King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls

Inspection of King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands B14 7QJ

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 November 2021

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Ofsted has not previously inspected King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. The school remains outstanding. 17 and 18 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

King Edward Camp Hill School for Girls is an inspirational place to be. Pupils are happy here. They flourish at this exceptional school. Leaders have the highest expectations of behaviour and achievement. Pupils meet these expectations consistently. They are self-motivated and manage their own behaviour extremely well. The respectful school culture is obvious as soon as you enter the campus.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff enjoy extremely positive relationships, underpinned by intellectual curiosity. Pupils relish the many challenges presented to them in their stimulating lessons. They often extend their learning through their own research. Leaders aim for pupils to be independent, forward-thinking young adults, ready to take a lead in society, and they achieve this. Pupils’ academic achievements are of the highest standard.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development alongside academic achievement. Pupils attend, and organise, a vast array of lunchtime and after-school activities. They take care of others without prompting from adults. Pupils say this is ‘the Camp Hill way’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe here. Bullying and discriminatory language are not tolerated. An understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion permeates all aspects of school life. As a result, pupils develop a highly tuned sense of fairness.

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better?

The headteacher and senior team provide exceptional leadership. They lead the school with sensitivity and calm authority. Everyone is valued for the contributions they make to the life of the school. Pupils are confident, respectful and hungry to learn. This does not happen by accident. Leaders’ decisions are thoughtful, deliberate and rooted in what is best for pupils.

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better?

Teachers feel highly valued and well supported. They relish the autonomy they have as subject experts. Curriculum plans are exceptionally well sequenced to ensure that pupils learn what they need to learn in the right order. Teachers’ exemplary subject knowledge ensures that pupils experience a stimulating and challenging curriculum. Reading has a high profile across the school. Teachers of all subjects promote a love of reading.

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better?

Teachers adapt curriculum plans to address any gaps in pupils’ learning, for example as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide top-up or extension sessions for pupils who need it. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive bespoke support. Sixth-form students mentor younger pupils. Teachers make sure that all pupils experience the same challenging curriculum. Pupils are well supported to achieve the highest academic standards. 17 and 18 November 2021

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The sixth form offers an exceptional experience for students. Students benefit from high-quality education in a very broad range of subjects. They make outstanding progress due to expertly planned and sequenced curriculum plans. They are highly self-motivated and thrive in a culture of excellence. Students take full advantage of the extensive personal development opportunities on offer. They are expertly supported to secure places on highly competitive university courses. Pupils receive good-quality careers guidance and access work experience.

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In lessons, pupils are attentive and eager to learn. Through skilful questioning, teachers assess pupils’ learning and move the learning on at the right pace. Teachers ensure that pupils know and understand key subject-specific vocabulary. This enables pupils to engage confidently in intellectually challenging discussions. For disadvantaged pupils in particular, this is key to their success.

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Leaders encourage pupils to study a wide variety of subjects for as long as possible. Many pupils pursue their interests through extensive lunchtime and after-school activities. These include sports, music tuition, languages and the arts. Many of these activities are run by pupils or sixth-form students. Over 100 pupils and staff attend the weekly show choir sessions. These engaging activities are a key part of leaders’ strategy to support pupils’ well-being.

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Leaders know that pupils can sometimes put themselves under pressure to achieve more and more. They encourage pupils to spend lunchtime relaxing at well-being or mindfulness sessions organised by sixth-form students. Pastoral leadership is very strong. Form tutors know the pupils very well. Tutor time is used effectively and has a focus on being kind and celebrating others’ success as well as developing key life skills, such as presenting to others. The school’s work to support pupils’ personal development is exceptional.

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Governors are well informed about leaders’ work. They bring a wealth of expertise to their roles. Together with trust leaders, they have a significant impact on the life of the school. Leaders, governors, staff and pupils embody the school’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. The school has significantly increased the proportion of places allocated to disadvantaged pupils. Leaders are determined to offer the opportunity to attend the school to as many pupils as possible, regardless of their circumstances.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are committed to keeping pupils safe. They have ensured that staff are regularly trained in current safeguarding policy and practice. Staff act quickly on any concerns they have about a pupil. Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils receive the right support at the right time. A wide range of well- being support is provided by staff and older pupils. 17 and 18 November 2021

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Leaders ensure that safeguarding checks are completed when appointing new staff. Leaders are aware of their statutory responsibility to report allegations about staff to the designated officer.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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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. 17 and 18 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199414 Type of school Secondary Grammar (selective) School category Academy converter

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1099

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection The predecessor school of the same name was inspected on 3 May 2007 and was judged to be outstanding.

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Information about this school

 King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls converted to become an academy on 1 August 2011. The academy of the same name joined the King Edward VI Academy Trust on 1 September 2017.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause. This means that pupils in Years 8 to 13 receive information about the full range of education and training options open to them. This includes opportunities for a range of education and training providers to speak to pupils about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school uses one registered alternative provider. 17 and 18 November 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 Prior to the start of the inspection, the lead inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as information published on the internet about the school.  As part of the lead inspector’s preparation, a telephone conversation took place with the headteacher and deputy headteachers to discuss the current context of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors held discussions with the headteacher and other senior and middle leaders, including those responsible for post-16 education.  Inspectors held a remote meeting with members of the governing body, including the chair of the board of trustees of the multi-academy trust, and spoke with the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust on the telephone.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, history, art and biology. For each of these subjects, inspectors met with subject leaders and teachers, carried out visits to lessons, spoke to pupils and looked at their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors also attended an assembly and visited tutor periods.  Inspectors met with teachers and spoke to pupils formally and informally throughout the inspection about behaviour and personal development. Inspectors took account of responses to pupil and staff surveys, as well as to Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors visited a number of lunchtime activities.  Inspectors reviewed records of behaviour and bullying incidents, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors checked the school’s approach to safeguarding, including staff recruitment and policy documents, and held a meeting with the designated safeguarding lead.

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Inspection team

Jane Spilsbury, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Graeme Rudland Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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