Carshalton High School for Girls Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• To raise the quality of education from good to outstanding, leaders should ensure that:
  • they develop further the support for subject leaders, so that all leaders are able to promote excellent teaching and higher standards in their subjects as effectively as do the best
  • teachers make more consistent use of high-quality questioning and feedback to help pupils make better and more rapid progress
  • more of the teaching encourages pupils to take risks in their learning and have the confidence to tackle more challenging work successfully.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and senior leadership team are strongly focused on providing a high-quality education where the school is, in the words of its vision statement, ‘a twenty-first century centre of excellence’. This vision for the school is shared fully by staff and governors. They are making good progress towards achieving this aim.
• Senior leaders have a very precise understanding of the quality of education provided by the school. They know what is working well and where improvement is needed. They reacted quickly to the dip in science results in the 2017 GCSE examinations, and have put an action plan into place. The impact of this is beginning to be seen in better teaching and progress in science.
• Leaders have high expectations for pupils and set ambitious targets for pupils’ achievement. These targets are linked into the management of teachers’ performance. Leaders monitor the quality of teaching systematically, and hold teachers to account for the quality of their work. As a result, the quality of teaching is improving steadily.
• Staff morale is high. Staff are proud to work at the school, and feel that leaders support them in a variety of ways. These include providing training to meet their individual needs. Newly qualified teachers value the high-quality training and support they receive.
• The parents who completed Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, were positive overall. In the written comments, many said that their daughters enjoy school and are doing very well. A few expressed concerns around communication between home and school and homework, and a few were not happy about changes in staff. At the same time, they recognised that staff changes are not always within the school’s control.
• Subject leaders have plans in place to improve teaching and progress in their subjects. In some subjects, for example in English, the plan is designed to build on existing good practice. In others, such as music, it is focused on raising expectations of what pupils can achieve.
• In other subjects, such as science, the work has not yet had enough of an impact to ensure that pupils’ progress over time is raised to outstanding.
• Leaders use additional pupil premium funding effectively and have a clear rationale to support their decisions. The impact of this is seen in better progress and in the improvement in the results of disadvantaged pupils in 2017. Year 7 catch-up funding helps pupils make good progress, particularly in improving their literacy skills.
• Leaders target the funding carefully for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities to help them make good progress. They use a range of different approaches, including support in class or in withdrawal groups. Subject teachers know, however, that they have a key responsibility for the progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, and plan accordingly.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced, and helps to prepare pupils well for further study and future employment. Emphasis is placed on developing pupils’ personal and social skills as well as their academic knowledge and skills. Pupils can participate in a wide range of activities in art, dance, drama, music and sport by studying these subjects and through a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
• The house system provides many more opportunities for pupils to get involved in school life. These range from inter-house competitions, to working to support different charities at home and abroad. In recent years, the houses have supported causes as varied as a local hospice and schools in Kenya.
• Leaders prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. This is because their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strongly promoted in a range of ways. Pupils discuss and reflect thoughtfully on topical issues such as race and gender equality and issues around extremism and radicalisation.

Governance of the school

• Governors share the leadership team’s ambition for the school. They know its strengths and weaknesses well. Governors support and challenge the school to bring about effective improvement and have a good grasp of relevant performance data. They are particularly challenging of any underperformance in subjects and carefully monitor the performance of disadvantaged pupils. As well as receiving detailed reports, governors visit the school regularly to see the impact of policy and resource decisions. Governors have had relevant training in safeguarding and are very clear about the importance of ensuring that pupils are kept safe.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders take responsibility for safeguarding seriously. Safeguarding policies are regularly reviewed and records are maintained and stored securely.
• All staff have had appropriate training and receive regular updates on safeguarding issues. Staff are vigilant, and understand their responsibilities and the procedures for referring any issues or concerns they have about pupils.
• Leaders consider concerns carefully and act on them appropriately, involving external agencies to provide support for pupils, where this is necessary, and following up rigorously on referrals.
• Inspectors held discussions with a large number of pupils. They told inspectors that they feel safe in school, as did almost all the parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. All members of staff who completed their questionnaire said that they believe that pupils are safe in school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching and learning is good, and some aspects are outstanding. Regular reviews of teaching help to ensure that the staff have the training and support they need to continue to improve their teaching.
• Teachers have detailed information on how well pupils are doing, which they use to plan the next steps. As a result, pupils make good progress.
• Relationships between staff and pupils are good. Teachers have established clear routines in class and pupils arrive promptly and ready to learn. Lessons have a productive working atmosphere and low-level disruption is rare.
• Where teaching is typically most effective, teachers understand how to build pupils’ confidence and help them take risks in their learning. This was particularly evident in Year 11 English classes where pupils were responding well to challenging tasks on a set text. It was also a feature of some sixth-form teaching, for example in sociology and psychology. It is not yet done consistently and pupils do not always have the confidence to take risks and believe that they can master more difficult work.
• All staff focus on using teaching strategies which are known to work well with girls. This helps teachers to plan effective lessons. Skilful questioning encourages pupils to develop their ideas in greater depth. For example, in a science lesson probing questioning and a demanding task helped pupils to develop a deeper understanding of chemical reactions.
• Teachers use the school’s assessment policy effectively and provide useful feedback, which pupils can use to improve their work. Leaders know that this is not yet consistent enough to ensure outstanding progress.
• Pupils’ books show that work in other subjects is used well to help pupils practise and apply their literacy skills. Staff share information about what they are reading and suggest books which pupils might find worthwhile. The use of numeracy skills is also evident, particularly in subjects such as science, but is not yet quite as widespread as the use of literacy skills. The school has plans to improve this.
• Homework is set regularly to consolidate and expand on classroom learning but the school is currently introducing more systematic monitoring of homework to ensure that it is helping to raise achievement.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils develop into confident, mature and articulate young people who have high aspirations and want to succeed. They appreciate all the help and support they receive.
• The school is a genuinely inclusive and caring community where pupils from different backgrounds are respected. Through citizenship lessons, ‘drop down’ days and work in lessons, different cultures and faiths are celebrated. At the same time, these and other activities help pupils to understand British values of tolerance, democracy and respect for the rule of law.
• The school gives pupils very many opportunities to develop leadership skills. They willingly take on responsibility at different stages in their school career, including as prefects, ambassadors and peer mentors. Year 11 and Year 7 ‘paired’ reading helps support pupils socially as well as academically. Pupils say that they are consulted by staff and that their views about the school are taken seriously.
• The strong pastoral structures help staff to identify and deal with issues which may be preventing pupils from learning. Staff know pupils and their families well, which helps to ensure that support is well targeted. Pastoral and academic leaders work closely together. The impact of this can be seen in much-improved attendance and much better progress for disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils feel safe in school, and are regularly taught about how to stay safe. They understand how to keep themselves safe from a range of potential dangers, including those that can arise through the misuse of social media.
• The work on dealing with bullying is effective and school records show that there are very few incidents. Pupils understand what constitutes bullying and that it can take different forms. They understand what to do, should it occur.
• Surveys and discussion indicate that most pupils believe that any bullying will be dealt with quickly. They say that arguments between friends are not allowed to escalate into something more serious. Almost all parents completing the online survey agree that any bullying is dealt with effectively.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are welcoming and polite to visitors. They show pride in their school.
• Pupils know that actions have consequences, which can be positive or negative, and that they are expected to take responsibility for their behaviour.
• Pupils understand what is expected of them and respond well to these expectations. They move around the school in an orderly manner, and are on time for lessons.
• Leaders and staff are consistent in the way in which they implement expectations and deal with any behaviour issues quickly and effectively. As a result, the number of fixed-term exclusions has dropped considerably.
• Rigorous monitoring procedures have helped to reduce absence and attendance is now in line with the national average. School staff work closely with pupils and families where persistent absence is still an issue. The number of persistent absentees is declining.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Most pupils make good progress as they move through the school. In key stages 3 and 4 pupils make the best progress in English, mathematics, humanities and modern foreign languages. Progress is improving in other subjects.
• Senior staff and subject leaders observe lessons and review pupils’ books to make sure that the action being taken to raise achievement is having the desired effect.
• Pupils’ progress is monitored regularly through checking in lessons on how well they are doing and regular testing and assessment.
• The data obtained is rigorously analysed at least half termly. The discussions with subject leaders and teachers focus on identifying areas where further improvement is needed.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities has improved and is now similar to that of other pupils. This is because subject teachers understand their pupils’ needs and provide work which is well matched to these needs. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make similar progress to others.
• At GCSE in 2017, the proportion of pupils achieving five or more A* to C (or an equivalent standard pass) is above the national average and pupils made progress that was broadly in line with the national average.
• In 2017, there were good results in a wide range of subjects including English, mathematics, humanities, modern foreign languages, sports studies and creative subjects, such as dance and media. The school is systematically tackling areas of relative weakness.
• Those starting from a low base and those whose prior attainment was average made better progress than those with high prior attainment. This was out of line with the school’s usual results and leaders are now focusing on making sure that teachers have strategies which stretch and challenge the most able. The evidence so far is that this is having a positive impact.
• Pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics is improving rapidly as a result of effective leadership and better teaching. School and subject leaders have worked hard to ensure that all pupils are encouraged to read widely. Their work has helped to improve pupils’ writing skills as well. Well-targeted support and practice in basic skills in mathematics lessons has helped to increase pupils’ confidence and skills.
• Pupils receive high-quality and impartial guidance to help them prepare for their next stage in education. Almost all pupils continue in education or move on to training or employment.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• The sixth form is good. Students are aspirational, hardworking and mature. They are polite, friendly, articulate and at ease with visitors.
• Sixth-form facilities are purpose built, and provide very good accommodation for teaching, as well as private study and recreation.
• Students can choose from appropriate range of academic and vocational programmes which are well matched to their needs.
• Most students enter Year 12 with lower-than-average GCSE results, and make at least good progress. There are particular strengths in the BTEC vocational courses, where results are outstanding and well above the national averages. In 2016, the average grade for BTEC was a starred distinction. This represents excellent progress.
• Almost all A-level subjects achieved a 100% pass rate, and in several subjects, including sociology, psychology and creative subjects, such as art, dance, drama, media and film studies, at least half the students achieved one of the top grades. Progress in media studies, psychology and sociology was especially strong.
• Teaching is good overall, and at times outstanding. Teachers have high expectations of their students and use challenging activities to extend their progress.
• Students are positive and optimistic about their learning, and respond well to the challenge. Information on current students indicates that they are making good progress.
• The leadership of the sixth form is strong and leaders are committed to improving outcomes for students. Sixth form and subject leaders at A level have plans to increase the proportion of students achieving the higher grades. Teachers know that they will be supported, as well as challenged, to enable students to achieve these.
• All students who needed to retake GCSE English succeeded in improving their grade to the required level. In mathematics, the results were not as good. Leaders have set typically challenging targets for staff and students and put support in place to help them achieve these.
• Retention between Years 12 and 13 is improving as the result of determined action by staff to ensure that pupils make good initial course choices.
• The enrichment programme contributes strongly to sixth formers’ confidence and personal development. In Year 12, all students undertake work experience related to their studies. Many of them take up opportunities to take part in a variety of activities such as debating/public speaking, health and fitness, cookery, Young Enterprise and World Challenge.
• Students have many opportunities for leadership across the school. In addition to opportunities to act as senior prefects, they are encouraged to work with younger pupils as sports and dance leaders, subject and homework mentors and provide support for pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• The quality of careers information and guidance is excellent, which means that all students can confidently progress to the next stage of their education or training. Most students go on to study at university and others go into apprenticeships or employment.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 136797 Sutton 10037694 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 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 Girls Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,268 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 178 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Paul Harding Vivien Jones 020 86478294 www.chsg.org.uk vjones@suttonmail.org Date of previous inspection 27−28 March 2014

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• Carshalton High School for Girls is a larger-than-average-sized secondary school, which admits girls into Years 7 to 11 and both girls and boys into the sixth form.
• The school is a standalone academy, governed by the Carshalton Girls Educational Trust.
• Almost half the pupils in the school are of White British origin. Other pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. About a third of the pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is above average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities varies from year to year but is broadly in line with the national average.
• The school does not currently use any alternative provision.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum standards for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of key stage 4.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 49 part-lessons; many observations were carried out jointly with senior leaders. During visits to lessons, inspectors looked at pupils’ work in books.
• Meetings were held with staff, including newly qualified teachers; pastoral and academic senior and middle leaders; pupils from all year groups; the chair and other members of the governing body.
• Inspectors took account of the 77 responses and written comments from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View), as well as information from the school’s own surveys of parents over the last two years.
• Inspectors examined 56 responses to the staff questionnaire and 75 responses from pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation. This included the school’s evaluation of its performance and the improvement plan, information about standards and progress, the school’s website, and records of behaviour and attendance, as well as a range of policies.

Inspection team

Grace Marriott, lead inspector Heidi Swidenbank Ian Morris Niall Gallagher Sophie Welch

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector