Walbottle Campus

Walbottle Campus Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE15 9TP

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 School leaders and managers, including governors, have an accurate view of the school’s performance. They have successfully addressed weaknesses in teaching identified at the last inspection.  Teachers have responded positively to the increased expectations of them, and to the support provided to help them improve their work. As a result, teaching is good across most subjects.  In key stages 3 and 4, improved teaching is resulting in pupils making more rapid progress. An increasing proportion of pupils are on track to reach at least expected standards at the end of the academic year.  The gaps between the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in school are closing quickly, in most years.  The progress of pupils who have special educational needs or disabilities, including those receiving additional support for autism, is accelerating.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are good. Pupils show positive regard for

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This is a good school

one another, and good attitudes to their learning.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding well. Teachers make the most of opportunities to encourage pupils to discuss and reflect on issues of interest.  The sixth form is good. Students’ A-level outcomes are rising to national averages by the end of Year 13, and achievement in vocational subjects is strong.  Parents, staff and pupils recognise that staff have increased expectations. They have confidence that the school is improving.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Despite improving outcomes in all years, outcomes at the end of Year 11 are still not high enough in some subjects, especially for the most able pupils.  Not enough pupils make more than expected progress in mathematics by the end of Year 11.  Not enough teaching is yet of the highest quality.  In a small minority of lessons, particularly in key stage 3 geography, teaching does not challenge all pupils to learn well.  Some middle leaders do not hold their colleagues to account with enough rigour, to ensure that pupils consistently make at least good progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of good and better teaching by ensuring that:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

teachers check pupils’ learning in lessons fully and adjust the work accordingly to keep all pupils interested and challenged, especially the most able ensuring that all middle leaders rigorously enforce the school’s marking and assessment policy, so that pupils know exactly how well they are doing, and receive feedback that helps them to improve their work further.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ outcomes, especially in mathematics and key stage 3 geography, by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

checking more rigorously the progress pupils make in developing skills that enable them to confidently apply the knowledge that they acquire providing regular opportunities for pupils to practise their numeracy skills across the curriculum ensuring that more pupils write at length in geography to explain in more detail what they have understood.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Hone further the skills of some middle leaders, by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

supporting them to identify more precisely the rates of progress all pupils are making in lessons and in their work, over time raising their expectations and heightening their confidence in holding all members of their teams to account for consistently good and better teaching.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Since the previous inspection, the leadership of the school has been strengthened by the appointment of committed staff who have the skills necessary to rapidly improve provision. This dedicated team is making significant improvements to pupils’ outcomes and to the quality of teaching.  Expectations of staff and pupils are now high. Pupils appreciate the positive changes to their school. Responses to the staff and parent questionnaires show that they recognise and support the improvements being made.  Leaders and governors know the school well, and through their analysis they accurately identify priorities for further improvement.  Leaders have successfully addressed many previous weaknesses in teaching. They carefully check the quality of teaching and intervene to support and challenge staff when teaching is not good enough.  Appropriate, well-planned support is in place for teachers who still need to improve or develop their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

teaching. Commissioned support, particularly from Newcastle and North Tyneside local education authorities, and from Cardinal Hume Catholic School and Whitley Bay High School, has contributed well to improvements made in overall teaching quality.  Leaders and managers have tightened appraisal systems, and these have an increasingly sharper focus on improving teachers’ expertise and raising standards of achievement. As a result, the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes have improved, and are now good in school.  Senior leaders have improved the systems for checking how well pupils are doing and these are now used to carefully track the progress of all groups of pupils. This information is used to pick up any underachievement so that support can swiftly be put into place.  Pupils’ needs are met very much on an individual basis and this is having a clear impact on the progress of all groups of pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Subject leaders are held regularly to account for the progress that pupils make and the quality of teaching in their departments. Subject leaders regularly check on the quality of teaching in their teams, triangulating outcomes of visits to lessons with progress seen in pupils’ work.  Not all subject leaders are confident or rigorous enough in holding some colleagues to account for at least good-quality teaching, learning and assessment. As a consequence, there are still some inconsistencies in the proportion of good and better teaching in a minority of subjects.  The school has effective systems in place for monitoring and managing the behaviour of pupils. Pupils told inspectors that teachers apply the rewards and sanctions system fairly and consistently. School records show that fewer pupils are being removed from lessons, and excluded from school, since the previous inspection.  All adults tackle rare instances of discriminatory or prejudiced behaviour rigorously and successfully.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

