Setting

Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by the Office for Standards in Education under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002 in order to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the college’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about the college

Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, located in Chigwell, is an independent day school for 277 boys and girls aged from 3 to 18 years. The college is owned by a charitable trust.

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Information about the college

There are 256 learners in Key Stages 1 to 4 and 10 students in Years 12 and 13. The college also provides for 21 children under compulsory school age. It opened in September 1993 in the premises of a former school, purchased from Essex County Council. The college is denominational and provides for learners from the Sikh faith; it also welcomes learners from other faiths. Hindu, Muslim and Christian are represented on the college roll; collectively these make up the majority. The college is non-selective and there is some variation in attainment at entry from year to year.

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Information about the college

The college aims ‘ to provide a rich educational experience for all its pupils in a caring, secure and supportive environment. In particular the college seeks to ensure that each pupil will leave as a confident, educated and honourable person’.

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Summary of main findings

Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College is a good college which provides effectively for its learners. There are several areas of outstanding practice. It fully meets its stated aims. The ethos within the college is one of hard work and positive attitudes by both teachers and learners to achieve the highest standards. Learners achieve very well in public examinations; many complete General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) accreditation in Year 10. The college is currently ranked seventh in GCSE accreditation when compared to all schools in Essex. It provides a broad and balanced curriculum. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The quality of education for Foundation Stage learners and those in Key Stages 1 and 2 is very good. Assessment is practised consistently throughout the college and its outcomes are used well to plan further learning.

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What the college does well:

• it provides outstanding multi-cultural education;

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What the college does well:

• its teachers show a clear sense of dedication and they serve as very good role models;

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What the college does well:

• its learners are courteous and their behaviour is very good: relationships are characterised by mutual respect; • it has outstanding links with the local community which bring social and cultural benefits;

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What the college does well:

• it gives a well-rounded education and prepares learners very well for when they leave; and

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What the college does well:

• it provides outstanding concern for the welfare of learners and they say they enjoy being at the college.

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What the college must do in order to comply with the regulations:

• put in place secure procedures for the appointment of staff, as indicated in section 4 of this report;

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What the college must do in order to comply with the regulations:

• provide appropriate washroom accommodation for learners, as noted in section 5;

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What the college must do in order to comply with the regulations:

• ensure parents are aware that they may request copies of the information listed in section 6; and

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What the college must do in order to comply with the regulations:

• improve the implementation of the complaints procedure through applying the points noted in section 7.

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Next Steps

Whilst not required by the regulations, the college might wish to consider the following point for development:

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Next Steps

• provide thorough induction procedures for all new staff.

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The quality of the curriculum

The college successfully provides its learners with a broad and balanced education. The curriculum covers all subjects of the National Curriculum and includes a good range of modern languages. It is planned well and provides a secure base for learning. There is a written curriculum policy which is supported well by appropriate plans and schemes of work. Day to day-lesson planning varies in quality, although most is good. These plans enable learners to progress. A particular strength of the curriculum is the arrangement for those learners who use English as an additional language. Within lessons teachers help learners’ understanding by using their appropriate home language or by providing additional support outside of the formal timetable. As part of its provision the college also offers a good range of modern languages, which include Spanish, French, Gujurati, Urdu and Punjabi.

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The quality of the curriculum

The curriculum for learners within the Foundation Stage is very good. The six areas of learning are provided very well through secure planning. Learners within this stage are prepared very well for their entry to formal education.

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The quality of the curriculum

The college has a small number of post-16 students. Each of these follows a personalised curriculum which is entirely appropriate for their needs. Courses in business studies and information and communication technology (ICT) are provided to a high standard. By the time these students leave, they are prepared very well for their next phase of education.

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The quality of the curriculum

The college day begins with assemblies. These are provided separately, according to the religious beliefs of learners and fully reflect the spiritual nature on which the college is founded. The assembly within the Gurdwara is run entirely by the learners. They accomplish this with great reverence.

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The quality of the curriculum

The college provides a full timetable as well as offering opportunities for learners to receive additional tuition. This takes place either at weekends or during the holidays. The college accepts learners of all attainments and makes good provision for these. Additional lessons and tutorials are provided for the whole attainment range.

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The quality of the curriculum

Throughout the college learners are offered many opportunities to take on responsibilities which reflect their age and maturity. The formal curriculum is further enriched by a programme of after-college activities and visits to places of interest. The latter supports work studied within lessons.

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The quality of teaching and assessment

The quality of teaching is good. In some individual lessons observed teaching was outstanding. The majority of lessons are prepared well and follow the college curriculum accurately. At its best, planning includes clear learning intentions and these are made known to learners at the beginning of each lesson. The outstanding lessons seen took full account of what learners had already achieved and used this understanding to build their knowledge further. The favourable ratio of teachers to learners adds to the quality of opportunity. This ensures that all learners receive as much individual help as they need. Although good and outstanding teaching was seen throughout the college during the inspection, the provision for Foundation Stage and primary-aged learners was consistently good.

