Broadgreen International School, A Technology College Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that leaders and managers at all levels, including governance, urgently improve the quality of education at the school and tackle weaknesses in leadership by:
  • increasing the rigour and accuracy with which they evaluate the impact of their actions, especially when there is additional funding
  • bringing about changes to the curriculum and teaching so that pupils’ progress and attainment improves rapidly, and they are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment
  • rethinking the curriculum so that it gives pupils the necessary knowledge that they need to be successful, especially at key stage 3
  • developing teaching so that pupils build on their prior learning and can make links with what they already know
• Ensure that the assessment of pupils’ learning is accurate and is used appropriately to inform teaching.
• Increase pupils’ attendance and reduce the very high rates of persistent absenteeism, especially for pupils with SEND and for disadvantaged pupils.
• Address the low-level disruption that exists on too many occasions. An external review of governance should be undertaken to see how this aspect of leadership and management can be improved. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken to see how this aspect of leadership and management can be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

• This is a school that cares for its pupils. However, it has lost its way in ensuring that pupils achieve academically. Leaders have not been successful in addressing the obstacles that have prevented pupils from gaining the most from their secondary school education.
• The school has not provided a good quality of education to its pupils for over 10 years. Pupils currently attending Broadgreen continue to underachieve.
• A new headteacher was appointed in September 2018. She has brought an honesty and realism about the school’s effectiveness. Her evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses is accurate, although this is not shared by all leaders, including those with responsibility for governance. Leaders’ inaccurate evaluations of their actions to bring about improvement have resulted in unfocused priorities and an overinflated view of the school’s effectiveness.
• Leadership is fragile. The attention with which some leaders lead their areas of responsibility is lacking. There are indicators of emerging capacity among some senior and middle leaders. However, whether their actions are having a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes remains to be seen.
• The curriculum does not provide pupils with the necessary knowledge that they need to be successful. There is a broad and balanced offer in the subjects that are on the timetable, but too little thought is given to what pupils actually need to learn. This is especially the case in key stage 3. Too often, skills have been promoted but not developed after the necessary knowledge has been secured. As a result, pupils’ learning is superficial and fragile.
• Leaders, including governors, have not monitored with sufficient rigour the impact that the pupil premium funding has had. There is little sustained evidence of impact as disadvantaged pupils continue to make weak progress and compare poorly to other pupils nationally.
• Broadgreen is known within the local community as an inclusive school. While the provision for pupils with SEND is caring and nurturing, too many of these pupils do not achieve well or attend school regularly.
• A strength of the school is the personal development it provides for its pupils. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of pupils’ development are provided for in a rich array of extra-curricular opportunities. These opportunities broaden the horizons of pupils and give them lasting memories.
• Given the weaknesses of the school and the scale of improvements needed, leaders may not appoint newly qualified teachers.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is ineffective. It has not taken the necessary action to improve the quality of education for pupils.
• The governing body has been hindered in being able to carry out its responsibilities. This is because leaders have not been presenting governors with reliable, and at times correct, information.
• Governors have not demonstrated challenge or appropriately held leaders to account. They have been too accepting, year on year, of misleading information.
• Governors’ minutes indicate that they have not paid sufficient attention to the issues that really matter, for example educational standards, attendance and high pupil mobility. Although governors contest this, they routinely sign off their minutes as accurate records of the discussions that took place.
• Governors do not have an accurate picture of the quality of education that the school provides.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All the required checks are made when appointing adults to work with children. Staff safeguarding training is up to date, including the ‘Prevent’ duty training to spot those at risk of becoming radicalised or vulnerable to extremism.
• The culture of safeguarding ensures that pupils who may need early help or who are at risk are supported and referred in a timely way to the appropriate people or agencies.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

• Assessment systems are weak. Historically, they have proven to be unreliable and inaccurate. Leaders have endeavoured to improve the reliability of assessment, but it is too early to see the difference that this has made.
• Teaching and learning is suffering because of weak assessment. Pupils are not building on their prior learning. They often move on to new topics and areas of study without being secure in what they have already learned.
• Pupils are often unclear about what it is they need to know and do to improve their learning.
• Pupils have weak vocabulary knowledge. This is a current whole-school focus, so is embedding across the school. However, inspectors noted that the approach to teaching vocabulary is not systematic. Pupils are introduced to new vocabulary. However, they are not taught exactly what the words mean, and the different meanings that words can have when used in different contexts.
• Teachers do not routinely use clear strategies to aid the learning for pupils with SEND. This prevents these pupils from progressing as well as they should. In subjects, such as modern foreign languages and humanities, where clear strategies are used, pupils with SEND make good progress.
• Too much time is lost by little challenge and easy work for pupils in key stage 3. Although teaching is stronger in key stage 4, the gaps in pupils’ learning have already been established. There is too much to recuperate in pupils’ learning to allow them to be successful in their examinations.
• Teachers have good subject knowledge and genuinely want pupils to love their subjects and do well. Teachers are enthused about the recent professional development and clear guidance that they are receiving.
• Across some subjects and year groups, there are examples of good practice. In these examples, teachers have high expectations of pupils in terms of what they are capable of, their behaviour and their attitudes to learning.
• Staff have good relationships with pupils and have an excellent rapport with them. However, some pupils take advantage of this and choose to demonstrate poor behaviour. This slows down the learning of other pupils.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe at school. This view is supported by the surveys from parents and staff. When there are incidents of bullying, they are dealt with, but the school’s records are not well maintained.
• Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to be taught how to keep themselves safe and what to do should they have any concerns.
• The quality of careers information, advice and guidance for pupils is good. Good progress is being made towards fully meeting the ‘Gatsby benchmarks’ for careers provision. Leaders provide effective careers information, advice and guidance. This ensures that pupils are equipped with the information they need to make informed choices as they prepare for their next steps in education and/or training. Pupils also benefit from work experience and from the school’s strong links with businesses and organisations.
• The school uses its ‘Stonewall School Champion’ status to provide an accepting and welcoming environment for pupils with different genders and sexualities. Inspectors saw some high-quality materials being used in classes to discuss questions of equalities and social justice. Pupils told inspectors that they feel ‘accepted’ at school.
• Pupils who attend alternative provision are supported effectively. The school carries out routine checks on these providers. Any concerns with behaviour, attendance or progress are followed up.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.
• Rates of attendance are consistently low and the proportion of pupils who regularly miss school is more than double the national average. More than a quarter of pupils are persistently absent. This is even higher for pupils with SEND.
• Inspectors saw evidence of a lack of understanding of the use of attendance codes. This, coupled with a general lack of analysis, means that leaders do not have a good enough understanding of the trends in attendance, behaviour and exclusions.
• While the proportion of pupils permanently excluded is low, the number of fixed-term exclusions has risen. There is a high number of pupils attending alternative provision, especially in key stage 4.
• Low-level disruption is too common, especially in Year 7 and Year 8. This has a detrimental effect on the learning of these pupils and their peers. It is most common in classes where pupils need to catch up most in their learning.
• Most pupils are polite and sensible; many do have pride in their school. A minority, however, demonstrate less mature attitudes. They are unable or unwilling to regulate their own behaviour.

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

• Pupils have underachieved across a range of subjects, year on year. Attainment is below average, and progress is continuously weak. This is especially the case in English and mathematics. Any improvements that have been made over time to pupils’ outcomes have been small and unsustainable.
• Pupils with high prior attainment underachieve considerably. For example, the progress that they make is almost one grade lower in subjects compared to their peers nationally. This group of pupils are not being challenged enough. Despite assessment information showing improvements in the progress that they make, this is not evident from the work in their books or teaching over time.
• Pupils’ work demonstrates that they are not making the progress that they should. In key stage 3, inspectors saw examples of pupils regressing in their learning.
• The curriculum does not set out clearly what pupils need to know. As a result, pupils’ learning is not deepening or progressing. By the time pupils reach key stage 4, there is too much knowledge that has not been acquired. This prevents pupils from being successful.
• The proportion of pupils moving on to the next stage of education, training or employment is close to the national average. Nonetheless, too many do so without securing the necessary basic skills in English and mathematics.
• Pupils in the resource bases are given valuable support so that they can access a bespoke curriculum effectively. They make steady progress in their learning.
• Pupils with SEND make very weak progress in English, but do make good progress in modern foreign languages and humanities. This is because when teachers use well-chosen strategies, these pupils are able to learn.
• Disadvantaged pupils make weak progress when compared to other pupils nationally. Their attainment is low in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• Leadership of the sixth form enables students to benefit from good teaching, achieve well and receive appropriate support. Leaders are accurate in their evaluation of areas of strength and weakness.
• The sixth-form curriculum is unique in that it offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. The programmes offered in the sixth form meet the needs of students well.
• Effective teaching means that students make good progress in the sixth form. The progress made by students following the academic route is not as strong, but this applies to a very few students.
• Students who resit GCSE English and mathematics achieve well. The proportion of students who improve their grades is above the national average.
• The vast majority of students who join the sixth form go on to complete their studies. Very few students leave during their time at the sixth form.
• The attendance of students in the sixth form is good. Any absences are followed up. Students told inspectors that they enjoy their studies.
• The quality of careers information, advice and guidance for students in the sixth form is high, ensuring that students make sensible choices for their next steps.
• Students in the sixth form are very positive about the experience that they have. They believe that the support that they receive is helpful and prepares them for their future aspirations.
• Safeguarding provision is effective in the sixth form and enables students to be informed about keeping themselves and others safe.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 104696 Liverpool 10045843 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 Maintained 11 to 18 Mixed Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,205 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 226 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Ms Sandra Tai Ms Katrina Beswick Telephone number 0151 228 6800 Website Email address www.broadgreeninternationalschool.com enquiries@broadgreeninternationalschool.com Date of previous inspection 4–5 May 2016

Information about this school

• Broadgreen International School is larger than the average-sized secondary school and has a sixth form.
• The number of pupils eligible for support from the pupil premium is more than two and a half times above the national average. In some year groups, it is more than three times above the national average.
• Most pupils come from White British backgrounds and the proportion from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average. Overall, the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.
• The proportions of pupils with SEND and those with an education, health and care plan are above average. The school is host to three resource bases for: pupils who have hearing impairments; pupils who have physical disabilities; and pupils who have an autism spectrum disorder.
• The school uses eight registered alternative providers: Alder Centre for Education, CST Northwest Specialist Education, Everton Free School, Harmonize Academy, Assess Tuition, Rotunda Ltd, Motiv8Sports Ltd, Montebello Hairdressing and Beauty Training.
• The school is an International Baccalaureate World School.
• A new headteacher joined the school in September 2018.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning across the range of subjects and age groups and scrutinised a sample of pupils’ written work. Some of the observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including minutes of governors’ meetings, development plans, the school’s information on pupils’ progress, attendance and behaviour data, safeguarding documents and the school’s review of its own performance.
• Meetings were held with members of the governing body, the headteacher, senior and middle leaders and groups of pupils. Inspectors also met with a representative from the local authority and the school improvement partner.
• Inspectors took account of 22 responses to the online questionnaire and 186 responses to Parent View. They also considered the responses to the staff questionnaire (there was a nil response to the pupil survey) and reviewed the school’s own surveys.

Inspection team

Jonathan Jones, lead inspector Alyson Middlemass Julie Yarwood Philip Wood Nell Banfield Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector