Baines School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by making sure that:
  • assessment information is used in order to plan lessons effectively and support the needs of different groups of pupils
  • teachers’ questioning gives pupils more frequent opportunities to think deeply about their work
  • teachers identify gaps in what pupils know, understand and can do so that they plan for future learning more effectively
  • all teachers have the same high expectations of all pupil groups, and in particular the middle- and higher-ability pupils
  • pupils are supported and challenged in lessons so that they make strong progress.
• Improve leadership and management by ensuring that leaders:
  • use information effectively to establish a robust and accurate view of the school’s performance
  • develop further the role of middle leaders so that their actions to improve teaching and learning lead to improved pupil outcomes
  • ensure that all staff implement school policies consistently across the school
  • are increasingly confident in evaluating what constitutes effective teaching.
• Improve the programme of study and student progress in the sixth form by:
  • ensuring that the curriculum is appropriately matched to students’ needs in order for good progress to be made
  • ensuring that effective systems are in place to drive improvement in the monitoring and development of 16 to 19 provision
  • ensuring that post-16 planning meets the recommendations of the Department for Education 16 to 19 study programme.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Although aspects of the school have improved since the last inspection, there has not yet been enough impact on pupils’ outcomes.
• Leaders have an accurate view of provision for pupils’ welfare and have ensured that pupils behave well. However, their evaluations of the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement are over-generous.
• Leaders have put training and new initiatives in place but the impact of these is not monitored effectively. As a result, levels of accountability lack rigour and agreed school policies are not consistently applied. Consequently, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment varies from one subject to another.
• Post-16 progress and outcomes have not been prioritised highly enough, resulting in a decline in outcomes for students in this area.
• Middle leaders are ambitious for the school but their roles are underdeveloped. There is more to be done to ensure that these key leaders develop the skills needed to lead sustained improvements in teaching and learning.
• Leaders do not evaluate robustly the impact of additional funding for Year 7 catch-up, pupil premium and special educational needs that comes into the school. However, staff who work on key areas supported by this funding are increasingly having a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes. For example, literacy development strategies are working well, and the pupil premium champion coordinates effective support from subject leaders to help underachieving disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils study a balanced curriculum, which contributes to an above-average number of pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate.
• Pupils rate the contribution that religious education and the life-skills programme make in ensuring that they have a clear understanding of how to keep safe and healthy. These, and other subjects, also help pupils to gain a good understanding of the society in which they live. The school curriculum promotes personal development and welfare as well as social and health education. Pupils talk knowledgably about lessons that they have had on British values. During tutor time and in other relevant lessons, they talk confidently and maturely about a range of contemporary issues.
• A range of extra-curricular activities are on offer, which are well attended.