These actions underpin the school’s strong sense of community and its positive environment.  The curriculum meets pupils’ needs and aspirations well. An appropriate range of academic and vocational courses ensures that pupils have equality of access and opportunity. Almost all pupils, therefore, continue into education, training and/or employment when they leave school.  Daily tutor time and weekly assemblies help to develop pupils’ good all-round appreciation of British values, including respect and tolerance for people from different backgrounds, faiths and cultures.  The array of extra-curricular activities on offer, including many sporting, musical and performing arts challenges and events, visits overseas, and charity work with the Gambia Schools Trust, all promote pupils’ personal development well.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Britain. During tutor time pupils discuss the news and are therefore well informed about current affairs. The school’s personal, social and health education programme underpins pupils’ good understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and provides them with valuable advice about emotional and mental well-being. In addition, pupils are well informed about community cohesion and issues surrounding extremism and radicalisation.  Leaders work well with off-site providers to support pupils who require some alternative provision to best meet their individual needs. Leaders check pupils’ attendance and that the provision provides a safe learning environment for the pupils who attend. These arrangements help pupils to become more successful learners.  Leaders use the Year 7 catch-up funding (additional government funding for pupils who did not reach the expected levels in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6) well. During the current year, the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

additional support has helped a large majority of supported pupils to make good progress in reading, spelling and mathematics.  Leaders commissioned a review of the impact of pupil premium funding (additional money to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, and children looked after by the local authority), following the previous inspection. As a consequence of the review, checks on the effectiveness of all spending have been strengthened. The school’s information, and work in pupils’ books, shows that current eligible pupils are making good progress in most subjects, across the year groups, and catching up with their peers.  Pupils, staff and parents completing Ofsted online questionnaires are positive overall about the school’s work. A large proportion of parents believe that their children enjoy school life, and would recommend the school to other families.  The governance of the school

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Membership of the governing body has been strengthened since the previous inspection. Governors bring a wealth of experience, such as finance and education, to their roles. The new chair of the governing body holds the headteacher to account for the quality of teaching and the progress of all pupils. Governors are knowledgeable and have undergone training to enable them to challenge and support the headteacher and senior leaders effectively. They know how well the performance of different groups of pupils compares with other schools nationally, and scrutinise carefully the way in which extra funding for disadvantaged pupils is used to improve outcomes. Governors are ambitious for the school and are determined that outcomes will continue to rise. Governors support improvements in teaching and learning by rewarding good teachers and challenging underperformance through pay reviews.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff and governors’ training is regular and up to date.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The inclusion team supports the more vulnerable pupils and their families well. The school works effectively with outside agencies to provide extra support when necessary.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The overall quality of teaching is good and improving. Effective teaching was seen throughout the school across different year groups and subjects. In English and mathematics, in particular, the impact of this is evident in the improving rates of progress for all groups of pupils across all years.  Teachers plan carefully to improve pupils’ learning using a variety of activities and tasks to make lessons interesting and to meet the needs of different learners. Some teachers offer pupils the opportunity to choose from a range of tasks. This works best where teachers steer pupils towards work that offers the right level of challenge for their ability.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils. Most manage behaviour in their classes well, creating a positive environment for learning.  When pupils are suitably challenged by tasks, they become enthusiastic and absorbed in their learning and so make good progress. For example, in a Year 10 mathematics lesson, pupils were having an

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

animated debate about how to solve a problem using basic powers and roots. Similarly, Year 9 pupils were eager to prove how the character Iago, in Shakespeare’s Othello, acts as the catalyst for Othello’s changing views of his wife Desdemona.  Teachers work closely together, and with colleagues from other local schools, to ensure that their assessments of how well pupils are doing are accurate. Information on pupils’ progress is collected regularly and used to help teachers identify those pupils who need extra support. Teachers are increasingly using assessment information well to help them monitor how well pupils have understood topics and adjust their planning accordingly.  Teachers encourage pupils to read frequently and role model good reading habits by talking about the titles of the books they are currently reading. Pupils are given ‘key words’ at the start of new units of work so that they can learn the subject-specific vocabulary, and are encouraged to apply the correct

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

terminology in their work.  The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is strong. Teachers and teaching assistants know individual pupils’ needs well. They provide good-quality support, both in class and in discrete learning experiences out of class. Pupils with autism make good progress. They develop confidence in talking about what it means to be British, and in expressing their ideas openly in front of their peers.  Since the previous inspection, pupils have been encouraged to take more pride in their work. Pupils’ books reflect this and their work is usually well presented.  The school’s marking policy is used well by many teachers and is understood by most pupils. Pupils in all years were able to tell inspectors how well they were doing, and what they needed to do to improve their work. However, this is not consistent across all subjects, especially in geography.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The teaching of the most able pupils is improving. Teachers in many subjects have increasingly high expectations, and set thought-provoking tasks. In a minority of lessons, particularly in key stage 3 geography, teaching is insufficiently demanding at times.  Some teachers do not check pupils’ learning in lessons carefully enough, and adjust the work accordingly to keep all pupils interested and challenged, especially the most able.  Opportunities are missed by some teachers to reinforce pupils’ key mathematical skills across the curriculum. Examples include using different charts and graphs to record the outcomes of investigations, using formulae to solve problems in a range of contexts, and generally calculating and measuring accurately.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The school promotes a ‘can do’ culture that encourages and celebrates success.  Pupils develop into confident young people. They enjoy coming to school and are welcoming of visitors.  At break and lunchtimes, in the dining room, outside areas, library and corridors, pupils behave in an orderly and sensible manner. They make positive contributions to school life through their organising of charity fund-raising events, participation in enterprise activities, concerts and competitions, and in their work as buddies for younger pupils.  The school is increasingly effective in building pupils’ resilience and enjoyment in learning. Pupils are becoming confident in finding answers for themselves and struggling with more difficult tasks. They enjoy discussing and reflecting on their learning.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They are helped to stay safe in different situations through, for

