INSPECTION REPORT
KINGS COLLEGE FOR THE ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
Guildford
LEA area: Surrey
Unique reference number: 131966
Principal: David Crossley
Reporting inspector: Graham Preston 1990
Dates of inspection: 31 March – 3 April 2003
Inspection number: 249593 Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the College 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 college. Under the College Inspections Act 1996, the college 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 COLLEGE
Type of college: Comprehensive
College category: Voluntary Aided College (Part of the Kingshurst Education Trust)
Age range of students: 11-19
Gender of students: Mixed
College address: Southway Guildford Surrey
Postcode: GU2 8DU
Telephone number: 01483 458 956
Fax number: 01483 458 957
Appropriate authority: The Governing Body
Name of chair of governors: Prue Leith
Date of previous inspection: N/A
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Subject Aspect responsibilities Team members responsibilities 1990 Graham Preston Registered inspector What sort of college is it? How high are standards? a) The college’s results and achievements How well are students taught? How well is the college led and managed? What should the college do to improve further? 9472 John Edmond Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Students’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the college care for its students How well does the college work in partnership with parents? 14490 Susan Jackson Team inspector History Sixth form co-ordinator History post 16 2728 Roderick Passant Team inspector Citizenship 31218 Tom Allen Team inspector Geography 8503 Alfred Alfree Team inspector Art Art post 16 15485 Roger Butler Team inspector Religious education 27058 Kathleen Cannon Team inspector Modern foreign languages SEN 30892 Keith Gordon Team inspector Mathematics Mathematics post 16 10060 David Gutmann Team inspector Information and communication technology 17201 Vikki Harrhy Team inspector Physical education English as an additional language 24026 Celia Holland Team inspector Music
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 5 10417 Kevin Lambert Team inspector Science Physics post 16 19983 Haydn Webb Team inspector Design and technology 19913 Roger Garrett Team inspector English 30648 Brian Skelton Team inspector English post 16 22948 Mary Vallis Team inspector PDU Special Educational Needs
The inspection contractor was:
Cambridge Education Associates Ltd
Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS
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
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 6 REPORT CONTENTS
Page
PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7
Information about the college How good the college is What the college does well What could be improved How the college has improved since its last inspection Standards Students’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the college How well the college is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the college
ANNEX: THE SIXTH FORM 12
PART B: COMMENTARY
HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 15
The college’s results and students’ achievements Students’ attitudes, values and personal development
HOW WELL ARE STUDENTS TAUGHT? 19
HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO STUDENTS? 21
HOW WELL DOES THE COLLEGE CARE FOR ITS STUDENTS? 24
HOW WELL DOES THE COLLEGE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS? 26
HOW WELL IS THE COLLEGE LED AND MANAGED? 27
WHAT SHOULD THE COLLEGE DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 30
PHYSICAL DISABILITY UNIT 30
PART C: COLLEGE DATA AND INDICATORS 32
PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN KEY STAGES 3 AND 4 38
PART E: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN THE SIXTH FORM 58
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 7 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT
INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The college opened as a new college in 2000 following the closure of Kings Manor College that had been unsuccessful in establishing itself as a viable and successful institution. Kings College is the first privately contracted state secondary college providing comprehensive education for students aged 11-19. The overall college population is just below 600 students and is growing rapidly. Over 90 per cent of students are drawn from white United Kingdom backgrounds with the remainder having various minority ethnic and white European backgrounds. There are a small number of students for whom English is an additional language though almost all are at higher English language skill levels. The college inherited the small cohort from the previous college that included many socially disadvantaged students with low primary college attainment. These have progressed through the college and are currently taking GCSE courses in Years 10-11. The college continues to provide for a local area with higher than average social and economic deprivation. However, the developing strengths of the new college has increased its popularity in the Guildford area and resulted in a near normal comprehensive college profile, with what is now a full intake. The small but developing sixth form increasingly draws students from a wide area, attracted by the International Baccalaureate. The college has a diminishing proportion of students with special educational needs as it achieves a more balanced intake. However, the percentage of students with more significant and therefore statemented needs is above national average and the college provides very effective support to accommodate this. There is a physical disability unit (PDU) on site and those students are well integrated into the life of the college. Attainment on entry is now almost in line with national average and students in Years 7-9 have significantly stronger literacy and numeracy standards compared with those in Years 10-11.
HOW GOOD THE COLLEGE IS
Kings College for Arts and Technology is a good and improving college with many excellent features. It is part of a growing federation of colleges run by a non-profit making company that promotes a distinctive ethos and a number of innovative features. It has quickly established itself as a strong centre for the arts and languages and through its status as a technology college uses information and communication technology very well to support student learning. The inspiring leadership of the principal, well supported by the team of assistant principals, guides an enthusiastic and talented staff who are working hard to develop students’ interest, self-esteem and commitment and so raise standards. Management systems are mostly excellent and are central to the college improvement. Standards in Years 7-9 are now mostly in line with national average, reflecting the good progress made by those students who joined the college in its present form. Students who attended the previous college often had poor previous educational experiences but are now making good progress. Their GCSE results have improved substantially in the last two years though standards remain below national average. Teaching is good overall with a significant proportion of very good and excellent teaching. Major investment in staffing, accommodation and resources has increased unit costs but the systems in place ensure the college has an excellent capacity to succeed. It is currently providing good value for money.
What the college does well · The Principal provides inspiring leadership and has worked closely with senior colleagues to provide very effective and often excellent management and support systems. · The college benefits from a committed and talented governing body which is actively involved in developing and supporting an increasingly successful provision. · Teaching throughout the college is good and a quarter of teaching is very good and excellent. · The care and support systems, including those for special educational needs, have significantly improved the attitudes and behaviour of students, particularly the more challenging; students value the college and attend regularly. · The distinctive ethos of the college and the numerous innovative features, including the excellent use of ICT, promote student interest, self-esteem and a willingness to learn.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 8 What could be improved The college has in place all the key systems and structures that will continue to improve standards. However, within those systems it needs to ensure that: · the strong specialist teaching seen in most subjects is extended to physical education, religious education and geography through training, recruitment and shared curriculum planning. · within the rigorous and supportive marking and assessment framework, teachers judge standards that more accurately reflect those nationally. · in addition to the wider and often exciting learning opportunities provided for higher attainers, those students are challenged further in all lessons. · indoor sports and recreational facilities are improved. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.
HOW THE COLLEGE HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
Kings College for Arts and Technology is a new college and this is its first inspection.
STANDARDS
Students who started their secondary education in the new college are making good progress and are mostly on target to reach standards in line with national averages. The students who transferred from the previous college show below average GCSE standards though this represents good progress given their very low primary college test scores. The college, as part of its contract with the local education authority, is meeting its interim targets for standards.
The table shows the standards achieved by students at the end of Year 11 and students at the end of Year 13 based on average point scores in GCSE and A-level/AS-level examinations.
compared with Key similar Performance in: all colleges colleges well above average A above average B 2000 2001 2002 2002 average C below average D GCSE examinations N/A E* E* E well below average E
A-levels/AS-levels N/A N/A IB (see below) All sixth form students gained sufficient International Baccalaureate points to gain higher education entry.
GCSE standards in earlier years have been in the lowest five per cent of colleges, and were achieved by those students who attended the previous and now closed college. Standards have improved considerably, though are still well below average for similar colleges. In 2000, 10 per cent of students attained five grades A*-C, which increased to 15 per cent in 2001 and 27 per cent in 2002. The current Years 10-11 students, also from the previous college, tend to have greater social and economic disadvantages (as reflected in free college meals entitlement) and came with very low primary college test scores. The inspection found that these were making good progress though their overall GCSE standards are well below national average. However, most are doing considerably better than might be expected and in some GCSE subjects, such as science and French, students are on target to reach national averages.
