Callington Community College

Inspection Report Callington Community College

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112046 Unique Reference Number Cornwall LEA 278835 Inspection number 18 January 2006 to 19 January 2006 Inspection dates Wilf Hudson HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Launceston Road School address Comprehensive Type of school Callington Community School category Cornwall PL17 7DR 11 to 18 Age range of pupils 01579 383292 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01579 383562 Fax number 1306 Number on roll Mr Peter Lee Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Stephen Kenning Headteacher 20 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278835 18 January 2006 - 11 to 18 19 January 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two HMIs and four Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Callington Community College is a large mixed comprehensive school. It has been a specialist sports college since 2000 and was designated a specialist music college in 2004. The college serves the small town of Callington and a very wide rural area. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is very low and almost all pupils have English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is around the national average. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school is broadly in line with the national picture. There are slightly more girls than boys in the main school and many more girls than boys in the sixth form.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Callington Community College, 18 January 2006 to 19 January 2006

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Grade: 2

Callington Community College is a good school with several outstanding features. Pupils, including those with learning difficulties, make good progress throughout the college and achieve well. Standards have been rising steadily since the last inspection, although GCSE results fell back somewhat in 2005. Corrective action has already led to significant improvements in the standards of the current Year 11 work, setting the college back on its upward track. Teaching is good, although there is some variation in the quality of feedback and marking of pupils’ written work. The personal development and well-being of pupils form an area of exceptional strength in the college. The care, guidance and support for pupils are also outstanding. Relationships between staff and pupils and between pupils are strong. Attendance is good and pupils are extremely well behaved both in lessons and as they move around the school. The

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Grade: 2

overwhelming majority of parents share this positive view about the quality of education and care provided by the college. Leadership and management are outstanding. The school has made good use of its specialist status to improve standards and to extend and strengthen its links with the wider community. It is an active partner in many national and local initiatives. It has used its specialisms especially well to broaden its own curriculum and to extend the opportunities for pupils and teachers in partner primary schools in music and sports. The broad curriculum and the creation of a safe and enjoyable learning environment have led to improvements in performance across the college. The college has an accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses, although some departments are less rigorous in reviewing their work, and it is well placed to carry on with this improvement. Governors have a clear understanding of the college’s

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Grade: 2

work and provide excellent support. The college makes efficient use of its resources and provides good value for money.

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Grade: 2

The college has a growing and successful sixth form. Teaching in the sixth form is good. Students make good progress and, overall, reach high standards. Many of them go on to study at a wide range of universities. Over the last three years, surveys of students show that they have a high regard for their sixth form experiences. A good range of subjects is available at GCE A and AS level and a wide range of enrichment activities are available. Whilst some courses lead to lower level qualifications, there is little vocational provision. The college is looking to extend this over the next year with the introduction of NVQ programmes. A project in 2004 showed that students generally achieved higher grades in their GCE A and AS subjects than their GCSE entry grades predicted, but the regular use of such value-added measures to support further improvement is currently lacking. 2 Inspection Report: Callington Community College, 18 January 2006 to 19 January 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

The college should: • ensure a consistently high standard of self-evaluation across all departments • ensure consistency of marking and feedback to students across the whole college.

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Grade: 2

Students make good progress throughout the college and generally achieve well in national tests and examinations. Throughout the college, teachers make effective use of data to set targets and monitor performance, leading to significant improvements in pupils’ achievement. The college has met all its specialist subject targets. Pupils enter Year 7 with average standards overall in the core subjects but literacy levels of a significant number of pupils, particularly boys, are weaker. By the end of Year 9, their performance has been consistently above average in recent years. Close liaison with partner primary schools and the extra challenge of an accelerated curriculum are successfully driving up standards and raising achievement in Key Stage 3. Intensive work on literacy in the Year 7 focus groups has had a significant impact on the progress and standards of pupils with special needs. Overall standards are good in Key Stage 4

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Grade: 2

and pupils achieve well. After four years when GCSE results were consistently above average, standards dropped in 2005, partly reflecting the high proportion of boys on the SEN register in 2005 and problems with an ICT course. The school’s accurate analysis of these results and its implementation of strategies for improvement have proved successful. Rigorous monitoring of the current Year 11 shows that pupils are making good progress and are on course to achieve the higher standards of previous years. Pupils with special needs are making good progress, half of them exceeding their targets by the end of the first term. In the sixth form, standards are improving on the average attainment of recent years and students’ achievement is good. In recent years, the wide range of academic ability among students has achieved solid average results overall, with an upward trend in performance at higher levels. AS results

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Grade: 2

improved significantly last year and this progress is being maintained on A2 courses. The college adds significant value to students’ performance in the sixth from,enabling students to make better progress than their GCSE grades on entry would predict. Results on vocational courses are also strong.

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Grade: 1

The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is outstanding. As a result, relationships are excellent. Pupils are polite, confident and respectful of others’ views. Behaviour is also outstanding. Pupils have very positive attitudes to their studies. In class, they work enthusiastically, listen carefully to their teachers and strive to improve their standards. Bullying is very rare and, when it occurs, is swiftly dealt with, so that pupils feel secure in school. Around the premises and in lessons, they move sensibly, showing consideration for others. The number of exclusions is falling and 3 Inspection Report: Callington Community College, 18 January 2006 to 19 January 2006 the school aims to eliminate them completely in the near future. Pupils play a very active role in the life of the school. The college council meets regularly and pupils feel they are listened to. They participate in assemblies and appreciate the wide range of

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Grade: 1

extra-curricular activities on offer. Sixth form students make a valuable contribution to the support for younger pupils. Pupils respond very well to the college’s efforts to raise awareness of healthy eating. They say they like the choice of food on offer and that what they have learnt in college has influenced what they choose to eat outside college. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the life of the community. For example, music ensembles regularly perform at fetes, and older pupils work with primary school pupils. In personal, social and health education lessons, pupils show great interest in acquiring the skills needed in the workplace. They respond well to work experience arrangements in Year 10 and work hard to equip themselves thoroughly for life after college.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is good. This confirms the senior management team’s judgement and evidence they have collected from systematic lesson observations. Teachers are well informed about their subjects and have very good relationships with pupils, who arrive at lessons ready and willing to learn. Lessons are well planned, objectives are shared with pupils and a range of tasks enable pupils to make good progress. In lessons judged to be outstanding, teachers take pupils a step further, stimulating the pupils’ interest by giving them the responsibility to co-ordinate and direct their own learning. For example, in a Year 10 dance lesson, pupils worked in small groups composing their own dances, drawing on the teacher’s expertise to refine more intricate movement patterns. In a small number of lessons, pupils are not stimulated and stretched, often because the teacher is doing most of the work. The school is aware of this and provides

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Grade: 2

good support for teachers to help them improve this aspect of their work. The quality of the work of teaching assistants is a strong feature. They work very effectively alongside teachers, guiding and supporting pupils, as well as contributing particular skills and expertise which enhance learning. For example, in a Year 7 literacy lesson, three learning assistants worked with three groups of pupils, helping them to spell and use new vocabulary in meaningful contexts. The quality of feedback and marking of pupils’ written work is generally good, but a few teachers provide only limited guidance on how work can be improved. Improving the quality and use of ongoing assessment is an area rightly identified by the school for further development and senior staff are looking at how this might be used to stretch pupils more effectively. 4 Inspection Report: Callington Community College, 18 January 2006 to 19 January 2006

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Grade for sixth form: 2

The curriculum is outstanding and has improved significantly since the last inspection. A thoughtful and exciting review of the curriculum has helped move the school closer to its goal of providing a more individual curriculum for all pupils. The new Key Stage 3 curriculum in Years 7 and 8 provides pupils with a more stimulating experience and is helping to offer a more efficient transfer from Year 6, thus avoiding ‘plateauing’ for many pupils. Increased flexibility for 14-19 year old students, allows them to select more personal programmes, such as studying one or two languages, developing leadership and work-related skills or starting their GCSE courses earlier. A well structured PSHE programme engages pupils in thoughtful and mature discussions. Year 10 approaches to teaching sexual health and well-being provide a good example of this. Other initiatives, including focus groups on literacy in Year 7 and specific

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Grade for sixth form: 2

programmes to support pupils with special educational needs, are helping to raise standards. A wide-ranging enrichment programme, which reflects both the college’s specialist status and wider curriculum extension, is very well regarded by pupils. The extensive links with other organisations and schools helps to enhance pupils' experiences within and beyond the local community and is an outstanding feature of the college. Throughout the college, the pupils say they enjoy their learning because they have greater choice in what they can study. They also say they feel valued by the college as they are regularly consulted on the curriculum and how well it meets their needs.

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Grade: 1

The college places great importance on the care, support and guidance of the pupils and provision in this area is outstanding. Attendance and behaviour are carefully monitored and, as a result, pupils achieve well. Targets set for pupils act as good motivation for learning. The college provides a caring and safe environment for all who work there. Pupils say there is always someone they can go to if they have a concern, including sixth form students. Child protection procedures are thorough and conscientiously followed. Good attention is paid to health and safety features. Arrangements to introduce Year 6 pupils to the school are excellent. Pupils say they are made to feel very welcome. Support in the three specialist units for vulnerable pupils and those with learning difficulties is outstanding. Pupils appreciate the one-to-one help provided and appreciate the chance to work in a quiet, caring environment. One pupil said that were it not for the learning support unit, his

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Grade: 1

attendance would not be so regular. Links with outside agencies are excellent. Careers provision is good and the work experience for Year 10 pupils is efficiently organised. PSHE and citizenship lessons give very strong support to pupils’ personal development. 5 Inspection Report: Callington Community College, 18 January 2006 to 19 January 2006

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management of the college are outstanding. Over recent years, the headteacher, governors and the senior leadership team have shown the capacity to lead and manage continuing improvement exceptionally well. Their far-sighted leadership provides the college with a very clear strategic vision toward which it is moving purposefully. At all levels, leaders and managers work very well together to ensure pupils and students enjoy a good quality of education and a high standard of care. The extension of the college’s leadership and management into the wider community is highly effective. College-wide changes that are made to improve provision and raise standards are very well thought through and securely based on rigorous performance reviews. Action, once taken, is closely monitored and carefully evaluated to ensure that it has the desired effect. Overall, subject leaders work well to bring about improvements in test, assessment and examination results and the quality of

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Grade: 1

teaching within their teams. Whilst all are working to a common end, they employ different means and, in a few cases, they are not equally effective. Most departments produce excellent self-evaluations, identify weaknesses, and take highly effective action that brings about rapid improvement. In a few cases, self-evaluations are not sufficiently rigorous. Most regularly evaluate the progress that pupils make compared to similar pupils nationally. Most use these national comparisons to ensure that pupils’ targets are sufficiently challenging. This has led to very significant increases in expectations and current performance of Year 11. Governors have an excellent understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have well-focused monthly full meetings and they take turns to attend weekly meetings of senior school leaders and managers. This has helped to produce the close and highly productive

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Grade: 1

relationships between governors and managers. 6 Inspection Report: Callington Community College, 18 January 2006 to 19 January 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: Callington Community College, 18 January 2006 to 19 January 2006

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Inspection judgements

16-19 School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Inspection judgements

2 2 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? 1 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA The quality and standards in foundation stage 2 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation Yes Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Inspection judgements

Achievement and standards 2 2 How well do learners achieve? 2 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Inspection judgements

2 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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Inspection judgements

Personal development and well-being 1 1 How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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Inspection judgements

The quality of provision 2 2 How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? 2 1 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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Inspection judgements

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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Annex A

Leadership and management 1 1 How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners? How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities insufficient evidence Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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Annex A

The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them The extent to which learners make a positive contribution Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the

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Annex A

wider community The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams Yes Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form Yes Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Students, We were very pleased to meet and talk to so many of you when we inspected your college recently. Your contributions helped to give us a better understanding of Callington College and how it works. We all enjoyed our time in the college and appreciated the friendly and courteous welcome you gave us. You impressed us with your enthusiasm and support for the college. It is obvious that you enjoy going to college and feel well supported by all the staff. We also think that Callington is a good college and that you are well supported. We think the college offers you a good range of courses to study and helps you to make the most of what is on offer. It is good to see that so many of you make such good progress through college. Your behaviour and the way you work hard in lessons are important reasons for your success. We also think you have a lot of good teachers who know how to help you understand your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

work and improve your performance. Your college is led and managed very well by the headteacher and the senior team. They have ensured that the college has improved since it was last inspected and we are sure that they will continue to make improvements. There are a few areas where we think improvements are needed: • some teachers could improve the way they mark your work and tell you how to improve it • a few departments need to be better at reviewing how effective they are. Our report on the college will soon be published and will be available for you and your parents to read. Thank you for helping us with our work. Best wishes Yours sincerely Wilf Hudson HMI, Lead Inspector. Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk

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