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Personal development and welfare

instance, hearing speakers talk about internet safety, and learning about drug and alcohol misuse. More recently, they have found out about the threat of terrorist and extremist activities.  Pupils are well aware of different types of bullying, particularly homophobic and cyber bullying. They report that it only occurs rarely, but feel confident that when it does occur, it is dealt with appropriately by staff. As a result, pupils feel safe and well looked after. The vast majority of parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, support this view.  Pupils say how much they value the time taken by all adults to help them with decisions and choices they make about their future lives. They particularly value the bespoke careers advice and guidance that they receive. As a result, almost all continue in education, training or employment when they leave school at the end of Year 11.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils who are educated away from the school site benefit from experiences that meet their specific needs. This results in their attending regularly, behaving well and achieving appropriate qualifications.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  The school’s ‘ethos of excellence’ encourages pupils to develop an understanding of the impact of their actions on others. This is effective in preventing problems occurring and ensuring that pupils treat each other kindly.  To visitors, pupils are polite and cheerful. Many of them stopped to chat with inspectors and wished them a good day.  Around school and in lessons, pupils’ conduct is good. They move around the site in a calm and orderly fashion, and are punctual for their lessons. The school is well maintained, and, even at the end of a busy lunchtime, there is little litter. Pupils are proud of their school, and wear their uniforms smartly.  Attitudes to learning are positive. The vast majority of pupils take interest and pride in their work, and focus well in most lessons.  In a small minority of lessons where weaker teaching does not challenge or motivate pupils sufficiently,

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Behaviour

low-level chatter disrupts some pupils’ learning.  Pupils support one another well, for example by acting as peer mentors. Older pupils keep a close eye on the younger ones, and particularly help newcomers to the school during term-time to settle well.  Attendance is rising and closing on the national average, because most pupils enjoy coming to school.  The school works hard to improve the attendance of those pupils who miss significant periods of time from school. As a result, persistent absence levels are falling.  The majority of pupils, parents and staff responding to the Ofsted online and school’s questionnaires indicate that pupils’ behaviour is strongly improving, and that school is a calm and orderly place to be.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Year 11 outcomes have been adversely affected in recent years by large numbers of pupils joining the school late in key stage 4, as a result of a planned closure of a local secondary school, and hampered by significant changes in staffing. As a result, although end of key stage 4 standards have improved since the previous inspection, they are not yet high enough.  In 2015, the proportion of Year 11 pupils attaining five or more GCSE passes at A* to C grades, including English and mathematics, rose. However, this proportion remained below the national figure.  In 2015, more Year 11 pupils made expected progress from their respective starting points in English and mathematics than in previous years, but outcomes were still below national figures.  Although large numbers of pupils continue to join and leave the school during the academic year, staffing is now much more stable. Teaching is also improving strongly. As a result, pupils are making more rapid

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Outcomes for pupils are good

progress, especially in English and mathematics, across all years.  The school’s information about pupils’ progress, backed up by extensive sampling of pupils’ work by inspectors, shows that the proportions of pupils making expected, and more than expected, progress are rising strongly. As a consequence, many pupils are working above age-related expectations in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics in Years 7 to 9.  The aspirations of the most able pupils are rising as most teachers expect more of them. Information provided by the school shows that a higher proportion of the most able pupils in Year 11 have made good progress in English and mathematics this year than has been the case previously. Nonetheless, not enough yet reach the highest GCSE A* and A grades in some subjects.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, especially those with autism, make good

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Outcomes for pupils are good

progress. Pupils who have fallen behind and need to catch up in their learning also achieve well. This is because they all benefit from careful assessment of their needs, and well-targeted support which helps them to learn effectively.  In 2015, the attainment gaps in English and mathematics between Year 11 disadvantaged pupils and their peers nationally widened. On average, disadvantaged pupils attained over one GCSE grade less than their peers in English, and one and a half GCSE grades less in mathematics.  More rigorous checking of the impact of the deployment of pupil premium funding, together with improvements in teaching, over the past year, have had a notable impact. Gaps between the outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and others are now closing in all years. Many disadvantaged pupils are now making progress that is the same as that of other pupils.  Pupils’ outcomes are variable in geography. This is due to inconsistencies in teaching that do not

