Shevington High School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

• Further improve leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • there is effective strategic leadership of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum
  • pupils make quicker progress in those subjects that have seen a recent decline in
  • results, such as product design and additional science the effectiveness of different strategies that are used to speed up the progress made by disadvantaged pupils is carefully measured. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding should also be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has successfully created an ambitious culture and all staff subscribe to his vision that every pupil should receive a highly personalised education at the school. Since taking up post in January 2013, he has driven improvements during a period of acute financial hardship caused by falling numbers of pupils in the local area. In partnership with governors, the headteacher has overseen the overhaul of leadership structures within the school to save money and increase efficiency. Impressively, high levels of staff morale have been maintained during this period.

• The headteacher is ably supported by an enthusiastic team of senior leaders who share an unswerving commitment to securing the best outcomes for pupils at the school. The actions of these leaders have resulted in clear improvements in pupils’ attendance, the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. They have also demonstrated an ability to improve aspects of provision that have been historically weak such as the progress made by pupils in mathematics. Local authority officers are very complimentary about the ability of the leadership team to secure sustained improvements.
• The school has a genuinely inclusive ethos. Support for vulnerable pupils is particularly strong and leaders have created a culture where pupils are extremely supportive of each other. For example, a group of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities recently became national boccia champions. Other pupils in the school then chose to play boccia to show support and highlight what a magnificent achievement it was to win the national championship. Potentially vulnerable pupils also benefit from ‘diamond transition’ arrangements that help pupils who are particularly nervous about starting secondary school to make friends and become familiar with life at secondary school before starting in Year 7.
• Leaders have an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. This is because there are robust systems in place for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. Leaders know which areas require support and appropriate actions are being taken to improve these areas. In a few subjects, such as product design and additional science, improvements are not sufficiently rapid and teaching is not as effective as in other areas.
• The headteacher has ensured that systems for managing the performance of teachers are effective. Teachers agree measurable performance targets that link to whole-school priorities and governors play an active role in the review process, particularly where teachers are judged not to have met their targets. Leaders also ensure that members of staff have access to a range of valuable training opportunities that help them to improve their practice and support pupils more effectively. Teachers at the school speak very positively about the impact of training opportunities and they feel that good ideas about teaching are shared more effectively than in the past.
• Leaders have ensured that all pupils access a broad and balanced academic curriculum. The overwhelming majority of key stage 4 pupils study a humanities subject, a modern foreign language and both English language and literature. Pupils also benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities. In addition to many sporting and musical opportunities, pupils participate in activities such as the ‘youth speak’ debating group and the ‘sundown’ club that provides a range of varied enrichment experiences from Mandarin to cookery lessons. The school also provides pupils with the opportunity to go on a variety of trips and visits. Trips range from ambitious international ventures to Poland and America to more local excursions to Chester Zoo and Manchester. Importantly, school leaders take steps to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to attend some of these trips.
• Responses to the staff survey indicate that members of staff feel extremely proud to work at the school. They clearly enjoy their work, feel supported and understand the goals and ethos of the school. Responses to the parental survey suggest that parents feel their children are safe and well supported. The overwhelming majority of those who responded said they would recommend the school to others.
• Leaders have prioritised the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development since the last inspection. They have developed close links with a school in a neighbouring local authority that has a very different ethnic and religious pupil population. The partnership provides a focal point for increasing pupils’ awareness of other cultures and religions. They have undertaken a joint ‘shared values day’ and celebrated ‘grandparents’ day’ as a vehicle for exploring different aspects of heritage and culture. Pupils also go on exchange visits to spend time in the partner school. The school has staged a holocaust memorial event which provided pupils with the opportunity to meet a holocaust survivor, and a group of pupils attended an inter-faith conference.
• Pupils participate in personal development lessons during form time that cover all aspects of SMSC and fundamental British values. Form tutors receive training and are supported effectively to deliver controversial and sensitive topics. Pupils complete assessments after each topic and these clearly demonstrate that pupils are becoming reflective, mature and tolerant citizens who are well placed to thrive in modern Britain.
• Leaders ensure that a varied range of strategies is used to speed up the progress made by disadvantaged pupils. Progress in external examinations over time suggests that these strategies are having a positive impact. Despite this, leaders are not carefully measuring the effect that each of these strategies is having. Similarly, leaders deploy a range of strategies to help those eligible for Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up funding to make rapid progress. Leaders’ evaluation of these programmes is imprecise, and so value for money is not easy to assess.

