Calday Grange Grammar School

Inspection of a good school: Calday Grange Grammar School Grammar School Lane, West Kirby, Wirral, Merseyside CH48 8GG

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Outcome

Calday Grange Grammar School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and they say that they feel safe. They are confident that staff will listen and take care of them. Younger pupils say that older pupils are kind and help them to find their way around school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour during lessons is very good. Teachers motivate pupils to do well. During lessons, most pupils show the highest respect for their teachers. They listen politely to their teacher and the responses from their peers. Pupils can work without distraction. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school corridors and social spaces are calm. Most pupils are confident that staff will deal with incidents of bullying. They say that bullying is rare. Even so, a very small number of pupils have some concerns about how well teachers deal with bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All the pupils that we spoke with appreciate the impressive variety of extra opportunities on offer. Most pupils are working towards the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Many pupils are members of the Combined Cadet Force. They also value the many theatrical productions on offer. Pupils are keen to take part in lunchtime and after-school clubs. For example, pupils can develop their talents in hockey, sailing, fencing, chess, photography, cookery and rugby.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and staff create a highly ambitious culture at Calday Grange Grammar School. Pupils achieve well right across this school. They have high hopes for the future. At the same time, staff encourage pupils to develop a strong sense of social responsibility. Staff speak positively about the support that they receive from senior leaders. Leaders consider the well-being and workload of staff when they make decisions.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Subject leaders have designed the curriculum well. Pupils build on what they have learned already. Teachers have an excellent knowledge of their subject. They present information 25–26 September 2019

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and ideas clearly. Teachers ensure that pupils can revisit the knowledge that is the most useful. This means that pupils can remember important content and apply it to new learning. For example, teachers in Russian and French make sure that pupils revisit important vocabulary regularly.

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Leaders and staff are equally ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND study a wide range of subjects. This group of pupils also receives strong pastoral support. In general, teachers use a variety of information to ensure that they meet the needs of pupils with SEND. However, some teachers do not use this information well enough to adapt the curriculum for this group of pupils.

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Teachers design resources well and pupils complete demanding work. Teachers use assessment to check on pupils’ learning and identify pupils’ mistakes. Most leaders use assessment well to make informed changes to the curriculum. That said, some subject leaders do not use assessment to adapt the curriculum for those pupils who struggle the most.

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Leaders and teachers insist on high standards of behaviour, good manners and respect from all pupils. Pupils are polite and they behave well. Leaders exclude very few pupils from school. During lessons, pupils can focus well on what is being taught. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and they attend well. That said, on occasions, the work of a small number of pupils is not good enough in its quality.

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Through the subject curriculum there are opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures. For instance, in languages, pupils learn about how cultures differ in Russia and China. Pupils are keen to raise money for local and national charities. Pupils benefit from an impressive range of extra-curricular activities and clubs. These include: a jazz band; a Chinese culture club; a quiz club; a rowing club; a radio broadcasting club; and a table tennis club.

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Sixth-form students make a significant contribution to the life of the school. They act as prefects and mentors to younger pupils. Students also contribute to the impressive range of extra-curricular activities. Leaders in sixth form make sure that students have opportunities to contribute positively to society. For example, some sixth-form students regularly visit a local nursing home to spend time with residents. Every year a group of students visit a health-care clinic in Johannesburg to support children and their families.

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In the sixth form, teachers are experts in their subjects. They use assessment well to check on students’ learning. Students achieve well. They are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Leaders have raised further their expectations of students in the sixth form. Students’ attitudes to their studies are highly positive and they attend school more often than in the past.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. If staff have concerns about a pupil, they understand what they must do and the procedures to follow. Pupils say that they can turn to their form tutor if they have concerns. 25–26 September 2019

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Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils learn about the dangers of alcohol and drug misuse. Students in the sixth form learn about how to drive safely.

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Leaders ensure that staff receive relevant safeguarding training. For example, staff have had training on how to support pupils to look after their own mental health.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND. However, some teachers do not adapt the curriculum effectively enough for these pupils. Leaders must ensure that all teachers use the information that they have about pupils with SEND to adapt more carefully how the curriculum is planned and delivered.  Most leaders use assessment well to inform changes to the curriculum. However, some subject leaders do not use assessment effectively enough to adapt the curriculum so that it meets the needs of the least-able pupils. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders use assessment well. This is to inform adaptations to the curriculum so as to support those pupils who struggle the most.  On occasions pupils produce work that is not of high quality. Teachers must ensure that all pupils’ work is of a consistently high standard.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Calday Grange Grammar School to be good on 19–20 January 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 25–26 September 2019

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 25–26 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110977 Type of school Grammar (selective)

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,492

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Date of previous inspection 19–20 January 2016

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.  During the inspection, we spoke with pupils about life at school and their work. We had meetings with senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers, support staff, governors and trustees.  We reviewed documentation, which included leaders’ curriculum plans and leaders’ bullying logs. Information regarding pupils’ and students’ attendance and behaviour was also scrutinised.  We considered the views expressed by parents in the 175 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including comments received via the free-text facility. We 25–26 September 2019

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considered the 99 responses to a questionnaire for staff and the 269 responses to a questionnaire for pupils.  The inspection focused deeply on English, mathematics, history and art. We met with subject leaders, spoke with pupils, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teaching staff. Other subjects were considered as part of the inspection.  We reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding, including the school’s record of checks undertaken on newly appointed staff and support provided for pupils.

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Inspection team

Emma Gregory, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Linda Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 25–26 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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