John Hanson Community School

John Hanson Community School Inspection report

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116405 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 312295 Inspection number 31 October °1 November 2007 Inspection dates Tom Winskill HMI 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 °16 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 965 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Peter Giddings Chair Mr Steve Evatt Headteacher 25 February 2002 Date of previous school inspection Floral Way School address Andover SP10 3PB 01264 352 546 Telephone number 01264 339 685 Fax number

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11-16 Age group 31 October °1 November 2007 Inspection dates 312295 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 of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This average sized secondary school occupied its current purpose built accommodation in September 2002 and became a specialist school for science in 2005. The percentage of students known to be eligible for free school meals is low. The majority of students are White British. Although the percentage of students with statements of special educational need is low, the percentage with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with good features, which rightly has the support and confidence of parents. It has overcome a number of staffing difficulties that have hampered its effectiveness in recent years and now has good capacity to make further improvements. Standards are broadly average at both key stages. Standards have improved at Key Stage 4 from being below average in 2005. These improvements are the result of the more keenly focused approach of school leaders on raising attainment and holding subjects to account for the standards achieved. Other improvements in provision include improvements in teaching and learning and an improved curriculum, which meets the needs of most students. Support and guidance have also helped raise achievement through a range of measures that support students with different needs. However, at Key Stage 4, standards in science, one of the school's specialist subjects, and

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Grade: 3

French, are still not high enough. Students make satisfactory progress in both key stages. Personal development and well-being are good. A key aspect of this is the significant improvement of the school's ethos by systematically emphasising 'rights, respect and responsibilities' for all members of the school community. As a result, behaviour is good although a small minority of parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire expressed concerns about behaviour. Students feel safe and well cared for because of the good, highly regarded care, guidance and support provided. They understand the need for a healthy lifestyle and make a strong contribution to the school and wider communities. They are well prepared for the next stage of their lives after John Hanson and few do not remain in education, employment or training. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and so students make the progress expected of them.

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Grade: 3

There are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning, however, both between and within subjects. Not all teaching meets the full range of needs of the students in each class and so not all reach challenging targets or make good progress. Curriculum provision is good. The school's specialist status has helped to extend the range of courses and programmes available and contributes to the good opportunities for students with different aptitudes and abilities to progress through Key Stage 4. The curriculum, for example through the effective personal, social and health education programme, contributes well to the students' good personal development and well-being. Leadership and management are satisfactory. School leaders have a well-honed understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. This enables the school to implement well-targeted strategies to improve all aspects of its work. Some, such as improving behaviour are already

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Grade: 3

successful. Those designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning are not applied systematically across the school so improvement is inconsistent. Since the last inspection, the school has successfully moved to high-quality accommodation. It has also tackled areas for improvement identified at the last inspection effectively, including the provision for information and communications technology (ICT) and the proportion of boys achieving high grades at GCSE.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve achievement and standards in science and French at Key Stage 4.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure planning for teaching and learning meets the needs of students of different abilities more effectively. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007 ■ Ensure that strategies to improve the quality of teaching and learning are applied consistently to enable all students to achieve challenging targets. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Standards at Key Stage 3 as shown by national test results in 2006 were broadly average. Standards are improving but this is inconsistent. For example, the proportion of students gaining Level 5 or higher in English and in science increased from 2006 to 2007. However, it fell slightly in mathematics in 2007, following improvements in 2006. Students make satisfactory progress at Key Stage 3. GCSE results have improved in the last two years. In particular, the percentage of students gaining five good GCSEs including English and mathematics increased from the national average of 44% in 2006 to 52% in 2007. In addition, several subjects improved their performance in 2007 and students gained more accreditation as a result of changes to the curriculum. Consequently, achievement at Key Stage 4 is now satisfactory. This is an improvement on the previous two years where too many students underachieved at Key Stage 4.

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Grade: 3

However, in science and French, where the school enters most students for GCSE, standards remain too low. This is despite increases in the percentage of students gaining grade C or higher in these subjects from 2006 to 2007. There is too much variation between subjects in how well students meet challenging targets. For example in 2007, almost all students in the design technology subjects of food and textiles met their targets for GCSE. This contrasts with, for example, science and French where too few students achieved their GCSE target grades. Overall, not enough students meet challenging targets to enable progress overall to be good. Students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Students strongly adopt the school's core values of 'rights, respect and responsibilities'. One student spoke of it as, 'a guide to living' that will last throughout his life. Many students are committed to promoting these values in school and beyond. As a result of this strong ethic, the students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Behaviour around school and in most lessons is good. They develop mature ideas about themselves and the world in lessons such as English, humanities and citizenship. In addition, students visiting Ghana returned with a strong respect for Ghanaian culture and values. They enjoy lessons, especially those where they are working towards clear objectives and achieving their targets. They greatly value opportunities to socialize with friends in the pleasant, safe environment of the school. They have little fear of bullying and have positive and tolerant attitudes towards each other. The

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Grade: 2

good advice they receive helps them make choices for healthy and safe living. Students feel well prepared for adult life by the skills they are developing and the knowledge they are gaining about further education and careers. Attendance is satisfactory and those having difficulty attending receive strong support. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory with some good features. Teaching is characterised by good subject knowledge and effective management of behaviour. This leads to students being confident in asking their teachers for help in a respectful atmosphere. Professional development for teachers is gradually improving the amount of good teaching. However, initiatives to improve the quality of teaching and learning are not applied consistently and so the quality of teaching and learning varies too much between and within subjects. The consequence of these variations is that students make satisfactory rather than good progress. In some lessons, students make good progress because they are clear about what they are learning; activities are well-structured and interactive whiteboards support learning effectively. However, in other lessons, students are not as clear about what they are learning, they are highly dependent on the teacher and

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Grade: 3

mechanistic tasks do not stretch students to learn as much as they could. Information about students' prior attainment and their target grades is not used consistently to plan lessons which meet the needs of groups and individuals with different abilities. For example in design technology in Key Stage 4, students take a great deal of responsibility for their work, with tasks, guidance and support closely tailored to their needs to enable them to make good progress towards their targets. In mathematics, groups of different abilities in the same class often work on different tasks designed effectively to meet their needs. However, in some lessons in a range of subjects, all students are given the same tasks, without sufficient regard as to whether the work is too easy or too difficult for different groups and individuals.

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Grade: 2

Modifications and extensions to the curriculum in recent years ensure it meets the needs of the majority of students successfully. Good links with a local college of further education enable some students to have the valuable experience of taking vocational courses there. Improved achievement on these courses has contributed to the improved overall achievement at Key Stage 4. The school has maintained the study of a modern foreign language at Key Stage 4 for 70% of students. Around 50 students take extra GCSE courses outside normal school hours. The school's specialist status has resulted in the introduction of statistics at Key Stage 4. Plans include introducing separate science subjects for some students. An impressive aspect of support for the curriculum is the virtual learning environment (VLE). This allows students the opportunity to catch up missed lessons in some subjects, access resources from school, take part in on-line

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Grade: 2

discussions and submit homework. It also supports revision, including the innovative use of pod-casts. The curriculum is well supported by the science specialist status with events such as a carbon road-show developing students' economic and social understanding. Students have good opportunities to enrich their experience through a range of extra activities, including sport, musical and dance productions, revision classes and a recent drama production with the Theatre Royal, Winchester. These opportunities are much appreciated by students.

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Grade: 2

Requirements for safeguarding are thoroughly and effectively administered. The school is conscientious in supervising the progress of looked after children and scrupulously records, 6 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007 and responds to, any incidents of racial abuse or child protection matters. The small minority of students who have extreme difficulty coping with school life receive effective support, which they genuinely appreciate. The needs and progress of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are carefully monitored and they receive good specialist help. Students are well informed about their targets and the school tracks students' progress towards academic targets carefully. It is identifying and tackling underachievement with increasing rigour. Support effectively tailored to the needs of different groups and individuals has made a good contribution

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Grade: 2

to the improved standards at Key Stage 4. These arrangements for support have not been in place long enough to tackle underachievement fully. The school sustains good links with primary and special schools and other agencies which support students. The arrangements for informing parents and involving them in students' learning is an outstanding feature, as is the work done to ensure students at risk of permanent exclusion are retained in education. The school involves students very well in promoting core values of rights, respect and responsibilities. This contributes strongly to the positive relationships between all members of the school community and students' good personal development.

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Grade: 3

The senior team has been recently extended and key middle leader posts have been filled. Consequently, senior staff no longer have to try to run major subject departments as well as fulfilling their own senior leadership responsibilities. Both senior and middle leadership are stronger and more stable because of these appointments. Leaders and managers, including the effective governing body, are clear about what needs to be done to bring about and sustain further improvement. Well thought out strategies are developed and implemented by leaders at all levels. These include the successful focus on promoting the school's ethos of rights, respect and responsibilities, involving parents in the work of the school, strengthening the curriculum and arrangements for guidance and support. As a result, they are raising standards and improving the students' personal development and well-being. However, some initiatives

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Grade: 3

are very new and have not yet had time to impact on achievement. A weakness in leadership and management is that school leaders are not ensuring that initiatives to improve the quality of teaching and learning are systematically implemented across the school. For example, assessment procedures and the use of students' performance data are key components in the drive to ensure that all students achieve well. These procedures are not yet fully implemented or are used ineffectively in some subjects. Staff share the vision of the headteacher who is held in high esteem across the school. The school is good at identifying and promoting those who have leadership and management skills, which has helped to overcome problems of recruitment of leadership posts. Specialist science status has led to major improvement in the provision and use of information and communications technology and support for gifted and talented students. It promotes valuable links with other

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Grade: 3

schools and has contributed to rising standards in mathematics and ICT but not yet in science. Governors have a clear understanding of strengths and areas for development. They are very well informed and give valuable support in specific subject areas. They are ready to challenge the school when necessary and their expertise contributes to strengths in financial management. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 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 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 2 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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and interests of learners?

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

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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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 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 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

13 November 2007 Dear Students Inspection of John Hanson Community School,Andover,SP10 3PB My colleagues and I recently inspected your school. I am writing to inform you of our findings. John Hanson is a satisfactory school with good features. You make satisfactory progress and results in tests and examinations are around the national average. However, results in science and French are not as good as they should be. You behave well and strongly believe in the school's ideas about rights, respect and responsibilities. You tell us that the school is safe and enjoyable place. You get on well with your teachers who know their subjects well. However, not all teaching provides you with the right tasks and activities to help you make good progress. This means not everyone reaches their targets. The school checks your progress and provides lots of help in different ways to help you with your learning. The head and senior staff are

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

improving the school. I have asked them make sure these important further improvements take place.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school should make sure test and exam results in science and French improve. You can help by making sure you work as hard in these subjects as you do in others. ■ In all lessons, you should be doing activities which help you make good progress towards your own target grades. You can help by not settling for anything less than your best work and effort in each lesson. ■ The school should make sure that plans to improve your learning are applied in all subjects to help you make good progress in all subjects. I hope you will continue to work with your teachers to bring about further improvements to your school. Yours faithfully, Tom Winskill Her Majesty's Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: John Hanson Community School, 31 October °1 November 2007

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