Adeyfield School

Adeyfield School Longlands, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 4DE

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Inspection dates 28 February–1 March 2018

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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 Inadequate

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have been too slow to implement improvements. As a result, pupils have not achieved as well as they should for an extended period of time.  The progress pupils make through key stages 3 and 4 is much too slow. Pupils leave school with outcomes well below those of pupils nationally with similar starting points.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. They do not provide work which enables pupils to fulfil their potential.  Leaders do not do enough to cater for pupils’ special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. These pupils do not receive sufficient support.  Leaders have not ensured that teachers understand the barriers to learning faced by disadvantaged pupils. Disadvantaged pupils make considerably less progress than other pupils nationally.  Leaders have failed to reduce high absence rates. This is impacting on the progress that pupils make.  Too many pupils do not complete their work.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Teaching does not motivate them sufficiently, and they often lack pride in their work.  The progress students make in the sixth form is not good. From their starting points, students typically make broadly average progress.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils are polite and considerate. They treat others with courtesy and respect.  Leaders support pupils well in choosing their programmes of study and determining their choices for the future.  Leaders ensure that pupils develop a secure understanding of fundamental British values.

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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 teaching, learning and assessment by: – ensuring that teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and set work which is sufficiently challenging – ensuring that the work teachers set for pupils takes into account what pupils already know and can do – effectively supporting pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities so that they can make good progress – making sure that teachers understand the barriers to learning faced by disadvantaged pupils and use this information to plan teaching which supports them effectively – sharpening teachers’ questioning to encourage pupils to consolidate their learning and think more deeply – making sure that teachers routinely check for, and correct, pupils’ misconceptions.  Improve the personal development and well-being of pupils by: – making sure that attendance rises so that it is at least average – making sure that pupils are motivated to work hard

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– ensuring that pupils value the work which they do and understand why it is important.  Increase the progress that all groups of pupils make across the curriculum in key stages 3 and 4 so that it is at least in line with other pupils nationally.  Increase the progress of students studying A-Level courses so that it is above average.  Improve leadership and management by: – having higher expectations of what pupils can and should do – sharing these expectations among all staff and pupils – taking urgent note of the shortcomings of the school and addressing them rapidly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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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 Inadequate

 Since at least 2015, pupils have not made enough progress at the school. The limited improvements in progress seen in the 2016 key stage 4 outcomes were lost in 2017. In 2017, the progress pupils made was in the bottom 20% nationally across a wide range of subjects. Leaders have not taken effective action in the past to improve pupils’ outcomes. The actions they have taken more recently have not had sufficient impact. Pupils are still underachieving considerably across key stages 3 and 4.  Leaders do not set high enough expectations of what should be expected of pupils. Teachers often have low expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils regularly complete work which does not challenge them or help them to make sufficient progress. Time is wasted on basic tasks which do not make pupils think. As a result, pupils’ progress is hindered.  Leaders have not done enough to improve the quality of teaching, learning and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

assessment. Too often, teaching does not inspire pupils or meet their needs well enough. Pupils are often uninterested and regularly show a lack of pride in their work.  Pupil premium funding is not used effectively. Leaders’ stated strategy of adults in the classroom being well aware of and overcoming the barriers to learning faced by disadvantaged pupils is not evident. These pupils continue to make considerably less progress than other pupils nationally.  Support for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is not effective. New strategies to support these pupils in lessons have not yet had sufficient impact on the progress they make.  Measures to support pupils who join the school with below-average starting points, to help them catch up, are not working. In Year 7 in 2017, these pupils made less progress than other pupils in the school. Pupils currently in Year 8 are making improved progress, but are still not catching up with other pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders’ work to reduce absence rates has not been successful. While some individual pupils have recently shown some improvement in attendance levels, overall attendance remains low and is worsening. This is having a direct and negative impact on the progress pupils make.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. There are many examples of pupils developing an understanding of culture and of society. Pupils learn, for example, about women’s rights and the Suffragette movement in ‘global studies’, and about globalisation in citizenship. Pupils routinely demonstrate their awareness of how to be a good citizen in their positive attitudes towards others.  Leaders have engaged support from a not-for-profit education company and from a local school. This is beginning to take effect. Middle leaders now have a clearer understanding of their role in leading their departments. Senior leaders reported that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

their own improvement work is now better coordinated.  Leaders and governors have more certainty over the accuracy of some assessments. However, these recent changes have not yet had a sufficient impact on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment or on pupils’ outcomes. Although there is evidence of some improvement in English and mathematics, it is not enough, and it is not spread widely across other subjects.  The school’s curriculum is largely appropriate and is considered in the context of pupils’ needs. A range of different qualifications, both vocational and academic, is offered to ensure that pupils can pursue areas which interest them. Pupils are well served, for example, by a recent initiative to provide them with hands-on skills in construction. This has helped to inspire them to work and to learn.  The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers (NQTs).

