Setting

Ruth England Headteacher Shuttleworth College Bury Road Padiham Burnley Lancashire BB12 8ST

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Shuttleworth College

Following my remote inspection with Amanda Stringer, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 23 March 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Shuttleworth College

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require improvement.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Shuttleworth College

This monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on- site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Shuttleworth College

The inspection took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in June 2018.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Shuttleworth College

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 further develop the school’s approach to help the weakest readers so that staff identify and support pupils who may have gaps in their phonics knowledge

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 ensure that the design and delivery of new subject curriculums continue to be reviewed so leaders can make further improvements to pupils’ education.

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Context

 Since the last monitoring inspection in October 2019, a deputy headteacher left the school. Two middle leaders have become assistant headteachers. A small number of teachers have joined the school as the number of pupils on roll has continued to grow. A new chair of governors has been appointed.

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Context

 More than nine out of ten pupils were educated at home in the spring term before the school reopened to all pupils. Approximately one half of vulnerable pupils were educated on site for some time during this period. Almost one half of pupils with an education, health and care plan were taught on site for all of this period.

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Context

 At the time of the inspection, most pupils were attending on site. A small proportion of pupils had not yet returned to school because they, or a family member, were continuing to shield or were worried about the pandemic.

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Context

 A small number of teachers were not currently working on site. These teachers were delivering ‘live’ lessons from their homes while other staff supervised their classes.

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Main findings

 You have proactively addressed the challenges created by the pandemic. During the autumn term 2020, you trained staff and pupils on different aspects of remote learning. This enabled a smooth transition to remote education for those pupils who worked at home earlier in the spring term. Senior and middle leaders have modified the curriculum thoughtfully over the last 12 months. This has helped to maintain continuity in pupils’ learning. You have also continued to focus on pupils’ personal development. This has helped to sustain pupils’ well-being and their readiness to learn.

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Main findings

 Before the current school year, leaders and teachers planned new and ambitious subject curriculums. Teachers delivered these new curriculums from September 2020. Throughout the pandemic, teachers have adapted curriculum plans in response to changing circumstances. For example, teachers taught pupils in Year 7 important knowledge that they missed from the end of their time at primary school. You and your staff have tried to provide pupils with as much continuity as possible in their learning. However, the disruption to education has impeded your ability to fully road test the new curriculums.

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Main findings

 Teachers have mainly taught their usual curriculums during the current school year. However, some subject leaders have made changes in response to the disruption caused by the pandemic. For example, teachers of English prioritised the study of different novels, such as ‘Noughts & Crosses’, when pupils returned to school in September 2020. This was to help pupils to get back into the habit of reading high-quality texts. Teachers of practical subjects have gone to great lengths to maintain as much continuity as possible. For example, teachers of art and design gave pupils the resources that they needed to complete some of their usual projects as they worked from home.

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Main findings

 On the whole, teachers deliver the usual curriculum now that most pupils have returned to school. Throughout the current school year, teachers have assessed what pupils know and can do. They have used the information from these assessments to decide what aspects they need to reteach to pupils. During the current school year, pupils in Year 11 have received an extra hour of teaching each day. This has helped pupils to feel confident in their learning. Leaders are currently finalising their plans for assessing these pupils during their last term at secondary school.

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Main findings

 Earlier in the spring term, pupils were taught ‘live’ lessons daily as they learned from home. These lessons aligned with pupils’ normal timetables. Leaders delivered training to staff to enhance their ability to teach remotely. Pupils currently learning from home access the same lessons as those learning in school.

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Main findings

 Leaders have ensured that all staff are attentive to the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those pupils who are also vulnerable. Staff support these pupils to access the same ambitious curriculum as other pupils. Specialist staff have kept in close contact with these pupils and their families throughout the pandemic. This has helped staff to adapt the support that these pupils receive in response to changes in their well-being or learning.

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Main findings

 Leaders promote the importance of reading throughout the school. Teachers develop pupils’ reading skills within their subjects. For example, they prioritise the teaching of complex subject-specific vocabulary. Specialist staff also support weaker readers. For example, some weaker readers are helped to read with greater fluency through several online resources. Despite this, pupils who have possible gaps in their knowledge of phonics are not identified and supported.

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Main findings

 Governors have maintained their usual systems for overseeing leaders’ work. This has ensured that leaders have continued to focus on improving the curriculum. Governors have introduced extra opportunities to support and challenge leaders. For example, a core group of governors meet leaders every fortnight. This has enabled them to hold leaders to account for their response to the changing circumstances caused by the pandemic.

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Main findings

 Staff have continued to benefit from leaders’ discerning use of external support. The local authority and subject leaders from a local secondary school have helped teachers to develop their curriculums. Leaders are also using research from an independent charity to improve their long-term strategy to support disadvantaged pupils.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke to you, other senior leaders, pupils, staff, representatives from the governing body and a representative of the local authority to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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Evidence

We also looked at a selection of evidence provided by leaders to show how the curriculum has been developed since the last inspection and how they are currently providing education. We looked at 59 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 59 free-text responses, and 74 staff questionnaires.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Lancashire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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