Netherhall School

Netherhall School Netherhall Road, Maryport, Cumbria CA15 6NT

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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 Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Outcomes for pupils 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

 Leaders and governors have an inaccurate view of the school’s performance. As a result, the school has not made sufficient improvement since the last inspection.  The school’s capacity to secure further improvements is limited. Governors do not sufficiently hold leaders to account for the quality of education provided by the school.  16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate. Leaders and governors have not responded to the sharp decline in the standards achieved by students.  Outcomes in the sixth form are inadequate.  The school’s most-able pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable because teachers do not routinely adjust their planning to provide sufficient stretch and challenge.  The standards achieved in some subjects, including science and media studies, English literature and religious education, are too low.  The school’s curriculum is being changed to meet the needs of current pupils; however, it is too

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This is an inadequate school

soon to see the impact of those changes on pupils’ achievement.  The quality of teaching is too variable; this slows pupils’ learning and progress. Teachers’ expectations are not high enough and the school’s policy on marking and feedback is not consistently applied.  Pupils’ cultural development requires improvement.  The new system used to collect and analyse information on pupils’ progress, adopted fully in Year 11, is not yet embedded across all other year groups. In the sixth form, the system used is ineffective.

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The school has the following strengths

 The acting headteacher is working hard to improve the quality of provision. He has brought a new drive, determination and vision to improve standards for pupils.  Pupils are safe and pastoral support is good. Bullying is very rare and pupils appreciate the support of their teachers.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium and literacy and numeracy catch-up funding are making good progress. The school uses this funding well.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make strong progress.

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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?

 Take urgent steps to improve attainment and progress in the sixth form by: – rapidly improving the leadership of the sixth form and improving outcomes for all students – improving the quality of provision through rigorous, robust and accurate monitoring and evaluation processes – ensuring that the programmes of study meet the needs of students – improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  Rapidly improve the work of governors and leaders at all levels by: – ensuring that governors effectively challenge school leaders and accurately hold them to account for standards across the school – building on the work of the acting headteacher to secure sustained improvements in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and by improving outcomes for groups of pupils, especially the most able – improving attainment in science, media studies, mathematics, English literature and religious

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

education – continuing the work of the acting headteacher to provide a balanced curriculum which supports pupils to achieve well.  Continue to refine and embed the school’s new assessment system so that: – it is fully understood by staff, governors, parents and pupils across all year groups – it focuses on all groups of pupils, especially the most able – it is closely linked to the school’s monitoring systems and it informs governors accurately about the standards being achieved in all year groups.  Continue to improve teaching, across the school, so that it is good or better in all subjects by: – ensuring that the work planned by teachers matches the needs and abilities of the different groups of pupils they teach and that it is adjusted where pupils need more challenge – ensuring that there are consistently high expectations of what can be achieved – ensuring that the most able achieve well – ensuring that pupils know exactly what to do to improve their work

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– skilfully questioning pupils to check their understanding, deepen their knowledge and address any misconceptions – ensuring that there are opportunities to develop pupils’ extended writing skills.  Continue to improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by: – ensuring that pupils are fully prepared for life in modern Britain by providing more opportunities for cultural development.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Leaders and governors have not demonstrated the capacity to secure the improvements required to ensure that Netherhall becomes a good school. As a result, standards are too low and outcomes in the sixth form are inadequate.  Leaders and governors have an overgenerous view of the quality of education provided by the school. The school’s self-evaluation is inaccurate and therefore the necessary improvements needed have not been fully recognised and undertaken. Although leaders and governors can articulate some of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, they have failed to recognise and address the rapid decline in the sixth form. The local authority has relied too much on the views expressed by the school’s leadership and, therefore, it has not acted on the decline in outcomes, especially in the sixth form.  In January 2016, governors and the local authority brokered the support of an acting headteacher. Since

