also learn about citizenship and British values.  The mathematics curriculum does not allow pupils to have sufficient opportunities to apply and develop skills within the context of solving problems.  Leaders are not using the additional pupil premium funding effectively. Disadvantaged pupils are making

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

slow progress in many subjects, particularly mathematics and science. As well as weak teaching in these subjects, leaders have not evaluated the impact of the additional funding for eligible pupils in sufficient detail.  Leadership of the sixth form is improving. Leaders’ tracking of learners’ progress is effective and, as a result, learners receive high-quality individualised support. Because of this, achievement in vocational subjects is good and achievement in academic subjects is improving. Although leaders use assessment information well to help individual learners, they do not use it well to compare the school’s overall performance with nationally published post-16 data.  The leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs or disability is good when pupils receive additional support. Leaders have made sure that pupils receive high-quality pastoral support as well as good academic support which is additional to the normal timetabled lessons.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

Inspection report : John Willmott School, 13–14 January and 26 February 2016  The governance of the school – The governing body is ineffective and has had little impact on improving the key areas requiring significant improvement since the last inspection. However, they are aware of the key weaknesses in the school. – Governors do not hold school leaders to account for the impact of their actions and plans for improving teaching, behaviour and pupils’ progress. Governors do not understand assessment information well enough and this means that they are unable to robustly challenge the school about the lack of progress that pupils are making. – Governors do not know how the sixth form compares to other sixth forms nationally. Therefore, they cannot challenge leaders well. – The governing body monitors the pupil premium funding and the additional funding for Year 7 pupils who join the school with attainment which is below average in English and mathematics. However,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

they do not check the impact of the funding for eligible pupils sufficiently. This is an important reason why the school is not achieving good value for money because too many disadvantaged pupils are making slow progress. – Governors are appropriately involved in making decisions about whether teachers should receive pay rises, based on them meeting appropriate targets. The governing body also has appropriate procedures for managing staff underperformance.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school meets all requirements and there is a culture of safety within the school which is seen through assemblies and ‘guidance’ lessons, for example. Staff are thoroughly and regularly trained in safeguarding and parents are provided with good information about safeguarding matters when appropriate.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teaching, learning and assessment are inadequate because large numbers of pupils are significantly underachieving in mathematics and science, including those who are disadvantaged. In addition, teaching does little to challenge or motivate the most-able pupils. Teaching in these subjects and for these groups of pupils is not improving and has been inadequate for the past few years.  Too many teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving. Often work is too easy for most groups of pupils. This is because teachers do not use assessment information well enough to plan learning which is well matched to pupils’ skills and abilities.  The use of questioning too often does not require pupils to think hard and so develop their understanding in greater depth. Questioning is frequently superficial, often only requiring short responses from pupils that require little thought.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Too many teachers do not follow the school’s marking policy, which is an important reason why many pupils do not know how to improve their work. The quality of feedback varies between subjects. In mathematics and science, feedback is particularly poor because it does not consistently help pupils to correct errors.  In mathematics, errors and misconceptions go unchecked and some pupils go relatively long periods of time making the same mistakes. However, in design technology, for example, teachers judge well when pupils need their work marking and they do this helpfully at key points in the course. In other subjects, teachers provide pupils with regular verbal feedback, which is sometimes helpful.  Some teachers do not consistently insist that pupils complete their work to the best of their ability. Consequently, too many books contain incomplete work, which means that pupils are unable to revise for

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

tests or examinations. This is also indicative of the low expectations that too many teachers have. Poorly presented and inaccurate work is too often accepted by some teachers without any expectation that it is completed or redone.  Teaching in science is inadequate because not all teachers have the subject knowledge to teach the skills, knowledge and understanding that pupils need to achieve well.  The additional support which pupils who have special educational needs or disability receive is effective because staff have a detailed and accurate understanding of the particular learning and emotional needs of these pupils.  Teaching is improving in English, though it is not yet consistently good. Teaching in design technology is effective and pupils enjoy lessons because work is pitched well and interesting.  Teaching in the sixth form is better than in the main school. Behaviour is good and smaller class sizes

