Enfield Grammar School Market Place, Enfield EN2 6LN
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
School report Enfield Grammar School Market Place, Enfield EN2 6LN Inspection dates 27–28 September 2018 Overall effectiveness Good Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Outcomes for pupils Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good Summary of key findings for parents and pupils This is a good school The new headteacher has brought a strong Leaders and teachers are ambitious for their focus on pupils’ progress. Leaders train pupils. Leaders understand the importance of teachers well to improve the quality of their good behaviour for learning. This term, leaders teaching. This training is having a marked introduced a new system for checking and positive impact on pupils’ learning and their rewarding good behaviour. This system is progress. already having a positive effect. Pupils’ behaviour around the school is calm and Pupils are very keen to learn. They enjoy orderly. subjects such as English, mathematics and science. In these subjects, teachers use Leaders support pupils who have special assessment information well to plan work for educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities pupils at the right level. In a small number of well. Leaders, including governors, check the lessons, teachers do not harness pupils’ progress of disadvantaged pupils carefully. enthusiasm for learning effectively. For Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and example, the tutor period is not used disadvantaged pupils now make much better effectively. progress than in previous years. Leaders review the curriculum. They have Pupils, sixth-form students and staff are proud made recent changes. Teachers give pupils of their school and its traditions. Staff look effective guidance to help them with subject after pupils very well. Safeguarding is a choices for GCSE and A level. Pupils enjoy their strength. Staff ensure that pupils are well learning and are confident with their subject informed about local risks. choices. However, leaders do not evaluate Leaders ensure effective provision for students changes to the curriculum carefully enough. in the sixth form. Students enjoy their learning and make good progress. Full report What does the school need to do to improve further? In order to improve pupils’ achievement leaders should: – track assessment information on groups of pupils with different starting points so that more effective and timely support can be put in place for those who fall behind – ensure that all teachers use assessment information carefully to inform their planning to meet the needs of groups of pupils with different starting points – evaluate the impact of new developments, such as changes to the curriculum, to ensure that these changes are having the desired effect on pupils’ progress – review the use of the form period to ensure the time is used well. Teachers should capture the elevated levels of enthusiasm pupils show in lessons to drive pupils’ learning. Inspection report: Enfield Grammar School, 27–28 September 2018 Page 2 of 10 Inspection judgements Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Leaders are ambitious for their pupils. There is a legacy from previous years where the focus was on attainment regardless of pupils’ starting points. The new headteacher ensures that the focus is now on substantial progress for all pupils. Pupils have risen to this challenge and are aiming high. Pupils from all starting points are making strong progress, especially in key stage 3. Leaders set high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Senior leaders are positive role- models for pupils. Pupils’ behaviour in school is of a high standard. Leaders have introduced new training for staff. Teachers and other staff are highly appreciative. Middle leaders are more confident in their roles and most teachers have improved their teaching because of this training. Staff responses to the Ofsted questionnaire show that they are highly motivated. Many staff were keen to receive feedback on the quality of their teaching during the inspection. The curriculum includes citizenship lessons on fundamental British values. There is a strong focus in assemblies and religious education lessons on the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of pupils. In assemblies, pupils learned about the impact of their actions on others. Leaders prepare pupils effectively for life in modern Britain. Pupils can talk with empathy about those less fortunate than themselves. They are involved in local charity work. There is a broad curriculum which is under constant review. There is a vast range of extra-curricular activities in sport, music, drama and many other activities, which develop pupils’ self-confidence. Pupils really enjoy their extra-curricular activities, especially the sport, which helps to develop their teamwork skills. Leaders use pupil premium funding effectively. Pupils who are disadvantaged make better progress because of this. Leaders use funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities effectively. The leaders of SEN track the progress of these pupils carefully. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. Leaders do not check the impact of the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up funding rigorously enough to ensure that this funding is having maximum impact on improving pupils’ reading and mathematical skills. Some pupils are not making strong progress in reading because of this. Leaders do not track the progress of pupils with different starting points robustly enough. Some middle leaders are not confident in evaluating pupils’ assessment information. Leaders do not always evaluate pupils’ outcomes to determine next steps in planning for groups. In the past this has affected pupils’ progress. Leaders check the quality of teaching. Teachers receive training to improve their teaching. Training is not always evaluated carefully to ensure that pupils’ outcomes have improved because of the teachers’ training. Inspection report: Enfield Grammar School, 27–28 September 2018 Page 3 of 10 Governance of the school Governance is a strength of the school because: – governors have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and they have a good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses in the school – governors are robust when they check safeguarding – parents said that governors engage with them effectively, but a few parents would like more regular communication from the school – governors support and challenge senior leaders, and there is evidence of strong challenge by governors to senior leaders to improve the progress of pupils. Safeguarding The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The leadership of safeguarding is both effective and thoughtful. Leaders are aware of local risks and do everything possible to support their pupils in keeping safe. For example, the school is based on two sites. Leaders invited local police to give them advice on mitigating the risks for pupils when they move between the sites. Leaders carry out appropriate risk assessments before trips take place. Staff diligently support pupils who have medical needs and ensure that the correct medication is available for them in school. Leaders train staff and pupils to raise awareness of the dangers of local gangs, knife crime and radicalisation. Pupils are very mature in their understanding of how to avoid these risks. Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use their knowledge to plan interesting lessons which pupils enjoy. There are positive relationships between teachers and their pupils because of this. Teachers give effective guidance to pupils about how to improve their work. Pupils know what to do and if they are uncertain they are confident that teachers will help them. Pupils’ progress in lessons is good because of this communication. Teaching is particularly effective in mathematics, English and science in all key stages. Teachers have applied the training the school has developed to ensure that they improve the quality of pupils’ learning. Pupils said they really enjoy those subjects. In many lessons, teachers use remarkably effective questioning to deepen and develop pupils’ understanding. Teachers pitch the questions to give stretch and challenge to pupils according to their starting points. Pupils are very keen to answer in class because of this encouragement. A small number of lessons are not well planned. Despite this lack of planning, pupils are very tolerant and listen attentively and often make progress on their own initiative. Some teachers do not make effective use of the information they have about pupils’ needs and their starting points to plan lessons. Pupils in these lessons do not make the Inspection report: Enfield Grammar School, 27–28 September 2018 Page 4 of 10 progress of which they are capable. Some leaders and teachers do not use assessment information effectively to track the progress of groups of pupils. These leaders and teachers use information retrospectively rather than proactively. When some pupils fall behind in some subjects they do not get extra support. This has affected middle-ability pupils’ progress in GCSE examinations in 2016 and 2017. Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Personal development and welfare The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to help them develop their