Carrington School

The Warwick School Noke Drive, Redhill, Surrey RH1 4AD

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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

 Since the school has become an academy, leaders and governors have not improved the school sufficiently. The implementation of development plans has been slowed by high rates of staff absence.  The quality of teaching is too inconsistent, partly because temporary teachers do not know pupils well enough to plan lessons to meet their needs.  Teachers do not consistently communicate high expectations of the standard of work that they want pupils to achieve or of the way in which it should be presented. Consequently, some pupils’ work is incomplete and books are very untidy.  Low-level disruption slows pupils’ learning in some classes.  Governors provide leaders with valuable support but are not effective in holding leaders to account on the progress that pupils make.  Leaders have started to improve pupils’ attendance but, for some groups, absence remains too high. Attendance is below average for secondary schools with a similar level of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

deprivation.  Teachers do not consistently plan lessons to bring about rapid improvement in the progress of boys, disadvantaged pupils and the most able pupils.  Leaders’ plans for the use of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have not been effective. Leaders have not measured the impact of their actions rigorously enough.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The new headteacher is ambitious for the school, and has gained the respect of the majority of staff who remain.  The chief executive officer (CEO) and trustees of the multi-academy trust provide valuable support and an appropriate level of challenge to the school leaders.  Pupils’ behaviour around the school is calm and orderly. Pupils care for their environment and for one another.  Pupils enjoy school. The relationships between staff and pupils are very positive and the pupils feel well cared for.  The support available to pupils when making choices for the next steps in their education is very effective.  Leaders and governors ensure that pupils are safe in school. Pupils feel safe and their parents are confident the school is a safe place.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better and all groups of pupils achieve well, by: – raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve and ensuring that teachers do not accept work of a lower standard than that of which pupils are capable – planning lessons to meet the needs of different groups of pupils, particularly boys, disadvantaged pupils and the most able pupils.  Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare, by: – increasing the rate of attendance of pupils, especially of those who are disadvantaged and pupils who have SEND – eliminating low-level disruption in lessons.  Improve pupils’ outcomes, by: – sharing strategies that are beginning to improve the outcomes or boys, those who are disadvantaged and the most able pupils across all subjects – measuring the impact of interventions and taking action rapidly when pupils are not making the progress expected.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management, by: – rapidly inducting new leaders so that they are effective in their roles – continuing to implement and thoroughly evaluate the impact of plans to improve pupils’ outcomes – strengthening governance to enable governors to hold school leaders to account for pupils’ outcomes more effectively – using the good practice found in other schools in the multi-academy trust and the support of external agencies for subjects where improvement is of highest priority.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The headteacher who joined the school at the start of the year quickly understood the need to make significant improvements. She has accurately prioritised areas that require the most attention and planned accordingly. Plans have been slow to implement because of the unusually high amount of staff absence among leaders and teachers.  Previously, leaders had not used the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively. Leaders were vague about the impact of the actions taken to ease the learning difficulties that some disadvantaged pupils face. A new leader with responsibility to champion the needs of disadvantaged pupils has now been appointed.  Leaders are not thoroughly evaluating the success of their actions when they are introducing or modifying their plans for change. Consequently, some staff feel that new policies and procedures are introduced but not embedded before further change is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

imposed.  Some subject leaders have not recognised the need to improve the quality of teaching urgently in their colleagues’ lessons. New subject and faculty leaders have helped to bring about a change in attitudes and highly-valued internal training is improving middle leaders’ skills.  Senior leaders’ capacity to implement plans for improvement has slightly improved with the recent appointment and training of a strong group of middle leaders. Middle leaders are enthusiastic for change as senior leaders have involved them in decision- making and planning. They are committed to ensuring that pupils achieve well.  Leaders review the school’s curriculum every year to ensure that it meets the needs of pupils in the cohort. The curriculum for the current key stage 3 is broad and balanced and the range of choices for key stage 4 meets the needs of pupils from their different starting points. A recent review of the curriculum has resulted in the introduction of a

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

course for all pupils to further their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and to raise aspirations of the most able.  The curriculum is enriched with a wide range of extra-curricular activities that are enjoyed by pupils. Pupils told us that they enjoy sports clubs, music and residential trips.  Senior leaders’ programme of assemblies is planned to prepare pupils to become well- informed citizens. Pupils are knowledgeable about British values, and equality and discrimination.  The provision for pupils with SEND is highly valued by some parents who feel that their children are thriving. However, leaders have been prevented from having an effective overview of the outcomes of pupils with SEND because of staff absence.  The headteacher has gained the confidence of parents by communicating her ambition for the school. A parent who contacted inspectors during the inspection reflected the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

views of others by commenting, ‘I had some reservations about the school prior to my child joining in September 2018, but the new headteacher seems to be aware of what needs to be improved and is taking steps to make positive changes.’  Teachers and support staff who met with inspectors recognise the challenges that the headteacher has experienced this year. They understand that there is a need to improve the outcomes for pupils and are confident that the plans ready to launch at the start of next term, with the recent appointments of staff to lead them, will be successful.  Staff appreciate the commitment that leaders have to easing workload. Staff recognise that new approaches to the meetings structure and managing behaviour have been planned with reducing workload in mind.  The headteacher has improved the reputation of the school in the local community. The number of pupils joining the school in Year 7 this September is the largest for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

many years and the number on roll overall continues to increase.

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Governance of the school

 The CEO, trustees and local governors of the multi-academy trust work together to clearly define the responsibilities of each group so that everyone understands what is expected of them.  The CEO and trustees have sensitively supported the headteacher through some challenges that she faced when joining the school and have stabilised the school’s finances. As a result, despite the difficulties with recruitment, the headteacher has been able to appoint a large group of leaders and subject-specialist teachers to start in September.  Members of the local governing body are experienced and committed to the school’s improvement. While they have a broad understanding of the pupils’ outcomes , they have not sufficiently held the headteacher to account for the progress of specific groups of pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school has a culture of vigilance, led by the safeguarding team.  Leaders make the necessary checks when appointing staff and check visitors on arrival. Consequently, pupils feel safe in school and they feel confident that there is a member of staff that they can talk to if they feel worried.  Staff are well-trained to fulfil their responsibilities relating to safeguarding. They are quick to recognise the pupils who cause concern and to work with external agencies when necessary. Leaders are persistent when families need support from the local authority.  Leaders ensure that pupils are safe when studying off site. They have put systems in place to monitor attendance and rapidly send parents alerts if pupils have not arrived on days when they should be present at the alternative provision.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 During the past year, many lessons have been taught by temporary teachers or those who do not have expertise in the subjects that they are teaching. Pupils’ engagement in lessons has deteriorated and this has had a negative impact on some pupils’ learning.  The quality of teaching varies between subjects and individual teachers. Some staff plan tasks that are closely matched to pupils’ individual starting points and ensure that pupils remain engaged throughout the lesson and complete work that is of a good standard.  Many staff typically have low expectations of pupils. Pupils are not clear about what they are aiming to achieve and sometimes do not understand the purpose of the tasks that they are asked to complete. Work is often incomplete because pupils have either given up or become bored and chat to their peers. Teachers do not address pupils’ off- task behaviour quickly enough.  Teachers who demonstrate strong subject knowledge are well respected by the pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

Teachers use their professional skills effectively to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Pupils describe such lessons as the ones that they enjoy and in which they learn most.  The extent to which teachers challenge the most able pupils varies because some teachers do not use the information on pupils’ prior attainment. In some mathematics lessons, for example, Year 10 pupils were all engaged and made good progress because the questions that they were asked challenged them at an appropriate level. On the contrary, in a science lesson, Year 7 pupils were set work that had no additional challenge for the most able pupils or additional support for those who were slow to understand. Pupils quickly became disengaged and low-level disruption prevented some pupils from concentrating.  In some lessons, teachers do not provide sufficient support for pupils with SEND and, therefore, this group is not making consistently good progress. Where additional adults

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

in lessons have high expectations and are focused on pupils’ progress, the pupils achieve well.  There are examples of teachers providing pupils with effective feedback on their work, in line with the school’s marking and feedback policy. Where this occurs, pupils respond well and use their teachers’ advice to improve the standard of their work. However, teachers’ application of the policy is too inconsistent. There are examples of pupils’ books that are rarely checked by teachers, or where the feedback given is not helpful.  Additional adults in lessons are effective in helping to keep pupils on task and focus on completing work in the time available.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils feel that they are cared for well by teachers and pastoral staff. In addition, leaders employ counsellors and a school nurse to support pupils’ mental and physical health. Pupils feel that there is a trusted adult they can go to for advice and know where to find help and support when needed.  Pastoral leaders are quick to recognise pupils’ vulnerabilities. They target some of the more vulnerable pupils to take part in activities that build confidence and raise self- esteem.  Pupils who are educated off site are supported well by staff who check that they are safe, attending regularly and making progress with their learning.  Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through a comprehensive programme of personal, social and health education taught in lessons and assemblies. Consequently, pupils are knowledgeable about risks to their well-being from substance abuse, online

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Personal development and welfare

dangers, and people who intend to harm. Pupils were able to tell us of lessons about protecting them from dangers in their local community and beyond. They are confident that they are taught skills that will be valuable throughout their lives.  A small number of the parents who took the opportunity to submit comments on the Ofsted survey raised concerns about bullying and some younger pupils suggested that bullying occurs in school. The school monitors pupils’ behaviour very carefully and the data shows that there has been a dramatic reduction of incidents of bullying this year.  Careers information, advice and guidance are strengths of the school. Pupils are supported well to think about their aspirations and interests when choosing subjects to study. Pupils rely on assemblies, a careers fair, visits to local colleges, talks about apprenticeships and individual interviews to help them make the best choice when they