Governance of the school

• Governance of the school is good.

• Governors know the school well and have an accurate understanding of its strengths and weaknesses.
• The skills of governors are well matched to their responsibilities on the governing body. The chair of governors is a national leader of governance and, along with other governors, she holds school leaders stringently to account for many aspects of their work.
• Governors have played a key role alongside the headteacher in managing changes to leadership structures and have creatively deployed school finances to good effect.
• At times the governors have been too reliant on information provided to them by members of the leadership team. They have not been specific enough in requesting information on certain areas that would present them with the opportunity to provide more robust challenge.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The members of staff responsible for leading on safeguarding are new to their roles and they have set about creating a culture where safeguarding permeates all aspects of the school’s work. These leaders have created new and efficient ways for members of staff to record and report concerns about the welfare of pupils. Record-keeping is precise and referrals are made within school, and to external agencies, with an appropriate sense of urgency.

• Staff receive regular training on important safeguarding issues and the school’s personal development curriculum equips pupils with the knowledge and understanding to keep themselves safe online and on social media. They are also taught how to develop safe relationships in an age-appropriate way.
• The school works effectively with parents and other agencies to create a culture of safety.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Pupils at the school learn well because they benefit from good teaching most of the time. Most teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and they pitch learning at a level that provides an appropriate level of challenge. Pupils therefore typically make good progress as a result of teachers’ careful planning of learning.

• Pupils have excellent attitudes towards learning. They work hard in lessons and are keen to do well. Lessons are purposeful and underpinned by very positive relationships between adults and pupils and among the pupils themselves. Pupils work well with each other and show a collective determination to make good progress in their learning. They behave very well in lessons and this results in very little time being wasted.
• Teachers use questioning skilfully to assess pupils’ level of understanding and to challenge pupils to think more deeply. In key stage 4 there is a consistent focus on developing the skills that pupils will need to be successful in external examinations. Teachers have a clear understanding of what their pupils can do well and they use this information to plan future learning that effectively challenges pupils to develop in aspects of their learning where they are weaker. A new system for assessing pupils has recently been introduced in key stage 3 and leaders are aware that these systems require further development so pupils have a clearer understanding of how their progress is measured.
• Teachers set regular and challenging homework for pupils. The vast majority of pupils complete homework tasks diligently and take pride in the work they complete outside of lessons. As a result, homework makes a marked contribution to consolidating and extending pupils’ learning.
• Teaching assistants provide effective targeted support for those pupils identified as needing extra help. They work closely with teachers to agree on the best ways to support pupils and they use strong subject knowledge to move pupils on in their learning. Pupils, particularly those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, respond well to this support and there is a consistent focus on helping all pupils to become resilient, independent learners.
• A small amount of teaching does not reflect high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. As a result, pupils make noticeably slower progress because they are not challenged effectively. Teachers focus on the development of pupils’ literacy skills to varying degrees and this weakens the school’s attempts to implement an effective strategy across the curriculum for improving pupils’ reading, writing and speaking.
• The most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are making quicker progress because there is a consistent focus on teachers providing them with particularly challenging work. Lower-ability pupils are also making faster progress. This is because leaders have challenged teachers to have high expectations of these pupils. They ensure these pupils are taught by teachers with good specialist knowledge.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders have created a caring and inclusive culture. Members of staff know the pupils well as individuals and these conditions help the majority of pupils to thrive.

• Pupils of all abilities are committed to doing their best in their studies. Most are confident and resilient and have a good understanding of what they need to do to become better learners. A small minority of pupils lack self-belief and this reduces their ability to persevere in their learning when they find things difficult.
• Pupils who are potentially vulnerable are particularly well looked after. They receive high levels of personalised support and they form positive relationships with members of staff. The school works effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils receive specialist support when necessary.
• This is a school where pupils feel welcome and safe. Bullying is very rare at the school and pupils report that, when it does occur, it is dealt with fairly and decisively by members of staff.
• Staff and pupils are committed to promoting equality. There is an active ‘rainbow club’ that raises awareness of issues faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Pupils are enthusiastic about the work they have done to support different charities such as the ‘street sleep’ which raised funds for homeless people. These attitudes help sustain the very harmonious and positive culture within the school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. They wear the school uniform neatly and with pride. Pupils are well prepared for lessons and they generally take care with the presentation of their work.

• Pupils conduct themselves with great maturity around the school site. They are respectful, polite and considerate of others.
• Pupils focus attentively on their learning during lessons. As a result, low-level disruption is rare. On rare occasions when disruption is evident, teachers manage it carefully through the consistent application of the school’s behaviour systems.
• Staff at the school have a positive long-term impact on improving the conduct of pupils who exhibit challenging behaviours. This is because of the positive relationships that are built with these pupils and the high expectations of behaviour that staff promote across the school. As a result, rates of fixed-term exclusion are decreasing as general behaviour across the school continues to improve.
• Pupils’ attendance has improved in recent years and overall rates of attendance are better than the national figure. Fewer pupils are persistently absent than the national average and pupils are prompt and punctual to school. However, too many disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have low attendance. Leaders have not tracked the attendance of these groups closely during a period when overall attendance has improved.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils are making much faster progress than in previous years and, for the last two years, rates of progress have been at least in line with national averages. The achievement of pupils in mathematics has improved significantly and achievement in English has remained high.

• In 2016, outcomes for pupils in Year 11 were positive in many subjects including art, information technology, religious studies, French, English literature, core science and media studies. Progress slowed in comparison to the previous year in additional science, history, product design and Spanish.
• For the last two years, disadvantaged pupils have made much better progress. Consequently, differences in the progress of disadvantaged pupils compared with that of other pupils nationally have diminished significantly. Current information indicates that disadvantaged pupils, particularly in key stage 3, are making even faster progress than has been the case recently. This is because teachers use a range of strategies to ensure that disadvantaged pupils do not fall behind their peers. It is also due to the coordination of a range of plans to speed up the progress made by disadvantaged pupils. However, the precise impact of these plans is not carefully measured.
• Current information also indicates that the most able pupils are making quicker progress than in recent years.
• In 2016, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities made progress that was broadly equal to that made by all pupils nationally in all curriculum areas. Similar rates of progress are being made by other pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities throughout the school. This is because they receive high-quality personalised support that helps them to flourish.
• Leaders have a thorough understanding of why some subjects underperformed in 2016 and have secure plans in place to ensure that pupils make more rapid progress. In some subjects, particularly product design and additional science, evidence indicates that results will not improve quickly enough.
• Pupils are well prepared to move into further education, training or employment and very few pupils leave the school without securing an appropriate destination. The leadership of careers education, information, advice and guidance is effective and pupils of all ages receive specialist, impartial advice that informs them about an extensive range of future opportunities.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 106529 Wigan 10024286 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 11 to 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 630 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Michelle Foster Julian Grant 01257 400 990 http://www.shevingtonhigh.org.uk enquiries@shevingtonhigh.org.uk Date of previous inspection 26–27 September 2012

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about its pupil premium grant and literacy and numeracy catch-up premium on its website.
• The school is smaller than the average secondary school.

• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged, and therefore supported by the pupil premium, is below the national average.
• The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language are well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is lower than the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in lessons across a range of subjects, including some joint observations with school leaders. They also carried out work scrutiny.

• Inspectors met with groups of pupils, and talked with others informally during breaks and lunchtimes. Discussions were held with staff, including senior and middle leaders, classroom teachers and newly and recently qualified teachers. A meeting was held with the chair and vice-chair of the governing body and a conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors took account of the 27 responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View survey.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents. These included the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, information about the school’s performance and a selection of policies.

Inspection team

Will Smith, lead inspector Deborah Bailey Annette Patterson Dympna Woods Claire Hollister

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector