Hemsworth Arts and Community College

Hemsworth Arts and Community College Inspection report

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108274 Unique Reference Number Wakefield Local Authority 324739 Inspection number 8 January 2009 Inspection date Christine Harrison Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Secondary Type of school Community School category 11–18 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 1658 School (total) 270 Sixth form 15 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 51 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Waterson Chair Mrs Pamela Massett Principal 21 March 2006 Date of previous school inspection 28 February 2006 Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Station Road School address Hemsworth Pontefract

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11–18 Age group 8 January 2009 Inspection date 324739 Inspection number West Yorkshire WF9 4HW 01977 624220 Telephone number 01977 624221 Fax number

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11–18 Age group 8 January 2009 Inspection date 324739 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the college and investigated the following areas, both in the main school and in the sixth form: achievement and standards, teaching and learning, personal development and well-being, the care, guidance and support for students and how well the school's leaders use self- evaluation to raise standards. Inspectors also investigated all aspects of the First Steps Nursery. Evidence was gathered from the observation of lessons, assessment data, students' work, discussion with students, and meetings with the school improvement partner and representatives of the governing body. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but evidence was gathered to check the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, and this is referred to where appropriate within the report.

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Description of the school

The college is much larger than average and serves the former mining community of Hemsworth and the surrounding area. The proportion of students eligible for free school meals is above the national average and the area from which students come is significantly disadvantaged, with high levels of unemployment. Almost all students come from White British backgrounds and speak English as their first language. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average but the number with a statement of special educational need is below average. The college has specialist status in performing arts and is also a Full Service Extended School. The First Steps Nursery, on the school site and managed by the governing body, provides both full and part-time day care for children aged from several months to five years. Currently, there are 23 children under 3 years and 15 children between 3 and 5

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with several outstanding features. In particular, the care and support that students receive is exemplary. Many parents comment enthusiastically on the way their children have been supported through difficult times and students speak of the atmosphere of safety, security and care that the college provides. The college works extremely effectively with other agencies, when necessary, to meet the needs of all students, including those who are particularly vulnerable. The outstanding curriculum is another strength of the college. Students benefit from a wide range of courses and extra-curricular activities that meet everybody's needs. For example, the new diploma course in construction has been very well received and represents just one aspect of the college's success in preparing students well for future education and employment. Students arrive in Year 7 with standards that are below average and leave Year 11 with GCSE

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Grade: 2

results that are broadly average. Therefore, they achieve well overall in relation to their starting points. However, their progress through the college is uneven: they make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 3 and excellent progress in Key Stage 4. Progress in mathematics was not as good as it should have been for last year's Year 11 students, but the college's very good tracking system shows that students are now making satisfactory progress in the subject. Students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive effective support and are enabled to make similar progress to that of others in their class. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, though better in Key Stage 4 than Key Stage 3. The pace of learning is often rather slow in lessons for younger students; teachers use good strategies and activities but do not always move the lesson along as quickly as they might. In these circumstances, students become restless and their concentration weakens. Teaching

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Grade: 2

in Key Stage 4 is more successful, partly because there is more emphasis on targets, and what students are expected to achieve, and hence, a greater sense of urgency in lessons. Many students are not spontaneously well motivated towards learning but teachers work hard to engage students and encourage positive attitudes. As a result, students' personal development is good; they enjoy college and generally behave well both in lessons and around the site. Students, including the small number from minority ethnic groups, get on well together. Attendance has improved and is satisfactory. Students are well informed about the importance of a safe and healthy lifestyle. They value the work of the school council, and speak proudly of the new building that was originally suggested by the council. The school makes a good contribution to community cohesion. Students' involvement with the local community is outstanding, for example, in work with the elderly people in Hemsworth, the 'Carrier Bag Free'

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Grade: 2

campaign and their impressive efforts to make life better for people living in the local community. International links are satisfactory and improving. The college's specialist status is used well to benefit both students in this college and in partner schools and the wider community. Students achieve well in the specialist subjects of art, music and drama and many are involved in the extra-curricular activities and productions. The college is aware that it could make more use of the special skills developed in these subjects to influence teaching and learning across the college and has plans to extend this aspect of its work. Leadership and management of the college at all levels are good and leaders share a pride in the school and a determination to improve. The principal and her leadership team are well aware of the college's strengths and weaknesses and take effective action where necessary. Governors

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Grade: 2

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009 are well informed and provide both good support and challenge for the college. The college has a good track record of improvement since the previous inspection and is therefore well placed for further development. It meets current government requirements for safeguarding students.

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Grade: 3

Standards in the sixth form are broadly average. Although students achieve well in some subjects, their achievement is satisfactory overall because their performance across subjects and different qualifications varies significantly. Students' achievement is now improving as a result of initiatives to share more widely the good practice seen in some subjects and to evaluate regularly the performance of all individual students. Teachers have strengthened their focus on the quality of teaching and learning, so that it is now good. However, the improvements in teaching are fairly recent and have not yet had a full impact on achievement across all subjects. At its best, well-paced and carefully pitched teaching engages students and the detailed assessment of their work highlights points for improvement. The tracking of individual students' progress is now carried out more rigorously than previously and effective support is provided to ensure that students have a clear understanding of what

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Grade: 3

is expected in examinations. Students are very appreciative of the good support and guidance that they receive through the progress reviews that they undergo four times during the year. They are adamant that the willingness of teachers to support them makes an important contribution to their positive attitudes and aspirations as well as to their performance in examinations. Good leadership and management have been successful in bringing about the recent significant improvement in provision and in enabling students in the sixth form to benefit from the continuity of supportive relationships and feel valued as individuals. The curriculum provides a good range of courses that attract students and meet their needs. Links with a neighbouring school extend these opportunities. Students' personal development and well-being are good. Students are good role models and effective ambassadors for the school. They rise to the challenge of leading initiatives within the school and enjoy supporting

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Grade: 2

The overall effectiveness of the nursery is good. Some elements are outstanding, particularly children's personal development and well-being and the promotion of their welfare. Leadership and management are also outstanding. Good provision ensures good progress in children's learning, particularly in communication and language and in personal and social development. Very warm relationships and strong partnerships with parents help children to settle well into nursery routines, so that they are confident and happy in interacting with adults. Staff know children well and understand how to help them to learn and develop. There is a good balance between child-initiated and adult-led activities. When children join the nursery at a few months old, adults are highly sensitive to their needs. Older children enjoy their learning. For example, they participate happily in singing and anticipating the initial sounds of words; some spontaneously select a book and relish sharing

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Grade: 2

it with an adult. Ready access to the outdoor area aids good physical development for the older children, although this area is used less well to promote progress in the other areas of learning. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009 Children's numeracy development is not quite as good as other aspects of their learning. Leaders are aware of these slight weaknesses and have good plans for improvement. Children's well-being is paramount for all staff. Secure routines promote children's health and safety to a high standard. Older children show independence in washing their hands after using the toilet and before meals. All legal requirements are in place to secure children's health and safety. Outstanding leadership promotes this exceptionally high level of care. Self-evaluation is largely accurate and used well to make improvements. As a result, there has been good

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Grade: 2

improvement since the last inspection and there is good capacity to continue this further.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase the pace of learning in Key Stage 3 so that students always make good progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the consistency of students' achievement across the various subjects and courses in the sixth form. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009

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Inspection judgements

16-19 School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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meeting the needs of learners?

Yes Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection 1 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 2 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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children in the EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

3 2 How well do learners achieve? 3 3 The standards 1 reached by learners 3 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009

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well-being of the learners?

The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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full range of learners' needs?

2 1 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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achievement and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

As you know, we have just finished inspecting your college and I am writing to tell you about our findings. First of all, I would like to thank you all for welcoming us to the college and for talking to us so openly and honestly. As a result of the inspection, I judged yours to be a good school with several outstanding features. I was particularly impressed by the care, guidance and support that staff provide for you. As you told me, teachers are always prepared to help and this is especially important for those of you who face problems and difficulties. The contribution that you make towards the local community is also outstanding. I was very interested to learn of your involvement with the HOPE project and with other activities that help to improve life for people in your town. Another important strength of the college is the excellent progress that you make in Years 10 and 11. However, younger students only make satisfactory progress. I have asked teachers to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

move lessons along more quickly in Years 7 to 9 so that you make faster progress at that stage. I hope that you will rise to the extra challenge and concentrate really hard. In the sixth form, the quality of teaching and learning, together with the support and guidance that students receive, has improved recently and is now good overall. However, there is still considerable variation in how well students achieve in all the different subjects and courses. I have asked the college to ensure that you all do equally well, in relation to your personal targets, irrespective of which courses you follow. The college has improved since it was last inspected and examination results are better now than they were. The principal and her team provide good leadership so the college is well placed to get even better. I wish you and the college all the very best for the future. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Hemsworth Arts and Community College, 8 January 2009

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