Bishop Perowne CofE College Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Increase the proportion of pupils attending alternative provision who are reintegrated back into school.
• Continue to improve disadvantaged pupils’ progress in mathematics.
• Improve the teaching of literacy and numeracy in form time, by:
  • ensuring that non-specialist teachers have the skills to pitch tasks to pupils’ needs
  • monitoring the impact of these sessions on pupils’ literacy and numeracy.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since 2017 leaders have transformed the school. They have led improvements in pupils’ behaviour, teaching and learning. Staff say that leaders have supported them fully, as everyone works together to improve the school. The leadership team listens to staff carefully and their internal survey shows that staff feel supported, encouraged, recognised and valued. All respondents to the staff survey said that they enjoy working at the school.
• The governors and headteacher have recently restructured the leadership team and added an additional leader. This is having a positive impact because senior leaders have clear roles, there are clear lines of accountability, and there is increased capacity in this team.
• The leadership of special educational needs is strong. The provision is well organised, and the new special educational needs coordinator has a good knowledge of all aspects of her role, including safeguarding and pastoral care. Although it has not been happening for long, leaders check that classroom practice meets pupils’ various needs. They sample these pupils’ work to see what is going well, what is not, and give staff support where it is needed.
• Leaders make sure that they establish the needs of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities as early as possible and make arrangements for these pupils to access the curriculum and examination arrangements. For example, pupils who have scribes for examinations are trained to use them. As a result of this, pupils’ needs are becoming less of a barrier to their success.
• Leaders’ spending of extra funding for disadvantaged pupils is done thoughtfully and with positive impact. Leaders’ main focuses have been improving pupils’ attendance and improving the quality of teaching. This has had a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes in Year 11, and the progress disadvantaged pupils are making in all year groups.
• Leaders identified that extra-curricular activities were not as well attended as they could be by disadvantaged pupils. Though work on this is recent, there are signs of improvements in disadvantaged pupils accessing the wider life of the school. As is the case for other areas that leaders are improving, this is well tracked and monitored.
• Leaders have put in place rigorous systems to secure good teaching across the school. Leaders at all levels are involved in monitoring and supporting teachers as they continually improve their practice.
• Middle leadership is strong. Middle leaders feel fully involved in the school’s improvement and senior leaders have established a clear set of systems and expectations for them.
• Newly qualified teachers feel very well supported and enjoy their work. There is a well-structured programme of training, which they value highly. Newly qualified teachers can focus on preparing lessons and teaching pupils because pupils’ behaviour is good.
• Leaders have developed a broad and balanced curriculum. They have introduced carefully thought out, flexible pathways, while still allowing pupils to do subjects they enjoy. Leaders seek bespoke arrangements where these are needed so that pupils access a wide range of courses and experiences.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective because governors:
  • have a deep and detailed knowledge of the school
  • have restructured the governing body so they focus closely on what matters most, avoid repetition of meetings and, so, have better impact
  • have established a committee, the ‘executive board’, which is made up of a small number of governors; this means that they can make swift decisions and have deep insight into the school’s development
  • receive information which is detailed but shows them clearly the trends in school performance
  • ask leaders for evidence to back up the assertions they make; this means that leaders are held to account, and governors can support them as they improve the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders’ work on safeguarding has created a strong culture of vigilance, and information sharing. All staff have training in safeguarding and further training on specific aspects of the school’s safeguarding systems.
• The designated safeguarding lead has made an assessment of local risks and has adjusted the curriculum to take account of this. For example, in response to the risk of child sexual exploitation, leaders have done extra training with staff and assemblies with pupils. Pupils say that they value leaders’ work to keep them safe.
• Recognising that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are particularly vulnerable, the leader with responsibility for SEN attends weekly pastoral meetings so that safeguarding information is shared.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching has improved across the school. Typically, lessons are well planned to meet pupils’ needs, and the improvement in behaviour means that teachers are free to focus on pupils’ learning. Teachers expect a lot of pupils in lessons. Inspectors saw many examples of pupils completing a high volume of tasks and, therefore, regularly progressing onto more challenging work.
• Leaders have introduced a range of school-wide strategies to improve teaching. For example, in each lesson teachers are expected to provide appropriate challenge, to support pupils who are behind in a strategic and structured way, and to actively seek out pupils’ misconceptions and address them. These expectations are met with quite a high level of consistency and effectiveness.
• Inspectors saw examples of lessons where pupils were transfixed by the subject matter, totally committed to their learning, and listening intently to teachers’ clear, detailed explanations.
• In the past, pupils’ progress in mathematics has lagged behind that of other subjects. Teaching in mathematics has improved and teaching is now strong across the subject area. Teachers in mathematics use the school-wide strategies consistently. There is an ongoing emphasis on stretch and challenge and deep and probing questioning and pupils more regularly reflect on their work.
• Teachers typically know pupils’ abilities and needs well because they use assessment information intelligently. Relationships between pupils and staff have improved significantly, assisted by improved behaviour. Pupils now show pride in their work and the vast majority present it neatly, with care.
• Leaders have changed the way in which teaching assistants work with pupils. As opposed to taking pupils out for interventions, teaching assistants work with teachers, enabling pupils to take part in lessons. This is working well and the training that leaders provided to both teachers and teaching assistants has been effective in making this change.
• Provision in lessons for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities has improved. Leaders monitor teachers’ practice in this area and give support where required to make sure that pupils’ needs are met.
• Leaders have decreased the number of pupils taken out of lessons for extra support to a minimum so that pupils do not miss their learning. After-school ‘Hub’ sessions give pupils the opportunity to extend their skills and practise for examinations and they are helped with things they find challenging. These sessions are well attended and pupils value them. Where pupils fall behind, leaders take effective action to help them catch up. Teachers know who is behind, and these systems are effective in helping pupils who need to catch up.
• Leaders have introduced literacy and numeracy teaching into form time. In these sessions pupils do not make as much progress as they might because work is too hard, too easy, or not well taught by subject non-specialists.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils wear their uniform smartly and proudly. They move around the school in a generally calm way and pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in the school. Some pupils mentioned that they find the school friendly and a caring environment. Others said that the pastoral support they receive is very helpful. Pupils know the school’s values, and these values are talked about frequently in lessons.
• The school’s bullying records show that bullying is rare and pupils agree. They know how to report bullying and the school has clear systems for this. A survey conducted by the school shows that most parents have confidence in the way in which the school deals with bullying. Where there are concerns about bullying, leaders contact parents to work with them in solving any issues.
• There are very small numbers of incidents of prejudicial behaviour and leaders’ response to these is swift and effective. For example, in response to the use of racist language, leaders held an assembly outlining the history of racist language and its impact on society. Through this, leaders show that they do not tolerate the use of prejudicial language in any circumstances and there have been no more reports of these incidents since this intervention.
• The curriculum supports pupils’ personal development and welfare. It is reviewed annually so that it meets pupils’ needs and takes into account emerging local concerns.
• Careers information, advice and guidance has a positive impact on pupils’ destinations. Pupils benefit from a range of activities in every year group. These include formal careers guidance, mock interviews, support for applications, visits to employers and work experience, where appropriate.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Leaders have analysed information about fixed-term, repeat fixed-term and internal exclusions very closely. They have identified which sanctions are not helping pupils to adapt their behaviour and are taking common-sense approaches to helping these pupils. This includes close work with families, getting to the root of behavioural problems and assessing pupils for SEN.
• Fixed-term exclusions are now around the national average and the prevalence of vulnerable groups being excluded is falling. There has been a 75% reduction in the number of days pupils miss as a result of fixed-term or internal exclusion. There has also been a reduction in the number of pupils in alternative provision. This reflects the improved behaviour of pupils around school and in lessons and demonstrates the impact of the systems leaders have introduced. A recent survey of staff shows that they feel that behaviour is managed well and that leaders support staff in behaviour management.
• Attendance is around the national average and the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school is around the national average. Most groups of pupils have improved their attendance over the last year and no groups have attendance that is significantly below national average. Pupils’ punctuality has improved because leaders monitor this closely. When classes begin, pupils now move swiftly into school and get ready for their lessons.
• Around 20 pupils attend alternative provision, mainly in a local alternative provision free school. Leaders’ safeguarding checks and monitoring of these pupils is exemplary. Each pupil’s placement is reviewed every six weeks. Leaders have high levels of detail about pupils’ progress, attendance and behaviour, and they actively challenge alternative provision leaders wherever gaps are identified. A small number of pupils have been reintegrated back into Bishop Perowne, but leaders acknowledge that more could, and should, be reintegrated into school.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2018, across a range of subjects, pupils made progress at least in line with the most recently known national averages. Attainment overall is broadly average.
• Where groups of pupils have, in the past, made weak progress, leaders’ actions have made sure that progress has improved. For example, disadvantaged pupils’ progress in 2018 was significantly better than that of the cohort of 2017. This is as a result of effective interventions and improved quality of teaching, along with an improvement in attendance. Pupils with low prior attainment also made improved progress in line with their starting points.
• Where groups or subjects performed more weakly, leaders know this and have already begun to implement action plans to remedy this for current cohorts.
• From their starting points, pupils in alternative provision make good progress. Their attendance also improves as the curriculum better meets their needs.
• Across all year groups, groups and subjects, the majority of pupils are making good progress towards their targets. Where pupils are behind there are effective strategies in place to deal with this.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities do subjects that are in line with their needs. As a result, this group did not have an overall progress score in line with other pupils nationally. However, there are many examples of the ways in which this bespoke curriculum meets their needs, and many have gone on to exciting destinations in line with their varying aspirations. It is a credit to leaders that they have been prepared to adjust the curriculum for pupils where it is appropriate, regardless of its impact on the school’s overall progress scores.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities who are currently in the school are making even better progress than past groups of pupils. They are meeting their targets as a result of better teaching and support.
• The proportion of pupils going on to a sustained destination is in line with the national average. The majority of pupils go on to courses at a higher level than they have previously completed, demonstrating that they are well prepared for future studies.
• Pupils’ reading ages are improving as a result of well-pitched interventions. This is especially the case for some disadvantaged pupils who enter the school with low reading ages.
• Disadvantaged pupils’ progress in mathematics improved in 2018, but there is scope for further improvement. Leaders know about this and have plans in place to develop pupils’ mathematical skills. These plans are having a positive impact on pupils currently in the school. e