Governance of the school

• Governors are ambitious for the school and are increasingly holding leaders to account. They have a clear understanding of priorities for key stage 4. Governors are developing the necessary skills to be able to measure and evaluate the impact of improvement strategies in the school.
• Governors have received additional support from the local authority and have participated in training to ensure that they can provide robust levels of challenge to leaders who work in the school.
• Governors are aware of their statutory responsibilities, including keeping children safe. They have increased the frequency of meetings with school leaders and members of staff to ensure that they know the school well.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. School procedures to keep children safe at school are in place and fit for purpose. Documentation on the recruitment of staff is scrupulously maintained. Designated safeguarding staff act quickly, involving external agencies to keep children safe when required.
• Safeguarding training records are up to date and policies are in place to ensure the safety of children. Staff have received necessary training in order to ensure that they have the knowledge and expertise to keep children safe.
• Staff receive regular safeguarding updates. The majority of parents said that their children feel safe at school and are well looked after. The well-being of young people is a priority for the staff. They have built positive relationships with parents and keep them suitably informed about any concerns regarding the safeguarding of their children.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teachers are not always aware of the different abilities of key pupil groups within their classes. Consequently, work is not set at the correct level to meet their needs. As a result, pupils, particularly the middle- and higher-ability pupils, do not make enough progress.
• In some instances, teachers’ expectations of pupils are too low. Work is not suitably demanding or effective in consolidating knowledge, developing skills or deepening understanding.
• Teachers do not regularly check on pupils’ progress during lessons. This restricts their ability to adapt their teaching to ensure that pupils are suitably supported and challenged by classroom tasks. Furthermore, pupils do not always fully understand the assessment criteria in subjects. As a result, they do not know some of the grades they are aiming for, or what they need to do to improve.
• The quality of teachers’ questioning varies from one subject to another. There are examples of questioning being used to deepen pupils’ understanding in some subjects, such as religious education. However, this technique is not widely used. Too often, teachers’ questioning does not stimulate careful thought and requires only brief responses from pupils.
• The school’s assessment policy is not applied consistently across all subjects. Consequently, pupils do not always make best use of the feedback they receive. Similarly, the use of homework to support learning varies in its effectiveness.
• In some subjects, however, teaching is more effective. In religious education and English, for example, teaching offers high levels of challenge for pupils and staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.
• Leaders have put new initiatives in place to improve the quality of teaching and lift ambition. For instance, the science department has introduced a bronze, silver and gold strategy, with the aim of supporting and challenging pupils by providing different levels of task. This is starting to have a positive impact and pupils like the choices they are given.
• Pupils behave well in lessons and, while their levels of engagement in learning vary depending on the quality of teaching, they generally display positive attitudes and want to succeed. Pupils said that a small number of pupils cause some occasional disruption in class. However, they also said that the school’s new behaviour policy is having a positive impact and that incidents of poor behaviour have reduced.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils understand the importance of education and are ambitious to achieve well. They value the rewards they can earn through good work, attendance and behaviour. Pupils praise the information and guidance they receive about their next steps in education and/or employment. They particularly value the guidance they receive about Year 9 options and post-16 study. Pupils said that they are happy at school and the large majority of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire agreed.
• Pupils said that adults in school are always approachable and there to support them academically, socially and emotionally. There are strong, supportive relationships between staff and pupils. Some parents informed inspectors in detail about how staff have provided valuable support for their children.
• Pupils described the school as one where diversity is fully accepted and bullying is very rare. Pupils are confident that if bullying did occur it would be swiftly and effectively dealt with. Pupils show respect for their peers and adults in the school during social times and in lessons.
• A small number of pupils attend education at places away from school that meet their specific needs. There is a good level of communication with the providers of this education regarding attendance and welfare as well as close monitoring of pupils’ progress.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite and respectful to staff. The school environment is calm and pleasant. Increasingly, pupils know what is expected of them with regard to their attitude towards learning in lessons. A new behaviour management system has helped with this.
• The implementation of the new behaviour policy has led to a decrease in internal and external exclusions. Staff and pupils report that this system has led to improvements in the school, although it is still relatively new.
• Pupils are smart and take a pride in their work. For example, A-level artwork on display is very impressive. Pupils are keen to share work that they have completed in their books.
• Attendance is above the national average and pupils are punctual for school and lessons. Absence and instances of persistent absence, which have caused concern in the past, are reducing. That said, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils remains below that of other pupils, but is being closely monitored. Pupil premium funding is being used to improve the attendance of this group.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes for pupils require improvement because their overall progress has been slower than it should be given their starting points.
• In 2016, pupils made below average progress in a range of areas, including science, humanities and modern foreign languages. Higher- and middle-ability pupils made less progress than the national average for their ability group. Boys, in particular higher-ability boys, made less progress than they should in 2016. Most-able disadvantaged pupils also made less progress than others nationally.
• Progress of these groups has been targeted by school staff and is predicted by leaders to improve in 2017. However, this improvement has been too slow because of the lack of challenge in several subjects, such as history and science.
• The proportions of pupils in 2016 achieving a grade C or above at GCSE was below the national average in history, information technology and additional science. Proportions achieving GCSE grades A or A* were below the national average in geography, history, information technology, additional science and core science.
• Having said this, pupils’ progress in English and mathematics was broadly in line with other pupils nationally in 2016. The number of pupils achieving a grade C and above in these subjects improved.
• Attainment was broadly in line with the national average overall in 2016 and broadly in line with the national average for English and mathematics.
• Pupils achieving a grade C and above at GCSE was above the national average for English language, mathematics, religious education and media studies. Pupils achieving GCSE grades A or A* were above the national average in English language and religious education.
• Current school information suggests that pupils will make better progress in 2017, with significant improvements in science and history. Subject leaders have received training and benefited from external support to ensure the accurate assessment and moderation of pupils’ work.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make steady progress overall. While progress rates vary depending on individual needs, most of the provision is fit for purpose.
• Pupil premium funding is being used effectively to improve the achievement of most disadvantaged pupils. Disadvantaged pupils are making overall progress broadly in line with other pupil nationally, apart from the most able disadvantaged pupils, who make less progress. A mentor is employed to support pupils both academically and pastorally. A member of staff is the designated pupil premium champion. He ensures that disadvantaged pupils have highly individualised support, focusing on subjects and attendance. This strategy is relatively recent and the full impact of this support is yet to be seen.

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

• In 2016, academic results declined in the sixth form. Boys’ and girls’ overall progress rates on their courses were below national averages. Students who came into the sixth form with good GCSE grades achieved below the national average.
• Pupils who studied A levels in business studies, mathematics, history, physics, media studies, chemistry and photography made less progress than similar-ability students nationally. However, students who took A-level geography made better progress than other students nationally.
• Currently, progress is not improving rapidly enough. Leaders’ assessment information indicates that the overall progress that students will make in 2017 will not be significantly different overall from 2016 figures.
• The sixth-form programme of study requires improvement. It does not take enough account of the recommendation of the Department for Education 16 to 19 study programme. Many aspects are optional, for example work experience. Other elements such as personal and social development are not monitored or evaluated robustly.
• Current assessment information suggests that 80% of Year 13 girls will meet or exceed their target grade. This points to an improving picture for girls’ attainment. Similarly, the school’s own information indicates students are making stronger progress in geography, English language and English literature than in the past.
• Students report that their aspirations are supported well by helpful careers guidance and advice. A higher proportion of students than nationally go on to Russell Group universities.
• Programmes of study are put in place for students who need to develop their English and mathematical skills further, and are effective.
• Students in the sixth form are articulate and thoughtful. They have positive attitudes towards learning. They value highly the support that they receive, particularly for their well-being and mental health. They have a good understanding of diversity and contribute to an open culture that encourages fair-minded discussion and attitudes.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119813 Lancashire 10032204 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 Number of pupils on the school roll Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Voluntary aided, non-denominational, maintained 11 to 18 Mixed Mixed 913 84 Appropriate authority Local authority Chair Headteacher Robert G Fletcher Roderick McCowan Telephone number 01253 883019 Website Email address www.baines.lancs.sch.uk info@baines.lancs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 6–7 May 2015

Information about this school

• The school is an average-sized 11 to 18 school.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and the proportion who speak English as an additional language are below average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.
• A small number of pupils attend education and training in six different settings away from the school site. These include: Blackpool and Fylde College, Athena, McKee College House, Millfield Science and Performing Arts College, Highfield Leadership Academy and Rough Bank Farm.
• In 2016, the school met the government’s published floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at key stage 4.
• In 2016 the school met the 16 to 18 minimum standards for academic qualifications.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed the school’s work, including observation of teaching in 35 lessons. Some of these lessons were jointly observed with members of the senior leadership team. Inspectors also conducted shorter observations, one of which had a safeguarding focus. Pupils’ work in books was reviewed in lessons and also with members of the senior leadership team. Inspectors talked to pupils and students during lessons, break and lunchtimes. Inspectors also heard pupils read.
• Inspectors met with groups of pupils from Years 7, 8, 9 and 10. During these meetings, pupils’ views about lessons, homework, behaviour, extra-curricular activities and how the school works to keep them safe, happy and healthy were discussed.
• Inspectors met with sixth-form students to talk about their experience of the 16 to 19 study programme in the school. Inspectors also asked students how the school had changed since the last inspection.
• Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils as they arrived at school, during breaks and lunchtimes and as they moved between lessons.
• Meetings were held with senior and other leaders, school staff, members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and a representative from the local authority.
• A thorough check was made of the school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe. A variety of other information was reviewed in detail, including information about pupils’ achievements, attendance and behaviour.
• There were 73 recent responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire and 50 responses to the school staff questionnaire. Inspectors took these into account.

Inspection team

Karen Lockett, lead inspector John Leigh Deborah Bailey Bernard Robinson

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector