Backwell School

Inspection of Backwell School Station Road, Backwell, Bristol BS48 3BX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The previous ‘outstanding’ judgement reflected the school’s overall effectiveness in May 2013 under the relevant inspection framework at that time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

The new judgement of ‘good’ reflects the current inspection framework as well as any changes at the school since the last inspection.

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Overall effectiveness Good

The school has not been inspected for six years, which is longer than the five-year maximum interval between inspections. Changes in school effectiveness may have happened at any point in that period. The long time between inspections is because the law changed in 2011; it made outstanding schools exempt from routine inspection. 28–29 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Backwell is a school that has many strengths. Pupils say that it is a positive place to be. They feel safe and well looked after.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the expectations that teachers have of them. Both staff and pupils say that the recent changes to the way behaviour is managed have had a positive effect. However, because there is now greater clarity, pupils notice more when teachers do not follow this new approach.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respect and understand diversity. They talk about such issues in a sensible and considered way. Pupils say that the school does not tolerate bullying. Staff are available to talk to if they have any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Overall, pupils achieve well by the end of Year 11. However, leaders are aware of the subjects that are not as strong and have plans in place to tackle this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders balance their ambition for high academic standards with an emphasis on developing pupils’ personal development. Staff want pupils to develop resilience and respect. The strong and varied extra-curricular programme makes a major contribution, encouraging pupils to participate and become resilient to challenge. Pupils also use their effective learning in music outside of the classroom to take part in accomplished musical performances.

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better?

Leaders have responded to the dip in the progress that pupils made at key stage 4 in 2019 positively and with resolve. They have used this as an opportunity to take stock of what they do well and how they can improve further.

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better?

Pupils follow a broad curriculum in key stage 3 and have a wide choice of subjects in key stage 4. Many pupils continue to study the suite of subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate. Leaders equally value creative subjects. In key stage 5, students have an extensive choice of subjects and, where necessary, partner with other schools.

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better?

Subject leaders have the knowledge to plan what pupils need to learn. Where this is stronger, pupils successfully expand the scope of their knowledge. Teaching guides pupils to think back to what they already know to help them. In history, pupils learn to think and write like historians. For example, pupils can talk with confidence about child labour during the industrial revolution. They understand the implications of the increased movement from the countryside to the towns and the growth of factories. Using this strong supporting knowledge, pupils can make perceptive comments about the reliability of historical sources.

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better?

However, in some areas of the curriculum, leaders’ plans are not so clear or well organised. While pupils happily complete the activities that are set for them, they 28–29 January 2020

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are not able to connect their learning to what they have done before. At times, pupils move on before they have fully grasped an aspect of their learning.

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Leaders now expect more of subject leaders. However, not all subject leaders have the necessary skills to drive improvement with confidence and rigour. This is also true in the sixth form, where students do not make strong enough progress on A- level courses. There is now a greater focus on this phase to encourage students to read more widely and organise their notes more effectively.

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Leaders have strengthened the support in place for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The new special educational needs coordinator is an effective advocate for the needs of such pupils. She supports teachers to help them plan more astutely for the needs of both pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. There is already some strong practice emerging, but this is not as widespread as it needs to be. This is a view echoed by a minority of parents who responded to Parent View.

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Typically, pupils behave and concentrate well in lessons. The relationships that exist between pupils and staff are warm and good humoured. Classrooms are places where pupils can discuss ideas, consider current affairs and reflect on advice about how to stay healthy. Yet, at times, teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils. Where this is so, pupils’ work is often unfinished or completed in a cursory way.

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Leaders organise high-quality events where pupils can find out about the options open to them in further education or training. Students in the sixth form receive good advice about how to apply to university. Consequently, many students receive offers from highly competitive universities.

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Trust leaders and governors work positively with school leaders. Governors are well informed and ask questions of school leaders. At times, however, they do not probe deeply enough or share their insight widely enough within the governing body.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders train staff to be vigilant for the signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Staff are aware of the dangers that pupils might encounter outside school. They help pupils to be alert to these. For example, pupils learn about the dangers of knife crime and ‘county lines’. Staff know that if they are in doubt, ‘Just report it.’

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Safeguarding

Leaders have improved systems to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. Staff work positively with parents, informing them of the number of sessions missed and emphasising how this will have an impact on pupils’ learning. 28–29 January 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is disparity in how well subject leaders drive improvement in their areas of responsibility. Consequently, pupils do not make as strong progress in some subjects as they do in others, including in the sixth form. Senior leaders need to ensure that all subject leaders have the skill and expertise to have a consistent impact on improving standards.  Not all subject leaders have fully planned what pupils will learn and when. As a result, pupils do not securely develop their knowledge and understanding in some subjects. Leaders need to continue to share strong practice so that there is a well-constructed curriculum across all subjects.  Where teaching is less effective, teachers do not adapt their plans when it would benefit pupils to do so. This means that some pupils do not understand fully before they move on, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. Teachers need to check carefully what pupils can do and remember and support

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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 are the school and you are 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. 28–29 January 2020

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1734

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 22–23 May 2013

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Information about this school

 In January 2018, Backwell School joined the Lighthouse Schools Partnership multi-academy trust. The trust consists of three secondary schools and 20 primary schools.  The school uses alternative provision provided by the hospital school and the local authority alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The previous ‘outstanding’ judgement reflected the school’s overall effectiveness in May 2013 under the relevant inspection framework at that time.

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Information about this inspection

The new judgement of ‘good’ reflects the current inspection framework as well as any changes at the school since the last inspection. 28–29 January 2020

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The school has not been inspected for six years, which is longer than the five-year maximum interval between inspections under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Changes in school effectiveness may have happened at any point in that period. The long time between inspections is because the law changed in 2011; it made most outstanding schools exempt from routine inspection.

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 Inspectors met with the chair of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer. Inspectors also met with senior leaders, pastoral leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and a group of staff.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: English, geography, modern foreign languages, music and science. Inspectors discussed the curriculum design with leaders, carried out lesson visits, scrutinised pupils’ work and spoke to pupils and teachers from the lessons visited.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding, checked the schools’ single central record and scrutinised policies relating to safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour. An inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and reviewed a sample of case files.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Inspectors spoke with pupils, both formally and informally, to discuss their views

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about their school.  Inspectors considered 211 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Sarah McGinnis, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Frances Gormley Ofsted Inspector 28–29 January 2020

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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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