Westborough High School

WESTBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th to 18 th January 2001

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WESTBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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WESTBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Westborough High School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Stockhill Street Dewsbury West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 4 th March 1996 Westborough High School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 18462 Bernard Jones Registered inspector 9132 Janet Godfrey Lay inspector 5241 Cynthia Millband Team inspector 14874 Krystyna Butwilowska Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Westborough High School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Westborough High School is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive school situated in the north of Kirklees in West Yorkshire. It has 847 pupils on roll, with 462 boys and 385 girls. Of these, 48 per cent come from Pakistani and Indian ethnic minorities backgrounds and homes, where the first language is Punjabi, Urdu or Gujerati. The percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language is 48 per cent, which is very high, compared to the national average. The school catchment area has many socio-economically disadvantaged homes and a high proportion of pupils are from single parent families. Around 36 per cent of pupils are able to claim free school meals. This figure is well above the local education authority and national averages. The proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs is nearly 40 per cent which is well above the national average and 4.5 per cent of pupils at the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

have statements of special educational need which is above the national average. The attainment of pupils on entering the school is very low compared with the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Westborough school is popular with pupils and parents and is consistently over-subscribed. It is an effective school, which provides very good value for money. The school is very well organised and ensures a good level of care for its pupils. The headteacher provides excellent leadership with clear vision, which has resulted in the raising of standards in the school. The standard of teaching overall is good and this is effective in helping pupils to make very good progress and achieve very well in GCSE examinations. A great strength of the school is found in the rigorous approach it takes to monitoring and evaluating all aspects of its work and finding ways to improve further.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Excellent leadership from the headteacher and very good support from other senior staff ensure a clear educational direction to the school’s work and a rigorous approach in evaluating all aspects of the school’s work. • The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent teaching. • Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE examinations. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an additional language is very good and they make very good progress. • Pupils behave very well and show very positive attitudes to their work and life in school. • The school makes very good provision for the support and guidance of its pupils and successfully promotes excellent relationships amongst pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Targets should be used more effectively by teachers to raise standards in Years 7 to 9, particularly in mathematics and science. • The development of pupils’ numeracy skills. • Provision for pupils identified as gifted and talented. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has attained a very good level of improvement since the previous inspection in 1996. As well as addressing the key issues of that report, the school identified and took very effective action to make improvements along the lines suggested in the body of the report. As Westborough High School - 7 a result, the school has achieved very good levels of improvement in its work as a whole. The standards that pupils obtain in Years 7 to 9 have risen only marginally, but the school has improved its GCSE results very significantly and at a rate above the national trend. The quality of teaching has improved further from an already good base. It is now good overall with a significant proportion of excellent teaching and there is no unsatisfactory teaching. The school has very good systems and strategies in place to improve further.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 16 year olds based on average point scores in GCSE examinations. compared with Key

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools well above average A 1998 1999 2000 2000 above average average B C GCSE examinations D D C A below average well below average D E

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STANDARDS

Overall, pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. When pupils enter the school in Year 7, they have a range of attainment levels, but overall these levels are very low compared to the national average. Pupils’ results in examinations demonstrate satisfactory progress as they move through Years 7 to 9 and then very good progress through Years 10 and 11. The school makes very good provision in teaching the skills of literacy and standards are at the national average. The skills of numeracy are not developed as effectively and standards are below average. This is an area identified by the school as needing improvement to raise standards. The standards obtained by boys and girls are broadly in line with each other at the end of Year 9. The gap in favour of girls has been narrowed in Years 10 and 11 and is broadly in line with the national average. Standards amongst different ethnic groups in the school broadly reflect standards nationally. This is the result of the school

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STANDARDS

successfully addressing underachievement amongst boys, and particularly amongst Pakistani heritage boys. The standards attained by pupils with special educational needs are above average and all pupils gain at least one A*-G at GCSE. In the Year 2000 examinations, 97.5 percent gained at least 5 A*-G grades

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STANDARDS

In the Year 2000 National Curriculum tests for Year 9 pupils, the average points score for all three subjects was well below national averages. Compared to similar schools, however, pupils’ average points score in all three subjects was in line with the average. In English, pupils’ results were well above average, but were well below in mathematics and science. The trend in the school’s results over the past five years was below the national trend. In the work seen in the inspection, standards are well below average in mathematics and science. In English they are below average. In the Year 2000 GCSE examinations, the average points score per pupil was in line with the national average, and the school’s trend in results was above the national trend. The school set challenging targets for this group of pupils and they were exceeded. Compared to similar schools, the results were well above average in the

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STANDARDS

proportion gaining five or more grades A*-C. The proportions gaining five or more A*-G and those gaining one or more A*-G were very high. In the work seen in the inspection, standards are below average in mathematics and science. In English they are in line with the average. These standards broadly reflect recent examination results, but current standards are higher in English as literacy skills have improved throughout the school. When account is taken of the very low levels of attainment on entry to Year 7, these results represent significant Westborough High School - 8 achievement made by pupils as they progress through the school

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes. They are happy in school and show a good level of commitment to school life.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good around the school and often excellent during lessons. This has a very positive impact on the atmosphere in classes and good learning takes place. There were no permanent exclusions last year and a low incidence of fixed exclusions.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is excellent. Relationships between pupils and with their teachers are excellent.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. The rate of unauthorised absence is above the national average.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The teaching is consistently good across the age range and is very successful in ensuring that pupils’ learning is consistent throughout the school. In over three-quarters of the teaching observed, the quality was good or better and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. In fourteen per cent of lessons teaching was excellent. The impact of this teaching is seen in the improvement in examination results at GCSE and the very high standards that pupils attain when compared with similar schools. The good teaching quality has a positive impact upon pupils’ learning and this is helped by the very good behaviour of pupils and their positive attitudes towards work. The provision made for the teaching of literacy skills is very good and is of great benefit to pupils when they begin their GCSE studies in Year 10. The teaching of numeracy skills is satisfactory.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Throughout the Years 7 to 11, the quality of teaching is very good overall in English with a significant proportion of excellent teaching. In mathematics and science, the teaching is good. The school provides well for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an additional language. Both areas are very well led by committed members of staff and the teaching these pupils receive is very good. Teachers are effectively supported by a group of classroom assistants. Teaching is characterised by the high level of expectation of pupils’ behaviour and attitudes as well as the quality of their work.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teachers have excellent relationships with their pupils based upon mutual respect. This helps teachers in their management of lessons resulting in good pace to lessons with little time lost to routine organisation. Teachers have good knowledge of their subjects and show a Westborough High School - 9 very good knowledge of the examination requirements in their subject areas. Teachers know their pupils well and use assessment procedures very well to inform the planning of their work and when setting targets for pupils. The routine planning and preparation of teachers is good. On occasion, however, teachers of mixed ability classes do not pay enough attention to ensuring that there are different tasks to stretch the highest attainers or to meet the specific needs of the lowest attaining pupils. Teachers are particularly effective in the way they use homework and are conscientious in their approach to marking work.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is appropriately broad and balanced. A strength is the contribution of the local community. It meets statutory requirements other than in the full provision for daily collective worship

