Headlands School

Headlands School and Community Science College Inspection report

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118085 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 312805 Inspection number 20 °21 February 2008 Inspection dates Paul Lowery 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 1421 School 152 6th form The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Norman Hall MBE Chair Dr Stephen Rogers Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection Sewerby Road School address Bridlington YO16 6UR 01262 676198 Telephone number 01262 607907 Fax number

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11-18 Age group 20 °21 February 2008 Inspection dates 312805 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 one Additional Inspector seconded to Ofsted and four Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Headlands School is a specialist science college. It received this status in 2002 and was re-designated in 2007. This is a larger than average secondary school situated in the north of Bridlington; its students are predominately of White British heritage. Levels of social deprivation and entitlement to free school meals are in line with national averages. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) is broadly average, although these numbers are increasing; the proportion with a statement of special educational need is above average. Around half the teaching staff have joined the school during the last three years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its students an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing and governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement. The standards achieved by students at Headlands School are below average, and have been declining for the last three years. Standards in the sixth form are broadly average. Students, particularly those in Key Stage 4, do not make the progress they should. Their achievement is inadequate because of the considerable variation in the quality of teaching. While some lessons are good, with teachers effectively engaging and motivating students, teaching and learning are unsatisfactory in a significant minority of lessons. In these lessons, planning is weak and

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Grade: 4

does not provide challenge for students. The poor behaviour of some students frequently disrupts the learning of others. This is a particular area of concern for a significant minority of parents and students. Students’ personal development and well-being are inadequate. Attendance is unsatisfactory and too many pupils arrive late for lessons; this reflects the current culture of low expectations and aspirations. Nonetheless, the majority of students are keen to attend and achieve; one older student commented, ‘you could do well if you wanted to’. The behaviour of too many students is poor. A number of students reported that there is some bullying, which they did not feel was followed up adequately by the school. As a result, younger students reported they frequently did not feel safe in and around the site. The school works well with a range of external agencies in seeking to help those students who are particularly vulnerable. Formal

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Grade: 4

systems for consulting with parents exist; however effective parental partnerships are weak. The majority of parents do not feel the school takes account of their views or concerns adequately. The curriculum is inadequate. Insufficient provision is made at Key Stage 3 to develop students’ personal, social and health education. At Key Stage 4 a range of vocational options has been established, although the school recognises these require further development. The curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4 does not yet meet the needs of all learners. However, specialist status has added to the opportunities available, including astronomy at GCSE level, and strengthened the use of information and communication technology (ICT) across the school. Students enjoy the good range of sporting activities and take advantage of additional opportunities to participate in performing arts activities and in ambitious overseas residential trips. These are

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Grade: 4

strengths of the school. Leadership and management are inadequate although satisfactory in the sixth form. Self-evaluation processes across the school are poor. While allowing senior staff to identify the school’s weakness and priorities for development, procedures to support planning and ensure consistent implementation, lack coherence. Thus initiatives, such as those to tackle underachievement and poor behaviour, are not implemented consistently or followed up. As a result, these initiatives have been ineffective in securing improvement. The school has faced considerable problems in staff recruitment, but has now initiated a good training programme to support all staff. However, the school has been slow to tackle persistently weak teaching. The capacity of the governing body has been strengthened following recent appointments to its membership. Governors have taken decisive action to improve the quality of senior leadership

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Grade: 4

4 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008 and recent additions to the senior staff team have resulted in a new enthusiasm to tackle problems within the school. Nonetheless, the effect of their work has yet to show significant impact. The school’s leadership, therefore, has not demonstrated the capacity to bring about the improvements required. The numerous significant weaknesses in provision mean that the school does not provide satisfactory value for money.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management of the sixth form are satisfactory and have ensured that students reach average standards and that their achievement is satisfactory. Students enter Year 12 with average standards and make satisfactory progress to reach average standards when they leave. Pass rates at A level are broadly in line with national averages, but there are significant variations in the performance of students across different subjects. Students achieve best in art, drama and theatre studies and least well in biology. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and in some lessons are good. In the best lessons students are encouraged to learn independently and activities are varied and challenging. Students, including those with LDD, speak highly of the good personal care and academic guidance they receive, particularly from the very experienced head of sixth form. Students expressed considerable concerns about the quality

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Grade: 3

of sixth form accommodation, in particular restricted study space and limited access to computers. Students’ personal development is satisfactory. Most students complete their courses and are suitably prepared for the world of work or further study. Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the previous inspection. There are well advanced plans for a joint sixth form with neighbouring schools in order to increase the variety of post-16 options available. The sixth form currently provides satisfactory value for money and has the capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise achievement and standards across the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Eliminate all unsatisfactory teaching and improve the proportion of good teaching.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure systems to improve behaviour are effective and are applied consistently.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

Standards are below average and the achievement of students is inadequate. On starting in Year 7, the attainment of students is broadly average. They make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 3 and by the end of Year 9 standards are broadly average. Standards in national tests in English were slightly above average in 2007 and better than those in mathematics and science. However, in Key Stage 4, the progress made by students slows down and is consequently inadequate. GCSE examination results are below average. The proportion of students achieving five or more A* to C grades at GCSE level has declined steadily, as has the proportion of students achieving five higher grades including mathematics and English. Girls in particular do not make the expected progress and consequently underachieve. Students with LDD make similar progress to their peers. The progress made by students in lessons is too often held back by the poor

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Grade for sixth form: 3

behaviour of others which disrupts learning. Where teaching is good, students respond well to this and make satisfactory, and sometimes good progress. 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008

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Grade for sixth form: 3

The personal development and well-being of students are inadequate. Students are aware of the importance of healthy eating and many adopt active lifestyles through being involved in competitive sports and physical exercise. However, the attitudes and behaviour of a sizeable minority of students in classrooms and around the school are unsatisfactory. The number of fixed-term exclusions is high and is rising. The present arrangements for internal exclusions are ineffective in bringing about improvement in students’ behaviour. Some students say that they do not feel safe and secure. The poor behaviour and inadequate attendance and punctuality of a minority of students have a negative impact on their achievement and on standards. Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is inadequate overall, although there are some positive examples of students developing cultural awareness through recent

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Grade for sixth form: 3

celebrations linked to the Chinese New Year and visits to a multi-faith centre. During the inspection some students were visiting Auschwitz in Poland as part of a whole school activity that commemorated Holocaust Day. However these activities themselves do not have sufficient impact on the personal development of all young people in order to change attitudes and patterns of disruptive behaviour. Students say that they enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities and the opportunities provided to visit local places of interest and the school’s residential centre, as well as taking part in regular overseas trips. However, concern over the quality of teaching and behaviour in class significantly limits students’ enjoyment of school.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is inadequate and students do not make sufficient progress. The proportion of teaching that is good or better is not high enough to lead to good achievement or raise standards substantially and too many lessons are unsatisfactory. The school’s overall judgement of the quality of its teaching and learning is too optimistic. While some teaching is good, the majority of lessons are no better than satisfactory. In the most successful lessons expectations are high, the pace is brisk and lively, and a variety of well-planned activities engage and sustain students’ interest. Teachers regularly check students’ progress towards clear learning objectives. As a result, some students, but not all, understand how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve their work. Many of the least effective lessons are characterised by a slow pace and work that is not well matched to students’ different abilities. It is not made clear to students what it is they have to

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Grade for sixth form: 3

do. The range of teaching methods is too narrow and fails to motivate students. As a result, their interest wanes and misbehaviour results. Too much time is then spent in tackling this disruption, and behaviour deteriorates further to the point where learning is affected for all students in the class. Lesson planning does not draw sufficiently on available assessment information to prepare for and meet the needs of individual students. Consequently, students 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008 are not sufficiently challenged. Marking is too inconsistent, and frequently does not guide students on how to improve their work.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

The curriculum is inadequate because it does not provide sufficient opportunities for all students to make satisfactory progress. The curriculum has been reviewed and recently at Key Stage 4 a significant number of new work-related courses have been introduced. However, the school recognises the need to continue to increase the range of vocational courses to better match the needs of all students. The provision of personal, social, health and citizenship education is inadequate, as Years 7, 8 and 9 do not receive appropriate teaching or opportunities in these areas to meet their particular needs. This remains an issue from the previous inspection. Students’ basic ICT skills are satisfactorily developed, although skills for English and mathematics are not as well developed. Specialist school status has had a positive impact on the curriculum by broadening the range of courses and resources available, such as science master classes and a

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Grade for sixth form: 3

variety of visits and visitors who enrich the work done in lessons. There is a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities including sports clubs and opportunities in the performing arts club. For example, a good number of students are participating in a production of ‘Bugsy Malone’.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

The care, guidance and support for students are inadequate. The management of students’ behaviour in classrooms and around the school is unsatisfactory. The school is aware of the very urgent need to create a secure and safe environment for learning. Systems for the promotion of attendance and punctuality are ineffective in bringing about sustained improvement. Medical and accident reporting and recording systems are of a high quality. A range of multi-agency professionals work closely with the school’s own staff to provide strong levels of pastoral and emotional support to a number of vulnerable students, including those with LDD. Although recent initiatives are improving the monitoring of students’ progress, it is too early to judge how effective these will be in raising standards. The school has recently introduced a system of target setting in the core subjects, but this is applied inconsistently and its impact on raising

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Grade for sixth form: 2

achievement is not yet evident. While some students know their targets, many are unsure of what to do next to achieve these. Procedures for the safeguarding of students meet national requirements.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

Inspectors agree with the school’s self-evaluation that leadership in the main school is inadequate. The school has recently undertaken a significant restructuring of its senior leadership team and a number of new staff have been appointed. With good support from the local 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008 authority, the roles of senior leaders have been defined and a culture of accountability has been introduced to the school. However, leadership has not yet been effective in securing improved standards. Monitoring and self-evaluation systems are weak; as a result, key developments to improve teaching and learning have been ineffective. New systems have been established energetically by recently appointed senior staff, but their impact has yet to be seen in significant improvements in the quality of education provided. Senior leaders now have a

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Grade for sixth form: 3

clear understanding of the challenges the school faces, and this is reflected in the five-year development plan. However, systems to tackle underachievement, weaknesses in teaching and poor attendance are not being applied consistently or monitored, and thus are having insufficient impact. Leaders and managers at all levels have not established clear expectations about student’s behaviour. New behaviour management systems, designed also to encourage a more positive ethos, are applied inconsistently and have had little impact. Some effective new strategies, such as the establishment of ‘Oasis’, a behaviour support unit, have been introduced. However, these only benefit a small number of students and their impact on behaviour is limited. A number of significant staffing and recruitment issues has deflected senior staff from other key priorities and contributed to the significant decline in the school’s quality of education

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Grade for sixth form: 3

since the last inspection. The school has sought external support and provided training to strengthen the quality of teaching and learning. However, the school’s leadership has been slow to challenge persistently unsatisfactory teaching. Governance is satisfactory and governors as increasingly holding the school to account. They have overseen the strengthening of the schools’ senior leadership and shaped key planning priorities. The school has a significant budget deficit and there are appropriate plans to address this. The school leaders’ response to the increasing challenges faced by the school has been too slow. Plans for improvement have not impacted effectively on standards and the quality of provision. Consequently the school’s capacity to make the necessary improvements is inadequate. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008 .

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Grade for sixth form: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008

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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

3 4 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? Yes No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection 3 3 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 4 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

3 4 How well do learners achieve? 3 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

3 4 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 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 4 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 4 How well learners enjoy their education 4 The attendance of learners 4 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?

2 4 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008

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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 3 4 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? Yes Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

22 February 2008 Dear Students Inspection of Headlands School and Community Science College, East Riding of Yorkshire, YO16.6UP. I am writing to let you know the judgements we have made following our visit to your school in February. Thank you for your help and taking the time to talk to us during the inspection. Your comments were important in enabling us to come to our conclusions. Your teachers have been working hard to make improvements in your school. Science college status has given you new courses, trips and visits off-site and updated the ICT equipment across the school. During our visit many of you in the main school raised concerns that you were not doing as well in your lessons as you could. The poor behaviour of some students was frequently disrupting your learning. As a result many of you are not making the progress you should on your courses. Too many of you are not on time to your lessons, or are absent from school. Many of your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

parents are also concerned and are seeking significant changes in order to improve your education. As a result, we have made your school subject to ‘special measures’ and inspectors will visit regularly to check on how well the school is improving. In the sixth form, most of you are making the progress expected, with good support from your tutors and teachers. However the standards you reach varies between subjects. We have therefore asked the headteacher, staff and governors to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ improve the progress you make in lessons and the standards you reach at the end of your courses; ■ ensure all lessons are as good as the best which we saw;

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ improve standards of behaviour in lessons and around the school;

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ make improvements to how the school is run and managed.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

It is going to be very important that you work with your teachers in order to improve your school and make it one you all feel proud of. This includes coming to school regularly and on time, working hard in class and respecting each other around the site. Good luck with your future studies. Paul Lowery Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Headlands School and Community Science College, 20 °21 February 2008

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