Setting

Mrs Anne Lakey Headteacher Durham Community Business College and Fyndoune Community College c/o DCBC Bracken Court Ushaw Moor Durham DH7 7NG

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Education for Sustainable

Development (ESD) - three year longitudinal survey.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Education for Sustainable

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff, during my recent visit to look at work in ESD.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Education for Sustainable

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions, but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text. All feedback letters will be published on the Ofsted website at the end of each half-term.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Education for Sustainable

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included: interviews with pupils, teachers and other staff as well as those from partner primaries, scrutiny of relevant documentation, analysis of pupils’ work and an observation of five lessons and two meetings with school councillors.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Education for Sustainable

ESD is continuing to be developed in both schools. The overall effectiveness was judged to be satisfactory with some good features.

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Achievement and standards

Achievement and standards in terms of ESD vary widely across both schools.

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Achievement and standards

 There is improving awareness and understanding about learning for sustainability among teachers and pupils. Equally there remains a wide gap between the committed to the merely informed.  Pupils are aware of the need to stay healthy but there remains a great variation in their willingness to do so. The recently improved sporting Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404045 F 020 7421 6644 www.ofsted.gov.uk facilities at DCBC provide a very good focus for promoting healthy living.  The plans to develop horticulture on the Fyndoune site provide a wonderful opportunity to support the healthy eating agenda. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on local sourcing of food as well as developing care for their environment through growing their own.  Pupils are making a positive difference in those cases where there is considerable personal involvement. For example, this smaller group of pupils show the knowledge and confidence to influence parental

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Achievement and standards

attitudes at home towards sustainability issues such as waste, energy conservation and healthy living.

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Quality of teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning about ESD is currently satisfactory.

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Quality of teaching and learning

 There was evidence in some lessons, and in some subjects, that sustainability messages are being promoted. This is especially evident through humanities where the links between learning and sustainability are better established.  Although there is now real awareness, the sustainability message is not yet clearly reinforced in all classrooms. There remains a need to co- ordinate and encourage this across both schools.  In those lessons where pupils are learning about sustainability they are being encouraged to develop their thinking through enquiry based and collaborative approaches. They prefer opportunities where they are given greater responsibility for their own learning.

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Quality of curriculum

The quality of the curriculum for ESD is improving and is satisfactory.

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Quality of curriculum

 There is clear evidence that the school is beginning to deliver sustainability messages more strongly through the curriculum. This is particularly evident in humanities where a real attempt has been made to integrate opportunities to teach about ESD into the curriculum.  Although most other curriculum areas have identified opportunities where learning about sustainability can be delivered, there is less evidence about how this is to be achieved.  The curriculum in both schools is being enriched by opportunities for pupils to become involved in a range of social enterprise and work related projects which develop their confidence and self worth.  The recent International development work linking with schools in Bangladesh and Russia provides a good opportunity to develop the global dimension and enable pupils to enrich their understanding and respect for other cultures and societies.

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Leadership and management of ESD

Senior managers are providing good leadership and management of this area is satisfactory.

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Leadership and management of ESD

 The two schools are well placed to continue to improve provision for ESD utilising a collaborative approach. This benefits from a very supportive senior management and a responsive local authority. The draft development plan provides a sound framework for future developments.  Training for all staff has helped cement relationships and raised awareness of ESD. It has also inspired greater involvement from some staff.  Pupils are taking an increasingly active part in managing and improving the school learning environment through well established school councils. Once the pupils become used to the new technology, the use of video conferencing will provide a very effective forum for debate, decision making and the sharing of good practice.  The application by Fyndoune to become a college for humanities with the Rural Dimension provides a real opportunity to embed ESD into the learning programme as well as a chance to share these experiences

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Leadership and management of ESD

across the Federation and with partner schools.

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Inclusion

 Both schools are working well collaboratively to make a success of this initiative. They are fully inclusive and encourage active involvement with the wider community and first class links have been established through business enterprise with local employers.  Currently girls tend to dominate activities. They show greater commitment than the boys and are benefiting more from the opportunities to develop self esteem and communication skills.

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Areas for Improvement

Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include the need to:

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Areas for Improvement

 use the curriculum more effectively to deliver the sustainability message  encourage boys, in particular, to become more involved in the enrichment opportunities and to take greater responsibility for their own learning  build on the effective practice linked to social enterprise projects such as healthy tuckshops, water etc. to promote practical citizenship  continue to develop links with partner schools abroad to promote the global dimension and encourage pupils to reflect on their own lifestyles  utilise the opportunities provided through the rural dimension to promote care for oneself, each other and the environment.

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Areas for Improvement

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop ESD in the school.

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Areas for Improvement

As I explained in my previous letter, a copy of this letter will be sent to your local authority/Local Learning and Skills Council and will be published on Ofsted’s website. It will also be available to the team for your next institutional inspection.

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