Bilton School

Inspection of Bilton School Lawford Lane, Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7JT

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected 1–2 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and staff told us that this school has ‘improved so much’ since it became an academy. Leaders want all pupils to do their best and leave their school as well-rounded people. Leaders have introduced a new curriculum, employed new teachers and improved pupils’ behaviour. Now, lessons are usually free from disruptions and pupils get on with their work. Relationships between staff and pupils and among pupils are generally positive. Bullying is now rare, and staff deal promptly with any bullying that does occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are serious weaknesses in keeping pupils safe. Leaders have not ensured that safeguarding procedures are understood by all staff. Some staff do not refer on concerns about pupils promptly enough. Some teachers do not meet leaders’ expectations and do not always take a register at the start of lessons. This means that leaders cannot be sure who is and is not present.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have regular opportunities to discuss current topics and have debates. They talked of learning about the dangers of knife crime and drug misuse. Pupils spoke highly of whole-school events that have taken place. For example, the entire school completed a race for life event for a cancer charity and raised more than five thousand pounds.

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better?

The headteacher and trust have worked hard to improve the school since it became an academy. They have employed new staff and raised expectations of pupils and what they can achieve. Now pupils more frequently gain the qualifications they need. Leaders have restructured the school’s curriculum. They have placed high importance on the core subjects of English and mathematics. At times, this focus is to the detriment of other curriculum areas, for example modern foreign languages (MFL).

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better?

Some subject plans are well thought out and sequenced. These help teachers to know what pupils should learn. Plans follow a logical order. Therefore, pupils systematically build up their knowledge over time. Teachers adapt plans in these subjects so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do well. Pupils confidently use their skills and achieve well. This works well in English, for example. Here teachers focus on improving pupils’ vocabulary. Pupils then use the vocabulary from one topic and apply it in the next one.

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better?

Leaders have not ensured that all subject plans are as detailed or well structured as they could be. They do not make clear what pupils should learn and in what order. This does not support teachers to help pupils to learn. In Spanish, the skills pupils learn are not sequenced well enough. Pupils are not able to recall their previous learning or use it confidently in the later topics. For example, pupils in Year 11 were 1–2 October 2019

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not able to explain how to form the past tense in Spanish. Pupils have had less time to study the subject content and skills in depth in MFL over time. This is as a result of fewer hours allocated on the timetable.

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Some pupils in Years 7 and 8 do not have the opportunity to learn MFL. These pupils spend more time studying English and mathematics. This means that not all pupils have the opportunity to learn the full breadth of subjects across key stage 3.

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Leaders have introduced a new programme to strengthen pupils’ personal development. Pupils have regular debates about current affairs in tutor time. The new programme does not yet fully support pupils to have a solid understanding of life in modern Britain.

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Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education or employment. Pupils in key stage 3 have effective support when choosing their GCSE option subjects. Leaders invite potential employers and higher education providers into school. Pupils in key stage 4 make informed decisions about their future.

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Subject leaders plan assessments in their subject areas. Some have planned for pupils to sit tests at least twice per half-term. These assessments are not always planned well enough. They do not help teachers understand what pupils know, or what they need to catch up on. Teachers find this excessive as it adds to their workload.

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Leaders have completely reformed the sixth form. They have thought carefully about what subjects to offer. Students now follow appropriate courses matched to their interests and abilities. They achieve very well and enjoy the sixth form. Students would recommend it to their younger peers. Subject plans build on prior knowledge and deepen it further. Teachers build strong relationships with students and share their subject enthusiasm with them. Students take part in work experience and a range of enrichment activities, including volunteering. The sixth form now attracts many more students than in the past.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have not ensured that all staff understand safeguarding procedures. On occasions, staff have waited too long to refer on concerns about pupils. Leaders provided additional training during the inspection. Some teachers do not regularly complete attendance registers as per leaders’ expectations. Therefore, leaders cannot be sure of the whereabouts of some pupils.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding team is currently lacking clear leadership. There is insufficient oversight of vulnerable pupils, which means pupils could be at risk.

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Safeguarding

Leaders complete appropriate checks on all new employees. They keep accurate records. 1–2 October 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not assured themselves that staff understand and follow the school’s safeguarding procedures and policies. As a result, some pupils could have been at risk of harm. Leaders need to make sure that all pupils are safe and that all staff contribute to a culture of safeguarding at the school.  The quality of education is variable. Not all subjects are well planned and/or sequenced. The effectiveness of the plans depends on the quality of the subject leaders. Senior leaders need to assure themselves that all subject plans meet their high aspirations and aims.  Some pupils in key stage 3 do not study the full breadth of the curriculum. This is because leaders have made the decision for some pupils, including those with SEND, not to study MFL. Leaders need to make sure that all pupils have access to a broad and full range of subjects across key stage 3.  Leaders have introduced a new personal development programme. While it is

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

improving the provision, it does not yet sufficiently support pupils’ understanding of being a citizen in modern Britain. Leaders should make sure that all pupils gain sufficient knowledge about life in modern Britain.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 1–2 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10101030 Type of school Secondary

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected as an academy

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Information about this school

 Bilton School converted to become an academy on 1 April 2017. When its predecessor school, Bilton School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate and required special measures overall.  The school is a member of the Stowe Valley Multi-Academy-Trust.  The current headteacher took up post in April 2018.  The school uses ‘North Warwickshire and Hinckley College’, ‘Values Academy’ and ‘NuLogic’ to provide part-time and full-time alternative provision for a small number of pupils.  The school caters for pupils with SEND. These include speech and language needs, social, emotional and behavioural needs, dyslexia and physical disabilities. 1–2 October 2019

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and chief executive officer of the trust, assistant headteachers, subject and middle leaders, teachers, pupils and governors, including the chair of governors. They evaluated school documents, including curriculum plans and school development plans.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s safeguarding arrangements and documentation, including the single central record. They met with the designated safeguarding lead, the safeguarding team and special educational needs coordinator. Inspectors spoke with teaching, kitchen and caretaking staff about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered 34 responses from pupils and 61 responses from staff to Ofsted’s questionnaires. They evaluated 125 responses from parents to the Ofsted Parent View survey.  Inspectors completed various inspection activities to gather evidence on the quality of education. These included lesson visits, looking at pupils’ work and

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Information about this inspection

discussions with subject leaders, teachers and pupils about their learning.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Inspectors spoke to many pupils during the two days of the inspection.  The inspection focused on English, mathematics, science, history and modern foreign languages. All other subjects were considered as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sal Yunus Ofsted Inspector 1–2 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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