Chetwynde School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Accelerate the rate of school improvement by:
  • ensuring that leaders evaluate the quality of all aspects of the school with more rigour and greater accuracy, particularly the progress that pupils make throughout the year, and use this information to identify weaknesses
  • ensuring that leaders, at all levels, take rapid and robust action to ensure that improvements are implemented quickly
  • ensuring that the improvements that are already having a positive impact in the secondary phase are used as models to accelerate improvement in the primary phase.
• Continue to improve the progress pupils make, particularly in key stages 1 and 2 and that of low-ability pupils, by ensuring that all teachers:
  • are fully aware of the academic potential of the children they teach
  • have a full understanding of the requirements of the curriculum they are required to cover
  • use their knowledge of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and of the curriculum to help them plan learning activities that challenge pupils, deepening their knowledge, understanding and skills
  • provide learning activities and topics that interest pupils and grip their imagination.
• In the primary phase, quickly improve pupils’ writing skills.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Since the school changed from an independent school to a free school, leaders have been slow to improve provision.
• For some time, leaders have been developing a system to monitor the progress that pupils make. Leaders cannot yet, with any degree of confidence, analyse the achievement of pupils, groups of pupils, classes or subjects. They are, therefore, unable to evaluate accurately the impact of teaching throughout the year, having to rely on published information produced once pupils have completed Year 6 or Year 11.
• Teachers and leaders of the primary phase do not have a good enough understanding of the details of the national curriculum. This prevents teachers from planning comprehensive coverage of what they are required to teach. Teachers are unclear about how pupils will be assessed. Leaders have been unable to evaluate accurately, throughout the year, how well teachers are teaching, because they cannot assess the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress. Consequently, leaders did not realise the full extent of pupils’ slow progress in writing until the formal assessment and moderation of the Year 6 national test in writing.
• Despite an awareness of weaknesses last year, reform to improve writing for current pupils has been slow. Progress in mathematics across the primary phase has also slowed for the same reasons as in writing, but to a lesser extent.
• The information teachers give to leaders on pupils’ achievement in the primary phase is inaccurate and, for secondary mathematics, widely inaccurate. This weakens the validity of any analysis of pupils’ progress in these areas.
• There is a lack of coherent approaches to many aspects of teaching in the primary phase because teachers are not clear about strategies. There is no clear understanding of how writing is developed from the Reception Year to Year 6. Similarly, teachers lack a common understanding of how pupils will build mathematical skills throughout the primary key stages. There is, however, a much better understanding of how teachers should develop pupils’ readings skills, starting with systematic approaches to teaching phonics. Reading is the strongest core subject in the primary curriculum.
• More recently, however, the secondary phase has begun to improve quickly. The recently appointed director of teaching and learning has brought a clear vision of how to improve the school and has high expectations. He has had considerable impact on the improvement of the secondary phase and pupils’ achievement is now improving more rapidly. These strategies provide models of good and successful practice that can be applied across the whole school.
• There are other examples of successful reform. A recent review of behaviour has resulted in better systems to monitor and manage behaviour. Pupils’ attendance is improving because the school is applying a well thought through strategy to ensure that pupils attend well. Teachers say that the opportunities for their professional development have improved considerably over the last year. They describe a broad range of training that has had a material improvement on their work. The impact of developments can be seen in pupils’ work, but less so in the primary phase. Appraisal systems meet requirements and are improving in both holding staff to account and encouraging them to strive for better outcomes for the children they teach.
• The headteacher is instrumental in establishing a positive and aspirational ethos. Pupils are happy in school. They value all this school provides for them and those who have moved to this school during their secondary education say it was a very good decision.
• All staff strongly promote pupils’ physical and mental health, their safety and their well-being, through excellent relationships, good training and a positive culture.
• Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Two leaders manage this aspect of the school’s work with skill and professionalism. Identification of need is rigorous. The progress these pupils make is monitored closely and their needs are clearly understood. Leaders communicate advice and guidance to teachers very effectively. This team are innovative in finding different opportunities and activities to build pupils’ confidence and skills. These pupils are being prepared very well for their lives beyond this school.
• Parents receive good-quality reports on how their children are developing. They are also able to attend consultation evenings where they can speak with teachers.
• It is evident through a range of surveys and parental responses to Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire) that parents generally, as their children do, think very highly of this school. Many comment on the excellent care that their children receive and the breadth of additional opportunities available to pupils.
• Over the past 18 months, pupils’ career guidance has improved considerably. Throughout the secondary phase, there is a comprehensive programme, which includes guest speakers, the development of employability skills, advice, guidance and practise on how to apply for jobs and interview techniques. Now, all Year 10 pupils participate in meaningful work experience. A local academy supports the school in managing this process. There are many benefits to this partnership, including pupils in this small school being able to explore a large database of opportunities and ensuring that pupils are safe while on their work experience.
• There is a balance to the school’s curriculum in both phases. During key stage 3, teachers guide pupils well into key stage 4 subjects that meet their abilities and ambitions. Leaders allocate appropriate time to a broad range of subjects in the primary phase. However, within some primary subjects, teachers do not cover all the requirements of the curriculum.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a significant strength of the school. This is achieved mainly through the culture and ethos of the school and the high expectations of behaviour. School values are promoted through assemblies and pupils are keen to display these in their everyday life. A wide range of enriching activities also plays a big part in promoting pupils’ very effective personal development.
• The school spends the additional funding it receives well. There is no apparent difference in the achievement of disadvantaged pupils currently at the school and other Chetwynde pupils. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported and make good progress. The additional primary sports funding makes a significant contribution to pupils’ health, safety and well-being. All primary age pupils learn to swim. Currently, all Year 6 pupils are able to self-rescue in different water situations. Other activities this funding covers enables pupils to enjoy include yoga, a range of sports clubs and gymnastics.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is effective and improving rapidly. Governors are passionate about this school. Some were in post during, and helped lead the school through, the very difficult times of transition from being an independent school to a free school. They have been responsible for the appointment of some good-quality senior staff. Collectively, the governing body offers a broad range of expertise and skills, including business management, safeguarding and, more recently, the skills needed to interrogate and analyse statistical information.
• Governors have faced many challenges since the school converted to a free school, including a significant financial deficit, the changing nature of the school, the loss of key staff and the necessary improvement of the secondary phase. Establishing the school’s role in the local provision for post-16 education and managing that change has been a major part of their work this year. They recognise that while focusing their attention on these major issues, they paid less attention to improving the primary phase than they ought to have done.
• This governing body is well equipped to continue to drive improvement and has every intention of doing so.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The very strong caring culture that pervades the school is the key element in ensuring that pupils are safe. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. Pupils are entirely confident in confiding in staff if they have a concern about themselves or any other pupil. Staff are caring, professional and well trained. They know how to react to concerns.
• Systems and procedures to ensure that pupils are safe and secure. Key staff have good relationships with parents and with those other agencies who have responsibility for child protection and safeguarding.
• Pupils’ behaviour is excellent and there is no bullying in the school.
• Pupils are well taught how to be safe in a very broad range of circumstances, including while using social media, in their communities, and taking part in activities. Pupils are taught how to promote their own mental and physical health.
• Pupils say they feel safe and explain that this is due to both the site security systems and the care and attention of staff.
• Arrangements for safeguarding students in the sixth form are similar to the rest of the school and are effective.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teachers’ planning is very variable, with the weakest practice in the primary phase. Where planning is not good enough, teachers do not take enough account of their knowledge, through assessment, of what their pupils already know, understand or can do. These teachers pitch their lessons to the middle-ability group of pupils. Once the most able in the class have completed this work, teachers will often provide an extension task which better meets these pupils’ needs. Most-able pupils waste time on work that is too easy for them. The main reason that most-able pupils do well is because of their own determination and drive to learn. Low-ability pupils do not learn well enough because teachers do not take sufficient account of their needs. Activities are often too difficult or abstract for them. Frequently, resources are not suitable.
• Some primary-phase teachers do not know what is included in the national curriculum well enough and so, over a year, key elements of learning are missing. This is particularly evident in writing and mathematics in key stages 1 and 2. Teachers give pupils too few opportunities to write at length, limiting their opportunities to improve further their writing skills. Pupils do not use their basic mathematical knowledge sufficiently to develop good problem-solving skills.
• A recent survey of the primary-age pupils revealed that about half thought their lessons were uninteresting. Inspectors were impressed at the very positive attitudes pupils had when they were expected to listen to the teacher for extended periods of time. These attitudes make a considerable contribution to pupils’ learning. Across the whole school a large proportion of pupils said they felt the work they were asked to do was too easy.
• Primary-age pupils generally do not learn well enough through advice from teachers as a result of their marking. There is a considerable variance from the school’s policy to provide good-quality feedback and for teachers to have high expectations of how pupils should respond to advice. Where practice is weakest, pupils repeat errors over a considerable period of time. This is in stark contrast with the secondary phase, where teachers are adapting to a new clear school policy on marking and feedback. Where teachers adopt the relatively new policy in full, pupils respond to guidance, improve their work and deepen their understanding.
• Improvements to the quality of teaching are happening much more quickly in the secondary phase. Teachers and leaders use their broad experience to adapt teaching so the needs of pupils are much more likely to be met than they are in the primary phase. It continues to be the case, however, that low-ability pupils do not make as much progress as they could, for the same reasons as seen in the primary phase.
• Secondary teachers know the requirements of their subject very well. Despite a very large number of pupils joining the school during key stage 4, many teachers know in detail how securely pupils understand their subject. When these teachers work with individual pupils or small groups, they give very precise advice to them on how to improve. This gives pupils confidence, and they generally progress well. However, not all secondary teachers display these qualities. Sometimes, pupils could make even more rapid progress if teachers had higher expectations of what the most able pupils could achieve, or provided more tailored support for low-ability pupils.
• In the secondary phase, pupils learn most effectively in design and technology, art, history and in English.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported in lessons, particularly through the very-effective deployment of teaching assistants. They are knowledgeable and are given good and specific advice from teachers.
• Homework is set more consistently and is of better quality in the secondary phase, particularly in key stage 4.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils know that all staff are intent on ensuring that they are happy, safe and looked after well. Relationships between staff and pupils are excellent. Pupils talk confidently to staff and confide in them.
• Pupils’ physical and mental health are promoted through a broad range of activities and throughout the curriculum. Pupils are very well cared for and safeguarding procedures meet requirements. Pupils who are considered by the school to be vulnerable and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are looked after particularly well. Staff know pupils’ needs in detail and ensure that they flourish.
• Pupils leave this school as confident young people with clear and aspirational ambitions for the future. Staff nurture pupils’ personal development from entry to the Reception Year and throughout the primary and secondary phases. Pupils become highly confident and articulate. Their behaviour is exemplary and they live by a very high moral code. As pupils mature, they successfully take on more responsibility for their own learning and are very well equipped for their future in education, training or employment.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils in the Reception Year to Year 11 make a considerable contribution to their own learning and their achievement. They work diligently and quickly in class. They listen intently and follow instructions well. When given the opportunity, pupils cooperate very well with each other in paired work or when working in groups. There is virtually no low-level disruption in classes.
• Pupils navigate around the labyrinth of corridors, stairs and through old heavy Victorian doors without any misbehaviour. They are calm and entirely responsible.
• There is a strong family ethos throughout the school, with pupils of all ages mixing well and all looking out for each other. Chetwynde is an entirely harmonious school. There is no prejudiced-based bullying and virtually no teasing. In this school, pupils can be who they want to be.
• All pupils are courteous and respectful. They are very confident and engage well with all adults, including visitors to the school.
• Pupils attend well and attendance is improving. This includes the attendance of disadvantaged pupils. Published information on persistent absence appears high. However, pupils with long-term serious medical conditions account for almost all of this.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Published progress information about how well pupils achieved in this school last year is unreliable, particularly in the secondary phase. In 2016 about two thirds of the Year 11 pupils had joined the school part way through the secondary phase. Since progress measures cover progress made from the start to the end of the secondary phase, Chetwynde School figures included the progress made in other institutions. An added complication is the large number of pupils who did not have national assessment test information from the primary phase on which secondary progress rates are calculated.
• Pupils in the primary phase do not develop their skills in writing quickly enough and so by the end of Year 6 they have fallen behind standards seen nationally. Although standards in reading and mathematics at the end of Year 6 are higher than seen nationally, progress in these subjects is broadly average because their starting points were higher.
• Last year, Year 6 pupils did not attain standards in science that matched standards nationally.
• The development of pupils’ reading skills gets off to a good start through an effective phonics programme which starts in the Reception class. By the end of Year 1 a higher proportion of pupils than seen nationally meet the expected standard in the national phonics screening check.
• Rates of progress are more rapid throughout the secondary phase. Pupils generally leave with levels of attainment which are higher than those seen nationally. Middle-ability pupils make strong progress because much of the teaching meets their needs. Attainment for the most able is consistently high; they have highly positive attitudes to learning and strive to achieve the best they can. These pupils work quickly and take any opportunities, whether in class or at home, to extend their understanding. Low-ability pupils, across the school, do not progress as well as their peers.
• Last year, there was a difference in the performance between Year 11 disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally. School information of current pupils’ work, across the school, suggests that any differences in the performance of disadvantaged pupils with others in the school is non-existent. An examination of pupils’ work confirms this. Currently, the school is making effective use of additional funding it receives to support these pupils.
• Throughout the school, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well from their starting points and make good progress. They receive good support. Teachers, teaching assistants and leaders provide a broad range of specifically designed activities that help these pupils learn quickly.
• Educational standards are generally high for most pupils leaving Year 11. Pupils’ personal development is very strong. Through a range of subjects, topics and enrichment activities, pupils have a good understanding of the different communities and cultures they are likely to experience beyond their home town of Barrow-in-Furness. They are confident young people with high aspirations. Through high-quality careers guidance, they know what they have to do to realise these aspirations. They are very well prepared for future education, training or employment.

Early years provision Good

• Typically, children join the Reception class from Chetwynde Kindergarten and four other nurseries. They have levels of development typical for their age. Children develop quickly, make consistently good progress and leave the Reception Year very well equipped for key stage 1.
• Children develop a good foundation from which they can improve their reading and writing skills through a systematic and effective approach to teaching them phonics. Children develop confidence quickly with numbers. Good teaching ensures that children develop skills and understanding across a very wide range of areas. Children become physically confident, speak clearly and articulately and become curious about their world. Children show that they care for each other and learn to behave well.
• Any additional funding that the early years receives for disadvantaged children is well spent and these children too progress quickly.
• This provision is well managed. All staff understand fully their roles and fulfil their responsibilities diligently, including those relating to safeguarding. Children are safe. At the time of the inspection there were no breaches to the statutory welfare requirements.
• Parents are well informed about their child’s work and progress. A recently introduced system to enable parents and staff to communicate efficiently with each other through text and pictures is further improving communications and parents’ ability to contribute to their child’s learning.

School details

Unique reference number 141106 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 10022799 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through School category Academy free school Age range of pupils 4 to 18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 470 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 17 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Simon Mardel Headteacher Sian Jeffreys Telephone number 01229 824210 Website www.chetwynde.co.uk Email address s.jeffreys@admin.chetwynde.cumbria.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• In 1936, Chetwynde opened as an independent school. It converted to a free school on 1 September 2014. Within a short period of time as a free school, the number of pupils on roll doubled. Despite this, it is still a smaller than average-sized school.
• The current headteacher held many roles within the predecessor school and took up her current post on the 1 September 2015. The size of the school’s senior leadership team has increased. In September 2015, a new deputy headteacher and a new special educational needs coordinator were appointed. In September 2016, the school appointed a director of teaching and learning.
• The free school started as an all-through school, teaching children from the age of four to students aged 18. However, in September of 2016 the governors took the decision close the sixth-form provision. There are 17 students who will complete their A level studies at Chetwynde this summer. From September 2017, Chetwynde will be a four to 16 school.
• The number of pupils on roll who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has been increasing over recent years and this is now larger than average. The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is also increasing but is still smaller than seen nationally.
• Very few pupils are entitled to the government’s Year 7 catch-up funding. The school does not use alternative provision or have any off-site provision run in conjunction with other schools.
• The school did not meet government’s current floor standard for key stage 4, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ progress. It did, however, meet the floor standard for key stage 2 pupils.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other leaders and managers. The lead inspector met with five members of the governing body.
• Inspectors met with groups of pupils and talked to pupils during their social times.
• Inspectors met with groups of teachers and also spoke to individual teachers.
• School documents were scrutinised, including safeguarding checks, information about pupils’ achievement and records of checks on the quality of teaching.
• Inspectors considered reports from the Department for Education.
• Inspectors visited classrooms with leaders to speak with pupils, look at their books and observe their learning.
• The headteacher and other senior leaders were party to many of the inspection activities.
• Inspectors took into account responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors considered the views of 150 parents who texted their comments. They took account of pupil surveys recently completed by the school.
• The inspection did not focus on sixth-form provision because it is about to close. Inspectors did, however, consider safeguarding procedures for post-16 students.

Inspection team

Neil Mackenzie, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Tanya Sheaff Ofsted Inspector John Shutt Ofsted Inspector