Taverham High School

Inspection of a good school: Taverham High School Beech Avenue, Taverham, Norwich, Norfolk NR8 6HP

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Outcome

Taverham High School continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like coming to this school because their teachers know them well. The Student Support Centre provides help throughout the school day. Pupils can get information and help, or just find someone to listen to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that behaviour in the school has started to improve. However, learning in some lessons is regularly disrupted by a few of their classmates. Too often, this is because teachers do not adapt learning activities to pupils’ needs or abilities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make good progress in mathematics. This is because teachers know the subject well. They plan lessons that help pupils to learn and use mathematical knowledge effectively. Pupils learn less well in science and English because they have had many changes of teachers. This has recently started to improve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand what bullying is. They said that if they report bullying, teachers usually resolve it quickly. However, some pupils do not report bullying because they think that it might not be dealt with. In contrast, one Year 7 pupil told us, ‘This is a school that finds solutions to problems.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and their parents and carers say there are many clubs and activities in which pupils can take part. Some pupils enjoy the extra-curricular activities at the school, but only about half take part in them.

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

All subject departments are updating their learning plans. Some are further ahead with planning what pupils need to learn than others. The most effective curriculum plans show how each stage of learning builds on what pupils already know. 8–9 October 2019

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When pupils start at the school in Year 7, teachers in subjects such as Spanish and science do not take into account what pupils already know. This means that some pupils are not challenged enough because teachers do not identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. As a result, the progress pupils make is inconsistent.

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Teaching and learning in English and science have not improved enough since the last inspection because pupils have had too many different teachers. However, English teaching has started to improve because teachers who know their subject well have joined the staff.

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Pupils make good progress in mathematics. This is because what they learn helps them to build from simple to more complex ideas. There is a clear plan for developing mathematical skills from Year 7 to Year 13. As a result, many pupils are keen to continue their study of mathematics in the sixth form.

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Subject teachers assess pupils’ progress regularly. However, in many subjects, this information is not used well enough to support teachers’ planning. Teachers do not always revisit learning that pupils find difficult .

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Teachers do not use what they know about the individual needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well enough. Teachers do not routinely adapt activities so that pupils with SEND get the right level of challenge and help. This means that some pupils with SEND do not learn well in all curriculum subjects. Teachers do not support some pupils with SEND to develop positive attitudes or behaviour.

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The headteacher has a clear vision for the school. She has taken particular care to make sure that staff have enough time to make curriculum changes that are needed . Teachers say that the professional development they get helps them to improve their teaching.

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Pupils and teachers understand the new behaviour policy. There has not yet been enough time for it to make a difference. Less experienced teachers need more support to manage behaviour effectively.

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Pupils can choose from a wide range of subjects to study in key stage 4. These match pupils’ interests and prepare them well for the future.

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Leaders plan how to use extra funding to help disadvantaged pupils. They do not check how effective these plans are, so they do not know whether this funding makes a difference . Senior leaders’ support and challenge to subject leaders are inconsistent. Senior leaders and the subject leaders they work with have not checked whether their actions are effective. They do not yet have a clear picture of how well teaching in different subjects helps pupils to learn.

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Sixth-form students told us that their teachers know them well and that the range of courses on offer suits their interests. This is why they choose to stay on at the school. Students achieve well in most subjects. They like the small class sizes and learning alongside well-motivated peers. Students were unanimous in saying that they would recommend the sixth form to others. Students get good help from their teachers if they 8–9 October 2019

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are applying for university. Guidance and advice for students considering an apprenticeship or training programme are less strong.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ checks to ensure that everyone who works in the school is suitable to do so are thorough.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained about keeping children safe. They know how to spot and report concerns. Staff are confident to do so. The designated safeguarding leader works skilfully with various external agencies to make sure that pupils stay safe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe at school because there is always someone for them to talk to. The Student Support Centre is universally recognised by pupils as the ‘go-to’ place if they need help.

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Safeguarding

Governors check regularly that policies and procedures keep pupils safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Improve the skills of all subject leaders to monitor and evaluate how well teachers implement the curriculum plans in the subjects they are responsible for, so that pupils achieve equally well across the curriculum.  Ensure that subject leaders and teachers use assessment information to maintain an accurate understanding of the progress that pupils are making and use this information to plan sequences of learning that build effectively on pupils’ prior learning.  Ensure that teachers adapt activities to meet the needs of pupils with SEND, so that these pupils can access the curriculum, learn well and develop good attitudes to learning.  Ensure that senior leaders challenge and support the subject leaders for whom they are responsible, so that subject leaders accurately monitor and evaluate the work in their departments. The evaluations should be used to identify what is working well and what needs to improve. This information should also contribute to an accurate

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

evaluation of the whole school’s quality of education.  Improve behaviour in the school by equipping less experienced staff with effective strategies for behaviour management, so that they become confident in establishing positive attitudes to learning in their own classrooms. 8–9 October 2019

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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 the school to be good in March 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.

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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. 8–9 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110262 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,188

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form

Date of previous inspection 31 March 2016

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Information about this school

 Taverham High School is a single-academy trust that attracts pupils from the local community on the outskirts of Norwich.  There have been significant changes to staffing since the previous inspection. At the time of this inspection, new subject leaders had recently been appointed in several subject areas.  Approximately one third of Year 11 pupils stay on in the sixth form at the school and the majority of them stay at the school until the end of Year 13.

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Information about this inspection

 During this inspection, inspectors met with school leaders, including governors, and the local authority school improvement adviser and pupils from all year groups, as well as teachers from a range of subjects. 8–9 October 2019

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 Four curriculum subjects were a particular focus during this inspection: mathematics, English, science and Spanish. Inspectors met with the subject leaders, discussed their curriculum planning, visited lessons and evaluated pupils’ work with leaders.  Inspectors met with the pastoral leader to discuss how the school records and monitors behaviour and attendance. In addition, we held discussions about how the school uses this information to improve behaviour in the school.  Inspectors observed pupils at break- and lunchtimes, and met with representative groups of pupils from key stage 3, key stage 4 and the sixth form.  Inspectors checked that the school’s single central record met requirements. In addition, they checked training records and teachers’ understanding of safeguarding and how to report concerns.

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Inspection team

Jenny Carpenter, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Dan Leonard Ofsted Inspector 8–9 October 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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