King Edward VI Community College

King Edward VI Community College Ashburton Road, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5JX

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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 Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The principal has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. He has taken effective action to improve behaviour and teaching and learning.  Governors are astute in their knowledge of the school. They are challenging leaders appropriately to ensure that further improvement takes place.  Senior leaders have a clear grasp of their role in overseeing the accountability of staff. They are relentless in their pursuit of better outcomes for pupils.  Middle leaders are being trained effectively in holding teachers to account. Although there is variability in teaching still, there are pockets of strong practice from which other colleagues are learning.  The curriculum caters for pupils’ needs and aspirations. Option subjects in key stage 4 provide a broad range of choice in academic and artistic subjects.  Pupils receive a considered personal, social, health and economic education. As a result,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils know how to keep themselves safe and become well-balanced citizens.  Leaders provide pupils with enrichment activities that develop them as healthy individuals. Also, every pupil visits higher education institutes to raise aspirations of what they can achieve in life.  Pupils’ progress is in line with that of others nationally. However, teaching does not stretch the most able pupils consistently. Equally, pupils with lower ability are not provided regularly with the support and structure to enable them to reach their potential.  Too many pupils, especially in key stage 3, do not show pride in their work and this is not challenged well by a few teachers.  Since the implementation of the behaviour policy, conduct has improved. Pupils are ready to learn and engage well with staff.  The attendance of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is close to the national

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

average. However, despite many initiatives to arrest the low attendance overall, improvements are still incremental.  Leadership of the 16 to 19 study programmes is strong. Students’ progress is improving in both A levels and applied qualifications.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Leaders must ensure that the focus on attendance is maintained, so more pupils come to school on a regular basis.  Leaders must ensure that there is greater consistency in the teaching of: – the most able pupils in each phase, so that they are provided with learning that is sufficiently challenging and deepens their thinking – pupils with lower ability, so that there is more support and structure for them to succeed.  Improve teaching so that pupils show pride in their work and eagerness to succeed more often.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the appointment of the principal in 2014, he has restructured and streamlined staffing to improve efficiency. Currently, the leadership team has the capacity to build on the improvements made so far. Leaders have a complementary skill set that enables them to work together cohesively and provide greater impact from their actions.  Leaders have not shied away from challenging poor teaching. There have been several changes for the better but, at times, this has meant managing difficult situations, which can impede progress.  Leaders have high expectations and change policy and practice accordingly. This is evident from the impact of the modified behaviour policy in the summer term of 2018. Disruptive behaviour has reduced greatly. Leaders are concentrating, now, on rewarding positive attitudes and pupils are appreciative of this.  Middle leaders’ training enables them to hold staff to account effectively. They respect

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

the tightness of their own line management and they value the modelling by senior leaders. They are keen to be a part of further improvements and see the school grow from strength to strength.  The principal has strong external support from the school improvement partner and the local authority school improvement partner. The local authority is providing support to improve attendance.  Leadership of the disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND is strong. These pupils are making better progress and attending more regularly because the leaders have more focused plans for supporting them, which are evaluated regularly.  Leaders check teachers’ performance against the teachers’ standards and this has helped improve teaching throughout the school and raised expectations. Newly qualified and recently qualified teachers are well supported in their early years of teaching.  The funding for Year 7 catch-up is spent wisely on literacy and numeracy. Pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

reading and mathematics skills are improving well.  The curriculum reflects pupils’ needs. More pupils are taking languages as this is an improving faculty in the school. As a result, future numbers for pupils taking the English Baccalaureate are increasing. Pupils enjoy extra-curricular clubs in sports and cultural events. These are popular, and leaders monitor the attendance to check that vulnerable pupils are able to take advantage of them too. The school benefits from a charitable trust which supports pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, to access trips and educational activities.  The arts, visual and performing, are strong and there is a university foundation degree in the arts offered on the school site, which is a popular and successful route for students in Year 14.  Pupils receive their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education through assemblies and lessons. They are ready to be citizens of the future and know about the dangers

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and influence of extremism and terrorism.

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Governance of the school

 There are several new governors who have been appointed in the past year. Leaders have ensured that the skill set of new governors makes for a comprehensive team, able to cope with the many facets of education. The chair of the governing body took up the post in January 2019. He has changed the committee format to challenge leaders about standards on a regular basis.  Governors are knowledgeable about school information and ask searching questions at meetings to ensure that pupils’ progress continues to rise.  Governors monitor the spending of public funds well under the guidance of the business manager. Consequently, the progress and attendance of pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils has continued to improve.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  School leaders have created a culture where risks are assessed constantly. This is important because the site is large and open. The personal safety and well-being of pupils are secure. The designated safeguarding leads are vigilant in their oversight of any child protection issues. Records of any safeguarding issues are of high quality and detailed. An electronic system is used that makes chronology simpler. All the necessary checks on staff are done thoroughly. Staff work sensitively with parents and external agencies to monitor and support vulnerable pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have high expectations of behaviour, to which pupils respond confidently. The good relationships support pupils making improved progress.  Pupils with SEND receive strong support. Any barriers to learning, such as anxiety, are considered and staff use resources well to help pupils concentrate and make effective progress. Teachers have detailed knowledge of what to do for each pupil. Teaching assistants provide effective specialist support to pupils.  Teachers know the disadvantaged pupils and monitor their progress carefully. Successful strategies make sure their learning matches that of others.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. However, the needs of the most able are not met in some learning. At times, there is not enough stretch and challenge for these pupils.  Similarly, some of the pupils with lower ability are not provided with enough structure to help them reach their potential.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Leaders have prepared a thorough and purposeful marking and feedback policy that expects pupils to be responsive to any feedback given and proofread their work efficiently. It is in its early stages of implementation. Generally, teachers provide better feedback to older pupils. The new policy is being more consistently applied by teachers in humanities, arts subjects and languages, where there is greater consistency in practice.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils enjoy school. The majority are proud to attend.  Pupils are ambitious and have high aspirations for themselves. Every pupil visits a university at some time in key stage 4.  Pupils spoke of how there are more staff on duty since the changes made to the behaviour policy. They feel safer as a result. Safeguarding has improved for them with consistent use of coloured lanyards, so they know of approved visitors to the site.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe on the internet. They are aware of the dangers of social media and the influences of extremism, through teaching about the ‘Prevent’ duty.  Pupils said that when bullying occurs staff deal with it more effectively this year. They know to report any concerns swiftly. They can use the school’s intranet from home, as well as speak to staff in school, when worried. Pupils apply to be anti-bullying

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Personal development and welfare

ambassadors and support their fellow pupils.  Pupils receive a comprehensive programme on personal, social, health and economic education. Each year group learns about personal health and well-being so that pupils can manage their physical and emotional well-being. They know about fundamental British values and are keen to be useful citizens of the future.  Leaders were successful in a bid for counselling services. These are available to both pupils and staff regularly, which enables everyone to have a strong attitude to learning and life.  There is impartial careers education for pupils from Years 7 to 14. The school holds several careers events for key stage 4 and 5 pupils, such as how to manage finances and welfare beyond school. Pupils are ready for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. The occasional lapses in concentration when learning is due to weak teaching rather than disruptive behaviour.  Staff meet and greet pupils at the start of the day and before learning sessions. Pupils respond well to this and feel that staff are there for their every need. They feel confident to share any concerns. Equally, punctuality to school has improved greatly.  A modified behaviour policy was introduced in summer 2018. Leaders reviewed it in January 2019, following concerns raised by stakeholders. As a result, exclusions, permanent and fixed term, have reduced this year. There was an initial spike in numbers in January, but this has reduced greatly in the first half of the summer term.  Pupils attend the alternative provision regularly. School staff check on this daily to ensure the safety of pupils.  The attendance of pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils is in line with that of

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Behaviour

other groups nationally. Several initiatives, and support from the local authority, have led to incremental increases in attendance overall. Leaders are very aware that attendance is still not good enough and are evaluating policies and procedures with the local authority education welfare officer constantly to make the necessary improvements.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils’ progress is at least in line with national averages in the core subjects in the end of key stage 4 examinations and is marginally better in English, languages, humanities, the arts, physical education and technology.  Pupils’ progress in science is improving constantly, following leaders’ support and training in this area.  The difference between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and others in school and nationally has reduced swiftly this year. Leaders have a better focus on checking the progress of these pupils and intervening as necessary.  Pupils with SEND make progress in line with their starting points. Those with complex needs receive help from skilled teaching assistants so that they make strong progress.  The improvements in reading in Years 7 and 8 are substantial. This helps pupils cope with the changing demands in the curriculum from the beginning of their time in school. However, there is not yet a holistic approach to literacy.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils at Chances alternative provision attend for six weeks to help them modify behaviour issues. Pupils do well at this facility and return to the main school with better attitudes. Other alternative providers, such as Waves Multi-Academy Trust, deal with pupils with more complex needs who need the highly specialised support available. Other facilities, such as equestrian support, is used when necessary.  There are just 5% of pupils who do not enter further education, employment or training, post-16.

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

 The leader of the sixth form is working closely with the deputy principal and this has strengthened students’ progress since the disappointing results in 2018.  Effective plans and checking have improved those areas where teaching was weaker. Teachers’ expectations are high, and students are responding to this with enthusiasm.  Classes are small, and students appreciate the individual attention that this provides. For many, this is a major reason for staying on at the school.  Students receive strong and effective feedback on their work. Consequently, progress is improving, and students are on track to achieve their potential.  There is a link with Falmouth University, and Year 14 students can take a foundation degree in art and design, for which there are several applications.  There are effective assessment procedures, which include analytical marking. When students fall behind, leaders intervene and work with parents and other agencies to

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

ensure that students catch up swiftly. There are bespoke packages for students, dependent on need.  Students can study a broad range of subjects. Leaders have streamlined the choice of subjects, especially when results in certain courses have not been good enough, but this has not limited the offer overall.  The 16 to 19 study programme is comprehensive. Students in Year 12 go on work experience and learn employability skills through their personal, social, health and economic education. Good links exist with local and national businesses as well as universities. Students value the experiences and information that this provides.  Students’ conduct is courteous always and attendance is high.  Success rates in the level 2 retakes are strong in English but less so in mathematics.  Safeguarding is secure. Students keep themselves safe in similar ways to those in the main school. Students, including the most vulnerable, feel safe and know to whom to

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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

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

Website http://www.kingedwardvi.devon.sch.uk/

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School details

Email address administration@kingedwardvi.devon.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection November 2013

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Information about this school

 King Edward VI Community College is an average-sized secondary school.  The school is a foundation school and a member of the cooperative trust and the Dart Valley Learning Trust.  There are more girls than boys in the school.  The proportion of pupils who qualify for pupil premium is slightly lower than average.  There is a greater proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan than average but a lower proportion of pupils with SEND.  The school uses Chances and Wave Multi-Academy Trust as alternative providers for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons, jointly with senior leaders.  A wide sample of pupils’ work was scrutinised.  Inspectors talked with groups of pupils from key stages 3, 4, and 5, as well as with other pupils informally across the site.  Meetings were held with the principal, senior and middle leaders and members of the governing body.  Documentary and other types of information were evaluated, including evidence relating to safeguarding and school evaluation.  Inspectors took account of the 216 responses and 199 comments on the online Parent View survey, the 57 responses to the online pupil survey and the 87 responses to the staff online survey.

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Inspection team

Kathy Maddocks, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ann Cox 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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