St Egwin's CofE Middle School

St Egwin’s C of E Middle School Worcester Road, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 4JU

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors provide strong leadership, which is valued by staff, pupils, parents and carers.  The new headteacher brought with him a culture of change and quickly identified areas that needed to be actioned.  Senior leaders and governors are passionate and ambitious for the school and its pupils. They have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Sometimes, however, leaders do not evaluate the impact of their actions well enough to maximise improvements.  The school has a broad, balanced curriculum that supports pupils’ academic and social development well. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for high school when they leave at the end of Year 8.  Senior leaders are continuing to refine the assessment system. They use the information effectively in order to identify pupils who need extra support. However, this information is limited to certain subjects.  Although teaching is good, some aspects are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

weaker. Some teachers do not make good use of feedback or questioning to check on what pupils know or to deepen their understanding. At times, teachers do not ensure that tasks are well matched to pupils’ abilities.  Pupils make good progress over the three years they spend in school. This is the case in most subjects, including in English and mathematics. Attainment has risen over time but remains a key priority for improvement.  Reading is well developed across the school. Pupils are articulate and increasingly confident readers. They are developing a love of reading.  Most pupils behave well in lessons. They enjoy their learning and are keen to do well. However, at times, when tasks are not suitably matched to their abilities or needs, a few pupils become distracted.  Relationships between pupils and staff are strong and based on mutual respect. The school has a strong community ethos.  A culture of care and support exists across the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school. Safeguarding is a strength. All pupils say that they feel safe in school and parents and carers agree.  The school’s work to support pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is very strong. As a result, pupils are developing a good understanding of how to become successful learners.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that pupils make strong progress in all subjects by ensuring that teachers consistently: – use feedback and questioning effectively in lessons to help pupils learn in greater depth and address misconceptions in learning – use information about pupils’ starting points in their planning to challenge pupils to make good progress.  Improve the impact of leadership by ensuring that: – leaders use assessment information effectively in order to evaluate work in their subject areas and to inform further actions – governors continue to develop the use of the information they have to challenge and hold leaders to account for pupils’ academic and personal development.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher and senior leaders have a clear and strong vision for the school. Together with committed governors, they form an able team that has the capacity to lead and bring about the improvements needed to help the school regain its former judgement.  Senior leaders and governors know the school well and have accurately prioritised key areas for improvement. However, the full impact of their work is yet to be realised as the team members are relatively new in their roles. For example, senior leaders use assessment information to identify where pupils are falling behind in their work, but the quality of their evaluation across all areas is varied. As a result, pupils make better progress in reading, for example, than they do in writing.  Leaders invest heavily in providing high-quality professional development and training for staff. Professional development is used to encourage, challenge and support

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

teachers’ improvement. Staff value their training, and this has contributed to the school providing a good standard of education for its pupils.  The actions of middle leaders contribute effectively to the school’s improvement. For example, the creative use of the primary physical education (PE) and sport premium to create a mindfulness track has helped ensure good support for pupils’ emotional well- being and preparedness for learning. However, not all middle leaders are equally effective in leading their subjects, which affects the pace of whole-school improvement.  Pastoral middle leaders form an effective team. They have a good knowledge of individual pupils’ needs and they ensure that pupils and families benefit from the support available from external agencies. Most parents and carers say that their child is well looked after in school.  The curriculum supports pupils’ academic progress effectively. Pupils in key stage 2

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

benefit from specialist teaching in most subjects and this as a positive impact on improving pupils’ basic skills and, specifically, ensuring that all subjects develop pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics. In key stage 3, pupils study a broad range of subjects taught by specialist teachers. This prepares them well for their move to high school.  Several aspects of the curriculum contribute towards the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school provides a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including trips abroad. Opportunities to hold a leadership role are extensive and many pupils do this. For example, the recently developed mini safeguarding team helped to contribute towards the design of a display board to show pupils how to stay safe online.  Leaders make good use of additional funding. For example, the pupil premium funds a variety of effective strategies to help disadvantaged pupils overcome any barriers to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

learning that they may face. Consequently, these pupils are making good progress and their progress is matching or exceeding that of other pupils with the same starting points.  Links between the school, local first schools and the high school are strong. As a result, pupils’ transition is well managed. For example, visits made by the coordinator for special educational needs to feeder schools before transition mean that appropriate provision can be made prior to the pupils starting Year 6. Consequently, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress.  The school is well supported by the local authority and leaders have used officers’ advice effectively to improve standards in the quality of teaching.