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Outcomes for pupils are good

encourage some pupils to write in sufficient depth to show their full understanding of key geographical concepts.  There remains scope to improve the proportion of pupils making more than expected progress in mathematics by the end of Year 11, by providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills to solve investigations and problems in mathematics, as well as across other subjects.  The vast majority of pupils who attend alternative provision make good progress on their chosen courses and improve their personal qualities, and key mathematical and literacy skills.  Pupils are well prepared to leave Walbottle Campus and move on to the next stage of their education, employment or training. In 2015, almost all pupils who left the school were successful in gaining a place either in the school’s sixth form or other sixth-form schools and colleges, or an apprenticeship. Outcomes

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Outcomes for pupils are good

are particularly strong in applied engineering, science and physical education.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 Students in the sixth form show positive attitudes to learning and attend well. They appreciate the opportunities to take on leadership positions in school, for example through their roles as peer mentors to younger pupils, and fund-raising for local and national charities. Students are good role models for younger pupils. As a result, sixth form numbers are growing.  The curriculum in the sixth form meets students’ needs well and ensures that they are well prepared for their next steps. A wide range of non-qualification activity contributes well to students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Students enjoy opportunities to develop their workplace skills further and many participate in work experience opportunities in Years 12 and 13. The school’s sixth form meets the requirements of the 16 to 19 study programmes.  Students who begin the sixth form without having achieved a grade C in English or mathematics receive

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

well-tailored support. The success rates on these courses are increasing, with most students improving their GCSE outcomes, although not all achieving a grade C by the time they leave the sixth form.  Students’ outcomes in vocational subjects are above average. Year 13 students’ A-level outcomes are rising and are in line with national averages in many subjects. These outcomes represent good rates of progress for the vast majority of students.  The head of sixth form sets high expectations for attendance and conduct. His leadership has a positive impact on teaching, personal development and outcomes for students.  An effective programme of careers advice and guidance ensures that a rising number of students are successful in gaining places at university, or in employment and training. Sixth form leaders ensure that the most able students are well informed about how to apply to the top universities, and numbers

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

receiving places are rising.  Safeguarding in the sixth form is effective. Students are confident to make good, safe choices for themselves, because the school is effective in teaching them their worth as individuals.

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School details

Unique reference number 108524 Local authority Newcastle Upon Tyne Inspection number 10012041 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

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,637

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Cook Headteacher Paul Sampson Telephone number 0191 267 8221 Website www.walbottlecampus.newcastle.sch.uk Email address admin@walbottlecampus.net Date of previous inspection 20–21 May 2014

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Information about this school

 Walbottle Campus is larger than the average secondary school.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above the national average. The pupil premium provides additional funding for children in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  Most students are of White British heritage. A minority of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is average.  The school has additional resourced provision for students with autism.  A number of key stage 3 and 4 pupils are educated off-site. They follow bespoke courses to enhance their social, emotional and behavioural development, and engage in a range of vocational experiences, at Newcastle College, Newcastle Bridges School, Stepney Banks stables and Ouseburn farm, as well as participating in The Prince’s Trust, Fairbridge programme at Newcastle centre.

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Information about this school

 A large proportion of pupils join and leave the school during the academic year.  Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes in school leaders and managers, at all levels. The governing body has been reconstituted, and a new chair of governors is in place.  The school receives support from Newcastle and North Tyneside local education authorities, and from Cardinal Hume Catholic School and Whitley Bay High school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in a range of different classes, and morning tutor groups. Three classes were visited jointly with school leaders.  Pupils’ work was sampled informally in classes in a range of subjects. In addition, English, mathematics, science, history and geography books from Years 8, 9 and 10 were sampled separately.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, minutes of the governing body’s meetings, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents pertaining to safeguarding.  Inspectors held meetings with pupils in Years 7 to 10 and students in Year 12, with governors and with school staff, including those with management responsibilities. In addition, a meeting took place with a representative from the local education authority, and a telephone conversation was held with the

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Information about this inspection

school’s achievement partner.  Inspectors evaluated the 132 responses of parents to Parent View, and also took into account the views of 95 members of the school’s staff who completed the Ofsted online questionnaire. In addition, inspectors evaluated responses by parents, pupils and staff to the school’s own recent questionnaires. No pupils responded to the online inspection questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Andrew Swallow, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Lee Elliot Ofsted Inspector Karen Gammack Ofsted Inspector Nicholas Horn Ofsted Inspector Paul Welford 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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