The Compton School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Sharpen the review of programmes of study in the sixth form to meet the needs of different cohorts of students.
• Evaluate the impact of actions to improve the consistent use of the school’s policy regarding pupils’ response to feedback from teachers.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Leaders ensure that there is a highly ambitious vision shared by all. The culture enables all staff and pupils to excel. All members of the school community are constantly learning and enjoy their learning. Parents, staff, and pupils who spoke to inspectors endorsed this view.
• Leaders know their school exceptionally well. They are fully aware of strengths and areas for improvement. Leaders and staff constantly reflect on practice. They evaluate and introduce change rapidly where needed. Pupils’ outcomes are exceptional because of this reflection.
• There is an unrelenting drive by all staff to secure the very best outcomes for pupils. Pupils respond with enthusiasm and achieve well beyond expectations.
• All pupils make outstanding progress in key stages 3 and 4 because teachers regularly review their lessons to meet the learning needs of all their pupils. Teachers know their pupils extremely well. Disadvantaged pupils and those with different starting points make progress which is well above that of other pupils nationally.
• There is a strong partnership between the chief executive and headteacher. This is evident in the smooth transition when the chief executive stepped down as headteacher. There is a strong culture of retaining staff. This ensures that pupils have continuity in their learning.
• Leaders carry out annual reviews of staff, pupils’, and parents’ views. They share the information obtained with all stakeholders. Leaders use this knowledge to evaluate and change practice where needed. The Ofsted online survey of parents and the school staff survey were exceptionally positive in their responses.
• There is a wealth of effective training for all staff. Leaders identify staff training needs through very regular reviews of staff performance. Staff reflect upon and talk about teaching. Teachers develop outstanding practice in their teaching because of this. Teachers are confident to take risks in lessons. Pupils thrive on these opportunities to develop their own learning.
• Middle leaders are highly effective in their roles. They monitor pupils’ outcomes closely. They support and challenge their teams. Leaders promote collaborative work in their teams. Staff, including those who are new to the profession, feel valued and enjoy their work.
• Leaders’ evaluations of all aspects of the school are totally accurate. They constantly consider next steps and take rapid and appropriate action. Pupils’ outcomes improve every year because of this.
• The broad and balanced curriculum is well planned to support pupils. The Compton is rightly proud of their creative and arts curriculum which is embedded in the curriculum and in the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.
• Spiritual, moral, social, and cultural education is a strength. Pupils are respectful and thoughtful about the needs of others who are less fortunate. Pupils are from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds. This rich cultural mix allows pupils to benefit from opportunities to share knowledge about their own cultures and religions. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to volunteer. They develop quickly into young, caring adults who are extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils display exemplary behaviour. Teachers do not tolerate derogatory or inappropriate language or poor behaviour. All pupils respond to this expectation. Pupils’ behaviour on the corridors and in social areas was very mature.
• The support that leaders provide for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is tremendous. There are very effective interventions for pupils from Year 7 to Year 13. Parents spoke very highly of this support. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make progress well beyond that of pupils in other schools with the same starting points.
• Pupil premium funding is used very well. Leaders focus support for disadvantaged pupils. Disadvantaged pupils make progress which is well above national averages.
• The chief executive and other senior staff are involved in strategic work at national and local level. The Compton is a teaching school. The school works with 91 other schools and provides extensive support for many of them. Staff say they learn from other schools and bring good practice they see into their own school. The teaching school recruits and trains high-quality graduates who go on to teach in the local area. Leaders’ strong moral imperative drives these initiatives. They want to help local children, not only those pupils in The Compton School.

Governance of the school

• Governance is very strong. Governors focus on their strategic role. They lead the relentless drive for excellence which is visible across the school.
• Governors provide highly effective support and challenge to school leaders. For example, governors worked closely with school leaders to develop a new appraisal process. This ensures that staff pay links tightly to pupils’ outcomes.
• Governors undertake regular training and use external partners to check their judgements on the quality of education in the school.

Safeguarding

• Safeguarding is effective.
• All staff know how to identify and support vulnerable pupils. A very strong pastoral team provides focused support for pupils. Pupils say and know where to go for help and that staff always respond immediately.
• There is a comprehensive personal development programme for pupils. This programme gives pupils information on avoiding risks. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and they say they feel very safe in school.
• Leaders carry out rigorous checks on all staff before they appoint them. Staff receive training in the ‘Prevent’ duty and other aspects of risk, such as child sexual exploitation. There is a culture of vigilance across the school in keeping pupils safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teachers work collaboratively to produce well-planned resources. They constantly share ideas to improve their teaching. Their teaching meets the needs of all their pupils. This is seen across all subjects and year groups.
• There are regular checks by teachers that pupils understand their work. Teaching assistants ably support pupils. Pupils take note of guidance from teachers and teaching assistants to improve their work. Sometimes pupils do not respond to improve their work. Leaders recently introduced additional strategies so that all pupils respond to guidance consistently.
• Pupils are ambitious and very keen to share work. Their books are neat, and they have tremendous pride in their work.
• Students in the sixth form receive excellent support in adapting to the demands of A level and vocational courses. Teachers’ very secure subject knowledge and skill ensure that students make strong progress.
• Pupils are curious and keen to learn. They value opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills. They do not waste time in lessons and move from one task to the next seamlessly.
• Teachers give pupils appropriate homework which strongly develops their knowledge and understanding. They prepare their pupils very effectively for public examinations. Pupils achieve very well in these examinations.
• Teachers question pupils effectively to clear any misconceptions and develop understanding. Pupils are confident to learn from their mistakes. They all readily respond to teachers’ questions. This is a real strength of teaching.
• The systems for assessing pupils’ progress are excellent. Leaders and teachers carefully track attainment and progress. Using this information, teachers put in place timely additional support for pupils who fall behind.
• Pupils who start the school behind their peers get excellent support to catch up in their reading and numeracy. Pupils read confidently and understand the context of their reading. Across the school, pupils are avid readers.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The pastoral teams, together with the strong systems, ensure that no pupil falls behind. Pupils say they feel safe and are well looked after. Pupils believe this culture affects their attitudes and ensures outstanding behaviour.
• The personal development programme is embedded in the curriculum. This enables pupils to develop knowledge about how to keep safe and healthy. Teachers provide a great deal of support for pupils who exhibit stress during examinations. Pupils say that staff anticipate this and give them strategies to deal with stress.
• There are strong relationships across the school. Pupils work well together. They are confident and self-assured learners. They discuss and debate the views of others with respect.
• There is a comprehensive careers programme, which starts in Year 8. Teachers give guidance to pupils in their choice of subjects for GCSE. Students in the sixth form receive excellent support for their career and higher education pathways. Recently, students requested more information on how to study effectively. The programme was immediately altered to include these skills.

Behaviour

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils’ outcomes in GCSE examinations have been outstanding over many years. Their progress overall is well above national averages and often in the top 1% of all schools. Pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is well above the national average. In science, modern foreign languages and humanities pupils’ outcomes have been in the top 20% for the last two years.
• Pupils from all starting points, including disadvantaged pupils, make progress which is well above that of similar pupils in other schools. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities receive targeted support. This ensures that they make outstanding progress in public examinations. Leaders use additional funding for these groups of pupils very well.
• Leaders delegate responsibility to strong middle leaders to track pupils’ outcomes. There are robust systems in place for tracking. There is excellent communication between leaders and middle leaders which ensures that they all know exactly where individual pupils’ attainment lies in every subject. Challenging targets are in place for all pupils and additional support is provided where pupils fall behind.
• In key stage 3 current pupils are making very strong progress. Large numbers of pupils are making progress well beyond their original targets. Between Year 7 and Year 9 the difference in outcomes for disadvantaged and other pupils is markedly reduced.
• Systematic and rigorous intervention by teachers ensures that pupils exceed their targets. Pupils work to develop and deepen their own knowledge. They are confident that teachers will celebrate their progress, and this encourages them to work even harder.
• There is an excellent reading programme which supports all pupils, especially those who start the school with weaker reading skills. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are given a buddy to help them develop reading skills and pronunciation.
• Outcomes in 2017 for Year 13 students were below those in other key stages. Leaders anticipated the outcomes and took swift and decisive action for future years. When leaders set up the new sixth form in 2015 many students started courses which did not suit their needs. Some students, who came from other schools, were unable to adapt to the rigour of A levels. Sharper assessment, induction and tracking was introduced for the sixth form. The school’s information on current students’ progress in the sixth form shows strong progress.

16 to 19 study programmes Outstanding

• Leaders have an ambitious vision for the development of the sixth form. They set high expectations for all students. The attendance and punctuality in the sixth form is exceptionally good. Retention of students is high and increasing. Students’ progression to higher education was 82% in 2017. Twenty-three per cent of students went to Russell Group universities. Some students had a gap year and others went into employment. University applications for current Year 13 students indicate a higher number applying for university with five Oxbridge candidates.
• When the sixth form was set up, only A-level courses were available. A wider range of courses is now in place, including vocational courses. There is now effective induction for students, where their needs are carefully assessed. This involves the students’ parents. Teachers guide students to courses which meet their needs. Leaders continue to work in partnership with parents to ensure that behaviour and attendance are excellent. Students’ grades based on tests in the autumn term indicate that across all subject areas 80% of students are on track to meet or exceed their targets in both A level and vocational courses.
• The sixth-form team has developed a collegial approach to tracking the students. Staff set challenging targets and monitor students’ progress carefully. Students who fall behind attend meetings with their parents and teachers to discuss the issues. These students are given support, particularly in managing their study time. These interventions have a speedy impact on improving outcomes. There is evidence of strong progress in lessons and in students’ work folders.
• Careers advice and guidance for students in the sixth form is extensive and helpful. There is a week in March dedicated to careers. All students undertake work experience. Students say they are well prepared for higher education and the world of work. Inspectors observed students taking responsibility for their own learning.
• Students say they have extensive opportunities to develop as mature, young adults. There are many extra-curricular opportunities where they are encouraged to develop independence. For example, every year a group of students raises money for a trip to Africa where they can support students in deprived areas who are less fortunate than themselves. They greatly enjoy the leadership opportunities in school.
• Teachers ensure that students are safe and know how to keep themselves safe. Students say they hugely enjoyed the recent course on safe driving. All students in the sixth form are aware of local risks such as extremism and gangs. They have the knowledge of how to avoid such dangers. Through the programmes in school, students understand fundamental British values.
• Staff in the sixth form have close links with the teaching and learning team. They constantly review and evaluate the quality of learning by their students. Heads of department track students rigorously. Teachers give clear and precise guidance to students. Students are allocated time in the ‘super-curriculum’ to respond to this guidance. Students say this helps them develop a passion for their subjects.
• There is provision in place for the very small number of pupils who need to improve their mathematical skills. Currently, there are no pupils who need to improve their English skills.
• School information for 2017 A levels show that the average grade achieved was a C. Ninety-six per cent of pupils achieved an A* to E grade. Students did very well in graphics, psychology, physics, and religious studies A levels. At the time of the inspection, the A-level outcomes and comparative progress were not available on the Department for Education (DfE) performance tables. Current students make excellent progress, as demonstrated by information provided by the school. Teachers work with other schools to check their judgements on grades.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 136418 Barnet 10036376 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Academy converter 11 to 18 Mixed Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,303 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 253 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Howard Davies Ann Marie Mulkerins Telephone number 020 83681783 Website Email address www.thecompton.org.uk office@thecompton.org.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• At the time of the inspection, the school did not meet requirements on the publication of information about pupil premium funding, Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up funding and the 2017 examination results. There is a link to the DfE schools’ performance tables. By the end of the inspection all this information was in place.
• The school did not comply with DfE guidance on what academies should publish about their complaints procedures. By the end of the inspection this information was in place.
• The Compton School is a larger-than-average school.
• The school does not use any alternative provision.
• The Compton School became an academy in 2011 and set up a multi-academy trust in August 2017. The trust is known as the Middlesex Learning Trust.
• The school is a teaching school and works with 91 other schools. The chief executive of the trust is a national leader of education. The new headteacher took up her role in August 2017. The previous headteacher became the executive headteacher and the chief executive of the trust.
• The local authority frequently brokers support from the trust for other local schools.
• The school meets current government floor standards.
• A high proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited a range of lessons and part lessons across all key stages and subject areas to evaluate the quality of teaching.
• Inspectors met with pupils and spoke to pupils around the school.
• Inspectors reviewed pupils’ books and scrutinised a range of documents which related to safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, and academic progress.
• Inspectors met with senior leaders, middle leaders and teachers who are new to the profession.
• The lead inspector met with governors and trustees and held a telephone conversation with the local authority.
• There were 30 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents. A further 10 parents contacted Ofsted after the inspection.
• The school provided their own staff survey which they conducted earlier in the year.

Inspection team

Dame Joan McVittie, lead inspector Katerina Christodoulou Luisa Bonelli Alison Moore Joanne Hamill

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector