Middlewich High School

Middlewich High School

Dates of inspection: 24 th – 26 th February 2003

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Middlewich High School

Short 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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Middlewich 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. Middlewich High School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: King Edward Street Middlewich Cheshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr M.W Finney

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 th April 1997 Middlewich High School - 4

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Team members

3670 Mr M. G Michell Registered inspector 9052 Mrs H Barter Lay inspector 18950 Ms C Rodney Team inspector 31100 Mr G Hunter Team inspector

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Team members

Penta International Upperton House The Avenue Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 3YB

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Team members

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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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Middlewich 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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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

Standards Quality of teaching Attitudes to learning Relationships Provision for pupils with special educational needs Leadership and management

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 13

Communication with parents about their children’s progress Use of assessment data

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Middlewich High School is a mixed comprehensive school situated near the centre of the town of Middlewich in Cheshire. With 685 pupils on roll, it is smaller than the average comprehensive school. The vast majority of its pupils (98.6%) are of white British origin, which is very high compared to national figures and no pupils have English as an additional language (EAL), which is very low. Some 7.9% of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is below average. There is an average percentage of pupils (10.7%) with special educational needs (SEN) including an above average percentage (4.7%) with statements of SEN. The school contains an on-site unit for children with hearing impairment, currently with 10 pupils. Though not designated as a school for physically handicapped pupils, the school currently welcomes a number of such pupils, its mission being as far as possible fully to integrate them into the life of the school. Overall pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Middlewich High School is a good school with many very good features. Standards are above national averages and teaching is very good. Pupils make very good progress during their time in the school. Leadership and management are very good and are improved since the last inspection. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are above national averages, and pupils’ achievements are very good. • The quality of teaching is very good. • The pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour, both in and out of lessons, are good. • Relationships are very good between pupils and between pupils and their teachers. • The school provides very well for the needs of a wide variety of pupils with SEN and welcomes these pupils into the school community. • Leadership and management by the headteacher, senior and middle managers and the governors are very good – all have a clear picture about how the school needs to improve and a clear vision of how that may be achieved.

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What could be improved

• Communication with parents. • The use made of assessment information. 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 was last inspected in April 1997 since which time the rate of improvement has been good.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Pupils’ attainment shows a rising trend and the progress they make whilst in the school is very good. The quality of teaching and learning is now very good. Improvement has been significantly affected by a focus on teaching and learning. Of the three key issues for action raised at the last inspection the school has fully addressed two. The school development plan, and the processes that produce it, is now a valuable management tool. Senior staff now play an important and integral role in the monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in the school. However the third key issue, concerning collation of assessment data has only been addressed comparatively recently and progress over the six years since the last inspection is thus unsatisfactory in this respect. Overall the school shows a very good capacity to improve further. Middlewich High School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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similar

schools well above average A 2000 2001 2002 2002 above average average B C GCSE examinations A B B C below average well below average D E

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similar

Boys’ results are close to the national average and girls’ results are well above the national average. Over the past three years the trend in pupils’ results was similar to the national average. The school set challenging targets in 2002 and 2003 for the percentage of pupils attaining five or more good GCSE grades. It did not meet the target in 2002. Standards of work seen were above average in all of English, mathematics and science at the age of 16. Pupils’ achievements are well above average in that they enter the school with below average attainment overall and leave it at age 16 with above average attainment.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good . Pupils approach their learning with enthusiasm and apply themselves well to their lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good . Pupils show appreciation of the needs of their peers and there is very little disruption of the learning of the majority by the behaviour of the few. There are too many fixed term exclusions.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good . Pupils relate well to each other and their teachers and the school effectively helps them towards becoming responsible citizens.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good . The attendance of pupils is above the national average and rates of both authorised and unauthorised absence are below average. Pupils are punctual both to school and to lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils like their school and are positive about what they are learning. They respond well to the teaching they receive and to the opportunities they are given. They have well-developed sense of right and wrong and treat the needs of their peers, especially those with a variety of special educational needs, with an impressive degree of respect.

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

Lessons seen overall Very good Very 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. Middlewich High School - 8 This is a school where teaching and learning are key strengths. Teachers know their pupils’ individual needs very well and plan for them in lessons. Lessons have clear objectives, which the pupils understand. Lesson time is used well. The quality of teaching in all of English, mathematics and science is very good at both key stages and literacy and numeracy are taught well. The school meets the needs of its very wide range of pupils very well and the vast majority of pupils make very good progress in their learning whilst they are at school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory . The curriculum meets statutory requirements and is balanced for all pupils. There is now a very well planned programme of vocational education at Key Stage 4, which effectively meets the needs of pupils on the programme.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good . Pupils with a wide range of, often complex, needs are welcomed into the school. Their needs are very well understood by all staff who teach them.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good . That for the moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good. There is scope for improved planning of spiritual development across the curriculum. Opportunities for pupils to appreciate the cultural diversity of British society are insufficient.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good . Pupils are known well as individuals and feel supported by the school and all staff within it. The school follows child protection procedures correctly.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils are offered a broad and balanced curriculum though some of them and their parents tend to feel that the range of opportunities at Key Stage 4 is too limited; the school acknowledges that opportunities in the creative arts are limited and plans to address this when resources permit. There is a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities on offer. Middlewich High School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good . Many aspects of school life have improved since the current headteacher took up the post whilst not compromising features of the school which were already strong. He is well supported by the senior management team and by a very talented group of heads of department. Newly appointed heads of year are already making a strong contribution to the work of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good . They know the school well, have clear views of how the school has improved and how it will continue to do so. However they have yet to fulfil their statutory duty to ensure that there is a daily act of collective worship for all pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good . Reviews of teaching and learning and of departmental performance accurately identify strengths and weaknesses that are then built into improvement planning. The school is aware of the weaknesses upon which it needs to act.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good . School development planning has improved greatly since the last inspection and the governors and management plan wisely for the future of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Governance and leadership and management at all levels are strengths of the school. There is a current small budget deficit but a coherent plan to remove it within the current financial year. Governors apply the principles of best value satisfactorily when making major policy decisions.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The quality of teaching in the school. • The progress their children are making at school. • The expectations on their children to work hard and to do their best. • The standards achieved and the value added by the school. • The response by the school to parents concerns. • How well they are kept informed about how their children are getting on at school. • The closeness with which the school works with parents. • The suitability of the homework set for their individual children.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the parents’ positive views. The school acknowledges that there is scope for improvement in the information it gives parents about how their children are progressing and will shortly introduce a new system of reporting to address this reservation. There is some inconsistency in the setting of homework and in the ways in which it supports learning in school, though overall the suitability of homework is satisfactory. The school works very closely with individual parents though the work of the parents’ association relies on the considerable efforts of a few highly committed individuals. Middlewich High School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards are above national averages, and pupils’ achievements are very good .

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Attainment is above national averages overall at the end of Key Stage 3. In comparison with schools where pupils have similar attainment at age 11 the proportions of pupils attaining the expected Level 5 are very high in English and well above average overall. Girls do better than boys but both are doing equally well compared to the performance of girls and boys nationally. Over the past five years the rise in the school’s performance has been faster than the national trend. In addition, more pupils attain the higher levels (6 and above) in both English and science, than is the case nationally.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. At Key Stage 4 standards are above average in comparison with schools nationally and average when the school is compared with schools in similar circumstances or with schools where pupils have similar prior attainment at age 14. Boys’ performance is above national averages and girls’ performance well above them. The rise in overall results over the past three years is slightly below the national trend; this is due to a dip in overall performance in 2002. There have been especially good results in French, science and information and communications technology. Performances in business studies, English literature, geography, history, mathematics and physical education have also been better than national averages.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. In Key Stage 3 pupils’ work covered the full range of ability but with many examples of above average or well above average quality. In English, Year 9 pupils make good attempts at analysing the language, structure and themes of texts. The work of pupils of all abilities shows care in presentation and evidence of good established work routines. Mathematical manipulations are secure. In science pupils show evidence of being able to carry out investigations such as determining the effect of temperature on the reaction of starch with amylase.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. In Key Stage 4 much of the work seen was above average. In the work of above average pupils in English, clarity and accuracy are very evident in a range of work from essays on ‘Romeo and Juliet’ through to media based assignments. Punctuation is used skilfully to emphasise meaning. The work of pupils of average ability is less good technically but still is well organised and shows good levels of engagement with the texts. In science able pupils’ understanding is well above national averages. They can correctly calculate formula mass and understand the differences between pyramids of numbers and pyramids of biomass. Average pupils also show good understanding of difficult concepts such as gravitational potential energy.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. This is a school where most pupils achieve very well. Overall pupils’ attainment when they enter the school in Year 7 is below national averages. When they leave at the end of Year 11 most are attaining at above the national average and the school’s measure of value added, according to the government’s tables, is high. These very good achievements are brought about by a combination of high quality teaching and learning together with positive attitudes to learning on the part of the majority of pupils. For example Year 11 pupils showed considerable perseverance in grasping the difference between pyramids of numbers and pyramids of biomass. Middlewich High School - 11 The quality of teaching is very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Many pupils are helped to become effective learners because of the very good teaching. In Years 7 to 9 about three-quarters of teaching is good or better and over 40% is very good or excellent. In Years 10 and 11, again, about three quarters of the teaching is very good or better and over half is very good or excellent. As the school values all pupils equally there is very little difference between the teaching of different groups of pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Teachers have very good subject knowledge, which they use well to consolidate and extend pupils’ learning. They have high expectations that the pupils will work hard and apply themselves well, at all levels of ability. In a very good science lesson with pupils of below average ability, the teacher successfully challenged the pupils to use the Internet to research information about comets. The result of this challenge, together with support from the teacher and the effective support staff present, meant that the pupils successfully learned a range of complex information.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Many teachers are highly skilled at the use of assessment criteria to assist the pupils in raising the standards of their work. For example, in a very good English lesson with pupils of above average ability, the teacher continually challenged the pupils to make points succinctly whilst at the same time meeting the assessment objectives across the complete text. Similarly in a very good food technology lesson, pupils analysed the work of their peers against the assessment criteria. This allowed them very effectively to reflect on their own work and how to raise standards whilst at the same time creating targets for each other.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. Lessons start and end well in ways that support learning. In most lessons the learning objectives are stated and understood by the pupils. Ideas from the national Key Stage 3 Strategy are effectively incorporated into lessons in most year groups. A lesson in science started with the pupils being asked to place in sequence the various parts of the digestive system. A Year 10 lesson in information and communications technology (ICT) ended with a skilful review, led by the teacher but fully involving the pupils, of what had been achieved in the lesson and what needed still to be done. A very good science lesson with Year 11 ended with a quiz involving individual whiteboards. The teacher and the pupils were thus able accurately to determine what had been learned and what still needed attention.

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The pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour, both in and out of lessons, are

10. In most lessons pupils’ attitudes to learning and their willingness to participate in the work are very good. In a very good Year 7 physical education lesson the pupils dealt very well with the failure of the lights in the Sports Hall at the start of the lesson and embarked on the alternative activity with enthusiasm and good humour. Once able to return indoors, they showed mature appreciation of the skills needed to be successful at badminton and the rules of the game. They co-operated very well and supported each other in extending their skills at the game. Another example involved a Year 7 history lesson in which pupils worked well in original groups and also when re-grouped for a different purpose.

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The pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour, both in and out of lessons, are

Relationships are very good between pupils and between pupils and their teachers.

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The pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour, both in and out of lessons, are

11. The school operates as a happy community. There is no oppressive behaviour around the school site. In spite of the cramped nature of certain areas of the school and the potential for horseplay, pupils are able to move around the site in relaxed fashion and there are many instances where, at break and lunchtime, they can relax with their friends or work in the library. Middlewich High School - 12 12. Pupils when interviewed report that verbal or physical bullying is rare and dealt with well by the school when it does occur. Pupils treat other pupils, including those with SEN, with respect. They listen to the ideas of others in lessons. They are tolerant of views contradicting their own. Relationships between pupils and their teachers are also very good. All pupils interviewed believed that there is at least one adult within the school whom they could approach if they had a problem. Interactions between teachers and pupils outside

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The pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour, both in and out of lessons, are

lessons are friendly and pupils show appropriate attitudes to their teachers during lessons. On the rare occasions when pupils showed negative attitudes, teachers dealt with these very well.

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The pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour, both in and out of lessons, are

13. There is an effective system of pupil peer support in the Middlewich Youth Support Team (MYST). Pupils apply for posts in this team, are interviewed and experience two days of off-site training. This team of pupils has set duties and is available for counselling throughout each day. Confidentiality is well maintained. The team meets weekly with the Assistant headteacher to discuss issues. Pupils believe that this is an effective system which, amongst other benefits, copes very well with any issues of bullying.

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The school provides very well for the needs of a wide variety of pupils with special

educational needs (SEN) and welcomes these pupils into the school community.

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The school provides very well for the needs of a wide variety of pupils with special

14. The school’s provision for pupils with SEN is a considerable strength. Hearing- impaired pupils, for which the school has a designated unit, make very good progress and are integrated well into the school. Staff are sensitive to their needs and the pupils respond warmly to the teaching they receive, the individual support they are given and the expectations placed upon them.

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The school provides very well for the needs of a wide variety of pupils with special

15. Though the school is not designated as a centre for physically handicapped pupils, it welcomes a number of them onto its roll. These pupils are well provided for and the pupils themselves, together with their parents, are justly complimentary about the quality of teaching and support they receive. Lessons observed, during the inspection, in which physically handicapped pupils were present invariably provided good or better learning opportunities for all pupils in the class.

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The school provides very well for the needs of a wide variety of pupils with special

16. Other pupils with SEN are very well provided for. Pupils are well known as individuals and teachers who teach them have very good knowledge of their needs and, where appertaining, the targets in their individual education plans. Documentation concerning these pupils and the various requirements concerning their progress is very good. All of the needs of these pupils are very well co-ordinated by a talented Special Educational Needs Co- ordinator who works very well with her team of support teachers and assistants.

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the governors are very good – all have a clear picture about how the school needs to

improve and a clear vision of how that may be achieved.

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the governors are very good – all have a clear picture about how the school needs to

17. Many aspects of school life have improved since the current headteacher took up the post whilst not compromising features of the school that were already strong. His leadership is very good. He has a clear vision for the improvement of the school and enjoys the confidence of governors, staff, parents and pupils. School improvement planning has greatly improved under his leadership and he has not been afraid to take difficult decisions involving curriculum, staffing and finance, to the ultimate benefit of the school and its pupils.

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the governors are very good – all have a clear picture about how the school needs to

18. Though the current structure of the senior management of the school has been established only since September 2002, it is working effectively. Individual members of the team are very experienced and highly committed and this commitment is evident in the way Middlewich High School - 13 the school is improving and in particular in the emphasis on the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning. It also manifests itself in the smooth way in which the school runs on a day to day basis. Procedures are well understood by all staff and pupils and the potential of the rather cramped school site to offer occasions for tension or disruption is not realised. It is important to acknowledge the very good contribution that the site and administrative staff make to the essentially civilised community that is the school. These staff work consistently within school policy and support the teaching staff in maintaining the mission of the school.

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the governors are very good – all have a clear picture about how the school needs to

The pupils also benefits from strong leadership from subject leaders, who have good knowledge of individual pupils and of the necessary qualities of teaching and learning needed to attain high standards. Heads of year, whilst only in post since September 2002, are already making a strong contribution to the calm and orderly atmosphere that is such a feature of school life and which makes such a good contribution to pupils’ learning opportunities.

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the governors are very good – all have a clear picture about how the school needs to

19. Governors know the school very well and they use the expertise that is represented on the governing body to its advantage. They are clear about the strategic direction the school needs to take, keep themselves very well informed about the standards the school achieves and act in the best sense as critical friends of the school. Governors have a target to develop more effectively the structure they have set up in which they link with individual areas of the school. This target is appropriate as, when met, it will both improve governors’ in-depth knowledge of the school and allow them to have very high quality information when it comes to making major decisions about the ways in which the school needs to progress. This should help the governing body better to take into account the principles of best value at such times.

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the governors are very good – all have a clear picture about how the school needs to

20. The school is a good institution in terms of its capacity to evaluate its own strengths and identify what it needs to do to improve. An example of this is the way in which the quality of teaching and learning is monitored over a year. Every teacher is monitored over the course of a year; by a member of the senior management team, by his or her team leader and by a peer. This approach is having a demonstrable effect in raising the quality of teaching and learning and represents a considerable improvement on the situation at the time of the last inspection. The vast majority of teachers are very appreciative of the commitment involved and the chance to celebrate good practice where it occurs. Standards would be raised further if better mechanisms were in place to share with greater effectiveness the elements of good practice existing within the school.

