Mexborough School Inspection Report
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Mexborough School Inspection report Unique Reference Number 106788 Local Authority Doncaster Inspection number 356028 Inspection dates 19–20 January 2011 Reporting inspector Tanya Harber Stuart HMI This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary School category Community Age range of pupils 11–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1126 Of which, number on roll in the sixth form 128 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Cllr Sue Phillips Headteacher Mrs Mirjam Buhler-Willey Date of previous school inspection 14 November 2007 School address Maple Road Mexborough South Yorkshire S64 9S D Telephone number 01709 585858 Fax number 01709 578080 Email address [email protected] Age group 11–19 Inspection dates 19–20 January 2011 Inspection number 356028 Inspection report: Mexborough School, 19–20 January 2011 2 of 15 The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email [email protected]. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational pur poses, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: [email protected] W: www.ofsted.gov.uk © Crown copyright 2011 Inspection report: Mexborough School, 19–20 January 2011 3 of 15 Introduction This inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and four additional inspectors. Inspectors observed 38 lessons and saw 38 teachers. Of the lesson observations, 19 were carried out jointly with members of staff, including the senior leadership team. In addition, inspectors observed tutor time. Meetings were held with groups of students, members of staff, members of the senior leadership team and members of the governing body. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at the school improvement plan, minutes of governors' meetings and reports from the National Challenge Adviser and the local authority. The team took into account 136 questionnaires completed by parents and carers as well as the questionnaires completed by the students and the staff. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked at a number of key areas: how well leaders and managers, at all levels, are tackling the areas for improvement from the last inspection report and the mathematics survey visit; in particular, the impact of actions on improving teaching, raising attainment and increasing achievement the effectiveness of teaching, the curriculum and also care, guidance and support in enabling the rising proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make at least satisfactory progress the impact of teaching on improving the attainment and increasing the achievement of all students. Information about the school Mexborough School is a larger-than-average secondary school which mainly serves the wards of Mexborough, Conisborough and Denaby. Few students speak English as an additional language and most students are of White British heritage. The proportion of students with a statement of special education needs is lower than found nationally as is the proportion of students who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is increasing year-by-year. The school has specialist status in science and holds the Healthy School and International School awards. The school received a mathematics subject survey visit in March 2010 which judged overall effectiveness of mathematics to be inadequate. In recent years the senior leadership and management of the school has suffered much turbulence. The headteacher took up post in September 2010. Inspection report: Mexborough School, 19–20 January 2011 4 of 15 Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms Inspection judgements Overall effectiveness: how good is the school? 4 The school's capacity for sustained improvement 4 Main findings In accordance with section 13 (3) 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. Since the last inspection, the improvements needed to raise attainment and increase achievement have not happened quickly enough, nor at the magnitude needed. The leaders and managers, including the governing body, have not secured the improvements required to ensure students make at least satisfactory progress during their time at the school. The expectations and aspirations of both staff and students are too low. In 2010, students left the school with levels of attainment which were much higher than in previous years in terms of the proportion gaining five or more A* to C grades at GCSE. The proportion obtaining five or more A* to C grades including English and mathematics was, for the first time in three years, above the national challenge floor targets. However, overall levels of attainment are low. Given that levels of attainment on entry to the school are broadly average, most students, whatever their prior attainment, make inadequate progress. Overall students' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning are inadequate. Students make inadequate progress overall because teaching, the curriculum, and care, guidance and support are all inadequate. Progress is tracked and monitored but this is not done rigorously enough to support at least satisfactory progress for all students, especially those whose circumstances make them more vulnerable. The curriculum provided does not challenge the students and does not meet their needs and interests. The provision made for the development of the basic skills of numeracy, literacy, and information and communication technology (ICT) is inadequate. Too many students do not acquire the basic skills they need to ensure their future economic well-being. Absence, including that which is persistent, has been reduced but too many students do not attend school regularly and attendance is low. Behaviour is inadequate and the number of fixed-term exclusions, although reducing, is too high. Self-evaluation by leaders is over-optimistic. Not all the policies and procedures for safeguarding and equal opportunities are in place, and they are not reviewed or monitored regularly. Since the last inspection, achievement has fallen and teaching does not support the students in making satisfactory progress. Targets are not challenging and are not being used effectively to raise expectations and improve outcomes. Leaders and managers are not held to account by the governing body for the implementation and impact of their actions. Given the decline in outcomes, the inadequate provision and the inadequate Inspection report: Mexborough School, 19–20 January 2011 5 of 15 Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms leadership and management, including governance, the school's capacity to improve is inadequate. What does the school need to do to improve further? Improve the rates of progress to ensure all students reach at least average attainment by: providing a curriculum which meets their needs and interests and challenges them appropriately embedding and tracking the development of students' skills in ICT, literacy and numeracy during their time at the school rigorously monitoring all students' progress, especially the more vulnerable and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and taking swift action to eradicate weaknesses identified. Improve the quality of teaching by: ensuring that assessment data are accurate using data to support the planning of lessons so that they meet the needs and interests of all the students ensuring that students are challenged to make at least satisfactory progress focusing