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 138107 Worcestershire 10045263 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 11 to 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 852 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Board of trustees Judith Pettersen Mark Pollard 01905 746800 www.bishopperowne.co.uk kwi@bishopperowne.co.uk Date of previous inspection 7 February 2017

Information about this school

• Bishop Perowne CofE College is a Church of England school. It last had a section 48 inspection in July 2018. It is a standalone converter academy.
• The school serves pupils aged 11 to 16 in the Worcester area. It has a higher than average proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and a higher than average proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• The school uses three alternative provisions, The Aspire Academy, Gloverspiece Mini-farm and The Nurture Centre.

Information about this inspection

• When Bishop Perowne CofE College was inspected in February 2017, it was judged to require special measures. Subsequently, the school was inspected on one occasion. At the previous monitoring inspection, leaders and managers were judged to be taking effective action towards the removal of special measures.
• This inspection began as a monitoring visit under section 8 of the education act (2005). It was subsequently deemed a section 5 inspection under the same act.
• Inspectors met with senior leaders, middle leaders, governors and other staff. They also met with pupils both formally and informally.
• Pupils’ behaviour was evaluated through observations at social times and in lessons and through scrutiny of behaviour records.
• Inspectors observed parts of lessons across the curriculum, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their experiences.
• A wide range of documentation was scrutinised, including that about safeguarding and vetting of staff.

Inspection team

Dan Owen, lead inspector Gwendoline Onyon John Parr Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Susan Morris-King Her Majesty’s Inspector