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The school recognises that it needs to improve how it communicates with parents

about their children’s progress and has plans in hand to achieve this improvement.

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The school recognises that it needs to improve how it communicates with parents

21. Parents acknowledge that the quality of reporting that they receive about their children’s progress is good and that the meetings which the school holds where they may meet teachers to discuss their children are well organised and of value. They also show high levels of confidence about being able to approach the school if there is a problem, and about the school’s readiness to respond appropriately in such circumstances. However there are issues about the frequency with which parents receive information about their children’s progress and about the timing of reporting within each academic year. Middlewich High School - 14

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The school has made unsatisfactory progress since the last inspection on its use of

22. Though there is data of good quality about pupils’ achievements available in the school, the school has not made the necessary progress since the last inspection on collating it. Considerable progress on this issue has been made recently and the systems used within the school are close to achieving the quality of information that the school needs to raise standards further. The school needs to ensure that all staff have easy access to the available date so that it can be used with all pupils to set targets and thus to raise standards further. Middlewich High School - 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. This is an effective school where there are relatively few areas for development, all of which the school has plans to address. The school should address the following two key issues:

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by:

a) reviewing the pattern of parents’ evenings so that they offer parents and pupils more regular and consistent mechanisms for reporting on progress and setting targets for improvement;

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by:

b) putting into place the plans to ensure that parents and pupils receive termly updates on progress;

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by:

c) ensuring that the systems used continue to be rigorously monitored and evaluated by the school, pupils and parents so that best value is achieved.

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Make better and more co-ordinated use of assessment data to raise standards by:

a) ensuring that the target of systematising the data already in place is reached quickly;

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Make better and more co-ordinated use of assessment data to raise standards by:

b) once this target is reached, training staff further in the use of the data with pupils so that pupils can understand better how they may improve their standards of work. Middlewich High School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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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. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than three percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 685

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 54

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 32

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 73

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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 0

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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 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20

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Attendance

National comparative data 7.8 National comparative data 1.2 Middlewich High School - 17 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Middlewich High School - 18

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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 2002 67 69 136

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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 51 48 50 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 60 50 57

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 83 (74) 72 (77) 80 (83) at NC level 5 or above National 66 (64) 67 (66) 66 (66)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 54 (40) 44 (46) 43 (52) at NC level 6 or above National 32 (31) 45 (43) 33 (34)

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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 41 49 52 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 57 54 60

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 73 (78) 76 (82) 82 (85) at NC level 5 or above National 67 (65) 70 (68) 67 (64)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 31 (29) 51 (49) 47 (53) at NC level 6 or above National 32 (31) 44 (42) 34 (33)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Middlewich High School - 19

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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 2002 59 72 131

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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 24 51 56 Numbers of pupils achieving the standard specified Girls 47 71 72

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Percentage of pupils achieving School 54 (61) 93 (95) 98 (96) the standard specified National 50 (48) 91 (91) 96 (96)

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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 44.0 per pupil National 39.8

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Vocational qualifications Number % success rate

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Number studying for approved vocational qualifications or units and School 0 0 the percentage of those pupils who achieved all those they studied National 0 Middlewich High School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Middlewich High School - 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y11

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 38.14 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17.96

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y7 – Y11 Total income 1921075

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Total expenditure 1979174

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 402 Expenditure per pupil 3008

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 33602

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Deployment of teachers: Y7 – Y11 Balance carried forward to next year -24497 Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes 75.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Average teaching group size: Y[ ] – Y[ ]

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Middlewich High School - 22

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 35 59 3 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 26 53 9 5 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 18 55 18 8 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 24 42 24 7 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 36 51 9 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 48 47 2 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 15 49 24 6 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 29 50 10 2 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 27 59 10 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 46 16 5 6

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Other issues raised by parents

Parents at the parents’ meeting raised the desirability of the school gaining a sixth form. There was not unanimous agreement over this issue.

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