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

mean that teachers give learners individual attention and effective support with their work. Weaknesses Inspection report : John Willmott School, 13–14 January and 26 February 2016 with teachers’ questioning seen in the main school are also apparent in the sixth form. However, inspectors also saw examples of highly effective questioning in history and business studies, where learners gave eloquent and detailed responses because the teacher had carefully planned activities and questions in advance.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement because the impact on pupils is too variable.  Teachers’ low expectations of what pupils are capable of contributes to some pupils lacking confidence in their academic potential and their ability to value learning. However, many other pupils are confident learners who value the opportunities that the school has to offer them, even when teaching is not good enough.  School assemblies promote reflection and provide opportunities for pupils to explore moral issues. These topics are developed further through the morning form times and the ‘guidance’ lessons. The impact of this is too variable and not consistently good because form time is not always used well to develop themes and topics.  Pupils understand the importance of physical well-being because the school provides opportunities for pupils to engage in physical and sporting activities. The pastoral team of staff provides specific

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Personal development and welfare

personalised support for pupils’ emotional well-being when it is needed and many, though not all, value this.  Pupils feel safe at school. They are taught about how to keep safe and they have an age-appropriate understanding of safety matters, including how to stay safe when working online. Pupils understand the different forms in which bullying can occur and they are confident that bullying is always dealt with quickly and effectively by staff, even though incidents are rare. Pupils are aware of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism.  Learners in the sixth form are safe in school and they understand safety matters very well. Many are excellent role models for younger pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate. Too many lessons are disrupted, often by girls, because some pupils lose interest and do not consistently pay attention. The lack of challenge in many lessons as well as low expectations are significant reasons why learning does not proceed quickly enough. Some pupils become bored and lack the motivation to work at a good pace. For example, in a science lesson pupils did little work because the work was uninspiring and too easy.  Some students show little respect for the environment because they drop litter at breaktimes and when they are moving between lessons. Others put graffiti on furniture. Some students choose to ignore instructions from staff when moving between lessons.  Too many pupils do not attend lessons on time. A significant minority walk slowly between classes and many stop to chat. This is indicative of the low expectations that some staff have.

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Behaviour

 As a result of poor teaching in many subject areas, too many pupils do not demonstrate that they have good attitudes to learning.  Exclusions have reduced since the last inspection, though there is some variability between year groups. The school has improved how it manages serious behaviour incidents.  Attendance is average and the proportion of pupils who regularly miss school is improving. Attendance in the sixth form is also improving, but remains a little lower than in the main school.  The behaviour and attitudes to learning in the sixth form are consistently positive. Learners told inspectors that they enjoy their studies and that they appreciate the care and support shown to them by teachers and other adults.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Outcomes are inadequate because too many pupils who are currently at the school are making slow progress as a result of teaching which is poorly matched to many pupils’ learning needs.  The most-able pupils make slow progress across year groups and subjects and they have done so for the past few years. Very few of these pupils achieve the highest GCSE grades. Too many pupils make slow Inspection report : John Willmott School, 13–14 January and 26 February 2016 progress in mathematics and science, including those who are disadvantaged. This has not improved in recent years and has declined since the previous inspection.  In 2015, the difference between the proportion of Year 11 disadvantaged pupils attaining grades A* to C in mathematics and others both in the school and nationally widened. In science, the gap between the proportion of disadvantaged pupils attaining grades A* to C widened in comparison with other pupils

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

nationally. Similarly, the gap between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school and nationally also widened in terms of the proportions attaining five good GCSE grades, including English and mathematics.  Since the last inspection, attainment in Year 11 in terms of the proportion of pupils attaining five good GCSE grades at A* to C, including mathematics and English, has declined and was below average in 2015.  As a result of weaknesses in mathematics teaching, too many pupils are not as prepared as they should be for the next stage in their education and training. Consequently, relatively high proportions of sixth- form students are required to retake GCSE mathematics.  In English in 2015, a well below average proportion of the most-able Year 11 pupils made the progress that is expected, including those who are disadvantaged. Too few pupils made progress that is better than expected. This is the position for many of the current pupils across year groups in this subject,

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

though progress is improving. Attainment in English improved last year and more pupils achieved a good GCSE grade.  Lower-attaining pupils make slightly better progress than others. Where additional support is provided, pupils make good progress. For example, last year, pupils who received additional support through the Year 7 catch-up programme made good progress. Those pupils currently on this programme are similarly catching up well in both English and mathematics. However, like other pupils, their progress is adversely affected by weaknesses in whole-class teaching, especially in mathematics and science.  Learners in the sixth form make consistently good progress in vocational subjects. Progress has been much weaker in academic subjects, but is now improving because of closer checking on progress and individualised help for learners to catch up when they fall behind with their work.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make consistently good progress. Pupils typically

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

benefit from additional academic support for English and mathematics and this is helping pupils to make good progress. However, their progress is not as rapid as it could be because teaching in the usual timetabled lessons is not strong enough.

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16 to 19 study programmes requires improvement

 16 to 19 study programmes require improvement because learners taking academic courses do not make good progress, although internal school assessment information indicates that this is improving. Learners’ progress on vocational courses is consistently strong.  Study programmes are well planned and appropriate. Learners have wide a choice of options, including academic and vocational options, and the majority choose a combination of the two, to suit their ability, interests and aptitude. Leaders now match learners more accurately to courses and this is one important reason that progress in academic subjects is improving and retention on all courses is improving rapidly.  Careers advice and guidance in the sixth form is good. Leaders ensure that learners have access to a wide range of independent advice that helps learners to make positive choices about what they will do when they leave the sixth form. As a result, the vast majority of learners secure places in higher

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16 to 19 study programmes requires improvement

education, employment or training when they leave the sixth form.  The taught curriculum is supplemented by a variety of additional opportunities and experiences that help learners to develop their confidence, leadership and employability skills. All learners take part in valuable work experience and several help to support younger pupils in the main school.  All learners who start the sixth form without a GCSE grade C or above in English or mathematics are required to follow a course to improve their grade. Progress in both of these subjects has been slow, but this year has seen improvement.  Teaching in the sixth form is stronger than in the main school. Learners have good attitudes to learning and teachers are able to use their subject knowledge effectively to develop learners’ understanding of their subject. High levels of support, both from teachers in class and other adults outside lessons,

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16 to 19 study programmes requires improvement

contribute to the improving progress that learners are making.  Learners who spoke with inspectors were positive about their sixth-form experience. All were glad that they had stayed on and they were particularly complimentary about the high level of support that they receive in school with their studies, in making future plans and when problems arise. Inspection report : John Willmott School, 13–14 January and 26 February 2016

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School details

Unique reference number 103522 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10002512

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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 School category Maintained Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,038

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anthony Cox Headteacher Mandy McCrohon Telephone number 0121 378 1946 Website www.jws.bham.sch.uk Email address enquiry@jws.bham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 5–6 December 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized secondary school.  A little over one third of the pupils are of minority ethnic heritage which is above average.  One in 20 pupils speak English as an additional language, which is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is average.  The pupil premium, which is additional funding given to schools for looked after children and those known to be eligible for free school meals, provides support for just over four in 10 pupils. This is much higher than the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 11.  No pupils attend off-site provision. Inspection report : John Willmott School, 13–14 January and 26 February 2016

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 39 lessons, 22 of which were jointly observed with senior leaders. The inspection team made several short visits to other lessons with senior leaders to check on the progress and behaviour of different groups of pupils. Inspectors also looked at a wide range of work in pupils’ books.  Meetings were held with four groups of pupils from all year groups. Other meetings were held with members of the governing body and with senior leaders and staff, including those responsible for leading subjects. The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors analysed the 31 responses to Ofsted's online parental questionnaire, Parent View. They also analysed a parental questionnaire used by the school.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a number of documents, including those relating to the monitoring of teaching and the targets set for teachers to improve their work. They also

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Information about this inspection

looked at records relating to attendance, behaviour, bullying and safeguarding and the school’s development plan. In addition, inspectors analysed a wide range of assessment information.  Ofsted deemed that insufficient evidence has been collected about 16 to 19 study programmes during the initial two days of the inspection. This meant that an inspector returned to the school to consider 16 to 19 study programmes on 26 February 2016.

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Inspection team

Richard Sutton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Alan Johnson Ofsted Inspector Natasha Lloyd Ofsted Inspector Neil Morris Ofsted Inspector Alun Williams Her Majesty’s 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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