The Wavell SchoolOfsted inspection, 8 Jun 2006

116448 Unique Reference Number Hampshire LEA LEA 279832 Inspection number 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 Inspection dates Peter Sanderson HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Lynchford Road School address Comprehensive Type of school Farnborough Community School category GU14 6BH 11 to 16 Age range of pupils 01252341256 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01252345613 Fax number 835 Number on roll Councillor Nigel Baines Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Amanda Rowley Headteacher 13 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279832 7 June 2006 - 11 to 16 8 June 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 one Of Her Majesty's Inspectors and three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The Wavell School is an average sized, popular comprehensive school. Most students are of White British heritage, with a small number from minority ethnic groups, mainly Nepalese. The number of students whose first language is not English is below the national average. The number of students eligible for free school meals is below average, however, this may misrepresent the socio-economic circumstances of the students. Around one third of students are from military families, none of whom are eligible for free school meals. The students from military families also cause movement in and out of the school at times other than is usual. This means that by the end of Year 11 thirty percent of the year group may have joined the school after the start of Year 7. The proportion of students with learning difficulties or disabilities is similar to the national average. The school is a specialist technology college.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: The Wavell School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006

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Grade: 2

The Wavell School provides students with a good education. This is a view shared by the leadership team and governors. Standards at the end of Year 11 have improved at a rate faster than the national average in recent years and students make good progress during their time at the school. The school provides good value for money. The school is well led by the new headteacher who is providing a clear sense of direction focused on raising standards. She is ably supported by the recently restructured leadership team. The school's self evaluation indicates that the senior leadership team are clear about where the school has more to do as well as its strengths. The quality of teaching is good although variable across the school, resulting in some differences in the achievement of students between subjects. The personal development of students is good. There is an orderly and calm environment for learning and good relationships

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Grade: 2

exist among students and also between students and staff. Students enjoy their time in the school. Students' social, moral and cultural development are good although spiritual development is satisfactory. The school curriculum is good. It meets the needs of the vast majority of students but the school wishes to develop further the breadth of vocational courses offered in Years 10 and 11. The quality of care, guidance and support is good. Students feel safe and well looked after while in school. There is an active and effective school council and students feel that their opinions are valued. The school is well managed. Budgets are tightly controlled and resources well deployed. The school has achieved technology college status since its last inspection and this is contributing to school improvement by improving information communication technology (ICT) resources available to all departments. The school has a good capacity

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Grade: 2

to improve and knows where it needs to direct its energies.

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What the school should do to improve further

andmiddot; Ensure that the quality of all teaching and learning is as good as the best.

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Grade: 2

Achievement and standards are good. On entry to the school in Year 7, students' standards are at the national average. At the end of Year 9 standards are above the national average in mathematics and average in English and science. At the end of Year 11 the percentage of students achieving five or more good GCSE grades has increased at a rate faster than the average over recent years and is now above the national average. The overall progress made by students during their time at the school is good. The school achieved its GCSE targets in 2005 but now recognises that these could have been more challenging. This has led to the setting of more challenging targets for future year groups. There is some disparity in the progress made by students in different subjects. The Year 11 examination results of 2005 indicated that students 2 Inspection Report: The Wavell School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 made good progress in mathematics, design and technology and art. However, students

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Grade: 2

made less progress than expected in science, modern languages and history. The school has taken effective steps to improve achievement in these subjects and its effective tracking systems indicate that standards are due to rise in 2006. The examination results of 2005 also indicated that girls did not make as much progress as boys. The school has identified and is effectively addressing this issue by providing personalised learning and mentor support. Other groups of students such as those with learning difficulties and disabilities and minority ethnic students achieve as well as most because their needs are recognised and met well.

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Grade: 2

Students' personal development and well-being are good. The school is a well-ordered and friendly community that welcomes the newcomers who frequently arrive. Students relate well to one another and to staff, reflecting the school's emphasis on a culture of respect. There is a positive commitment to racial equality. Students' moral, social and cultural development are good. There is high level of participation in a good range of cultural activity including music and dance. Students' spiritual development is satisfactory. Behaviour is good and most students enjoy their time at school. Attendance is satisfactory. Students feel that the school is a safe environment where help is readily to hand. They have trust in the ability of staff to deal effectively with issues such as bullying. The school encourages students well to adopt healthy lifestyles and the majority take on a range of physical activity or sport in addition to their games lessons. Healthy eating

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Grade: 2

has been a successful development and is one of a number of changes brought about by the highly effective School Council. Council representatives take their duties very seriously and their views are valued and respected by all in the school. Many students involve themselves in other roles that contribute to the life of the school and the community. For example, prefects assigned to support Year 7 tutor groups give effective help. Both Year 7 and Year 11 students visit local primary schools and are very supportive in helping induct new students into the school . Students involve themselves in the many charity fund-raising events.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good and initiatives to improve the effectiveness of classroom practice are starting to have a positive impact on students' learning. However, during the inspection it was clear that the best practices in some areas were not always followed in others, resulting in some inconsistency across the school. Expectations are usually high and lessons contain challenging and stimulating learning activities which motivate the students. The learning environment is enhanced by the 3 Inspection Report: The Wavell School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 excellent relationships between teachers and students. Strong support is provided for students who have learning difficulties and disabilities as well as those whose first language is not English. This ensures that they make good progress. In the few lessons which were only satisfactory the pace was slow and tasks did not always match students' needs. As a consequence they were not sufficiently motivated

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Grade: 2

or stretched. These lessons tend to occur when teachers have not made effective use of assessment data to match the challenge of the lesson to the ability of the students. However, most teachers ensure that students know what they are expected to learn. Their marking is regular and consistent and they give students good guidance on how they can improve their work and meet their targets. Students' skills in evaluating their own work and that of other students are being developed effectively by teachers'.

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Grade: 2

The quality and range of curricular provision is good and meets the needs of the vast majority of the students. The school's specialist status as a technology college has resulted in the enrichment of the whole curriculum and in the sharing of good practice with other schools. ICT is used extensively and effectively to support learning in all subjects. In Years 10 and 11 students are able to choose from a wide range of GCSE courses which now include statistics and dance. They are well prepared for future employment by a comprehensive programme of work-related learning, work experience and their involvement in the Young Enterprise scheme. Very effective use is made of outside agencies to provide further support and guidance. The school has made a start in offering accredited vocational courses for students who would benefit from them but provision is still limited. The curriculum is further enriched and enhanced by a wide

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Grade: 2

range of after-school activities, both sporting and cultural, which are very well supported. Students speak enthusiastically about these and they are particularly proud of the andquot;Rock Challengeandquot;, a series of performing arts events, in which so many of them have become involved.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The requirements for child protection and health and safety are well met. Tutors know students well and generally stay with their groups throughout their time at the school. This allows them to deepen their insight into individual student's needs and provide good support for their personal development; students are confident in the system. The school's counsellor for students provides a highly effective additional dimension to the provision for support and guidance. Links with outside agencies are well-established and used effectively by the school. The monitoring of students' work is regular and efficient and students are well-informed about their future options. The school has good links with most of its feeder schools. This allows for the early preparation of support programmes for incoming Year 7 students. In addition the school has a strong network of links to schools in the UK and

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Grade: 2

abroad attended by students from military families. Such close links help the school 4 Inspection Report: The Wavell School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 to provide a continuity of education for students whose school lives are often interrupted by transfers.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The basis of the good leadership and management of the school lies in the new headteacher's skilful leadership and vision. She has a very clear understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses and has the respect of all staff and students. A restructured senior leadership team is working effectively as a team to improve the personal development and academic achievement of all groups of students. The school development plan is well focused on areas in need of improvement. Change and innovation are assessed thoroughly on the basis of improving students' learning. For example, its funding as a specialist technology college has successfully extended the range of teaching and learning styles both within the school and in its partner primary and special schools. Well-qualified staff are deployed effectively. The school is well resourced and budgets carefully managed. Senior members of staff carry out

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Grade: 2

their leadership responsibilities well because they have a good in-depth knowledge of the areas of the school that they manage. Curriculum directors and pastoral directors are coached well and generally establish a whole school ethos in their area of responsibility. There is, however, some variation in the quality of subject management and this results in an inconsistency in the quality of teaching and learning across the school. The governing body has a sound understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They support and challenge the headteacher and staff effectively. 5 Inspection Report: The Wavell School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: The Wavell School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

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

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Achievement and standards

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

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

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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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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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

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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

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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 wider community

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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

Pupils During the recent inspection, we met and talked with many of you, sat in some of your lessons and looked at work you had done. We would like to thank you for the help you gave us. Now that we have finished the inspection I am writing to tell you of our findings. We thought your school provides you with a good education and the following points are its key strengths.* Your headteacher leads the school well. With the support of other senior staff she is improving the school. * You are taught well in most lessons and as a consequence you are making good progress.* You behave well in lessons and actively take part in the activities that teachers have planned for you.* Your teachers take good care of you. Your tutors know you well and you told us you feel safe and secure while in school.* Relationships are good. You all get on well with each other and with your teachers.* Your school council is a strength of

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the school. Council members take their duties very seriously and they have made a difference to the school. For example through their involvement in the school travel plan, improving healthy meal options from the canteen and helping instigate the andquot;listening earandquot; initiative.* The school offers a broad range of courses in Years 10 and 11 that meets most of your interests and abilities well. * Many of you attend the range of lunchtime and after school clubs offered by the school. We were particularly impressed, as are you, with your involvement in the andquot;Rock Challenge.andquot;* You school's award of technology college status has helped improve ICT facilities and this is benefiting all of you. Even though we think your school is good we have asked it to do the following in order to become even better. * Many of your lessons are at the right level for you and have a good range of activities to keep you interested and help you learn. But some are not and so we have

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

asked the school to ensure that all your lessons are as good as the best.Thank you again and I wish you all good luck for the future. Yours sincerely, Peter Sanderson Her Majesty's Inspector

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