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils are polite and respectful to one another. During the inspection, they were keen to talk to us and tell us how they enjoyed school. Pupils care for their environment.  Pupils behave maturely around the school. There is a calm, purposeful atmosphere during break and lunchtimes. Pupils conducted themselves particularly well considering that the school is undergoing a major building project and some areas are inaccessible.  Pupils do not always demonstrate good attitudes to learning in some lessons. Typically, this occurs in lessons where teaching is not matched to pupils’ individual needs or teachers do not clearly communicate high expectations for work and behaviour. Pupils quickly become disengaged and low-level disruption slows their progress and that of their peers.  Some pupils’ books provide a good record of their work that is useful when preparing

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Behaviour

for assessments. However, some pupils take little pride in their work. In some subjects, some pupils’ books are scruffy, work is incomplete or missing and handwriting is barely legible.  The number of fixed-term exclusions given to pupils this year has remained above the national average. Leaders attribute this to having less tolerance of poor behaviour. Pupils are aware that leaders now have higher expectations than previously for pupils’ behaviour and that sanctions are more consistently applied.  Pupils’ attendance overall is slightly below the national average. Leaders have not yet made a significant impact on improving the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Senior leaders have trained pastoral leaders to implement robust strategies to improve attendance and have recently appointed a member of staff to work with families who need additional support.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 In recent years, by the end of Year 11, pupils have not made enough progress in a range of subjects. In 2018, pupils’ overall rate of progress was below the national average. Disadvantaged pupils and the most able pupils have not made the progress that they are capable of. Boys’ rate of progress was much less strong than that of other pupils nationally.  The school’s performance information shows that the current Year 11 pupils’ progress will likely be similar to that of last year. Leaders attribute this to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching over time and staff absence in the past year.  The most able pupils currently are making better rates of progress than previously but this is too variable across subjects and within subjects. In lessons where teachers have planned tasks to develop pupils’ wide knowledge and deepen understanding the response from the most able pupils is excellent and good progress is evident.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Overall, pupils in key stage 3 are beginning to make faster progress. The progress of disadvantaged pupils is steadily improving in Year 7 and Year 8. Where there is strong subject-specialist teaching, as in mathematics, art, geography and physical education, pupils are making good progress.  Teachers have taken decisive actions to improve the progress rates of boys. These have started to have a positive impact on the progress that boys are making, especially in English.  Some pupils who join the school in Year 7 with low standards in literacy and numeracy participate in a programme to enable them to rapidly catch up. Monitoring of the overall impact of the scheme has been hampered by staff absence but teachers believe that it is effective.  Overall, pupils with SEND are not making consistently good progress. Where additional adults in lessons have high expectations and are focused on pupils’ progress the pupils

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

achieve well.  Pupils who study off-site at the school’s alternative provision or at the local further education college are making better progress than they were previously.  Following a thorough analysis of pupils’ rates of progress across all years, leaders are making changes to teaching arrangements from next term. Plans are in place to ensure that the most able pupils are appropriately challenged and that all pupils can readily receive the support they need. Staff are keen to see the changes introduced.  Pupils are well prepared for their next steps. The majority of pupils progress to sixth- form colleges or colleges of further education to continue studying post-16. A small number go straight into apprenticeships. Pupils who take vocational courses at a college of further education during key stage 4 have good opportunities to continue to a higher level when they leave 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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://www.warwick.surrey.sch.uk

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School details

Email address mail@warwick.surrey.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The Warwick School is an 11 to 16 average-sized comprehensive school in Redhill town centre.  The school converted to an academy in January 2017, and formed the South East Surrey Schools Education Trust, a multi-academy trust with two other local secondary schools (Therfied School and The Ashcombe School). The CEO is the headteacher of The Ashcombe School.  The school is responsible for Route 4, an alternative provision for 20 pupils in Years 10 and 11. The provision is funded by the five schools that use it, with support from the local authority.  Some pupils in Years 10 and 11 attend East Surrey College of Further Education on a part-time basis to study vocational options.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 58 lessons and attended eight tutor periods. Almost all visits were carried out jointly with school leaders.  Meetings were held with leaders responsible for various aspects of the school’s work, including safeguarding, teaching and learning, the curriculum, behaviour and attendance, and careers.  Inspectors also met with leaders responsible for the progress of pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils, and those in Year 7 who need additional help to catch up.  The lead inspector held discussions with the headteacher, as well as with the chair and a representative of the local board, the chair of the board of trustees and the CEO of the South East Surrey Schools Education Trust.  The views of staff were taken into account by holding meetings with different groups including middle leaders, experienced teachers, newly qualified teachers and support staff, and by analysing the 63 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Information about this inspection

 The views of pupils were taken into account through informal conversations and formal meetings.  Inspectors reviewed the 121 responses and 100 written comments to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.  Inspectors scrutinised a sample of pupils’ work and reviewed a range of documents made available by the school, including leaders’ self-evaluation and the school improvement plan.  Telephone conversations were held with representatives of the alternative providers. Inspectors reviewed safeguarding procedures at the school by scrutinising documents, examining staff recruitment practices and meeting two of the school’s designated safeguarding leads.

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Inspection team

Karen Roche, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Frederick Valletta 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

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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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