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Governance of the school

 Members of the governing body have an appropriate range of expertise. They are committed to the school, its ethos and vision. An external review of governance last year identified strengths and areas for further development. Recent governors’ actions are beginning to have a better impact on the work of the school. For example, the planning of a calendared programme of governor visits to the school is raising governors’ profile with staff and pupils. However, governors do not challenge and hold leaders to account as effectively as they should, because, until recently, they have not had enough information from leaders.  Governors take their safeguarding duties seriously. They have a named governor for safeguarding and they ensure that the vetting procedure for employing new staff is robust.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  This area is well led. Training for staff is up to date. Recent training includes topics such as children missing from education and female genital mutilation. Staff are clear about policies and procedures. The provision of an induction training programme for new staff to the school and volunteers means that everyone follows the same procedures. Record-keeping for the recruitment of staff is thorough and precise. Pupils’ records are securely stored. The schools single central record of recruitment and vetting checks meets requirements and is monitored regularly by leaders. Leaders and staff work well with external providers to support pupils who are at risk or who are the subject of a multi-agency plan.  Through the curriculum and assemblies, pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, in food technology pupils are encouraged to reflect on how to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching is typically good. The purposeful relationships between adult and pupils contribute well to the learning culture. Pupils are developing into confident, articulate learners.  Much of teachers’ planning is effective, with tasks well matched to pupils’ abilities, and building successfully on what they already know. However, this is not always the case and, at times, some work, particularly for the most able, is too easy and pupils complete it quickly without having to think deeply.  In lessons where questioning is used well, teachers skilfully probe pupils’ responses and challenge their thinking. In geography, for example, skilful questioning by the teacher resulted in pupils deepening their understanding of what it is like living in slums in India. However, teachers’ questioning is not equally effective across all subjects. As a result, pupils’ progress is not as strong as it might be.  In English and in most other subjects, teachers make sure that pupils develop their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

literacy skills as much as possible. Pupils have a wide variety of opportunities for extended writing. In mathematics, lessons are carefully planned to ensure that pupils understand concepts and are able to apply them. However, in science some work in pupils’ books is incorrect and these misconceptions have not been addressed.  In lessons where peer and self-evaluation are used well, pupils accurately identify their strengths and areas for further development. For example, in art, pupils worked independently to evaluate their work and were able to justify their views confidently. This is preparing pupils well for the next stage in their education.  Pupils generally receive good feedback in their books, which enables them to make better progress and achieve more, but this is not the case in all classes. At times, the feedback is encouraging but not as precise in giving advice as the school’s policy

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

indicates it should be. This inconsistency is therefore limiting pupils’ progress in some subjects.  There is a strong culture of completing homework. Teachers effectively use online assessment information from homework to inform their planning. Pupils feel that homework positively reinforces what they learn in the classroom and most parents agree.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Leaders make pupils’ personal development a top priority. The breadth and balance of the curriculum is a key strength. Leaders offer an exceptionally wide range of activities to develop pupils’ skills and promote their emotional well-being, self-esteem and physical well-being. The personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) curriculum covers a wide range of pertinent topics, including preventing pupils from radicalisation and extremism and how to stay safe online.  A recent focus on mental health, including a whole-school assembly, meditation during PSHCE lessons and a display in the corridor, is helping to strengthen pupils’ resilience. For example, pupils have felt confident enough to lead an assembly.  Pupils are proud to be members of the school. They thoroughly enjoy learning and are complimentary about the help and support given to them by staff. Pupils told

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Personal development and welfare

inspectors that bullying is very rare in school and that any bullying that does happen is dealt with well by staff. They know who to approach if they are worried about anything.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Behaviour in lessons is good, which means that pupils can get on with their work. However, on occasions, and most usually when work is not well matched to their abilities, a small minority of pupils disengage from their learning. Occasionally, teachers do not address this low-level disruption as well as they ought. They do not always follow the school’s behaviour management procedures.  The school is generally a calm, orderly environment. At breaktimes, lunchtimes and when moving around the school, the majority of pupils are polite and respectful.  Attendance is strong and persistent absence is low. This means that no pupils are disadvantaged because they have lost learning time.  Pupils speak positively about the schools’ reward system and the behaviour policy. They wear their reward badges with pride and respond well to leaders’ expectations. For example, they willingly follow the school rule of handing in their mobile phones at

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Behaviour

the start of the day.  Leaders use fixed-term exclusions appropriately and pupils are supported well on their return to school, including having additional support from external agencies when needed.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 The school’s internal assessment information indicates that pupils make good progress from the start of Year 6 to the end of Year 8, across a range of subjects. Inspection evidence, including work seen in books strongly supports this.  In common with other pupils, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress. They benefit from effective teaching and well-targeted extra help when they need it.  Published data about pupils’ progress and attainment does not give an accurate picture of how pupils achieve in this school. This is because pupils take national tests in Year 6, after they have spent just two terms in the school. Pupils’ attainment in these tests remains below average.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Impartial careers education and guidance is given to all years and pupils have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities. These include trips to the skills show, a local

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Outcomes for pupils Good

university and a careers theme day led by parents and volunteers from a variety of professions.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address admin@st-egwins.worcs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 to 6 June 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized middle school.  The headteacher took up his post in September 2017. Several senior and middle leaders are relatively new to their role.  The school is designated a church of England school. It had its last section 48 inspection in March 2015.  Almost all of the school’s pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average although numbers are rising.

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Information about this inspection

 Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, middle leaders and staff. A meeting was held with five members of the governing body, including its chair. The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors observed learning in lessons; most of these observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors talked to many pupils about their learning and their attitudes to, and opinions about, school. Inspectors observed pupils on their arrival to school, at breaktimes, lunchtimes and as they moved around the school.  Inspectors listened to a sample of pupils read.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including information relating to governance, attendance, behaviour, safeguarding and pupils’ progress.  Inspectors took account of parents’ views by considering the 23 responses to Parent View.

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Inspection team

Lesley Yates, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gwendoline Onyon 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

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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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