Durham Johnston Comprehensive School

Durham Johnston Comprehensive School Inspection report

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114312 Unique Reference Number Durham Local Authority 311560 Inspection number 4 October 2007 Inspection date Brian Dower Reporting inspector

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

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Secondary Type of school Community School category 11 °18 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 1460 School 300 6th form The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Bill Worth Chair Mrs Carolyn Roberts Headteacher 1 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection Crossgate Moor School address Durham County Durham DH1 4SU 0191 3843887 Telephone number 0191 3755906 Fax number

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11-18 Age group 4 October 2007 Inspection date 311560 Inspection number .

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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 Additional Inspectors. They evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: the quality of self-evaluation and strategic planning, students’ progress and achievement in mathematics and science in the main school, and how well prepared sixth form students are for independent study. Evidence was gathered from lesson observations, the scrutiny of students’ work, assessment data and school records and conversations with students and teachers. Other aspects of the school’s work were not investigated in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school’s own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

Durham Johnston is a larger than average school. It is over subscribed. The majority of students are of White British heritage and are from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. Attainment on entry to the school is slightly above average and the proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The school achieved language college status in 2005. It is a split-site school, with Years 7 and 8 housed in buildings two miles from the main campus. An extensive building programme is underway to put the school on a single site in 2009. About 60% of Year 11 students elect to stay on into the sixth form and most Year 13 students go on to university.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, 4 October 2007

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Grade: 2

Durham Johnston is a good school. This is because students progress well, standards are above average and achievement by the end of Year 11 is good. When measured against their individual targets, all students are doing as well as they can, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school has rightly been concerned about students’ past progress in mathematics and science. Staffing difficulties in the subjects have been largely addressed and standards rose significantly in 2007. Work seen during the inspection confirms that the good progress is being maintained. The school met its statutory and specialist language college targets in 2007. Aspects of the school’s work are exemplary. Students are well prepared for the next stage of their education and for future employment. They have excellent basic skills and the personal qualities to succeed in their ambitions. They are confident and articulate young people, sensitive

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Grade: 2

to the needs of others and ready to shoulder responsibility. Attendance rates are above average. Students enjoy their work and the opportunities to learn and develop socially through a wide range of extracurricular activities. These involve charitable work in the local community and international links and visits resulting from the language college status. The school is a harmonious and safe community and students know right from wrong. They are aware of the importance of keeping fit and well and eat healthy lunches. They make the most of the restricted opportunities for physical education. The limited sporting facilities will be improved significantly when the current building programme is completed. Students’ personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are outstanding. Parents are supportive of the school and appreciate the quality of education it provides. A

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Grade: 2

small number of parents feel that resources for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are insufficient. The inspection found that the school is making appropriate use of money delegated for such students and is ensuring that they achieve as well as their peers. Many of the teaching rooms are in a poor state because the buildings are old, the fabric is worn and space restricted. This limits teachers’ ability to create a stimulating learning environment, to celebrate students’ achievements through displays of their work and to use space flexibly for practical learning activities. There cannot be continuity in tutorial support for all students from Year 7 to Year 11 because of the split site. A priority in the school’s forward planning is to improve these aspects of provision. Teaching and learning are good and at times outstanding. The school’s own rigorous monitoring confirms this. Students are taught by subject specialists. Good use is made of individual learning

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Grade: 2

targets to raise standards and students are guided well on how to improve their work. They respond by working hard and concentrating for extended periods of time. Learning activities are as varied as possible and cater for a wide range of learning styles. Teachers have high expectations and have developed excellent working relationships with their students. Rare instances of poor behaviour are dealt with quickly and effectively. Exemplary teaching was seen in a mathematics lesson where the teachers’ enthusiasm for the subject stimulated Year 11 students to think through problems for themselves. They found the work enjoyable and exciting. The school rightly has a development priority to improve the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as a teaching and learning aid. The quality of the curriculum is good, it provides opportunities for all students, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, to progress and develop well. Statutory requirements

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Grade: 2

4 of 10 Inspection Report: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, 4 October 2007 are met. Recent improvements have been made in the provision for students’ personal, health and social education and in the teaching of citizenship. There is an excellent range of extracurricular activities. The participation rates are high, particularly for sport, music and drama. Public speaking competitions and formal presentations are held to increase students’ self-confidence. The school’s language college status has broadened the curriculum and provided extensive opportunities for students to travel and experience other cultures. Care, guidance and support are good and contribute significantly to students’ progress, enjoyment of their work and their well-being. Parents agree that students are looked after very well. The school pays rigorous attention to health and safety issues and risk assessments are undertaken for all activities, particularly for visits out of school and for trips abroad. Appropriate

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Grade: 2

child protection measures are in place. Year 7 students and the small number of students who join the school part way through an academic year have excellent induction procedures to help them settle into new routines. There are very effective links with parents and a range of local agencies that safeguard the needs of the most vulnerable students, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The very strong pastoral team, that includes counsellors and careers advisers, gives high quality care to all students. The school is working to monitor students’ progress over time more effectively to ensure that the improvements in students’ achievements, particularly in mathematics and science, are sustained and built upon. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and she is well supported by an able and committed senior team. There have been significant improvements

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Grade: 2

since the previous inspection in the rigour of self-evaluation and in strategic planning. The school has in place appropriate and challenging development priorities. Good use is made of challenging targets to raise standards. The staffing difficulties of the past have been largely resolved and morale is good. Teachers and teaching assistants are committed to equality of opportunity for all students and to ensuring that any barriers to learning are dismantled. Governance is good. Governors know the school well and support and encourage as well as ensuring that students are getting the education they deserve. They, and particularly the chair of governors, have assisted the school in developing its monitoring systems. Improvements in the quality of teaching and in students’ achievement show that the school’s capacity to improve further is very good.

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Grade: 1

Durham Johnston has an outstanding Sixth Form. Standards are above average, progress is excellent and levels of achievement are high. This is because the excellent teaching students receive prepares them well for the next stage of their education and for future employment. They are mature and independent young people who are clear about their ambitions and capable of organising their own learning to achieve them. They have excellent basic skills and the ability to use them flexibly in all areas of learning. The excellent curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of these high attaining students in terms of the breadth of courses on offer. The school’s good links with other institutions and its effective guidance systems ensure that students receive appropriate advice about post-16 pathways. Excellent support and preparation is given for the transition to university and for work and training placements. Leadership and

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Grade: 1

management are outstanding. Aspirations are high and students’ progress is closely monitored to ensure that challenging targets are met. Students speak highly of the education they receive and are at pains to stress how much they enjoy their work and value the support and help they receive from their teachers. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, 4 October 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards by improving the learning environment and the provision for information and communication technology. ■ Further improve achievement by monitoring students’ progress closely. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, 4 October 2007 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, 4 October 2007

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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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Overall effectiveness

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

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Achievement and standards

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

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Achievement and standards

1 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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well-being of the learners?

The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 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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range of needs and interests of learners?

1 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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range of 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 to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, 4 October 2007

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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 leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, 4 October 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

5 October 2007 Dear Students Inspection of Durham Johnston Comprehensive School Thank you for the warm welcome we received when we visited your school. This was a short inspection of one day. I was able to read a lot of information about your school prior to my arrival, particularly the self-evaluation documents. This enabled me, when I spoke to your headteacher on the telephone, to agree provisionally where the school’s strengths lay and what areas needed looking at. There have been significant improvements in the rate of progress in mathematics and science over the last year. The school’s analysis of what it does well and what needs to be improved is accurate and effective plans and development priorities are in place. Sixth Form students receive an excellent education and their levels of achievement are high. Personal development is excellent across the school and you are very well prepared for the next

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

stage of your education and for future employment. You impressed us with your capacity for hard work and your ability to work independently without constant direction. Your also have the ability to work well with others. Many of you spoke us about the wide range of activities available outside of lessons, including visits in this country and abroad. You are also appreciative of the support and guidance you receive from staff and the very good working relationships in the school. The school has recently introduced a system to track your progress over time to spot and address any underachievement. This needs to be implemented consistently and rigorously to ensure that the improvements in achievement are maintained and built upon. You will be only to well aware of the limitations imposed by the old and worn rooms in many parts of the school. A second priority for development is for the school to take advantage of the handover of the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

new buildings to improve the learning environment. We wish you every success in your education and in your future careers. Yours sincerely Brian Dower Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, 4 October 2007

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