Gaynes School

Gaynes School Brackendale Gardens, Upminster Essex RM14 3UX

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have not taken effective action to address the areas for improvement identified by the previous inspection. The quality of education provided by the school has declined significantly.  Governors do not provide sufficient challenge to school leaders. They do not hold leaders to account effectively.  Leaders are overgenerous in their views of the school’s effectiveness. Their self-evaluation does not pinpoint the school’s significant weaknesses accurately.  Improvement planning is not effective. Plans lack clarity, including how resources will be used to ensure that leaders’ actions make a difference.  Some leaders lack the time, skills and/or knowledge to be able to do their jobs effectively. As a result, they have been unable to take decisive action to secure improvements, for example in promoting good attendance.  Pupils’ overall progress is weak. For example, their progress in modern foreign languages and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

humanities by the end of key stage 4 has been significantly below the national average for the last three years.  Disadvantaged pupils make inadequate progress over time. In 2017, their overall progress was in the bottom 5% of schools nationally. Leaders do not use pupil premium funding effectively. They cannot account for the impact it is having on pupils’ achievement.  Teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving. As a result, pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding in a range of subjects, and in particular mathematics, French and humanities, are well below expectations.  Pupils do not have consistently positive attitudes to learning. Low-level disruption is associated with a lack of challenge in teaching.  The curriculum is weak. The overall progress that pupils make across their optional subjects has been inadequate over the last two years.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ progress in some subjects including English, drama, art and physical education is stronger than in other subjects.  Safeguarding is effective. Pupils typically feel safe and well looked after.  Leaders have been able to manage school finances to ensure a balanced budget this year, despite challenging circumstances.  Pupils’ reading skills are improving as a result of the school’s work.

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Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of 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?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: – appropriate professional development is provided for leaders at all levels so that they have the knowledge and/or skills to be able to fulfil their roles effectively – the professional development of teachers is improved, particularly for those teaching outside their subject areas, so that they can teach subject content with confidence – leaders at all levels have a clear and accurate understanding of the school’s work, particularly with regard to pinpointing its weaknesses – improvement planning is sharply focused on addressing the school’s weaknesses, with carefully targeted resources and clear milestones that leaders can use to measure the success of their actions – the impact of additional funding on the achievement of disadvantaged pupils is evaluated precisely – the curriculum is fit for purpose, taught effectively and helps pupils to make the

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

progress of which they are capable – the approach to checking the accuracy of the school’s assessment information is improved so that leaders have a clear view of pupils’ progress and attainment against age-related expectations – outcomes for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, significantly improve, particularly in mathematics, French and humanities – staff follow the school’s policies consistently, particularly in relation to assessment and behaviour.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving – ensuring that teachers challenge pupils so that they can deepen their knowledge, skills and understanding.  Improve the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils by ensuring that: – low-level disruption is eradicated – leaders and staff focus on encouraging pupils to be resilient and to take responsibility for their own learning and the presentation of their work

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– attendance improves, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those from a White British background – leaders follow through with their aims to raise the aspirations of boys and disadvantaged pupils by improving the quality of careers, advice and guidance. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to ascertain how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. The school may appoint newly qualified teachers.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders and governors have not ensured that pupils receive an adequate standard of education. There are too many weaknesses in the school’s work. Over time, the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes have declined significantly in a wide range of subjects across the curriculum.  The school has faced significant challenges over the last few years. The number of pupils at the school has continued to decrease and, consequently, the school has restructured its staffing. Some leaders and teachers with responsibility for managing aspects of the school’s work do not have the time, skills and/or experience to do so effectively. They are not taking decisive and timely actions to improve the school. Overall, leaders lack the demonstrable capacity to improve the school.  Leaders have an unrealistic view of the school. They have significantly underestimated its weaknesses. Leaders’ self-evaluation of the school’s work lacks clarity and precision.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

Improvement planning is weak. Plans, such as the pupil premium action plan, albeit a working document, do not show sufficient understanding of the actions or resources that are needed to improve outcomes.  Leaders do not evaluate the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively. Disadvantaged pupils underachieve significantly at the school, yet leaders cannot account for the impact of their expenditure.  The curriculum has not been fit for purpose as it has not been successful in helping pupils to maximise their academic potential. Leaders stated that the ethos of the school was for pupils to have the freedom to make subject choices at key stage 4. This has not been successful in improving their academic outcomes. The structure of the curriculum is now improving. For example, all pupils are now studying combined science.  School surveys of parent views suggest that parents have a positive view of the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

For example, the 2016/17 surveys show that a high proportion of parents across all year groups feel that their child’s needs are generally supported. However, there were 44 replies to Parent View, Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents and carers. Of these, just over half felt that the school was well led and managed. Seventy per cent of parents would recommend the school.  There are examples of effective leadership at the school in some subjects, including English, expressive arts and physical education. Here, leadership is maintaining positive outcomes for pupils over time.  Leaders have introduced an effective reading programme to support all pupils in developing their reading skills, including those who receive Year 7 catch-up funding. Pupils’ ability to develop their spelling skills is also promoted through tutor time.  Teachers new to the profession speak positively about their experiences of school life,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

including their safeguarding training. They feel well supported.  Overall, pupils show an awareness of fundamental British values. They have a secure understanding of the law and they have respect for different faiths and beliefs. Pupils also support each other well, for example the school has a group of peer mentors. They speak confidently about their roles and responsibilities in helping other pupils with any worries or concerns that they may have.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have not been effective in improving the school. The quality of education has declined significantly.  Although minutes of governors’ meetings show evidence of some challenge to school leaders, this has not been sufficiently focused on the effectiveness of actions to secure a good standard of education. For example, governors are unable to explain the impact that the pupil premium funding is having on the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. They have not sufficiently challenged leaders on the reasons why their actions to improve outcomes for pupils in modern foreign languages and humanities have not been successful. They are not ambitious enough in challenging leaders on the appropriateness of the curriculum.  Governors understand their role in safeguarding pupils at the school. When they visit the school, they use their experience effectively to check that systems and procedures keep pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school regularly audits its safeguarding processes and procedures, using external support. The audit is thorough and leaders use the outcomes to make further improvements to their work. Staff are well trained in safeguarding. As a result, worries or concerns are reported quickly and dealt with effectively by leaders.  Leaders provide useful opportunities for pupils to learn how to stay safe. This includes learning from guest speakers including the community police about knife crime, malicious communications, drugs and alcohol misuse, and staying safe online. Pupils of all ages speak positively about these learning activities and how they have helped them to think about how to manage risks to their personal or physical well-being.  Parents who replied to Parent View were most positive about how well the school keeps their children safe and well cared for. Pupils, including those that completed

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Safeguarding

Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire, reported that they felt supported at the school and that there was always an adult to talk to if they needed anything.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Teaching over time has not secured acceptable rates of progress for pupils and consequently they do not reach the standards of which they are capable. There is far too much variation in the overall quality of teaching.  Teaching typically lacks challenge. This is because teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving. In these circumstances, pupils come off task and lose focus. There is some disruption to pupils’ learning because teachers are not consistent in applying the school’s expectations for behaviour.  The work that teachers give to pupils is not well matched to their different starting points and abilities. Overall, pupils are not developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that they should be developing in a wide range of subjects. Pupils do not receive the guidance they need to make improvements to their work.  Teaching does not promote a ‘can do’ attitude. Pupils are capable of much more. For

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

example, in mathematics, pupils are not being supported effectively enough in developing the problem-solving and reasoning skills that they need to succeed in the new, more demanding GCSE curriculum. In French, pupils have not developed the range of speaking, reading, writing and listening skills needed, relative to their age, to be successful linguists.  In some subjects where pupils are being taught by non-specialists, teachers typically try hard to deliver the content as best they can. However, pupils are not developing the depth of knowledge, skills and understanding needed to be successful learners. Teachers in these instances are not getting enough effective support and guidance from leaders in planning and teaching the subject matter.  In a few subjects such as drama and physical education, teaching is more challenging. For example, in a drama lesson, the teaching enabled pupils to move out of their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

comfort zone, with encouragement to share ideas and to develop their acting skills.  Teachers and teaching assistants provide effective support for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. They question and encourage pupils to think for themselves.  Teachers have positive working relationships with pupils. They are typically enthusiastic about being in the classroom. Most pupils feel that teachers are helpful and supportive.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Pupils have not developed the skills needed to be confident learners. Teaching does not promote their resilience sufficiently well or give pupils the confidence to take responsibility for their own learning.  The school’s plan to raise aspirations, particularly those of boys and disadvantaged pupils, through targeted careers guidance has not happened. Current provision for careers largely focuses on pupils’ option choices as they move into Year 10 and the next steps in education, employment or training for pupils in Year 11.  Leaders ensure that pupils are aware of how to keep themselves safe, both inside and outside of school. Pupils have a secure understanding of the different types of bullying. They report that bullying is rare and dealt with effectively by leaders. School records confirm that bullying is rare. Leaders identify, record and track any issues that occur

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Personal development and welfare

between pupils to ensure that they are resolved quickly.  Pupils, including those who replied to Ofsted’s questionnaire, indicate that adults at the school are there to help them. The school has pastoral and counselling support for pupils who need it. Pupils enjoy the community spirit of the school and support one another well.  A few pupils are educated at off-site provision. They are studying courses that link to their aspirations, including work-related learning. Leaders use provision that has been approved by the local authority and they have secure procedures in place to monitor safeguarding and attendance.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning, including how they present their work, are not consistently positive. Reflecting weaker teaching, pupils lose concentration and behaviour deteriorates. There were instances during visits to classrooms where pupils’ behaviour was well below expectations.  Of the pupils who replied to Ofsted’s questionnaire, two-fifths of pupils did not agree that behaviour was good in lessons all or most of the time.  Permanent exclusions have been higher than the national average.  Overall attendance is falling and there is a wide variation between different groups of pupils. For example, attendance of pupils in Year 11 is low compared with that of Year 7; and pupils from White British background have much higher levels of absence when compared to other groups.  Pupils behave sensibly in corridors, at break and lunchtimes and when using the

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Behaviour

canteen. They move to their lessons promptly.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 In recent years, pupils’ progress was significantly below the national average in a range of subjects, particularly modern foreign languages and humanities. The performance of some groups of pupils has been particularly weak. For example, in 2017, the progress in mathematics of middle-ability pupils, who represented around half of the cohort, placed the school in the bottom 10% of all schools nationally. Pupils’ progress over the last two years across the curriculum is typically significantly below the national average.  Disadvantaged pupils underachieve significantly. For example, in GCSE mathematics in 2017, disadvantaged pupils attained over one grade below other pupils nationally.  In each of the last two years, pupils’ progress in the ‘open’ range of GCSE subjects has been significantly below the national average. In 2017, their progress was in the bottom 11% of all schools nationally.  Current pupils are working well below age-related expectations in a range of subjects,

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

including mathematics, French and humanities, reflecting the weak progress made from their different starting points. In some cases, reviews of pupils’ work suggest that standards are lower than the school’s assessments suggest. This brings into question the accuracy of the school’s assessment information and whether pupils are on track to achieve their targets.  The work of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities shows an improving picture in English, mathematics and science. This is as a result of the effective support that they receive.  In 2017, pupils’ overall attainment was in line with the national average. Also, the most able pupils made stronger progress than other groups and their attainment was in line with other pupils nationally across the curriculum. More most-able pupils study individual sciences and French. The progress of current most-able pupils is a mixed picture. Some teaching meets their needs, but some of the work they are set is too

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

easy and does not deepen their understanding.  Overall, although all pupils move to apprenticeships or other schools or colleges, they have not made the progress of which they are capable and should be achieving much more.

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School details

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

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address admin@gaynes.havering.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18–19 October 2012

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Information about this school

 The school roll has reduced in size since the last inspection. The school is much smaller than the average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is below the national average, representing approximately one fifth of pupils on roll.  The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is slightly below the national average.  Around half of the pupils are from a White British background.  A few pupils are educated at off-site provision through the Future Gateways programme.  The school does not currently meet the government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the time they leave school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team visited a range of classes and reviewed a wide range of pupils’ work across the curriculum.  The inspection team held meetings with school leaders and staff to evaluate the impact of their work. Inspectors held meetings with governors, teachers new to the profession and different groups of pupils. The lead inspector had a meeting with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors evaluated 18 replies to Ofsted’s online inspection survey for staff, 50 replies to the pupil questionnaire and 44 replies to Parent View.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide variety of documentation provided by leaders, including: internal assessment information for pupils in all year groups, leaders’ self-evaluation and improvement planning. They reviewed minutes of governing body meetings, attendance and behaviour information, a variety of school policies, the single central record of recruitment checks, and a wide range of other information relating to the

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Inspection team

Sam Hainey, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Liam Stevens 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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 .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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