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

that time, there has been additional work undertaken to improve the school. Morale among staff has improved and governors, pupils and staff believe in a new vision. The acting headteacher’s skills, passion and commitment to the school community, coupled with his readiness and determination, are providing the much-needed impetus to ensure that the standards of education received by the pupils improve. It is, however, too early to see the impact of his actions. Staff asked to see the lead inspector to explain just how welcome the new leadership is; they described the acting headteacher as passionate, supportive and inspirational.  The school’s procedures for performance management are secure. Governors do not automatically grant pay increases to teachers. The school is in the process of reviewing the targets set for teachers so that they match the new assessment system which is being introduced by the acting headteacher.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Although the training received by staff is valued, it is not sufficiently improving the quality of provision across the school and across year groups. More recently, there have been improvements in the quality of training because it is linked carefully to the school’s improvement priorities, for example, improving the quality of teachers’ feedback to pupils.  The quality of teaching is too variable across the school. Currently, teachers are not planning sufficiently well for the different abilities in their classes and this is affecting the amount of progress pupils are making. Pupils can and should achieve more.  The use of pupil premium and literacy and numeracy catch-up funding is a key strength of the school. There are accurate records of how the money has being spent and the effect it is having on pupils’ attainment and progress. The school is now using funding to improve the attainment of disadvantaged

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

pupils.  The acting headteacher has begun a full review of the curriculum to ensure that it is balanced and enables pupils to achieve their very best. In Year 11, the curriculum has been changed to ensure that there is adequate time for mathematics, English and science. In other year groups, these changes will not take effect until the new academic year. Extra-curricular provision is good overall and pupils appreciate the opportunities available. Some pupils and parents feel that there should be more opportunities for drama.  The spiritual, moral and social development of pupils is good. Pupils can explain the impact of the school’s assembly programme and themes for the week on their personal development; however, there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop their cultural understanding. The result of this is that pupils are not fully prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders and governors have undertaken training to protect pupils from radicalisation and extremism.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Leaders and governors are working hard to ensure equality of opportunity for pupils, who appreciate this. There is hardly any derogatory or discriminatory behaviour in the school. One excellent example of the school’s work to promote equality for all pupils is the creation of a lesbian, gay and bisexual group.  The governance of the school – Governors are passionate and committed to Netherhall School but they have relied too heavily on senior leaders for information about the school. As a result, they have an inaccurate view of the quality of education provided by the school and they have not effectively challenged senior leaders about standards, for example in the sixth form. Since the appointment of the acting headteacher, governors are receiving much more accurate information and they are having more frequent meetings to challenge the quality of education. – Governors are not well informed about the quality of teaching in the school, nor are they sufficiently

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

involved in the school’s self-evaluation process. These factors mean that pupils continue to receive a quality of education which is not yet good at Netherhall. – Governors have been proactive in holding senior leaders to account for the attendance of pupils and as a result of frequent monitoring, attendance is now in line with the national average. Governors also have a very proactive role in holding leaders to account for the spending of pupil premium funding. It is no longer absorbed in staffing and is having a positive impact on the progress made by disadvantaged pupils. – Governors take their statutory responsibility for the safeguarding of pupils seriously and have a named governor who is responsible for health and safety and child protection.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There are effective policies and procedures in place to keep pupils safe. The school works well with multi-agencies and as a result pupils are safe. Parents feel

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

that the school is a very safe place for their children and they value the support of staff.  Due to the strength of initial teacher training, the school may continue to appoint newly qualified teachers.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching over time is too variable in quality, though improving. In many lessons, the expectations that teachers have of pupils are inconsistent and as a result, teachers do not always plan sufficiently challenging work for their pupils. Where teaching is effective, teachers carefully plan work that builds on prior knowledge. In some cases, particularly in key stage 3, work is too easy and does not allow pupils to build a good understanding of the topics covered. As a result, too many pupils go on to underachieve in key stage 4.  Teaching for the most able pupils remains an issue in some subjects in the school. There is insufficient challenge, monitoring and tracking of the most able pupils to ensure that they reach or exceed expectations.  Teachers’ use of questioning is variable. In the stronger lessons, teachers plan their questions carefully and thus skilfully question pupils to ascertain what they know and address misconceptions. In other

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

lessons, questioning is too simplistic and does not allow pupils to deepen their knowledge, skill and understanding.  Pupils’ literacy skills are developing. There is clear evidence in pupils’ books that spelling mistakes are being addressed; however, pupils’ oracy skills (the ability to express oneself fluently and grammatically in speech) are not as well developed, and all too often opportunities to develop pupils’ skills in extended writing are missed.  Pupils say that the quantity and quality of homework they receive depends on the teacher and the subject. They would like more regular homework so that they can improve. Overall, pupils are keen to do well.  Teachers’ verbal feedback is strong. In the best lessons they apply the school’s policy consistently by circulating around the room and providing tailored responses to their pupils. Written feedback is less effective. This means that when they come to revise or recap topics, pupils do not have the tools to help

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

them succeed in assessments or examinations.  Relationships between staff and pupils are good. There are clear routines in place and pupils are ready to learn.  Most parents who responded to the Parent View questionnaire feel that their child is well taught at the school.  Teaching assistants are used effectively to support pupils across the curriculum, especially pupils who have special educational needs or disability. As a result, these pupils make strong progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils come to school ready to learn and they want to do well. They are keen to progress well in their lessons and they demonstrate resilience, high self-esteem and a commitment to applying themselves diligently to the work their teachers give to them.  Pupils are aware of different types of bullying and they do not accept any in school. They are extremely positive about the school’s efforts to reduce instances of bullying and say that it is rare. When it does occur, it is dealt with swiftly.  Pupils are taught about living healthy lifestyles. They know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are fully aware of the dangers facing them online and they know what to do if they have concerns. The school’s pastoral team is strong and pupils appreciate the support they receive.  Pupils would like more leadership opportunities; they recognise that they can take up posts in the sixth

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Personal development and welfare

form but there is nothing further down the school. The school council no longer exists.  Personal development and welfare is not yet outstanding because pupils’ cultural development is not yet sufficient to ensure that they are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

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Behaviour

 Overall, the behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils respect each other and the overwhelming majority allow each other to learn well. Pupils take their learning seriously. They collaborate well in groups and know how to work independently.  Pupils are extremely well behaved outside lessons. They take responsibility for their own actions and as such they relate well with each other, showing courtesy and respect. Pupils are calm and orderly.  Staff believe that behaviour is good and well managed. They think that it has improved since the last inspection and that the acting headteacher has made a positive difference to the learning environment.  The school has successfully improved attendance, which is now similar to the national average. Furthermore, the staff at Netherhall are working hard to reduce the number of pupils who are persistently absent from school. In key stage 3, fewer pupils are now persistently absent than previously.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are punctual to school and to lessons; most are keen to learn.  The behaviour and attendance of those pupils in off-site provision are well monitored and managed. Leaders track pupils’ attendance off-site rigorously and receive regular reports about how well pupils are doing. Communication between the school and the provider is good.  The number of temporary exclusions from school is reducing. The culture has changed. The acting headteacher is aware that exclusions have been high in the past and is already reversing the trend. The reduction to date shows the positive steps being taken.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because pupils’ attitudes to learning do not yet have a strong positive impact on their progress and pupils’ attendance is not yet high enough. The presentation of pupils’ work requires improvement. Pupils do not take sufficient pride in their work; much is unfinished.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Overall, pupils are not making enough progress across key stage 3 to secure good outcomes at key stages 4 and 5. Expectations of what can be achieved are not high enough. Senior leaders do not yet have a system for tracking and recording pupils’ progress which is robust enough or understood well enough across the school. The curriculum provision and assessment processes in key stage 3 are not strong enough to ensure that there is sufficient challenge to ensure that pupils make rapid progress. Some work is too simplistic and is leading to pupils’ underperformance.  Most-able pupils underperform in relation to their starting points. The school recognises this issue but data collection systems are not yet tracking this group of pupils rigorously. Leaders are not monitoring and evaluating well enough the progress made by most-able pupils.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress across a range of subjects, particularly English. That being

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

said, the gap between grades achieved by disadvantaged pupils compared to their peers remains too wide. In 2015, for example, disadvantaged pupils achieved nearly two full grades less in mathematics and higher-ability disadvantaged pupils do not achieve well enough in mathematics.  In 2015 the school’s overall attainment declined. Boys and girls underperformed in relation to other pupils nationally. Progress is variable across the school. In languages and the humanities (history, geography and religious education), pupils made good progress in 2015, but progress is slower in science, media studies, religious education and English literature in Years 10 and 11.  The proportion of pupils who achieved five GCSE qualifications at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, declined in 2015. The acting headteacher, with his team, has worked hard to address this issue. Current projections indicate that the proportion of pupils achieving this measure will improve this

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

year.  Pupils read widely and often. Inspectors observed pupils reading in lessons and pupils say they enjoy reading for pleasure. A higher than average proportion of pupils in 2015 made expected progress in English.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability attain well overall; however, for the very small proportion of pupils who are below GCSE level, there is no tracking system to monitor their progress.  The proportion of pupils who gain five GCSE qualifications at grades A* to G is consistently above the national average. More pupils progress to further education and training than the national average. Pupils who remain in the school, however, are hampered by the school’s sixth-form provision because 16 to 19 programmes of study do not cater sufficiently well for the needs of students.

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

 Attainment in the sixth form is inadequate. All groups of students, including those who are disadvantaged, fail to make the progress expected of them from their starting points. Leaders attribute this to lack of preparation and ambition in key stage 4. The new acting headteacher has correctly identified this weakness and is working hard to rectify historical underachievement.  The study programmes in the sixth form do not meet the needs of students and as a result, too many students, particularly boys, do not complete their courses. Information, advice and guidance are not effective in ensuring that students are on appropriate courses. The curriculum is limited and students regret their restricted subject choices. Students achieve well in modern languages at key stage 4 but there is no appropriate modern language course in key stage 5. The acting headteacher has recognised this significant deficit and has begun to review the provision offered for September 2016.

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

 Leadership of the sixth form is inadequate and there is limited capacity to improve. The tracking of students’ progress is weak and as a result, students’ parents, leaders and governors do not have an accurate picture of the standards students are achieving. The school, as a result of weak leadership and poor-quality monitoring and evaluation, allows too many students to underachieve.  The system used to track and monitor students’ achievement in the sixth form is ineffective. Assessment leaders say there are no plans to address this during this academic year.  Students in the sixth form are positive about their personal development and welfare. They say that they are safe and that they enjoy all that a smaller sixth form offers. There are a number of leadership opportunities available to each of them. Relationships between students are strong and they participate, collaborate and relate well to each other. Attendance is a key strength, and a result, students should

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

achieve far higher standards.  Under the direction of the new acting headteacher, the quality of teaching in the sixth form is beginning to show signs of improvement. More recently, there are increased signs of challenge, independent learning and resilience among students.

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School details

Unique reference number 112382 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 10002259

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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 Community Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jan Clarke Acting Headteacher David Tromans Telephone number 01900 813434 Website www.netherhall.cumbria.sch.uk Email address office@netherhall.cumbria.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10–11 December 2013

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Information about this school

 Netherhall is a smaller than average secondary school. It has a small sixth form.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding given to schools for those pupils know to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above the national average.  The school is part of the West Coast Teaching School Alliance and also is a partner in the Western Lakes Teaching School Alliance.  The school meets the government’s floor standards at key stage 4, which are the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics and the key stage 5 minimum interim standards.  The school uses the West Cumbria Achievement Zone for a small number of pupils who are provided with

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Information about this school

off-site provision.  Since January 2016, the school has had an acting headteacher brokered through the local authority. He will be the substantive headteacher from September 2016.  The school’s website meets requirements for the publication of information.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in 30 lessons and sampled pupils’ work in all year groups and in subjects during visits to classrooms. They carried out a detailed scrutiny of pupils’ work in mathematics, English and science. Joint lesson observations were carried out with senior leaders and the lead inspector undertook a learning walk with the acting headteacher.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, subject leaders, newly and recently qualified teachers, the special educational needs coordinator and pastoral leaders, including the school’s safeguarding team. The lead inspector met with the chair and vice-chair of governors and two representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors met with pupils from all key stages, including those on 16 to 19 programmes of study and students who have special educational needs or disability. They also spoke with pupils around the school.  A range of documentation was examined, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans,

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Information about this inspection

governors’ minutes, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding records, records of teaching and learning, performance management documentation and the school’s assessment information.  Inspectors took into account 29 responses from Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, 59 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and 177 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.  During this inspection, inspectors asked additional questions designed to gather information about the school’s approach to the new national curriculum and assessment procedures.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Smart, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Paul Edmondson Ofsted Inspector Bernard Robinson Ofsted Inspector Philip Wood 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

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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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