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Governance of the school

 Governors now have a better understanding of their role in monitoring the progress that pupils make than they did at the time of the previous inspection.  They commissioned an external review of their work and are following up the recommended actions.  Governors now ask appropriate questions about important topics, and they take on activities, such as visits, which help them to understand better the impact that leaders are having.  However, there is little evidence in meeting minutes or in records of visits that governors follow up their questions or request that specific actions be taken by leaders. Governors are not providing sufficient challenge to ensure that the school improves rapidly.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders undertake appropriate checks on adults who come into contact with pupils in the school. Staff are well trained, and the procedures for passing on concerns within the school are effective. Leaders maintain well-kept files on concerns about pupils. The headteacher undertakes regular checks on safeguarding files to ensure that all appropriate actions are taken. Leaders follow up actions for pupils to ensure that they are kept safe.  Pupils are effectively taught how to keep safe. Leaders put on assemblies about topics as they become relevant, such as acts of terror or extremist behaviour. They ensure that pupils learn about the safe use of social media and cyber safety, through campaigns, information and communication technology lessons and personal, social and health education. Incidents of bullying have fallen over recent years, and pupils

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Safeguarding

reported that bullying is rare. They said that, when it does happen, it is dealt with well and that they feel safe in school.

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Inadequate

 Too many teachers have low expectations of what pupils can achieve. They often set tasks which do not require pupils to think deeply about what they are doing. Often, tasks are simply copied or are at a very basic level. This wastes time. As a result, pupils do not learn rapidly or develop a deep subject knowledge.  Teachers often do not take into account what pupils already know and can do when planning for pupils’ learning. Pupils often complete the same work as each other, regardless of their prior knowledge and understanding. Pupils spoken with during the inspection explained that an improvement they would like to see is teachers making sure that they match the work they set to pupils’ current understanding. Pupils too often complete work that is either too easy or too hard for them.  Not enough is done to secure pupils’ commitment to their work. Pupils’ work is often poorly presented, and many pupils have large gaps in their books where work has not

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Inadequate

been completed. Teachers do not ensure that pupils develop the skills of effective learners.  Teachers do not do enough to check that pupils understand the work they are doing. Misconceptions in pupils’ work are too often not addressed. Questions are often closed and do not allow pupils to express and develop their thoughts fully. They do now allow teachers to check the extent of pupils’ understanding.  The barriers to learning faced by pupils are not well understood by teachers and other adults. Leaders’ perception that teaching assistants and teachers maintain a clear focus on the needs of these pupils is not accurate. These pupils’ needs are not routinely considered or accommodated. This is evident in the way they are taught and the work that they do.  Strategies recently brought in to support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are not yet effective. These pupils are now known to teachers, but this is not yet ensuring

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Inadequate

that teaching meets their needs and helps them to make enough progress.  Pupils are not inspired to be intellectually curious. They often do not participate in discussions, even when directed to do so by teachers. Pupils are not typically set, and nor do they seek, work which challenges them to think more deeply.  Some teaching is effective. For example, inspectors saw high-level questioning to explain words in English and pupils working together well to solve quadratic equations in mathematics. However, these strengths are not consistent across either the English or the mathematics departments, or across the school.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Pupils often do not demonstrate the skills or attitudes of effective learners. Many pupils take little pride in their work. They do not show enthusiasm for learning or complete the work they do to the best of their ability. Much work is incomplete, and too often pupils do not respond positively to teachers’ requests to complete activities. Pupils’ books are often untidy and poorly presented.  Leaders ensure that pupils receive effective guidance and support as they move through the school and beyond. Pupils benefit from careers guidance in every year group. It broadens their horizons and effectively guides them in making choices for the future. Pupils spoke highly of the support they receive.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is well developed. For example, inspectors observed pupils in positive discussions about women’s rights and

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Personal development and welfare

about radicalisation. Pupils explained to inspectors how they value assemblies on topics such as those related to extremist behaviour.  Leaders’ work to secure the well-being of pupils is effective. Bullying is rare and well dealt with.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  Attendance rates have been consistently lower than the national average since at least 2015. Although attendance increased from 2015 to 2016, it fell again in 2017 and has now declined to its lowest level since 2015. Leaders’ own pupil-progress information shows a direct correlation between pupils’ poor attendance and their lack of progress. Too many pupils value their time in school too little, and these pupils are disadvantaged by their low attendance.  Leaders’ work to reduce the amount of low-level disruption to learning has been effective. This is now rare. Similarly, leaders have effectively tackled prejudicial behaviour, with their own records and pupils’ perceptions confirming this.  In contrast, leaders have not yet successfully reduced the number of serious one-off incidents which lead to exclusions. The proportion of pupils excluded for a fixed period

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Behaviour

has been higher than the national average for three years, and this trend is continuing with current pupils.  In lessons, pupils are generally compliant with teachers’ requests. They listen quietly to teachers and others. Pupils around the school are commonly polite and respectful, and their behaviour around the site is calm and orderly. Pupils who met with inspectors represented the school well, demonstrating mature behaviour and speaking mostly positively about their experiences in school. Pupils conduct themselves well.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 For an extended period of time, pupils’ progress at the school has not been good enough. In 2015, pupils’ progress was significantly below average at key stage 4. In 2016, it was significantly below average in subjects including English, humanities and languages.  In 2017, the progress that pupils made declined and was unacceptably low. Published information placed the school in the bottom 20% of schools nationally for pupil progress in English, mathematics, science, modern foreign languages and humanities. Pupils’ average progress in other subjects was also in the bottom 20% nationally. The school fell below the government’s floor target for the minimum progress that pupils should make.  While there is some evidence of improvement in some subjects, such as English and mathematics, it is not sufficient. Pupils in these subjects continue to underperform and are not making as much progress as their peers nationally.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 In other subjects, such as science and modern foreign languages, improvements have not been made. Pupils in key stages 3 and 4 continue to make considerably less progress than pupils nationally.  Disadvantaged pupils over time have made significantly less progress than other pupils nationally. In 2017, these pupils achieved almost a grade below that of other pupils nationally with similar starting points. Disadvantaged pupils currently in the school continue to underachieve from their starting points.  Pupils who arrive at the school with low attainment do not make enough progress to catch up. Although there is evidence to suggest that pupils who were in Year 7 last year are now making almost as much progress as other pupils, this is too little, too late. During their time in Year 7, these pupils fell further behind.  Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make less progress than they should. In 2016

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

and 2017, the progress of pupils identified as needing support for SEN and/or disabilities was over two thirds of a grade below pupils nationally. Pupils currently attending the school who have SEN and/or disabilities continue to make less progress than they should.

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

 The sixth form requires improvement because students do not typically make strong progress through their 16 to 19 study programmes. For some time, progress in most subjects has remained broadly average. Although the progress students make on vocational courses is slightly better, it is still broadly average for most subjects.  Leaders overestimate the effectiveness of the sixth form. Their assertion that outcomes improved between 2016 and 2017, for example, is not based on the progress that students made. While the average grade students achieved did rise between 2016 and 2017, this in fact represented less progress from their starting points. The progress they made was adequate, but not strong.  Students in the sixth form are generally supported by teaching, learning and assessment which are more effective than in younger year groups, enabling them to continue to make progress in line with 2017 outcomes. Inspectors saw, for example,

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

students being guided to think deeply and to make effective use of assessment criteria in English. Students value the way in which teachers check that they understand what is being taught and then adapt lessons. They find homework helpful.  Leaders ensure that students in the sixth form receive effective guidance and support to help them prepare for their future education or career. Students benefit from visits to university fairs and apprenticeship shows. They receive help with writing curricula vitae and preparing for interviews, as well as learning about finance and managing money.  Students leave Year 13 to go to a variety of destinations, including universities and apprenticeships, and very few do not go into some form of education, employment or training.  Students’ personal development and well-being are well catered for in the sixth form. Those who spoke with inspectors are pleased with the support they receive. They said

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

that teachers know them well. Students have adults in the school with whom they can discuss concerns. They have received effective guidance, through assemblies, visiting speakers and lessons, on how to stay safe. They are encouraged to volunteer and to help younger pupils, and they identify this as a strength of the school.

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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

Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Foundation

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School details

Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address head@adeyfield.herts.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2–3 February 2016

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Information about this school

 Adeyfield is a smaller-than-average-sized secondary school serving the area of Hemel Hempstead.  It has a larger-than-average proportion of pupils who have been eligible for free schools meals in the past six years.  The proportion of pupils whose first language is not, or is not believed to be, English, is average.  The proportion of pupils who join Adeyfield during the school year is relatively high.  The percentage of pupils who are eligible for SEN support is above average, while the proportion who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is average.  The school does not meet the current government floor standards for the minimum standards and progress pupils should achieve at key stage 4.  The school receives support from another local secondary school, as well as from Herts for Learning, a not-for-profit education company.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with senior and other leaders, members of the governing body and representatives from Herts for Learning. They met with teachers at the school and spoke with the headteacher of the school that is providing support.  Inspectors observed parts of 41 lessons, sometimes accompanied by leaders, and reviewed the work of pupils in their books.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation including leaders’ evaluation of the school and their improvement plans, analysis of the use of funding, external reviews of the work of the school, and documents demonstrating the work of governors. Inspectors also considered the school’s information on pupils’ progress, attendance, behaviour and exclusions.  Inspectors considered a complaint received prior to the inspection. They considered the 63 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the 108 responses by parents and carers to the free text option. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from all year

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Information about this inspection

groups and considered the 60 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey. They also reviewed the 41 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Andy Hemmings, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Davies 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

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

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, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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