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The quality of teaching and assessment

In almost all lessons, learners’ previous work is reviewed. This enables them to confirm their understanding effectively and securely. Included in this is a check on their homework. The best teachers encourage learners to explain their work to the rest of the class. In most lessons learners are very confident to ask questions about anything they do not understand. However, only the best teachers encourage all learners to contribute and further consolidate their learning by valuing all their responses.

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The quality of teaching and assessment

The most effective lessons include good summaries at the end. In these teachers question learners’ understanding and this helps secure the learning objective. These summaries are followed by the setting of homework directly linked to the lesson topic. A high proportion of learners complete this successfully.

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The quality of teaching and assessment

Teachers’ subject knowledge is very good. This enables them to provide appropriate challenges to learners. It is made more effective where teachers have a noticeable enthusiasm for their subject and engage the interest of learners through effective communication. A few lessons were not as effective because learners found difficulty in understanding the unfamiliar accents of some teachers. A few learners feel that individual, newly appointed staff, do not always fully understand the cultural differences and expectations of their behaviour.

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The quality of teaching and assessment

Interactive whiteboards and other forms of ICT are used throughout the college. These resources add to the quality of lesson presentations. In many instances teachers have yet to get the most from this technology because they do not always actively include learners in its use. Resources are generally satisfactory and fully support the curriculum.

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The quality of teaching and assessment

Assessment of learning is good. This occurs at several levels. Learners regularly undertake end of module tests. Homework is also marked but only in better examples of this are helpful comments included, aimed at enabling the learner to improve. Assessment results indicate that learners make good progress. Learners undertake a wide range of accreditation. A substantial number sit for examinations in Year 10. For example, almost half the current Year 11 have already achieved A*-B grades in English; more than half have successfully been accredited in religious education. The strength of the assessment process is that it is used consistently to modify and adapt further teaching and learning.

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learners

The college makes outstanding provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of its learners. There is a clear and very strong family ethos in which consideration for others is dominant. A high priority is given to the development of respect and tolerance in learners’ dealings with one another. They are encouraged to take full responsibility for their behaviour. Staff generally provide very good role models for learners and the interaction they have with them reinforces the values of care and respect. In the pre-inspection questionnaire, one quarter of parents indicated they did not believe that staff treat their children fairly and with respect. The inspection team found no evidence of this. Many learners are appreciative of the effort made by staff on their behalf. Learners’ behaviour is generally good; younger learners, particularly, behave impeccably in lessons.

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learners

The college promotes learners’ self-esteem and confidence effectively through praise and encouragement in lessons, its displays of work and its celebration of academic and other achievements. Learners’ responses are encouraged: this makes a positive contribution to their growing confidence and assists in their social development. They are friendly and keen to offer help to others. They willingly take responsibilities as class monitors. The learners have a strong sense of fairness and clearly know the difference between right and wrong. The college also provides a good range of social experiences through clubs, visits off site and residential summer camps.

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learners

The provision for learners’ spiritual development is excellent. This awareness is raised through assemblies, religious education lessons and through the curriculum. All subject policies identify the provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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learners

The college provides three different daily acts of worship to meet the needs of its Sikh, Muslim and Christian learners. The college Gurdwara is visited daily by Sikh learners. These learners lead the whole act of worship with little adult intervention. They listen with reverence to the singing of shabads (hymns), readings from the Guru Granth Sahib , the Sikh scriptures. They show great respect to their peers who are performing. There is utter silence throughout the prayers, which enhances spiritual awareness. There is a strong emphasis on supporting charities and helping others. The Sikh teaching of service, and sharing one’s good fortune with those in need, is consistently emphasised.

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learners

Learners are encouraged to appreciate the cultural diversity within the college and in the wider world. All major faiths are taught in the religious education curriculum. The college capitalises on the opportunities provided by learners’ wide range of ethnic backgrounds to raise their multi-cultural awareness and understanding. The college has an outstanding ethos of religious and cultural tolerance. It took part in the ‘ Kick Racism out of Football’ project. Visits to museums, other schools and inter- school football and cricket matches also help learners to appreciate the culture of others. The citizenship programme provides many opportunities for learners to improve their understanding of public and commercial institutions through visits to the Houses of Parliament, a bank, the post office, Disneyland in France and a local supermarket.

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3. The welfare, health and safety of the learners

The college gives high regard to the health, safety and welfare of learners. A range of appropriate policies and procedures relating to child protection, health and safety and behaviour management are implemented effectively. Learners are closely supervised throughout the day and every effort is made to ensure that the college is a safe place in which to learn and work. The arrangements for First Aid are very good and there are seven nominated First Aiders. The college maintains the admission and attendance registers in the required form.

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3. The welfare, health and safety of the learners

The behaviour policy is strongly in line with the college ethos of respect for all. It is implemented very successfully in all lessons and this encourages high standards of behaviour. Learners’ behaviour in lessons and moving between lessons is very good. Although sanctions exist for serious misconduct, there have been few instances where these have been used.

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3. The welfare, health and safety of the learners

The college is fully committed to child protection and has a named child protection officer. The staff have received relevant training to help them recognise the signs of possible child abuse. Fire drills are held regularly and records are kept of their outcomes. Regular fire risk assessments are made and a recent report identified no unsatisfactory concerns.

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3. The welfare, health and safety of the learners

The college carries out its responsibilities towards learners who may have disabilities and works effectively to ensure that they have the same opportunities as others. A written, three-year plan addresses the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 2002. This provides proposals to improve accessibility to the premises and the curriculum.

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4. The suitability of the proprietor and staff

The college is owned by the Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College Trust. This charitable trust is run by people ‘ committed to providing a quality education for its pupils and students’. The college is registered with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), but not all staff records contain evidence of such checks having been carried out. The procedures for the appointment and recruitment of staff are unsatisfactory. The administration of these is weak and the organisation of the documentation does not enable ease and efficiency of access.

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

In order to comply with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations 2003 the college should:

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• ensure that, prior to the confirmation of their appointment, staff at the school and any member of the body of persons named as the proprietor are subject to a check with the CRB to confirm their suitability to work with children (paragraph 4(b));

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• prior to the confirmation of the appointment of all staff, carry out appropriate checks to confirm their identity, medical fitness, previous employment history, character references and, where appropriate, qualifications and professional references (paragraph 4(c)); and

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• where a foreign national is either the proprietor of the school, or is employed as a member of staff, and for whom a CRB check is inappropriate, ensure that that person is subject to checks for overseas teachers set out in Department for Education and Skills guidance (paragraph 4(f)).

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5. The suitability of the premises and accommodation

The college is located in the premises of a former local authority school. The facilities fully support the teaching of the curriculum. Classrooms are of adequate size and provide appropriate opportunities for variation in methods of teaching and learning. Specialist facilities, such as computer suites and craft rooms, add to the quality of provision.

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5. The suitability of the premises and accommodation

The Gurdwara occupies a central and symbolic location in the school. All learners, of whatever religious persuasion, treat this with due reverence.

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5. The suitability of the premises and accommodation

The building is old and facilities such as the washroom accommodation have been neglected over time and now require the major renovation planned by the college management.

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5. The suitability of the premises and accommodation

Some learners believe that the college should upgrade its facilities. A significant number are unhappy that they have nowhere to leave their belongings safely. Many also believe that the sports facilities could be better.

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Does the college meet the requirements for registration?

The college meets all but one of the requirements.

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

In order to comply fully with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations 2003 the college should:

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• ensure that there are sufficient washrooms for staff and learners and that the condition of these takes account of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (paragraph 5(k)).

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6. The quality of information for parents and other partners

The range of information provided for parents and other partners does not meet requirements. These are listed below. Only three-quarters of parents who responded to the questionnaire indicated they were kept well informed about their children’s progress.

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6. The quality of information for parents and other partners

There is an informative, though outdated prospectus, which sets out the broad principles by which the college runs. It informs parents of such things as the college aims, admission criteria and rules and code of behaviour.

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Does the college meet the requirements for registration?

The college meets most, but not all of the requirements.

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

In order to comply in full with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations 2003 the college should:

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

inform parents that they may have access to the following information on request:

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• details of the complaints procedure adopted by the college, together with details of the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the preceding college year (paragraph 6(2)(j)); and

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• the number of staff employed at the college, including temporary staff, and a summary of their qualifications (paragraph 6(2)(k)).

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complaints

The college has an ineffective complaints policy. The requirements are indicated below. The policy does not provide unambiguous information to parents about how they might make a complaint. Almost 1 in 6 of those parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire indicated that they did not understand the complaints procedures.

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

In order to comply with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations 2003 the college should:

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• make the complaints procedure available on request to parents of learners and prospective learners (paragraph 7(b));

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• allow for parents to attend the panel hearing, and, if they wish, to be accompanied (paragraph 7(h));

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• provide for the panel to make findings and recommendations and stipulate that the complainant, proprietors and headteacher, and, where relevant, the person complained about, should be given a copy of any findings and recommendations (paragraph 7(i));

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• provide for written records to be kept of all complaints indicating whether they were resolved at the preliminary stage, or whether they proceeded to a panel hearing (paragraph 7(j)); and

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What does the college need to do to comply with the regulations?

• ensure that correspondence, statements and records of complaints are kept confidential (paragraph 7(k)).

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COLLEGE DETAILS

Name of college: Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College DfES Number: 881/6042 Type of college: Faith college Status: Independent Age range of learners: 3 - 18 years Gender of learners: Mixed Number on roll (full-time learners): Boys: 187 Girls: 90 Total: 277 Annual fees (day learners): Primary - £3,600 Secondary - £4000 Address of college: Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College Roding Lane Chigwell Essex IG7 6BQ Telephone number: 0208 559 9160 Fax number: 0208 559 9064 Email address: info@ggskcollege.co.uk Headteacher: Mr A S Toor Proprietor: Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College Trust Reporting Inspector: Mr Tom Smith Date of inspection: 20 - 23 March 2006

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COLLEGE DETAILS

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COLLEGE DETAILS

School inspection reports are available on the Ofsted website ( www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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COLLEGE DETAILS

The website lists Ofsted independent school inspection reports, together with information on the work Ofsted does in the independent sector.

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