The Burgate School and Sixth Form Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning so that:
  • teachers have higher expectations of what pupils can do and achieve
  • all pupils, particularly the most able, make stronger progress
  • disadvantaged pupils make accelerated progress from their starting points in order to catch up with their peers.
• Improve outcomes by:
  • strengthening the monitoring and tracking of pupils’ progress
  • ensuring that teachers’ guidance to pupils focuses on steps that will help them deepen their knowledge and understanding and makes them think hard.
• Improve leadership and management so that more thorough and accurate self-evaluation improves:
  • the precision and focus of improvement planning
  • how effectively governors hold leaders to account
  • the attendance of key groups
  • the thoroughness of record-keeping. An external review of governance is recommended. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding is recommended.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders have not ensured that actions identified in the last inspection have been acted upon with sufficient rigour and speed. Consequently, not enough pupils are making the maximum progress from their different starting points, especially disadvantaged pupils and the most able.
• Improvement planning is too broad, lacks clarity and is not sufficiently focused on a small number of clear priorities. As a result, the school has not concentrated on the main things it needs to do to help pupils make more rapid progress.
• The lack of clarity over the school’s key priorities means that staff are not all focusing on the same things to improve. Consequently, the impact of any actions is diluted.
• Leaders at all levels and governors do not routinely analyse and evaluate the impact of their actions with enough rigour. As a result, the pace of improvement has been too slow. For example, leaders have not ensured that robust systems are in place to monitor the attendance of key groups of pupils, particularly the disadvantaged. Consequently, this group of pupils is not making fast enough progress in their learning.
• While there are solid systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching and learning at senior- and middle-leadership levels, leaders are not evaluating the effectiveness of the actions they take with enough precision. This means that the quality of teaching across the school is inconsistent.
• More recent actions, such as the embedding of departmental reviews and the evaluation of the current curriculum, are showing promise and the momentum of change is now gathering pace. However, the impact is not yet embedded sufficiently.
• Leaders and governors are now using performance management more effectively to improve teaching. Staff are held more rigorously to account than in the past and, more recently, all teachers have been set more ambitious targets to achieve. Poor performance is now more routinely challenged. This is helping to raise the overall quality of teaching.
• There is a comprehensive programme of training. Teachers’ needs are identified from performance management and school priorities and a series of appropriate training sessions are delivered throughout the year. This programme is helping to embed improvements in teaching and learning.
• Where teachers are identified as needing particular support to develop their practice, they are coached by leading practitioners within the school. This is having a more positive impact on improving the quality of teaching for these individuals.
• Leaders spend pupil premium funding on a range of strategies to support disadvantaged pupils’ learning. These include mentoring, literacy and numeracy interventions and providing curriculum resources. Tailored interventions and support are making a difference to targeted pupils, particularly with their emotional development. However, there is more to do to ensure that disadvantaged pupils in general make accelerated progress from their starting points in the classroom.
• The school uses catch-up funding effectively to accelerate the progress of pupils who begin school with low levels of literacy and numeracy. Pupils receive extra help with their reading and mathematical understanding. Records show the majority of eligible pupils make progress as a result of targeted intervention and support.
• The school uses special educational needs funding sensibly and effectively and the leadership of this area of the school’s work is strong. As a result, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points.
• School leaders have rightly identified that the current curriculum at key stage 4 is not enabling enough pupils to maximise their potential. For example, the numbers of pupils who study the separate sciences and a modern foreign language are lower than that found nationally. As a result, leaders have put plans in place for a more appropriate and varied curriculum beginning in key stage 3 which is aimed at raising aspirations for all.
• There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer at lunchtime and after school. Foreign trips, such as the forthcoming visit to Paris and Disneyland in enrichment week, are popular. The most able pupils are offered opportunities to develop their particular skills through, for example, the debating club and participation in the mathematics challenge. Pupils appreciate these opportunities and are motivated by them.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is delivered through the tutor programme and personal, social, health and economic education lessons (PSHE). The ‘Every Burgate Child Matters’ initiative ensures that pupils understand the skills and qualities needed to be an effective member of the school community and prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Leaders are aware of the school’s context and setting and the need to ensure that pupils look outwards towards understanding other cultures beyond their own.
• The school is a happy and caring place and there is a positive culture of tolerance and respect. Staff work hard to ensure that they tackle any discriminatory behaviour and challenge prejudice. For example, during the inspection, pupils had an assembly about preventing the use of unintended derogatory language towards one another.

Governance of the school

• Governance requires improvement.
• Governors are aware that they need to be more forensic in their analysis and evaluation of the school’s actions to bring about improvement. While they have been more challenging of senior leaders recently, the lack of clarity in school improvement planning and self-evaluation has not enabled governors to have accurate information to hold leaders more stringently to account.
• Governors are enthusiastic and committed to the school and are ambitious for its future. They have a range of relevant skills and experience which are very beneficial to the school.
• Governors work collaboratively with leaders and have a good understanding of their responsibilities. They are involved in recruiting staff and monitoring safeguarding processes.
• Governors take decisions regarding teachers’ pay in conjunction with school leaders.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have ensured that staff have been appropriately trained in developing their knowledge of the risks to which pupils may be vulnerable, such as radicalisation and extremism, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. The school works closely with a number of outside agencies and uses early help assessments to identify support for vulnerable pupils. Staff with leadership responsibilities for safeguarding know vulnerable families well and keep a close eye on those pupils they are worried about. Designated safeguarding staff follow all correct procedures for referring cases to outside agencies. However, school leaders recognise that they can improve their effectiveness by ensuring that they keep records in a more methodical way.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching in key stages 3 and 4 is variable. This inconsistency is not enabling some pupils to make sufficient progress, particularly disadvantaged and the most able pupils.
• Some teachers do not routinely use the information they have about pupils to ensure that work is set at a challenging enough level. As a result, not enough pupils of all abilities are making enough progress from their starting points.
• Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do and achieve. A scrutiny of pupils’ work revealed that sometimes the work set does not develop pupils’ skills, deepen their understanding or make them think hard.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge but do not always use questioning consistently well to gauge pupils’ understanding in class. Likewise, they do not routinely ask more challenging questions of the most able pupils to push their learning to a higher level.
• Some teachers do not guide pupils well enough about the next steps in their learning. While some are skilled at explaining what pupils need to do to improve their learning, others focus too much on task completion rather than on advising pupils how to deepen their understanding.
• The quality of presentation in pupils’ books varies. Some pupils do not take enough pride in their work. Where work is untidy, unfinished or contains spelling, punctuation and grammar errors, this often goes unchallenged.
• Pupils are very ready and willing to learn. Teachers and support staff know their pupils well and there are strong relationships between teachers and pupils and between pupils themselves. This harmonious climate for learning is a feature of the school and encourages pupils’ confidence in a safe and nurturing environment.
• Where pupils make more progress, such as in religious education, physical education, modern foreign languages, history, drama and textiles, teachers employ a range of strategies to engage pupils in their learning. For example, much of a Year 7 French lesson was conducted in the target language, which challenged pupils to think hard. In a Year 10 textiles lesson, pupils had to use their mathematical skills to plan a costing sheet for the garment they wanted to make. Such challenging activities led to more rapid learning and progress.
• Reading is given a high priority within the school. Pupils read every day and choose books from the well-stocked library. This approach is helping to develop their literacy and communication skills. Pupils told inspectors they enjoyed reading and that they recognised the benefits to their wider learning. Those who need extra help with their reading and comprehension are quickly identified and given extra support through a targeted programme.
• School leaders have worked hard to develop a new whole-school assessment model. They have held special focus evenings to explain the new system to parents and this has been much appreciated. In addition, the school keeps parents regularly informed about their child’s progress through termly reports.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• There is a tangible sense of caring and nurturing within the school. As one pupil said, ‘I chose this school for its community.’ This warm and supportive environment is having a beneficial effect on pupils’ learning and progress.
• Teachers know pupils and their families well. They offer high-quality support to all, particularly vulnerable pupils, and go the extra mile to adapt provision for those that need it. One pupil said, ‘The school has pulled me towards the light and helped me through.’
• Parents are likewise very positive about the school’s work and the pastoral support offered. One parent said, ‘The teachers are very interested in the pupils’ development and they certainly give the impression that they work well as a team.’
• The provision for careers education, information, advice and guidance is strong. Pupils learn about different careers through the PSHE programme, assemblies and inputs from outside speakers, such as former pupils of the school.
• Pupils feel well supported in making decisions about their futures. Plans are in place to strengthen this further with an increase in the number of individual careers interviews. The guidance pupils receive prepares them well for their future path in education, training or employment.
• Pupils know and understand how to keep themselves safe. Throughout their school career, there are many opportunities for them to learn about how to protect themselves from risks, such as alcohol misuse, smoking and drugs, as well as how to stay safe online. In addition, they receive regular advice and guidance on topics such as how to cope with stress and manage relationships.
• Pupils and parents say there is very little bullying within the school. On the rare occasions that it occurs, pupils know who to go to for help and are confident that it will be dealt with.
• Pupils are given many opportunities to develop their leadership skills by becoming librarians, monitors, or participating in such things as the school council and the eco-group.
• School leaders keep a watchful eye on the personal development and welfare of pupils who attend off-site provision by keeping in regular contact with staff at the alternative institutions.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are overwhelmingly polite and courteous. They behave well around the site. They engage willingly with visitors and are clearly proud of their school.
• At lunchtime and breaktimes they mingle together happily. Year 11 pupils manage the canteen queue extremely well and there is a very positive and warm atmosphere within the school.
• Pupils are punctual to lessons and are respectful of the learning environment, which is free of litter. Pupils respond quickly to instructions and requests from staff, which enables lessons to proceed smoothly and purposefully.
• Incidents of very poor behaviour are rare and the number of fixed-term exclusions is low. However, behaviour logs are not always completed thoroughly.
• While overall attendance is in line with the national average, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils is lower than other groups within the school. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils also have higher rates of persistent absence, which is affecting their learning and progress. While leaders have addressed this issue, the impact of their actions is yet to reduce these rates of absence markedly.
• A few pupils attend off-site alternative provision where they are following courses better adapted to their needs. School staff keep in contact with off-site providers to monitor these pupils’ attendance, behaviour and progress. There is little difference between the performance of this group of pupils and their classmates who remain in school.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes require improvement because not enough pupils are making sufficient progress from their starting points in key stages 3 and 4. In 2016, Year 11 pupils made less progress across a range of subjects than their peers nationally.
• GCSE results for 2016 also showed that disadvantaged pupils in particular made much less progress than other pupils nationally. Many of these pupils began secondary school with low levels of attainment and some of them did not make the more rapid progress required in order to catch up.
• The school was disappointed with the 2016 results in English, which have been strong in the past. Overall, pupils made less progress than expected and disadvantaged pupils did not make the rapid progress from their starting points that they needed to.
• Over time, the most able pupils overall have made progress at least in line with their peers nationally and sometimes better.
• However, the amount of progress has been variable between subjects and some of the most able pupils have not made enough progress from their starting points. This reflects the insufficient stretch and challenge that these pupils in particular have received in some subjects.
• Historically, pupils have attained well in the school, and overall this was also the case in 2016. A sizeable proportion left Year 11 with the GCSE grades they needed to pursue their chosen paths in education, employment or training. However, many achieved grades that could have been higher if the quality of teaching had been more consistent.
• Current assessment information provided by the school points to an improving picture of rates of progress for all pupils. Progress is forecast to be better for pupils in key stage 4 than key stage 3. Extra tuition after school for Year 11 pupils is helping to raise standards. Leaders are also more confident in their assessments of progress because they are moderating Burgate pupils’ work with other schools locally.
• More stable staffing than in the past and a review of the curriculum are now leading to better progress in English. Work scrutiny shows key stage 4 pupils’ work is improving and there is a discernible improvement in key stage 3 for disadvantaged pupils. The school’s focus on reading is helping to strengthen pupils’ literacy skills.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points. There has been a three-year trend of improvements for these pupils due to targeted interventions, effective training for staff and raised awareness of these pupils’ needs within the classroom. Learning support assistants are successful in providing extra support which helps to accelerate pupils’ learning and progress.
• Leaders have used the pupil premium funding to set up targeted interventions for individual pupils. These pupils have benefitted from such interventions. Consequently, some disadvantaged pupils have been helped to overcome barriers to their learning.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• Good leadership of the sixth form has had an impact on improving provision for students and on their learning and progress.
• Within the sixth form, the quality of teaching and learning is stronger than in the rest of the school. Relationships are particularly effective and teachers use their strong subject knowledge to engage and enthuse students.
• Questioning is used particularly well to deepen students’ knowledge, develop their skills and test their understanding. An example of this was seen in a drama lesson, where probing questions from the teacher helped students to develop their ideas to a higher level.
• Assessment and reporting is robust and students’ current performance data is effectively analysed. Support is given to those students who are falling behind and there is a proven track record of this having a positive impact.
• Retention rates from Year 12 to 13 are improving because staff are increasingly successful in guiding students on to the correct courses. Students also told inspectors that they felt very well supported in the transition from Year 11 into the sixth form.
• Students receive high-quality careers advice and guidance and they told inspectors they appreciated the opportunities they had in this regard. They particularly value the care taken to present them with every available option for their future paths, including apprenticeships, university options and the world of work. One student commented on the ‘ridiculously high’ level of support she had received from school staff in helping her to make her decision.
• Work placements are arranged for all students in Year 12 which help to prepare them for the next steps in their education, training or employment. Leaders spend a great deal of time in matching work placements to the students’ career aspirations.
• Historic and current progress demonstrate that outcomes in the sixth form are in line with national averages. Leaders have successfully improved outcomes in most subjects and where they are weaker, such as in sociology and psychology, support is in place to address this.
• Students make good progress from their starting points in the vast majority of subjects. Disadvantaged students make progress broadly at the same rate as their peers.
• A number of students every year achieve the very highest grades at A level. Currently, nine students have applied for places at Oxford and Cambridge universities and five have confirmed offers.
• In the past, students who sat their English or mathematics GCSE examinations in the sixth form were more successful in mathematics than in English. Currently, information about students’ progress demonstrates that the vast majority are making solid progress towards a C grade in both English and mathematics.
• Students enjoy being part of the sixth form and take their studies seriously. Attendance is good and has improved further since the introduction of an electronic registration system.
• The school’s enrichment programme is well organised and effective in developing students’ personal skills. Students volunteer to help in the main school, supporting in mathematics, art and music for example. They also take part in a number of clubs, such as the debating society.
• Tutors know students very well and provide high-quality care and support. The school has increased the number of tutor sessions to enable tutors to get to know their students even better. As a result, students who join the sixth form from other institutions, or part-way through their courses, integrate very well.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 136719 Hampshire 10024719 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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 11 to 18 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 Mixed Mixed 1029 280 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Jenny Hair David Pover Telephone number 01425 652039 Website Email address www.burgate.hants.sch.uk burgate@burgate.hants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 15–16 January 2013

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 should publish.
• The Burgate School and Sixth Form is a mixed, average-sized secondary school. Sitting on the borders of two other counties (Wiltshire and Dorset), it draws its pupils from a wide area, particularly those who join the sixth form.
• The school became an academy in May 2011.
• There are significantly more boys than girls in the school. The majority of pupils are from a White British background.
• The number of pupils eligible for support through the government’s pupil premium funding is approximately half the national average.
• The numbers of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is about a quarter of the level found nationally.
• Alternative provision is made for some pupils in key stage 4, at Eaglewood School and Wiltshire College.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.

Information about this inspection

• This inspection began as a section 8 short inspection of a good school and converted to a section 5 inspection.
• Inspectors saw 48 lessons and part lessons, 16 of which were observed with senior leaders and a lead practitioner at the school.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders and a range of middle leaders across the school.
• Inspectors held meetings with pupils in Year 7, Year 10 and with sixth-form students, as well as talking to a range of pupils informally. Inspectors also heard pupils read.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of pupils’ work, both within lessons and during a work scrutiny.
• Meetings were held with members of the governing body and phone calls were made to the school’s external improvement adviser and to the two institutions providing off-site provision.
• A range of school documentation was scrutinised, including those relating to self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, performance and assessment information, and minutes of meetings.
• Inspectors took into account the 164 responses to the online Parent View survey, the 89 responses to the pupil questionnaire and the 68 responses to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Paula Sargent, lead inspector James Rouse Anne Cullum Paul James Peter Swan Mary Hoather

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector