Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve leadership and management by:
  • building stronger communication between the leadership of all phases so that there are consistent policies, procedures and practices in place
  • ensuring that the leadership of teaching and learning is sufficiently robust to identify strengths and weaknesses across all phases of the school and successfully improve any areas for development
  • sharing best practice consistently across this all-through school
  • using the pupil premium funding effectively for the direct benefit of disadvantaged pupils and carefully evaluating its impact on their learning and progress
  • continuing to provide training for governors so that they have a firm grasp of how well groups of pupils are progressing throughout the school so that they can challenge leaders effectively.
• Improve teaching, learning and outcomes by ensuring that:
  • teaching is well matched to pupils’ needs and ensures that they make good progress
  • the most able pupils are challenged to make accelerated progress across the curriculum in all phases
  • there is greater consistency in the feedback that pupils receive in accordance with the school’s policy, so that pupils know how to improve their learning
  • outcomes for pupils in all key stages continue to rise so that progress is consistently better than the national averages and the gaps for groups of pupils, in particular White British pupils at key stage 4 and girls at key stage 5, close rapidly. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• The school has been subject to a number of significant changes in the past three years. These include a change from independent school status to that of a free school, changes in staffing and a new headteacher. The management of these changes, in addition to adjusting to the changing intake of pupils both in context and number, have taken up considerable time for leaders at all levels.
• The acting headteacher, who has been in post for four months, is passionate about ensuring improved outcomes for all pupils in the school, and bringing about sustainable and lasting improvements in all areas of school life.
• Senior leaders know the school’s main strengths and areas for improvement. However, not all senior leaders are sharp in their improvement planning and measuring the impact on pupils’ provision and outcomes of the strategies and interventions. This means that the drive for improvement in some areas is not clearly focused enough on how success will be measured.
• The leaders of the primary phase work well with their team to improve provision. Some senior school leaders, who are most experienced in the secondary phase, have not provided primary leaders with the challenge and support needed to ensure a smooth transition to meet the requirements of the new primary curriculum. Consequently, outcomes for pupils in 2016 in the primary phase were significantly below the national average and did not meet the government’s floor standards.
• Communication between leaders of the primary and secondary phases of the school is now improving. Leaders meet together frequently and share aspects of their roles. However, a coherent, strategic view of the all-through school is not yet embedded.
• Some aspects of the leadership of teaching and learning require improvement. In the secondary phase, middle leaders have been effective in evaluating the quality of teaching and learning in their departments. This information is passed on to senior leaders. However, there is no strategic overview of the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of teaching and learning to ensure the sharing of good practice.
• Effective leadership in the primary phase is improving the quality of teaching and learning and securing good behaviour and personal development for pupils.
• Leaders have ensured a broad and balanced curriculum from the early years to key stage 4. A wide range of subjects are taught, including Latin and classics. This adds a different dimension to the curriculum and contributes to the distinctive nature of the school. In key stage 5, a traditional academic curriculum does not enable students to pursue more vocational courses.
• Some members of the school community and parent body believe that there is a lack of social cohesion in the school. Leaders carefully record incidents where pupils’ behaviour does not meet expectations, including racist and homophobic incidents. The information held by the school shows that incidences of racist behaviour are decreasing significantly and exclusions are much lower than those found in other schools nationally.
• Leadership of the sixth form is pastorally strong. Students benefit from guided intervention and individual support. A renewed focus on academic guidance has the strong potential to further strengthen post-16 provision.
• Teachers new to the profession and those recently qualified generally receive good support in their first years of teaching. They are trained thoroughly in all aspects of safeguarding and appreciate the external support brokered for them by leaders.
• The systems for managing teachers’ performance are linked to school improvement priorities and the progress of pupils. These systems provide teachers with guidance and training on how to develop their practice further.
• Leaders do not account well enough for how they spend the pupil premium funding. There is not enough clarity over which strategies are effective and which are not.
• The Year 7 catch-up funding is used to improve the reading ages of those who enter key stage 3 with below-expected standards in English and mathematics. Leaders were initially unclear about how many pupils were in receipt of the funding or about the gains in learning made by these pupils as a result of the funding. However, information provided by the school shows that these pupils do make progress in their learning.
• Funding to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used effectively to provide training for staff and for additional adults to support pupils’ individual needs. These interventions are helping pupils to grow in confidence and improve their learning, but this is not yet consistent across all areas of the curriculum.
• The school spends the primary sports funding appropriately. Younger pupils take part in a wide range of relevant physical and sporting activities.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is strong. Pupils have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures. They have a clear understanding of right and wrong, equalities and discrimination. Pupils are taught well how to stay safe, both personally and online. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils of all ages say that they enjoy the wide variety of enrichment opportunities on offer. There is a comprehensive range of after-school clubs, including sports, music, creative activities and academic clubs. All pupils appreciate the high-quality sporting facilities at the school.
• The headteacher’s plans for school improvement are rooted in raising pupils’ aspirations and achievements. She is relentless in her pursuit of excellence for all and is determined to improve relationships with staff and parents for the benefit of every pupil in the school.

Governance of the school

• Governors fully support the school’s ethos and know the school very well. They understand the challenges that leaders face in managing the recent changes as the school moved to become a free school.
• Governors fully support the acting headteacher in her drive to improve the progress of all pupils.
• Governors and leaders ensure that the school buildings are fit for purpose. Classrooms are clean and bright and conducive to learning. Outdoor spaces are well maintained. Sporting facilities are of a high quality and present a superb environment in which to partake of sporting activities.
• Members of the governing body frequently visit the school, undertaking visits to lessons and speaking with pupils. The chair of the governing body meets with the headteacher on a weekly basis to check on the quality of the school’s provision. As a result, governors are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.
• The governor responsible for safeguarding works closely with leaders to check the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe are effective. All members of the governing body fully understand their responsibilities regarding keeping pupils safe.
• Governors hold leaders to account, but are not sufficiently adept in assessing clearly the impact of actions taken by leaders to improve the progress of groups of pupils across the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that all staff are fully trained and receive regular safeguarding updates. Concerns raised about any pupil’s well-being or safety are followed up quickly by leaders, who involve outside agencies, the local authority and parents as appropriate.
• The school’s procedures for safely recruiting and vetting staff and governors meet the necessary requirements.
• Inspectors tested whether some concerns expressed by staff through Ofsted’s questionnaire meant that pupils were at risk because of the school’s policies and procedures. The headteacher is determined that every pupil under her care will be safe and thrive in the school. She has already acted decisively to secure safeguarding arrangements and brought in several improvements, in conjunction with external agencies, such as the fire brigade and the local council.
• Improvements are continually being made to the school site to ensure that pupils are safe, including electronic door access. Consequently, inspection evidence supports the view that pupils are safe and senior staff are constantly seeking to improve this area. Leaders and governors are in no doubt as to their responsibilities regarding safeguarding.
• Pupils are taught well how to keep themselves safe both personally and online. They are taught about a wide range of risks, from internet dangers to exploitation and extremism. Pupils who met with the inspectors and the very large majority of pupils who responded to the online questionnaire said they felt safe in school.
• Most parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, were confident that their children are safe and happy at the school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching requires improvement because it does not yet ensure consistently good achievement for pupils across year groups and subjects.
• The quality of teaching is inconsistent across the school. There is some good teaching that enables pupils of all ages to make good progress over time. However, some teachers do not plan activities to meet the different needs of pupils. As a result, some of the most able pupils are not sufficiently challenged. Conversely, at times, the least able and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities find it more difficult to understand concepts. As a result, the work they produce can be of low quality and poorly presented.
• Assessment systems in key stages 3 and 4 are not currently matched rigorously enough to the content of the new national curriculum and increased content of the new GCSE syllabuses. As a result, assessment is not currently reliable enough to ensure that teaching is pitched accurately to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities.
• Most middle leaders are ready for the upcoming changes in the way in which the school assesses pupils’ progress but are waiting for a definitive steer from leaders about the direction that assessment will take. Staff acknowledge that accurate assessment systems and teachers’ confidence in them are key to accurate planning for individual needs, identifying and overcoming barriers to learning and improving progress for pupils of all abilities.
• In the primary phase, teachers have worked successfully to improve the accuracy of their assessment of pupils’ learning. By working closely together and with other local schools, teachers are now more secure in their understanding of national curriculum expectations in reading and writing. As a result, current pupils are on track to make much better progress this year in reading, writing and mathematics, including the proportion of pupils working at greater depth.
• Generally, phonics is taught well and pupils achieve highly in the national phonics screening check. The most able pupils are challenged in phonics work, but opportunities to use and apply phonics across the wider curriculum are not always maximised.
• Leaders have taken steps to improve the quality of pupils’ reading across the school. New resources designed to motivate and encourage pupils, particularly boys, to read more are proving successful. More guidance for pupils on which books to select would ensure that all reading materials are suitable for their ability. Most pupils who read to an inspector used their phonic skills to decode challenging words and could meaningfully discuss what they had read.
• Leaders and staff have recently implemented a new policy for marking and feedback to pupils. Some staff are implementing the new policy consistently, and this provides pupils with praise and clear next steps for their learning. Often, pupils do not respond productively, in line with the policy, when useful feedback is given to improve their work.
• Homework is well organised and used effectively in key stages 1 and 2 to support learning. At key stages 3 and 4, homework varies in quality, quantity, marking and effectiveness. Leaders and parents have identified this concern and plans are in place to improve the provision of homework.
• Additional adults are deployed effectively to support pupils in all key stages. They work successfully with pupils to further explain concepts and keep them fully involved in the task at hand. As a result, even though the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities varies, the majority make progress appropriate to their individual needs.
• Lessons are generally very calm and purposeful. Pupils are well behaved in class and respectful of teachers’ and other pupils’ views. When incidences of low-level disruption occur, they are effectively dealt with.
• Many teachers’ good subject knowledge enables them to draw out pupils’ understanding and deepen their learning. This is most effective when teachers encourage pupils to explain their answers further and justify responses. There are times, however, when some pupils’ passivity in lessons means that they do not respond to questions and can avoid becoming engaged in learning.
• Most teachers use subject-specific and target language well to model the responses required from pupils.
• Leaders and staff keep parents well informed about pupils’ progress through termly reports and parents’ evenings. Parents are pleased with the academic information that they receive from the school.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Many pupils of all ages show resilience, self-confidence and good manners. All pupils who spoke with the inspectors were welcoming and polite. Pupils look smart and take pride in their uniform. The school’s environment is free from litter, in both the secondary and primary phases.
• Pupils’ mostly positive attitudes to learning show that many are keen to learn. Pupils take a pride in their work and most books are neat and tidy.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Through the curriculum, complementary studies, assemblies and extra-curricular activities, pupils receive a wide range of opportunities to help them develop into confident, articulate and well-rounded future citizens.
• Pupils have opportunities to take on extra responsibility, for example through the prefect and house systems. A range of trips, visits and charitable and fundraising events help pupils to understand the needs of others. For example, an annual school trip to Uganda involves older pupils in helping a school and the children there.
• Pupils’ understanding of faiths other than their own is well developed. Pupils at the school come from diverse backgrounds and are keen to teach their peers about their own beliefs. Year 2 pupils recently taught primary school children from another school about Islam.
• Pupils have a strong knowledge of democracy, the rule of law and respect for individuals because they have been well taught. Pupils are well equipped and prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils are taught well how to keep themselves safe, online and in the community. External agencies regularly deliver assemblies to pupils, highlighting current concerns and local and global issues, such as social cohesion.
• Different groups of pupils do not always mix together in social times. Leaders are aware that more work needs to be done to ensure that all groups of pupils integrate well and see themselves as one community.
• Occurrences of bullying, including racist incidents, are declining in number. Pupils who spoke with the inspectors or responded to the online questionnaire said that bullying is rare, but that when it does occur, they feel able to talk to staff, who then take effective action. Some pupils expressed the view that this action is not always taken as promptly as it could be. The majority of parents who responded to the online questionnaire agreed that the school deals effectively with bullying, when it occurs.
• All pupils across the school value the range of sports on offer and the high-quality resources and sporting facilities available. Pupils are taught how to keep healthy and physically fit. Younger pupils are taught about ‘healthy bodies, healthy minds’. Leaders are vigilant about pupils’ emotional well-being and provide counsellors to support pupils when needed.
• Pupils make a smooth pastoral transition from primary to secondary school. Staff ensure that pupils are supported to settle in and find their way around the school confidently. Academic transition is less effectively managed. There is less continuity in ensuring progression in learning, which is often left to individual subject leaders to develop.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school is an orderly environment. Pupils move around the school in an orderly fashion, demonstrating good manners. At social times, pupils conduct themselves well.
• Overall, the vast majority of pupils behave well in lessons. In a minority of lessons, pupils are compliant but passive in their attitudes to learning. In a small number of lessons, some low-level, off-task behaviour occurs and this limits the progress that pupils make.
• The proportion of pupils excluded from school, including those excluded more than once, is below national levels and continues to decrease.
• Pupils’ attendance is in line with the national averages at each phase, which demonstrates that pupils want to be at school. Attendance for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is rising, but the attendance of disadvantaged pupils is slightly below the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• There are marked variations in pupils’ outcomes, both historically and currently across the school. The inconsistencies in teaching, learning and assessment mean that overall, pupils do not make sustained and strong progress from their starting points.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make some progress as they move through the school, but this progress varies depending on the pupil’s individual need. However, the work in current pupils’ books shows that achievement is improving for some of these pupils.
• In 2016, the proportions of pupils in Years 2 and 6 who achieved the expected standards in reading and writing were significantly below the national averages. Progress in mathematics was more in line with the national averages. The proportion of pupils who were working at greater depth was also below the national averages at the end of key stage 2.
• The attainment of current pupils in key stages 1 and 2 is more in line with age-related expectations and overall they are making good progress. There are differences in the progress of some pupils in Year 1 and the quality of handwriting is inconsistent throughout key stage 1.
• The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the 2016 Year 1 phonics screening check rose to above the national average. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics and most pupils are acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful readers. However, some pupils still do not apply effectively their learning in phonics to their reading. Pupils are enjoying the greater range of books available to them in the school.
• In the secondary phase, in 2016, pupils made less progress in French and core and additional science than in other subjects. The progress of White British pupils was slower than other pupils in the school and slower than nationally in English and the open element qualifications.
• Information about the progress of current secondary pupils indicates that lower- attaining pupils are making positive gains in their learning. The most able pupils, however, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are not demonstrating the same improvement as other groups. Leaders acknowledge that more challenge for the most able pupils is an area for improvement across the school.
• The small numbers of pupils who enter the school in Year 7 and need to catch up in literacy and/or numeracy improve their reading skills during the year. Progress in mathematics as a result of this funding is unclear.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils from their starting points is similar to the progress made by their peers in most subjects and year groups, although there are inconsistencies and variations. The lack of clear analysis by leaders means that leaders and governors are not clear on the impact of the strategies used to diminish differences for these pupils.
• Careers education is developing well under new leadership. There is a clear plan to provide quality careers advice and guidance. Leaders of this area are working successfully to raise pupils’ aspirations. Work experience for Year 10 pupils offers the opportunity to consider different career options. Strong links with local employers are being developed.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders of the early years ensure that children get off to a strong start in school. They have high expectations for children’s academic and personal development. Leaders are acutely aware of the strengths and areas for development and tackle these with determination and vigour.
• Safeguarding and welfare requirements are effective in ensuring that children feel safe and are kept safe. Child protection policies and procedures are well understood by all staff. Children behave well.
• Teaching in the early years is good. Staff have a clear understanding of children’s needs and plan interesting activities to meet those needs. For example, during the inspection, a range of activities linked to ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ gave children many learning opportunities, particularly in writing.
• Children play well together in pairs, small groups or individually. Child-initiated activities are closely monitored by staff, who sometimes join in to develop learning further. For example, when pouring water from a container to another, a child was encouraged to count how many containers were needed.
• Children are keen to talk about their activities and what they are learning. Children are confident and articulate. They say that they enjoy their learning.
• The school’s assessment information indicates that the majority of children enter the early years with skills and knowledge that are broadly typical for their age. In 2016, more children than the national average reached a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year in mathematics and reading. They made good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for Year 1.
• Leaders track individual children’s progress and target interventions when necessary. This contributed to the strong phonics outcomes in 2016. Information about children’s current progress in phonics shows that the vast majority of individual children and groups of children are reaching expected standards. Leaders use the additional funding well to improve the progress of disadvantaged children.
• Indoor and outdoor resources and areas are well organised and stimulating. These enhance learning. Good use is made of space and children are encouraged to move freely between areas.
• Leaders have established good links with parents. This ensures that children experience a smooth transition into the early years provision.
• Staff receive professional development and training relevant to their roles. Staff reflect on how the early years provision can be further developed and take effective action to improve it, such as the continued work to create distinctive areas for learning and improving the outcomes for the most able children.

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

• Outcomes in the sixth form in 2016 were below the national average but above the minimum standard threshold. Progress for female students in 2016 was significantly below average. There are considerable differences in outcomes between different subjects, and these continue for current students. As a result, outcomes in the sixth form require improvement.
• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment over time is variable, relating directly to the variability in students’ outcomes. Where teachers’ expectations are high, learning proceeds at a brisk pace. Highly effective questioning was observed, for example, in a physical education lesson, when examination-style questions were deconstructed and analysed.
• Students’ behaviour in the sixth form is good. Students engage well with their learning and have strong relationships with their teachers and peers. Students receive close, individualised support from teachers where appropriate.
• Students receive many opportunities to develop personally, particularly through the complementary studies programme. Students learn about many issues, including fundamental British values, safety, tolerance and respect, and radicalisation.
• Students are encouraged to contribute to the wider life of the school and to act as role models for younger pupils. Students are involved as prefects and through the house system. Students appreciate the range of opportunities for personal development, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, charity fundraising, visits abroad to Uganda and sporting opportunities.
• Most students stay in the sixth form for two years and complete their programmes of study. There is a drop in retention between Years 12 and 13 due to less-effective information, advice and guidance on transition from key stage 4.
• A small number of students begin their studies having not attained GCSEs at grades A* to C in English or mathematics. The proportion who make good progress and improve their grades during the sixth form is higher than average.
• All students follow a traditional A-level curriculum. There are no vocational courses of study available, so the curriculum is less broad and balanced than seen nationally.
• There are regular opportunities for students to explore possible career paths, and they are well prepared for their futures. Participation in work experience is encouraged, although not always tracked and evaluated. In almost all cases, students move on to their choice in higher education, training or employment.

School details

Unique reference number 141165 Local authority Blackburn with Darwen Inspection number 10022815 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Number of pupils on the school roll Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Academy free school 4 to 19 Mixed Mixed 1,041 153 Academy trust Mr David Peat Mrs Claire Gammon Telephone number 01254 686300 Website Email address www.qegsblackburn.com info@qegsblackburn.com Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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 and free schools should publish.
• Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School is a slightly larger than average-sized all-through school.
• The school converted from an independent day school to an academy free school in September 2014.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is lower than average. A small number of pupils are supported through the Year 7 catch-up premium.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is higher than average, as is the proportion who speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average, as is the proportion who have a statement of special educational needs and/or an education, health and care plan.
• The school uses no alternative provision.
• Since the last inspection, the school has appointed a new acting headteacher from January 2017.
• In 2016, the school did not meet the government’s current floor standards for key stage 2, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.
• In 2016, the school met the government’s current floor standards for key stage 4, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 11.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning across a wide range of subjects in different age groups. Some observations were undertaken jointly with senior leaders. In addition, inspectors made a number of other short visits to lessons, assemblies and other activities.
• Inspectors listened to groups of pupils read.
• Inspectors met with pupils, both formally and informally, to listen to their views.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, other senior leaders, middle leaders, newly and recently qualified teachers, groups of pupils and representatives from the governing body.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation that covered: information about pupils’ attainment and progress; the school’s self-evaluation and its improvement plan; minutes of meetings of the governing body; and records relating to teaching and learning, pupils’ attendance and behaviour and safeguarding of pupils.
• Inspectors observed pupils at breaks, lunchtimes, in assemblies, in lessons and at the end of the school day. Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work in lessons and looked at a sample of their books.
• Inspectors considered the views expressed by parents in the 138 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, as well as comments received via the free-text facility on Parent View. Inspectors also took into account the 70 responses to a questionnaire for staff and the 60 responses to a questionnaire for pupils.

Inspection team

Helen O’Neill, lead inspector Jean Olsson-Law Ian Shackleton Christine Veitch

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector