Inspection Report Turton High School and Media Arts
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
INSPECTION REPORT TURTON HIGH SCHOOL AND MEDIA ARTS COLLEGE Bolton LEA area: Bolton Unique reference number: 105253 Headteacher: Mr F E S Vigon Reporting inspector: Dr DMJ Benstock 20243 Dates of inspection: 24th – 28th February 2003 Inspection number: 249740 Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 © Crown copyright 2003 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary 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. INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Type of school: Comprehensive School category: Community Age range of pupils: 11 – 19 years Gender of pupils: Mixed School address: Bromley Cross Road Bromley Cross Bolton Postcode: BL7 9LT Telephone number: 01204 333233 Fax number: 01204 333240 Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr Peter Murphy Date of previous inspection: 13th January 1997 Turton High School and Media Arts College - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM Subject Aspect Team members responsibilities responsibilities 20243 David Benstock Registered inspector What sort of school is it? School’s results and achievements How well is school led and managed? 11358 Vicki Lamb Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does school care for pupils? How well does school work in partnership with parents? 22878 George Nolan Team inspector Mathematics 12003 Andrew Marfleet Team inspector English 11-16 Educational inclusion English as an additional language Drama 21971 John Glennon Team Inspector English Post 16 12016 Catherine O’Leary Team Inspector Science 11-16 Biology Post 16 15079 Tony Boys Team Inspector Chemistry Post 16 8052 Ken McKenzie Team Inspector Information and How good are communication curricular and technology other opportunities? 18261 Tony Hill Team Inspector Art and design 31779 Vivian Harrison Team Inspector Design and technology 31863 Adrian Cornelius Team Inspector Geography Turton High School and Media Arts College - 4 Team Members Subject Aspect Responsibilities Responsibilities 10275 John Cosgrove Team Inspector History 14790 Robin Schlich Team Inspector Modern Languages French Post 16 31660 Marianne Young Team Inspector Music Media Studies 11-16 3687 Godfrey Bancroft Team Inspector Physical education 17288 Megan Warner Team Inspector Religious education 11-16 30072 Joe Skivington Team Inspector Religious education Post 16 Psychology 19152 Richard Merryfield Team Inspector Citizenship How well are pupils taught? 12825 Niall Carr Team Inspector Business studies Post 16 20081 Scott Fellows Team Inspector Special educational needs The inspection contractor was: PkR Educational Consultants Ltd 6 Sherman Road Bromley Kent BR1 3JH Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division The Office for Standards in Education Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Turton High School and Media Arts College - 5 REPORT CONTENTS Page PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7 Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school ANNEX: THE SIXTH FORM 11 PART B: COMMENTARY HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 14 The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT? 18 HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS? 21 HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 27 HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS? 30 HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 32 WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 36 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 37 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN KEY STAGES 3 AND 4 44 PART E: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN THE SIXTH FORM 67 Turton High School and Media Arts College - 6 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Turton High School and Media Arts College is an 11-19 mixed comprehensive school, situated on the edge of Bolton. This is an area where a higher than average percentage of families come from higher social class background and have experience of higher education. However, the intake to the school is much wider and overall the background context of pupils is broadly average. The school has 1675 pupils on roll of which 469 are in the sixth form. The school is much bigger than the average school. The number on roll has been increasing and the school is oversubscribed. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below national average. The percentage of pupils with English as an additional language is slightly higher than in many schools, but virtually all are in the sixth form. The majority of pupils have declared their ethnic background as “White British”. A small proportion of students is of Asian, Black African or Chinese heritage. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is below the national average. The proportion with statements is also below the national average. The overall attainment on entry is broadly average. The school provides a largely academic curriculum, with few vocational courses. It has been awarded Specialist School Status in Media Arts, and is involved in many other local and national initiatives. HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS Turton High School is, overall, a good school and it gives good value for money. In the most recent National Tests in Year 9, standards of attainment were above average and in the GCSE examinations results were overall also above average. Work seen in Year 9 is average. As pupils enter the school broadly average in their level of knowledge, understanding and skill, they achieve satisfactorily to Year 9, but well from Years 10 to 11. In the sixth form standards of attainment are well above average and achievement from admission into the sixth form is very good. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory in Years 7 to 9, good in Years 10 and 11, where pupils are that much more responsive, and very good in the sixth form. The media arts college, including its sixth form, is well managed and receives very good support from the governing body in shaping its future development. What the school does well · Attainment at GCSE is above average in English, mathematics and science, and achievement at this level in these subjects is good. · Standards in music, drama and history are well above average, and there is very good achievement in these subjects, and information and communication technology (ICT). There is good achievement in media studies and physical education. Standards in the sixth form are well above average. · Teachers have a high level of knowledge that is used well to extend pupils’ and students’ learning, and relationships with pupils are used effectively to promote good discussion. · The well above average level of attendance has been maintained over several years. · The school has developed very good links with the community, and with primary schools and other partner institutions. · There is a very clear vision expressed by the headteacher, with good leadership and management by the leadership team, vigorously supported by members of the governing body. · The media arts development has had a major impact on the learning throughout the school. What could be improved · Overall attainment and achievement in mathematics, English and science, of pupils in Year 9, relative to their prior attainment in Year 7. · Provision for pupils with special educational needs, particularly the contribution of all subject departments to the quality of individual education plans. · Teaching of control and data logging, so as to comply with statutory requirements of the National Curriculum in information and communication technology. · Consistency in assessment procedures and use of assessment data by departments, and procedures to ensure pupils are more fully aware of their levels of performance. · Consistency of monitoring of teaching and learning by heads of department to ensure good practice is more widely shared. Turton High School and Media Arts College - 7 HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION The school was last inspected in January 1997. At the time attainment was well above average in the National Tests for Year 9 and also in GCSE examinations. It was judged to be significantly higher in the sixth form. In the most recent tests and GCSE examinations results were above average, which indicates a fall in standard over the six years. Sixth form standards have remained well above average. Overall, good teaching has been maintained. Improvement in assessment procedures has been satisfactory but the use of assessment remains inconsistent in departments. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs remain inadequate. Considerable improvement has been made in the provision of ICT in different subjects, although more remains to be done, and data logging and control still do not comply with National Curriculum requirements. Monitoring of teaching has improved through performance management, but there is a need for department managers to be better informed about the quality of teaching in the classroom, by more regular observation.