Rossett School

Rossett School Green Lane, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG2 9JP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders and governors recognise correctly the priorities for improvement. However, they are overambitious in their evaluations of the impact of their actions.  Although middle leaders are realistic in their evaluations of where further improvements need to be made, inconsistencies remain in the effectiveness of their actions.  While teachers’ subject knowledge is generally strong, teachers do not consistently plan learning activities which effectively consider pupils’ prior learning.  The quality of pupils’ work is variable. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can produce is inconsistent. Poor-quality, missing and incomplete work is not consistently challenged by teachers.  Some pupils exhibit poor attitudes towards their learning, which are not always challenged effectively by teachers or leaders.  The guidance teachers provide for pupils to help them to improve is inconsistent. In some examples it is in line with school policies,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

resulting in better progress, in others it is not, and so pupils’ progress is weaker.  In the past, pupils who are disadvantaged have not made strong progress and have underachieved considerably. Although their progress is now beginning to improve, this is at an early stage.  Although pupils’ attendance overall remains above the national average, it has declined. The attendance of those pupils who are disadvantaged has not improved and remains below that of other pupils in the school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have developed thorough systems for checking on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. These systems help leaders to identify the professional development needs of staff.  The sixth form, and leadership of it, are strengths of the school.  The school’s work to develop the oracy and literacy skills of pupils is a growing strength. Pupils are confident and articulate.  Leaders are conscious of the need to develop the curriculum so that it meets the needs of all pupils. They review it annually to ensure that it does.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and hence pupils’ outcomes by: – ensuring that teachers plan learning activities which consider the prior learning of pupils and provide them with appropriate challenge – ensuring that teachers’ expectations of pupils are consistently high so that the quality of pupils’ work improves – ensuring that school policies on providing guidance to pupils, so that they improve their work, is consistently applied both across and within all subjects – ensuring that those pupils who are disadvantaged receive the support they need in the classroom, so that they make stronger progress.  Improve the quality of personal development, behaviour and welfare by: – ensuring that all pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning and where this is not the case, they are effectively challenged by teachers and leaders – improving the attendance of those pupils who are disadvantaged so that they do not

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

have gaps in their learning and knowledge because of their absence.  Improve the quality of leadership and management by: – ensuring that senior leaders and governors use their well-developed systems and structures, to arrive at realistic evaluations which will guide them towards an accurate view of the priorities for improvement – continuing to develop middle leaders so that they can use their considerable skills more effectively, to ensure that school policies are translated into practice consistently.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Senior leaders and governors have correctly identified priorities for improvement. However, they are overly optimistic in their evaluation of the impact their current actions are having on making the improvements which are necessary.  Leaders have ensured that there are reliable systems to identify the development needs of teachers. However, the actions leaders have taken using this information have not improved the overall quality of teaching, learning and assessment quickly enough.  Although senior leaders identify the process of recruitment of new leaders and governors over time as a barrier to rapid improvement, several governors, middle and senior leaders have been in post long enough to have had the impact required. Leaders’ actions have been too slow in coming, and consequently many improvements which are now being made are at an early stage.  Middle leaders benefit from a wide range of professional development opportunities.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

However, these leaders are at different stages in their development and currently their actions to make the improvements required are inconsistent.  School policies for providing pupils with the guidance they need to improve, are both clear and appropriate. However, leaders have not ensured that these policies are consistently applied both across and within subjects.  Pupils and students are complimentary about the support leaders provide to help everyone improve. However, pupils and students also report that they do not see all the senior leaders around the school as often as they would like to.  Leaders make good use of the support available to them through the Red Kite Teaching School Alliance. The alliance provides school improvement advice and professional reviews of important areas of the school’s work.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are passionate about making improvements to the school. They are closely involved with school leadership and are knowledgeable about the priorities for improvement.  Governors hold leaders to account for the use of additional funding such as that provided for those pupils who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, governors are aware that further work is required to improve the achievement and attendance of disadvantaged pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  School leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that those pupils who are vulnerable are safe and receive the appropriate support they may need while attending school.  The single central register which records the checks required on all adults in school to ensure that they are safe to work with children is thorough and compliant with all the legal requirements. School records are detailed, including the processes the school carries out when recruiting new staff.  Staff and governors are regularly and appropriately trained, including annual updates and training which relates to any local concerns or issues.  There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Pupils report that they feel safe and that they are confident that staff will support them and help them effectively if they have any concerns.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Where teachers use their subject knowledge to provide learning tasks which challenge pupils, this deepens their understanding. However, when pupils are not provided with such challenge, they do not make the progress they are capable of.  When learning activities closely match the prior learning and knowledge of pupils, they make rapid progress. Where activities are less closely matched to their prior learning and knowledge, pupils’ progress is either slower or limited if the work set for them is too easy.  Where very clear advice and guidance is provided to pupils in line with school policy, some pupils make use of clear steps for learning to improve their work. However, there are examples where such advice and guidance are inconsistent in quality, both within and across subjects. Consequently, the improvements and progress some pupils make is variable and inconsistent too.  While the quality of teaching is improving in mathematics through the school’s work on

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

mathematics mastery, it remains inconsistent in its quality. Teachers are working hard to improve the mathematical, reasoning and problem-solving skills of pupils. However, the impact of their actions is variable across and within year groups.  The quality and presentation of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and science is variable. While many pupils take pride in the presentation of their books and produce high-quality work, there are some pupils who do not. Where poor-quality presentation and work does exist, teachers do not universally and effectively challenge this, consequently, for some pupils, this poor standard of work becomes routine.  A minority of pupils exhibit poor attitudes towards their learning. Where these attitudes are effectively challenged, pupils are quick to respond and reengage with their learning appropriately. Where they are not so effectively challenged, pupils do meet the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

minimum expectations of teachers and opportunities to make improved progress are missed.  Although the progress of those pupils who are disadvantaged is beginning to improve, these improvements are at an early stage. Leaders have recognised that the quality of support that disadvantaged pupils receive in the classroom requires improvement, and consequently there is a renewed focus on this area of the school’s practice.  Those pupils with SEND and many of those who are most able are now making stronger progress. Those with SEND benefit from the high-quality support they receive in the classroom. Those who are most able benefit from challenging tasks and skilful questioning from their teachers, which deepens their learning and understanding.  Leaders have ensured that several initiatives are in place which are aimed at improving the literacy skills of pupils, such as intervention sessions, reading programmes and, in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

some subjects, the development of pupils’ literacy through extended writing tasks. However, opportunities are missed across a wide range of subjects to develop pupils’ literacy skills further, for example where spelling, punctuation and grammatical mistakes remain unchecked and not corrected.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Pupils are generally respectful of each other, they are polite to staff and visitors alike. They speak highly of their school and would recommend it to others.  Most pupils wear their uniform with pride and meet the expectations of leaders. However, a minority of pupils do not, and this is not always effectively challenged by leaders and staff.  There is a well-developed personal, social, health and economic programme which is delivered to pupils through taught lessons, assemblies and form tutor sessions. However, the quality and delivery of form tutor sessions is inconsistent.  Leaders have ensured that the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of pupils is effectively catered for. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to engage with, including educational visits, cultural experiences, sporting activities, clubs

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Personal development and welfare

and societies.  The school works collaboratively with other schools and with alternative curriculum providers in the local area and beyond. This is a strength of the school, and leaders are justifiably proud of the work being done to reengage pupils in their learning and prevent them from being excluded.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Most pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. However, a minority of pupils are not so positive. Consequently, their work is of a lower quality and their learning does not result in the progress they are capable of.  Pupils report that although behaviour in their lessons mostly allows them to focus on their learning, there is room for improvement. A small minority of pupils also report that behaviour around the school needs more improvement, particularly the boisterous behaviour of older pupils towards younger pupils.  Leaders have recently renewed their focus on raising standards of behaviour. Consequently, levels of exclusion increased, but now are reducing to levels below the national average. This includes the level of exclusion for those pupils who are disadvantaged and those with SEND.  Overall attendance is above the national average but has declined from the previous

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Behaviour

academic year. However, the attendance of those pupils who are disadvantaged remains a concern. Despite leaders’ actions, the attendance of those pupils who are disadvantaged has not improved over the past two years.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 In 2018 the attainment of Year 11 pupils in their GCSE examinations in English and mathematics was broadly average. However, those pupils who are most able and those who are disadvantaged made less progress in mathematics than their peers nationally, who had similar starting points. In addition, those pupils who are disadvantaged made less progress in English than their peers nationally, who had similar starting points.  In 2018, overall Year 11 pupils made progress in line with the national average. However, the progress which these pupils made in mathematics was significantly below that of others nationally, who had similar starting points.  In 2018, across a wide range of subjects, including English, mathematics and science, those pupils in Year 11 who were disadvantaged made significantly less progress than their peers nationally who had similar starting points.  The progress of current pupils is improving overall. However, because of

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

inconsistencies in teaching, learning and assessment, the amount of progress pupils make is variable.  Those pupils who are disadvantaged are beginning to make better progress than they have in the past and leaders now have increased confidence in the reliability of school information, which allows them to identify the support these pupils need. However, the actions taken to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make better progress are relatively recent and signs of impact on their progress are at an early stage. Consequently, their progress is not consistently strong.  In mathematics, the work the school has engaged in, with mathematics mastery projects with other schools, is beginning to show a positive impact on the standards pupils reach. Those pupils who are disadvantaged are making stronger progress in mathematics than they have in the past compared to other pupils nationally who have similar starting points.

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

 Leadership of the sixth form is good. Leaders have high expectations of students and ensure that the knowledge leaders have of students’ current progress allows them to act quickly when students’ achievement falls below expectations.  Students follow programmes of learning which closely meet their needs. They feel very well supported when making their choices for post-16 study and equally well supported as they prepare for their next steps after they leave the sixth form.  Teaching, learning and assessment in the sixth form is good, as evidenced through school information and the strong progress students are now making. Leaders have identified weaker areas, such as the achievement of those students who are most able, and have acted effectively to make any necessary improvements.  The small number of students who study vocational subjects make good progress in their studies.  Students report that the advice they are given when choosing subjects to study and

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

when making decisions about future learning and career routes is informative and helpful.  The development of students’ employability skills is a strong feature of the sixth form provision. Students report there are numerous opportunities to develop their employability skills through work experience, and through the personal development programmes the school offers them. During the inspection, a high-quality careers event took place where students had the opportunity to learn about further education and training courses, for example.  Students are safe in the school. They benefit from a comprehensive personal development programme which allows for discussion on how to stay safe, community issues and British values. This promotes a culture of tolerance and respect. Students are also encouraged to become role models for the younger pupils and get involved in learning projects in the lower school as support for teachers.

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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

Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1433

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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

Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Helen Woodcock

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School details

Email address hwoodcock@rossettschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger than average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is lower than average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average. The proportion who have an education, health and care plan is below average.  The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The majority of pupils speak English as a first language.  A small number of pupils attend a range of alternative provisions, including Veloheads, Country Classrooms, Hunslet Club and Elland Academy, which offer vocational and applied curriculum subjects.  The school is an active member of the Red Kite Teaching School Alliance (TSA).  The school offers support to partner schools and receives support from leaders and partner schools within the teaching school alliance.  Rossett High School converted to become Rossett School, an academy, in July 2011. Responsibility for the school rests with the academy trustees, who form the governing

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 55 lessons and five form tutor sessions, some jointly with senior leaders.  Discussions were held with senior and middle leaders, other staff and representatives from the Red Kite TSA.  The lead inspector met with the chair and members of the governing body.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in lessons and a sample of pupils’ workbooks.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour before school, during lessons, around school, during form tutor sessions, at breaktime and at lunchtime.  Inspectors held discussions with the managers of the local authority pupil referral unit and virtual school.  Inspectors spoke with pupils in discussion groups and informally around school.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation, its improvement plans, information about the attainment and progress of all pupils, records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding and information on

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Inspection team

Barry Found, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Robert Jones 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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