Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School Green Lane, Dronfield, Derbyshire S18 2FZ

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Inspection dates: 16 and 17 November 2021

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the part they and their school play in the community. They are ‘pupils of Dronfield’. They look forward to events such as the community Christmas carol service and the pantomime. They value the opportunity to take part in occasions such as the local service of remembrance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to their teachers’ high expectations and behave well. Sixth-form students act as positive role models. Older pupils mentor and ‘buddy read’ with younger pupils. Pupils like the family feel of the house system.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that they take account of pupils’ voice. Anti-bullying has a high profile. Pupils have worked with leaders to make sure that all areas of the school are free from harassment. They want the school to feel safe for all. Sixth-form students have shared their experiences of bullying through video. They are keen to tell their stories and offer help. Pupils appreciate this. They particularly value the ‘whisper button’. They said it is a helpful way to share problems and seek advice.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum in many subjects enables pupils to develop the knowledge and skills that they need for their next stage. This is not the case in all subjects.

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

The curriculum has a strong foundation in research. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and when they need to learn it. However, the curriculum is not yet securely and consistently implemented across the full range of subjects taught. 16 and 17 November 2021

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In English, pupils learn how to communicate expertly in writing. They access texts of different types and genre. Their knowledge of differing views and experiences is broadened through their reading. Many pupils develop a love of books. In mathematics, the curriculum is coherent and is well planned. Teachers make sure that all pupils develop the ability to confidently problem solve. They make sure that pupils develop mathematical fluency. The music curriculum is also well thought out and ambitious. It is crafted to support pupils to enjoy the arts. It prepares them to be musicians of the future. The curriculum is carefully planned to ensure that pupils have the time to apply the knowledge they have learned. There are some knowledgeable and highly skilled musicians and mathematicians in the school, particularly in the sixth form.

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In some subjects, the curriculum is not consistently well planned or implemented. For example, in modern foreign languages, the key stage 3 curriculum is not sufficiently ambitious. Some pupils do not get enough opportunities to practise speaking. They are not developing fluency in the language studied.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Specialists teach all subjects. Teachers share ideas and good practice. They said they feel confident to try out new skills because of the support they receive from leaders. In lessons, inspectors observed many occasions when teachers used their strong subject knowledge and skill to tackle pupils’ misconceptions.

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There are lots of opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and skills. The ‘6 big ideas’ form a well-understood structure for special days, celebrations and enrichment. Pupils are involved in the arts, sports and trips. Leaders are just beginning to track the engagement of different groups of pupils in these activities, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs (SEND). They do not know whether the activities on offer benefit these pupils.

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Pupils in the sixth form speak with confidence about the high quality of their education and what their teachers do to ensure they succeed. One pupil said, ‘Teachers here have, without a doubt, really helped me to reach my potential!’ Effective careers advice and guidance ensures that pupils move on to appropriate destinations once they leave school.

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Leaders are passionate about the school. They are keen to ensure ‘success with care’. They are realistic in their evaluation of the school. They are taking the appropriate action to improve the school further.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that curriculum planning and implementation and the increased engagement of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND in the wider curriculum may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The processes to ensure the safe recruitment of staff are robust. 16 and 17 November 2021

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Vulnerable pupils receive a great deal of help. This includes work with external agencies. Actions are appropriate and timely. The school employs a range of skilled staff to ensure that pupils receive the support they need to keep safe. This includes trauma therapy and counselling. Pupils said this is a ‘speak out school’. They said that they feel able to speak to someone if they need help. The actions taken to support pupils are not always as well recorded as they should be.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is inconsistently planned and implemented in some subjects. This means that some pupils do not acquire the knowledge and skills to achieve as highly as they could. Leaders must ensure that a high-quality curriculum, which is ambitious for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, is consistently and securely implemented.  Wider personal development opportunities are not routinely accessed by some groups of pupils. Some fail to access experiences to enrich their learning. Leaders should ensure that they track the participation of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND in such activities so that they can encourage as many pupils as possible to take advantage of the activities on offer.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in November 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 16 and 17 November 2021

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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. 16 and 17 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199466 Type of school Secondary

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1888

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 November 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in 2019.  A small number of pupils access education from Landmarks, New Direction, Derby Pride Academy and Onboard. Onboard is an unregistered provider.  Some pupils receive out of school tuition from Derbyshire County Council.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team. Meetings were also held with subject leaders and the special educational needs 16 and 17 November 2021

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coordinator. The lead inspector met with the team of professionals involved in safeguarding pupils’ welfare, including the lead for alternative provision.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body and four members of the governing body.  To check the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, the lead inspector met with designated safeguarding leaders. Policies and record-keeping were scrutinised, including the checks undertaken when recruiting staff.  Inspectors completed deep dives in English, modern foreign languages, music and mathematics. In each subject, inspectors visited lessons, scrutinised the work in pupils’ books and held discussions with subject leaders, teachers and pupils.  The lead inspector met with leaders to discuss the wider personal development curriculum, student leadership and the opportunities pupils access outside of the school day.  Inspectors spoke with pupils formally and around the school site. The lead inspector

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observed an assembly and visited student services. She walked the school site with the headteacher.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation, including record-keeping for pupils who attend alternative provision. The lead inspector spoke to the parents of pupils who attend alternative provision.  The lead inspector spoke to a representative of Derbyshire County Council by telephone.  Inspectors considered 276 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including 257 free-text comments. There were 137 responses to the Ofsted survey for staff and 358 responses to the Ofsted pupils’ survey.

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Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ellenor Beighton Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 November 2021

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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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