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs, which reflects the high level of commitment of the school towards these pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school makes very good provision for pupils with English as an additional language. A feature of the provision is the positive inclusion of the local community.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ personal development is excellent. The personal and social education programme plays an important part in developing values and provides very good guidance in terms of behaviour and respect for others. The provision for each of the aspects, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares well for its pupils in a secure and safe environment. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are very good. There are satisfactory arrangements in place for child protection. The school has very good links with parents. Westborough High School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership of the headteacher is excellent and she receives very good support from senior staff and heads of year and subject departments. The school is very well managed and there is a shared commitment amongst all staff to raise standards further.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is supportive and effective in the management of its responsibilities. Governors have a good level of knowledge of the school’s strengths and the areas needing further development and make a good contribution to the direction the school takes.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance This is a strength of the school’s work. A rigorous approach is taken to monitoring standards. Accurate information is collected about the performance of pupils and is used very effectively to set challenging and realistic targets to improve standards of work and examination results.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school has clear and appropriate priorities, which are supported by prudent financial planning. The principles of best value are applied carefully and the school uses its resources well.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Parents are very positive in their views of the school, extending across all aspects of the life and work of the school. They particularly like the way the school is a welcoming place to pupils and parents and pupils are happy at the school. • There were no significant concerns on any matters that could have an adverse effect upon standards other than a concern about the size of classes in Years 7 to 9.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with the positive views expressed. The team noted the larger class sizes in some areas in Years 7 to 9. However the policy is carefully thought out and monitored. Pupils’ very good behaviour and teachers’ well-developed management skills meant that there were no adverse effects upon standards noted. Westborough High School - 11

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staff ensure a clear educational direction to the school’s work and a rigorous

approach taken in evaluating all aspects of the school’s work.

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staff ensure a clear educational direction to the school’s work and a rigorous

1. The excellent leadership provided by the headteacher is central in the school’s drive to raise standards. She is responsible for establishing an ethos that demands the best from all who work and study at Westborough. This ethos is based upon high levels of expectation regarding pupils’ efforts and the quality of the teachers’ contribution to pupils’ learning. This expectation underpins the work of the school and gives a clear direction to all. The headteacher receives very good support from the senior management team, the heads of year and staff who lead subject areas. These teachers make very significant and effective contributions in helping the school to fulfil its aims.

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staff ensure a clear educational direction to the school’s work and a rigorous

2. A strong feature of the school is the way in which all pupils are given equal opportunities to fulfil their potential. Pupils with special educational needs and those who have English is an additional language are very well provided for. The school is actively and successfully narrowing the gap between attainment levels of boys and girls. Relationships between different ethnic groups in the school are excellent. In each of these areas, there are carefully planned interventions that stem from the school’s leaders and their clear vision on the direction that the school should take.

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staff ensure a clear educational direction to the school’s work and a rigorous

3. The school development plan is a very good working document that gives a clear focus for the staff in their work. The process by which it is put together ensures that all teachers are involved. The requirements on teachers to plan their own subject development in the light of the whole school targets reinforce the school’s aims successfully. In extending their own professional development, teachers marry their requirements to school and departmental targets and this process again successfully reinforces the drive to raise standards further.

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staff ensure a clear educational direction to the school’s work and a rigorous

4. The ways the school and subject development plans are constructed are rooted in a process of review and evaluation of the school’s work. The school is rigorous in reviewing all its work and this is a strength of the school. As a result, targets are set for teachers and pupils that are realistic, challenging and based on very precise information. For example, in Years 10 and 11, pupils are given targets to guide their progress in all subjects. These targets are informed by a battery of information about each pupil and target-setting is now embedded in the system of assessment of these pupils. As a result, the targets are accurate and their precise nature is very effective in tackling underachievement and in raising standards in GCSE examinations. The school’s practice in setting targets for pupils in Years 10 and 11 is excellent and is presently being introduced to Years 7 to 9 to good effect.

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staff ensure a clear educational direction to the school’s work and a rigorous

5. The day-to-day management of the school is very good. The school is careful in its spending and uses its resources well. The principles of best value are applied carefully and prudent financial planning supports the school’s priorities. The governing body makes a good contribution to the work of the school. They have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and the areas needing further improvement. Westborough High School - 12 6. There has been a very good improvement since the previous inspection in 1996. The headteacher and senior staff have built upon the strengths reported at the last inspection and have successfully addressed the key issues highlighted in that report. Other issues identified through the body of the report have also been successfully addressed to improve standards and to give a clear focus to the developments undertaken.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

7. The teaching is consistently good across the age range and has been very successful in ensuring that pupils’ learning is consistent throughout the school. In over three- quarters of the teaching observed, the quality was good or better and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. In over ten per cent of lessons, excellent teaching was seen. This represents a further improvement in the quality of teaching provision reported at the previous inspection. The impact of this teaching is seen in the improvement in examination results at GCSE in particular and the very high standards that pupils attain when compared with similar schools. The school has invested resources and time in establishing a climate in which teachers expect to be monitored and welcome the opportunities afforded to improve their teaching skills. The work undertaken in the professional development of teachers is aimed directly at improving standards in the classroom and this has been very successful in

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

ensuring that pupils’ quality of learning is consistent across the school.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

8. In general the teaching is characterised by the high level of expectation maintained by teachers relating to pupils’ behaviour and attitudes as well as the quality of their work. In a Year 10 English lesson, for example the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were very good. They made very good progress because they came prepared to work and because the teacher maintained high expectations of the quality of their responses. By the end of the lesson, pupils had a clear idea of the thoughts and feelings of a specific character in the GCSE text “To kill a mocking bird”, and used a good range of vocabulary when discussing the mob scene in the text. In this lesson, pupils’ knowledge and understanding were extended, but their ability to improve as learners also improved in a lesson which generated a climate of achievement and high expectation.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

9. Teachers enjoy excellent relationships with their pupils and foster such relationships between pupils. Mutual respect encourages teachers to use a range of styles to engage pupils and keep their interest. For example, in a lesson in French with Year 9 pupils, the teacher could confidently use a games approach in extending pupils’ vocabulary. Similarly, in a drama lesson, Year 11 boys and girls entered wholeheartedly into a series of activities and showed great sensitivity towards each other when they evaluated the efforts of their classmates. Such positive relationships help teachers in their management of lessons and very good management characterised much of the teaching observed. This resulted in good pace to lessons with little time lost to routine organisation.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

10. Teachers know their subjects well and when teaching pupils in Years 10 and 11, they have a very good knowledge of the examination requirements in their subject areas. In a Year 11 English lesson the teacher’s own excellent knowledge of the poetry of Carol Ann Duffy greatly supported the development of pupils’ understanding of the poem and illustrated well the way that teachers’ expertise forms the basis of their authority in the classroom. The lesson was not a narrow examination-based session, but an enjoyable literary experience. It developed the pupils’ speaking and listening skills, helped to improve their skills in working in groups and developed their ability to interpret and communicate. As a result, progress was Westborough High School - 13 excellent, and all pupils were able to support their arguments with detailed references to language and structure, while the highest attainers showed flair and precision in developing

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

11. Teachers know their pupils and their abilities very well. They employ assessment procedures very well and use the information very effectively when planning their work and setting targets for pupils. In Years 10 and 11, target-setting is embedded in the school’s teaching practice. This is so at subject level where teachers have a clear expectation of the degree of success to be gained at GCSE and at individual pupil level where teachers know precisely the potential of each pupil in their particular subject.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

12. The routine planning and preparation of lessons are good. Teachers usually have clear objectives and often share these with their pupils. This gives a clear direction to lessons and pupils respond well, particularly when they are reminded of where the lessons are heading and what is expected of them in terms of what and how they will learn. In the main, teachers have a good knowledge of the needs of differing groups and individuals in their classes and set work to meet those needs. On occasion, however, teachers of mixed ability classes do not pay enough attention to ensuring that there are different tasks to stretch the highest attainers and meet the specific needs of the lowest attaining pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

13. The school is particularly effective in the way it uses homework to extend the work undertaken in the classroom. It is usually the case that teachers incorporate a review of homework as well as planning the next piece in a way that emphasises the importance of homework. This is effective in helping pupils to become more independent and responsible in their approach to work. The importance of homework is further reinforced by teachers’ conscientious approach to marking work. Pupils are helped a great deal by good practice in this respect where teachers use praise effectively to acknowledge pupils’ efforts and give good advice on how to improve further.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

14. The provision made for the teaching of literacy skills is very good. The work undertaken in this area during Years 7 to 9 is of great benefit to pupils when they embark upon their GCSE studies in Year 10 and is reflected in the very good progress pupils make in Years 10 and 11. The teaching of numeracy skills is satisfactory, but is an area for further improvement as the school’s numeracy strategy is developed to encompass a planned contribution from all subjects to exercise and improve these skills. Throughout Years 7 to 11, the quality of teaching is very good overall in English with a significant proportion of excellent teaching. In mathematics and science, the teaching is good.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a significant amount of excellent

15. The school has made a priority in providing well for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an additional language. Both areas are very well led by committed members of staff and the quality of teaching these pupils receive is very good. In all their work they are effectively supported by a group of classroom assistants. Westborough High School - 14

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

16. When pupils enter the school in Year 7, they show a range of attainment levels from well above average to very low. Overall, their attainment levels are very low compared to the national average. The school has very effective procedures in place to measure pupils’ attainment levels at this juncture in order to gain an accurate picture of pupils’ abilities. At the end of Year 9, pupils’ results in the Year 2000 National Curriculum tests were still well below the national average. However, they were broadly in line with the average of schools with similar proportions of pupils entitled to free school meals. In the same year, pupils’ results in their GCSE examinations were in line with the national average and very high compared to similar schools. These results indicate satisfactory progress among pupils as they move through Years 7 to 9 and very good progress through Years 10 and 11. The school makes

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

very good provision in teaching the skills of literacy and standards are at the national average. The skills of numeracy are not developed as effectively and standards are below average. This is an area identified by the school as needing improvement to raise standards. The standards obtained by boys and girls are broadly in line with each other at the end of Year 9. The gap in favour of girls has been narrowed in Years 10 and 11 and is in line with the national average. Standards amongst different ethnic groups in the school broadly reflect standards nationally. This is the result of the school successfully addressing underachievement amongst boys, and particularly amongst Pakistani heritage boys. The standards attained by pupils with special educational needs are above average and all pupils gained at least one A*-G at GCSE in the past two years. In the Year 2000 examinations, 97.5 percent gained at least 5 A*-G grades

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

17. In the Year 2000 National Curriculum tests for Year 9 pupils, the proportion of pupils reaching Level 5, Level 6 and above was below the national average in English and was well below average in mathematics and science. The average points score for all three subjects was well below national averages. Compared to similar schools, however, pupils’ average points score in all three subjects was in line with the average. In English, pupils’ results were well above average, but were well below in mathematics and science. The trend in the school’s results over the past five years was below the national trend.

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

18. In the Year 2000 GCSE examinations, the average points score per pupil was in line with the national average, and the school’s trend in results was above the national trend. The proportion of pupils gaining five or more GCSE grades A*-C was below average, but the proportion gaining five or more A*-G grades was well above average. The proportion gaining one or more grades A*-G was very high compared to the national average. Compared to similar schools, on the basis of free school meals, the results were well above average overall in the proportion gaining five or more grades A*-C. The proportions gaining five or more A*-G and those gaining one or more A*-G were very high compared to similar schools. The school set challenging targets for this group of pupils and were successful in exceeding them. There was some variation between subjects. Mathematics and double award science were among the weaker subjects, while single award science, design and technology, drama

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

and Urdu gained significantly better results within the school.

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

19. The standards of work seen in the inspection indicate the improvement that is taking place in the core subjects of mathematics and science throughout the age range. While attainment levels are still well below the national average in Years 7 to 9 and below average in Years 10 and 11, they are rising as a result of new leadership and better quality teaching provision. This represents significant achievement as pupils progress through the school, Westborough High School - 15 when account is taken of the very low levels of attainment on entry to Year 7. In English, the standards seen broadly reflect recent examination results, but the current Year 11 work is better and broadly in line with the national average. The quality of teaching is very good overall in the department and pupils are benefiting from their earlier work in developing literacy skills as they progressed through the school.

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

20. Overall, pupils are achieving well in relation to their prior attainment, more particularly in Years 10 and 11 and their very good progress and the very challenging targets set indicate that the school is not complacent. The very effective manner in which the school has developed accurate and precise targets for pupils in Years 10 and 11 has been significant in raising attainment. Pupils receive very good quality guidance about their potential and their performance and the process has helped to identify and subsequently reduce underachievement. Because the information is accurate, pupils appreciate the challenges that are set for them and the precise guidance given in a well-developed mentoring system. The high proportion of pupils who obtain five or more grades A*-G is testament to the quality of teaching they receive and the effectiveness of the target-setting process.

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

21. The provision made for the teaching of literacy skills is very good and is reflected in the success gained by pupils in the National Curriculum tests in 2000. The work undertaken in this area during years 7 to 9 is of great benefit to pupils when they embark upon their GCSE studies in Year 10 and is reflected in the very good progress pupils make in these years. The teaching of numeracy skills is satisfactory. However, this represents an area for further improvement as the school’s numeracy strategy is developed to encompass a planned contribution from all subjects to exercise and improve these skills.

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

22. In general, subject departments are effective in helping to raise literacy standards in their subject. A literacy policy is in place and strategies are well embedded to address the literacy problems that many of the pupils have on entry to the school. By the end of Year 9, pupils can use an appropriate variety of words correctly within sentences and paragraphs. Pupils’ writing is legible and attractively presented and the spelling of the higher atttainers is accurate. Pupils’ work shows that literacy skills are taught well. In the higher sets, pupils attain standards that are above average. By Year 11, pupils’ writing is fluent and shows good ability to plan, draft and re-draft. Pupils use a wide range of vocabulary and expression to convey meaning in their writing. Pupils develop their reading skills well as they progress through the school and the extended provision in the school is instrumental in pupils making

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Pupils make very good progress in Years 10 and 11 and achieve well in GCSE

significant improvements in their reading skills. In general, pupils are confident in talking and use the technical language of different subjects appropriately. Speaking and listening skills are taught well across a range of subjects as well as English, and key words are very actively promoted by all subjects in order to promote the use of accurate vocabulary. Pupils listen with interest to each other. The school is effective in promoting amongst pupils sensitivity to the views of others developed out of careful listening. Westborough High School - 16

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an

additional language is very good and they make very good progress.

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an

23. The school has made the provision for these two different sets of pupils a priority and has allocated resources appropriately, demonstrating a high level of commitment to supporting them. Both areas are very well led by committed members of staff and the quality of teaching these pupils receive is good. The quality of documentation is high and there are very good systems in place to support learning across all subject departments. In all their work they are effectively supported by a group of classroom assistants.

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an

24. When pupils enter the school, they are accurately assessed in terms of their different needs, and the most appropriate provision is made for them. For those pupils with special educational needs, a range of provision includes a substantial and significant amount of support while they take part in lessons on a normal timetable. On occasion, pupils are withdrawn from lessons for specialist additional help, but these sessions are kept to a minimum to ensure that pupils retain access to a full and balanced curriculum. Similarly, pupils with English as an additional language retain full access to the curriculum and benefit from specialist assistance in the classroom and during early morning and lunch-time sessions. Both sets of pupils benefit from the high quality of teaching of literacy skills throughout the school as a whole.

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an

25. A feature of the provision that is common to both sets of pupils is the high quality assessment of their needs and follow-up work to meet those needs. The testing is undertaken regularly and accurately and forms the basis of challenging, but realistic targets for improvement. Individual plans are drawn up for pupils that enable teachers across all subjects to make a positive contribution to meeting the diverse needs of different pupils. The quality of these plans is high, again informed by very good procedures to assess pupils’ needs and the progress they make. Another feature of the provision made for both sets of pupils is the range of additional, extra-curricular opportunities made especially for them. These range from a chess club to help pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties to integrate and develop their social skills to a fast-track reading club to improve pupils’ literacy skills. The high popularity of these early morning and lunchtime sessions reflects the value

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an

26. Pupils with English as an additional language make very good progress. This progress is carefully charted and helps the pupils to see the level of improvement they have achieved. Similarly, pupils with special educational needs make very good progress through the school. This progress is reflected in the high and increasing proportion of pupils who gain five or more GCSE grades A*-G and the 100 per cent success rate in terms of gaining at least one grade A*-G in the GCSE examinations in the past three years.

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Pupils behave very well and show very positive attitudes to their work and life in

27. Pupils like school and involve themselves enthusiastically in the work of the school. This is reflected in their commitment to school initiatives in supporting the local community, for example in local charity work. Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is very good. In many lessons, excellent behaviour has a direct impact upon the quality of learning taking place. Their very good behaviour encourages teachers to employ a range of different teaching approaches, secure in the knowledge that they will not be confronted with poor behaviour. As a result, the quality of pupils’ learning is high and they benefit from the Westborough High School - 17 increased independence that they are given and they take responsibility for their own learning.

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The school makes very good provision for the support and guidance of its pupils and

successfully promotes excellent relationships amongst pupils.

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The school makes very good provision for the support and guidance of its pupils and

28. The general level of support received by pupils has a positive impact upon standards, learning and behaviour. A feature of the school’s work that is very successful is the individual support of pupils by their teachers. The school is careful to ensure that guidance for pupils, whilst including pastoral help where needed, is firmly established on the basis of helping pupils to realise their full potential. Thus targets to improve pupils’ attainment in their work in school are central to the process of support and guidance. This is done very effectively and pupils fully appreciate the degree to which they are helped. The impact of this approach is seen for example in the narrowing of the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment as under- achievement in boys is successfully identified and addressed. The pastoral system is strong and teachers and staff in the school extend a high level of care to pupils. Teachers know

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The school makes very good provision for the support and guidance of its pupils and

pupils very well. Relationships between teachers and pupils are excellent and this helps to create the excellent relationships that exist between pupils. Satisfactory arrangements are in place for child protection and to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety.

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The school makes very good provision for the support and guidance of its pupils and

29. The school is very active in working with the local community in furthering the support and guidance provided; for example, a close liaison with local Mosques. This liaison helps promote pupils’ development in spiritual, moral, social and cultural areas as well as in their academic development. The personal and social education programme plays an important part in developing values as well as providing guidance in terms of behaviour and respect for others. The school makes very good provision in these aspects of pupils’ development in line with its aims and the ethos of the school reflects a commitment to high standards in all aspects of pupils’ life and work in school.

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Target-setting should be used more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9,

particularly in mathematics and science.

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Target-setting should be used more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9,

30. The setting of precise targets for improving attainment is fully embedded in the school’s practice for pupils in Years 10 and 11. Its use with younger pupils has been delayed as teachers strive to find valid and reliable benchmarks against which to measure progress. The school has been largely successful in determining such benchmarks, for example in reading attainment and language acquisition. It is now in a position to implement and, where started, develop further the target setting approach to improve standards in Years 7 to 9. Much of the work undertaken at this stage has been aimed at giving pupils the necessary knowledge, understanding and learning skills to apply to their examination studies from Year 10. The school has been very successful in this approach. However, the success enjoyed in the teaching of English in Years 7 to 9, and the higher attainment reached through the piloting of a target-setting approach, need to be extended to improve standards in other subjects,

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Target-setting should be used more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9,

particularly in the core areas of mathematics and science.

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Target-setting should be used more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9,

The development of pupils’ numeracy skills.

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Target-setting should be used more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9,

31. Pupils’ levels of skill in numeracy are well below average. The school has started to address this issue and has adopted a numeracy policy. Currently, this policy is not embedded in the school’s practice, but a number of departments do make a positive Westborough High School - 18 contribution to developing pupils’ numeracy skills and there is some good practice. In mathematics, there is a clear emphasis and encouragement to use mental arithmetic. In science, numeracy skills are seen as an integral part of the subject and pupils learn to manipulate formulae and, for example, accurately plot results of experiments. A range of numeracy skills is used in other subjects. For example, most pupils can use simple graphs, bar charts and pie charts to illustrate data. In history, as pupils learn more about the economy in pre-war Germany, they calculate the percentage increase inflation. In geography, pupils

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Target-setting should be used more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9,

interpret grid references and continue to develop their skills as they measure scales and bearings in map reading. Opportunities for pupils to develop their numeracy skills have now been identified by all subject departments and these opportunities are included in departmental development plans. However, this is a developing area and, while the provision for developing numeracy skills is now satisfactory, the impact upon raising pupils’ attainment has not yet been formally evaluated. The school needs to develop its numeracy strategy to ensure a greater consistency in terms of the contributions made by all subjects.

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Target-setting should be used more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9,

Provision for pupils identified as gifted and talented.

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Target-setting should be used more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9,

32. The highest attaining pupils in the school have good opportunities to realise their potential, whether their gifts and talents lie in academic work or sport or the arts. However, the school has not developed a clear policy to identify and cater for all pupils who have particular gifts and talents. The formal lesson planning to meet the needs of these pupils is not developed fully and the necessary systems and strategies to ensure their full development are not established.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Teachers should use targets more effectively to raise standards in Years 7 to 9, particularly in mathematics and science by: • extending the excellent practice that currently is in place in Years 10 and 11; • achieving a consistency in approach across subject departments.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the development of pupils’ numeracy skills by: • implementing the policy to promote the teaching of these skills; • ensuring that all subjects make an effective contribution to teaching the skills of numeracy

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Make better provision for pupils identified as gifted and talented by: • developing a policy to guide teachers in meeting the needs of these pupils; • ensuring that teachers’ planning takes account of the different needs of these pupils. Westborough High School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 25

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 847

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 303

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 47

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 191

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 419

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 22

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 36

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Attendance

School data 6.2 School data 1.0 Westborough High School - 20 National comparative data 5.9 National comparative data 0.4

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Westborough High School - 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 3 for the latest reporting year 2000 87 80 167

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Boys 38 29 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 51 28 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 53 (41) 34 (37) 34 (26) at NC level 5 or above National 63 (63) 65 (62) 59 (55)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 17 (7) 17 (14) 13 (8) at NC level 6 or above National 28 (28) 42 (38) 30 (23)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Boys 25 33 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 45 37 31

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 42 (33) 42 (41) 37 (36) at NC level 5 or above National 64 (64) 66 (64) 62 (60)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 17 (7) 17 (16) 10 (10) at NC level 6 or above National 31 (31) 39 (37) 29 (28)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Westborough High School - 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Number of 15 year olds on roll in January of the latest reporting year 2000 86 73 159

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

GCSE results 5 or more grades A* to C 5 or more grades A*-G 1 or more grades A*-G

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Boys 26 81 86 Numbers of pupils achieving the standard specified Girls 36 73 73

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Percentage of pupils achieving School 39 (29) 97 (95) 100 (100) the standard specified National 47.4 (46.6) 90.6 (90.9) 95.6 (95.8)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Average point score School 36 (32) per pupil National 38.4 (38)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Figures in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Westborough High School - 23

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 4 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 19 Other minority ethnic groups 1 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 50 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 16.9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y7– Y11 Total income 2 130 672

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 21 Total expenditure 2 214 325

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 609 Expenditure per pupil 2 615

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 137 299

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Deployment of teachers: Y7– Y11 Balance carried forward to next year 53 646 Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes 79.3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Key Stage 4 17.1 Westborough High School - 24

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 63 37 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 37 3 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 50 40 5 4 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 54 38 6 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 28 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 82 16 0 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 54 40 3 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 71 24 2 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 65 31 1 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 54 36 3 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

There were no significant concerns on any matters that could have an adverse effect upon standards other than a small minority concern about the size of classes in Years 7 to 9.

p.24