The standards in Years 7-9 are significantly better for what is a much more socially and academically mixed group of students with considerably better primary college test results. These students came to the college with standards a little below national expectations and have made good progress. Estimates indicate that at the end of Year 9 students are reaching standards broadly in line with national average.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 9 STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES
Aspect Comment
Attitudes to the college Good. Students enjoy coming to learn, especially when the standard of teaching is high. They apply themselves both to their work and to the extensive range of extra-curricular activities. Only a very small number of more challenging students display negative attitudes at times.
Behaviour, in and out of Good. Students behave in a calm and often mature way around the classrooms college. Behaviour is unsatisfactory in only a tiny proportion of lessons. The low level of permanent exclusions reflects the effective behaviour management of the college.
Personal development and Very good. The college impresses on new students and their parents relationships the need to consider others, and most students react very positively. Students have a clear understanding of the impact of their actions on others. They are sensitive to the needs, feelings and beliefs of others, particularly those with physical disabilities. The college is very successful in promoting a tolerant and supportive society.
Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance has improved steadily and is now in line with national averages.
The great majority of students like coming to college, behave well and get involved in a wide range of activities.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching of students: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11 Years 12 – 13
Quality of teaching Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.
Students learn well in almost all subjects and in all years. Teaching in Years 7-11 was good in the core subjects of English and science and very good in mathematics. It was very good in music, and good in all other subjects except geography, religious education and physical education, where it was satisfactory. Some lessons in these subjects were less well planned or were taken by non-specialists. Teaching in the sixth form was consistently good in all subjects inspected and very good in history and mathematics.
The main strengths of teaching, other than the clear enthusiasm and commitment of staff, are subject knowledge, lesson planning and regular and supportive assessment. Most areas contribute well to the teaching of literacy and numeracy. Teachers make excellent use of ICT. Students with special educational needs are well supported in most lessons. Higher attaining students gain considerably from the wide range of additional learning activities though are less well challenged in some lessons.
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE COLLEGE
Aspect Comment
The quality and range of the Very good. The college provides all the necessary statutory curriculum requirements as well as a wide range of innovative approaches and enhancements that create a very positive and calm learning environment
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 10 that extends beyond the college day.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 11 Provision for students with Very good. Students with special educational needs are well integrated special educational needs into lessons including those from the physical disability unit. Assessment of student needs is excellent and ICT is used very effectively to revise targets.
Provision for students with Good. There are a number of students who are bilingual including in the English as an additional sixth form where the International Baccalaureate is attracting non-British language students. Most have good oral skills and receive appropriate support in written work.
Provision for students’ Good. The college provides satisfactory opportunities for spiritual personal, spiritual, moral, development and provides good opportunities for moral development social and cultural through encouraging respect for others and personal responsibility. Its development strong focus on developing students’ confidence and independence and providing a range of cultural experiences in areas such as music, modern foreign languages and art, is very good.
How well the college cares Very good. Very high standards of support and guidance to students for its students (and their parents) and provision for their welfare, make a very positive contribution to educational standards and help students feel happy and secure. The college handles more challenging students very well and consequently has a low level of permanent exclusions. Academic monitoring and assessment is very strong and the college makes effective use of information for targeting student improvement.
The college’s relationships with parents are very strong and its links with parents, which it monitors carefully, are very effective. Assistant principals are available each day for discussion with parents and through its e-mail system the college encourages informal parent contact with teaching and pastoral staff.
The quality of the information the college provides to parents is excellent, in particular the Internet website, which provides a wide range of up-to-date information, including homework set for the month ahead.
HOW WELL THE COLLEGE IS LED AND MANAGED
Aspect Comment
Leadership and Excellent. The principal and his key staff provide excellent leadership. management by the The principal combines high level organisational skills with a capacity to principal and other key staff encourage others to share his vision and commitment. The assistant principals mostly have similar strengths and with the principal they provide a high level of visibility and support throughout the college.
How well the governors fulfil Excellent. All governors play an active part and the college benefits their responsibilities considerably in terms of its strong links with the neighbouring university and from the excellent knowledge and skills of different governors in education, finance and ICT.
The college’s evaluation of Excellent. The college at all levels is a reflective institution and has well its performance developed monitoring and evaluation procedures including those for performance management. The college is regularly monitored by the company as part of its management contract with Surrey County Council.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 12 The strategic use of Excellent. The college has made optimum use of all available funding in resources its efforts to establish a successful new college, including complete refurbishment of an old college and the cost effective building of a new performing arts block.
Staffing, accommodation and resources are all good. The college commitment to a modular humanities programme and wider staff contribution to the ICT and PSHE programmes has necessitated further staff training. However, there is a preponderance of good quality specialist staff throughout the college reflecting successful recruitment practice. There are excellent ICT resources and in general the accommodation and facilities very positively enhance the learning environment. The lack of good quality indoor sports facilities is the only major constraint on curriculum improvement. The ‘start up’ funding from different sources and the small cohorts in Years 10-11 and the sixth form currently result in high unit costs, though these will fall sharply as the college population increases. Funding has been used exceptionally well.
PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE COLLEGE
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved · Dramatic improvement over a previous college. · A significant number of parents would like to · Their children like coming to the college and see more homework. are making good progress. · A few parents are concerned about · The teaching in most subjects is good; misbehaviour in some classes where the students are treated with respect. teacher is more inexperienced. · They like the way the college helps their children become more mature and responsible. · They feel they can readily approach the college about any concern and get a prompt response. · They value the range of extra-curricular activities. · Very regular and informative progress reports.
The inspection evidence supports all the positive comments of the parents. The issues raised by some parents over the setting and use of homework were less clear. Inspectors reported that almost all subjects set homework and used it well. Much of the homework is posted on the college website for easy access. It is clear that conventional recording of homework through student planners is very patchy now that the work set can be retrieved electronically and many students are using their ‘curriculum plus’ lessons and post-college sessions to complete homework. The college is in the process of establishing a better monitoring system. Although some parents expressed concerns about misbehaviour, inspectors were impressed with the high proportion of good behaviour seen in lessons and around the college.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 13 ANNEX: THE SIXTH FORM KINGS COLLEGE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIXTH FORM
This is a sixth form of 35 students that is part of a new college that opened in September 2000. The sixth form offers the International Baccalaureate programme and is establishing itself as a centre for Kings College students as well as to those from the local area and overseas, who want to acquire an international qualification. The sixth form is smaller than most but is set to grow rapidly within the next three years if, as is anticipated, standards rise in the main college and the college continues to establish its reputation externally. The college’s development planning allows for the introduction of vocational courses to meet a wider range of interests and attainment levels.
PROVISION IN THE SIXTH FORM
Sixth form provision is good overall. The sixth form caters well for its current students through a good range of academic courses leading to the International Baccalaureate Diploma. The quality of teaching is good; students make good progress in relation to their qualifications on entry and learn well. Leadership and management are excellent. Development planning is very good and the sixth form has an excellent capacity to succeed within the next few years as it increases in size. Provision is not yet cost-effective.
Strengths · Students make good progress in relation to their qualifications on entry. · The requirements and philosophy of the International Baccalaureate are well understood by staff and students and all aspects of the diploma programme have been introduced successfully. · The range of curriculum provision matches the interests and abilities of the current students, and provides them with a combination of breadth, depth and intellectual challenge. · Students benefit from the international perspective which permeates the curriculum and enhancement activities. · Teachers make very good use of ICT to promote learning. · Students are able to take advantage of their proximity to the University of Surrey to access a variety of resources, including the library. · Excellent leadership provides a clear direction for the development of the sixth form and is well supported by senior management, governors and staff of the college.
What could be improved · Provision for religious education to meet statutory requirements. · The provision of sporting facilities and activities. · Widened curriculum provision to include vocational courses in order to meet the needs and interests of more students wanting to enter the sixth form. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Strengths and areas for improvement in individual subjects are identified in the sections on individual subjects in the full report.
THE QUALITY OF PROVISION IN INDIVIDUAL CURRICULUM AREAS
The table below shows overall judgements about the provision in the subjects and courses that were inspected in the sixth form. Judgements are based mainly on the quality of teaching and learning and how well students achieve. Not all subjects in the sixth form were inspected.
Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment
English Good. Good teaching and a very well planned course encourage students to achieve well in relation to their prior attainment.
Mathematics Very Good. Students respond to very good teaching, are actively involved in their learning and achieve well The use of ICT by both teachers and students is excellent.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 14 Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment
Physics Good. Students are making good progress and achieve well as a result of good teaching and with the benefit of excellent facilities.
History Very Good. Teaching is very good reflecting an excellent understanding of the way students learn. The quality of teaching and excellent level of diagnostic assessment enables students to make very good progress and achieve well.
Art and Design Good. Good teaching enables students to make good progress and they are achieving above average standards.
Lessons in French, Spanish, geography, economics, psychology, business studies, biology, chemistry and music were also sampled. The quality of teaching was good overall and consequently students make good progress.
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SIXTH FORM
Aspect Comment
How well students are guided Staff mentors, form tutors and subject teachers provide very good and supported quality support and guidance in Years 12 and 13. Information about sixth form courses is good and students are well prepared for the requirements of the International Baccalaureate programme. In respect of enhancement activities, students benefit from a varied and extending Creativity, Action and Service programme which is a compulsory component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma. There are regular reporting procedures and students are very well informed about their progress. The quality of guidance offered in preparation for university entry is very good.
Effectiveness of the Leadership and management in the sixth form are excellent. The leadership and management International Baccalaureate programme has been introduced and of the sixth form promoted most successfully, and all aspects of the programme are co- ordinated and monitored well. Planning for future developments is very good and includes broadening the curriculum to meet the interests and capabilities of more college students. The principal plays a highly effective role in the leadership of the sixth form.
STUDENTS’ VIEWS OF THE SIXTH FORM
What students like about the sixth form What they feel could be improved · The International Baccalaureate programme · A few students feel that they are given allows them to follow courses that are well insufficient advice about careers. matched to their talents and career · Some feel that the college does not provide a aspirations. wide range of worthwhile activities and · Teachers are accessible if students have enrichment courses. difficulties with their work. · A few felt the college was not as supportive as · They are taught well and challenged to do it could be in personal matters. their best. · They are helped and encouraged to study and research topics independently.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 15 Nearly all students responded to the questionnaire. Discussion between inspectors and a significant number of students, both formally and informally, indicates that students are positive about the sixth form, the range of subjects offered within the International Baccalaureate programme and the academic support they receive. The strengths identified are justified, but the concerns expressed by some students are not. Although the teaching programme and the demands of examinations mean that free time is limited, there are many enrichment opportunities within the framework of the Creativity, Action and Service programme and the college can tailor activities to individual interests. Staff mentors and sixth form managers make considerable efforts to provide help and support for those who have personal problems. The college offers excellent levels of support for those applying to universities and a number of opportunities for students to discuss broader career prospects. All of last year’s students gained university places. There are plans to extend the quality and range of careers guidance as the sixth form expands. The college works hard to value all students and to establish an ethos of freedom, trust and responsibility.
COMPARING PROVISION IN COLLEGES AND COLLEGES
Inspectors make judgements about provision in subjects and courses, and about leadership and management, in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. Excellent and very good are equivalent to the judgement “outstanding” in further education and sixth form college reports; poor and very poor are equivalent to “very weak”.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 16 PART B: COMMENTARY
HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?
The college’s results and students’ achievements
This recently established secondary college is successfully providing for the different needs of students originating from the old and new colleges. There have been considerable differences in the background and standards of those students on entry to the college though most make good progress and achieve well in light of their prior attainment.
1. The college is the first privately contracted state secondary college and is one of a small federation of colleges committed to improving the quality of learning and achievement. It now has a full roll on entry and reflects the parents’ and students’ commitment in the light of improving standards.
2. The college, as part of its contract with the local education authority, has clear year on year targets for academic attainment, student behaviour and attendance. These have all been fully met.
3. The college has been keen to establish a learning environment that treats young people with respect, nurtures their confidence and self-esteem, captures their interest and enables them to achieve above expected standards. The main features that are contributing to improving standards include:
· attractive and well-maintained surroundings; · a continuous day that creates a less crowded and calmer learning environment; · a care system that treats students with respect but has high expectations about effort, behaviour and attendance and keeps them well informed about their progress; · interesting and challenging teaching that enables students to make good progress in lessons; · a varied curriculum with innovative features that meets students’ interests and needs and extends learning well beyond the college day; · extensive use of information and communication technology to enhance the curriculum and develop students as more independent learners; · a ‘flatter’ management structure which enables all teachers to be actively involved in the college development and is well supported by excellent management systems.
4. Students in the main college and sixth form make good overall progress. There is some variation between subjects but, with the exception of physical education and religious education, where there are particular concerns about resources, learning programmes and staff training, students achieve in-line with or better than their prior attainment would indicate.
5. Standards against national expectations and for similar colleges differ considerably between the Years 7-9 and Years 10-11 cohorts. Years 7-9 first joined in 2000 when the college was established and their prior attainment reflected in their end of key stage scores was a little below national average. The current Year 9 students have yet to take the end of key stage assessments though inspection evidence indicates that in most aspects, except literacy, students are reaching standards in line with national averages. This is largely because of the consistently good teaching and represents good student progress over the last three years.
6. Standards in Years 10-11 are considerably lower than those for Years 7-9. The older students have often experienced greater social and economic disadvantage (reflected in the higher take up of free college meals). When they entered secondary college their combined test results for English, mathematics and science were in the lowest 10 per cent for the country. The college has inherited similar students in the last three years and has steadily improved GCSE standards.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 17 In 2000, 10 per cent of students attained five grades A*-C which increased to 15 per cent in 2001 and 27 per cent in 2002. The inspection identified further improvement though standards are still well below the national averages for all colleges where around a half of students reach these levels. Nonetheless, this represents good achievement for most students and in some subjects, such as science and French, the often very good teaching and support have enabled students to reach and even exceed average national standards.
7. Standards of literacy are below average overall, reflecting the difficulties many students had with reading, writing and speaking when they entered the college and which prevail among the Years 10-11 students particularly, despite the good support they receive. The college has been recognised in the county for its good work in developing literacy. Standards of literacy among younger students are higher, reflecting the more balanced attainment profile of recent intakes. The varied literacy standards are evident in science though staff help by emphasising important science words displayed in laboratories and using writing frames and other techniques to support students.
8. Mathematics standards are above average in Years 7-9 and though well below in later years, this still represents good achievement for those students. Much of this is the result of good teaching based on good subject knowledge, interesting and stimulating approaches and high expectations. The National Numeracy Strategy has been implemented fully in Years 7-9, and some elements have been included in lessons in Years 10 and 11. Students are confident in using numeracy in other subject areas, which enhances their learning. There is a strong emphasis on numeracy in the various science courses. For example, a Year 9 group carefully calculated speeds they had reached on the athletics track and converted these speeds into other units. There were also good examples of line and bar graphs in the students’ work sampled.
9. Standards in science are in line with national averages in Year 9 and students make good progress. Higher attaining students showed greater knowledge as evident in a lesson on photosynthesis, where they could measure and explain starch levels present in a leaf. Year 11 students have considerably lower prior attainment levels though they are making good progress and those entered for GCSE double science are on target to meet or exceed national average.
10. By the end of Year 11, students are independent, responsible and reflective users of ICT and can select, develop and use a variety of information sources and ICT tools to support their learning. Students in Years 7-9 develop good skills which include exploring ideas and solving problems from the “DigitalBrain” and effectively communicating their ideas using a variety of sources including Internet research and digital cameras.
11. An area of particular strength in the college is that of modern foreign languages where students are reaching standards at or above national average. This is also true of those in GCSE French and Spanish courses where their oral and written skills benefit from very good provision that enables students to make what is often very good progress. The very good provision in music is helping students make very good progress in their performing, composing and listening skills and students are making effective use of technology.
12. Some students with special needs enter the college with low reading and spelling ages and are unable to write simple sentences accurately. Their writing is ill-formed and they have little understanding of how to use capital letters and punctuation marks. Few have progressed beyond basic number work. They receive extra help on a planned withdrawal basis to develop their weak literacy and numeracy skills. They make good and sometimes very good progress as they rise through the college. Additionally, all students in Years 7 and 8 receive booster sessions through computerised literacy and numeracy programmes matched to their specific needs. By the end of Year 9 the majority of students with special needs are at or near the national average for their ages. In Years 10 and 11, students work towards the General Certificate of Secondary Education and in the 2002 examinations, over a third gained five passes at A*-G grades, whilst others achieved similar levels in one, two or three subjects.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 18 13. The college has three students who are Travellers. Their attainment reflects their mixed attendance pattern to a large extent. One student with close to average attendance is taking a full range of GCSE examinations, another with 79 per cent attendance is making a good effort in
most subjects and excellent effort in some, achieving average module grades. The attainment of the third student, despite form tutor encouragement, is clearly being affected by sporadic attendance.
14. The college has 13 students with non-white UK or mixed ethnic backgrounds. Most of these students are on the register for English as an additional language, mostly at a high degree of fluency. There is no evidence that these students are not making overall progress at a similar rate to their peers. All are making good progress in their English. Students with special gifts and aptitudes are able to take public examinations early and, where students expect to return to their homeland, arrangements are made for them to take the appropriate examinations through the relevant Embassy.
15. Higher attaining students make similarly good progress to students as a whole. The college identifies the highest attaining three and ten per cent of each cohort in order to ensure that staff provide these students with additional challenge in lessons. Where appropriate, the college ‘fast- tracks’ individuals or groups to take examinations early. The college is flexible in that it distinguishes attainment from chronological age in making arrangements, so that, for example, there is one student studying Advanced Subsidiary level mathematics in Year 10. Structures are in place to support and challenge these higher attaining students and the range of additional ICT and learning opportunities indicate this. Even so, there are occasions in the wide ability groups where the classwork does not always match the needs of all students, particularly the higher attaining students.
Sixth form
16. The college entered the first cohort of 7 students for the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma examinations in 2002. Direct national comparators are not available and numbers are too small for the results to be of comparative value. However, drop out rates have been low and all students completing the IB gained acceptance at a higher education institution. The breadth of curriculum of IB courses means that these students made good progress across a broad range of subjects, as well as in depth in three chosen subjects. When judged against the students’ attainment levels on entry to the sixth form, the 2002 results represent good progress across Years 12 and 13.
17. Attainment in lessons and in work seen is above course expectations and most students are achieving well in relation to their prior GCSE and other qualifications. In physics, students show good problem solving skills in a study of the Doppler Effect; in mathematics, they can confidently use statistical analysis in their different investigations. The very good teaching in history is helping students to develop a stronger historical perspective. Good teaching in art and design is encouraging students to be creative and ambitious in scale and reflect a broader cultural perspective. Students in English also make good progress though the lower attaining students spend disproportionate amounts of time on background research and less on developing background argument.
18. Students’ standards in numeracy are generally good. Standards of written communication are less assured as several students demonstrate weaknesses in literacy. However, the college is addressing this issue by extending literacy to all post-16 lessons. The use of ICT in the sixth form is very good. A particularly strong feature is the confident use of the Internet for independent research.
19. There are no students with special educational needs in the sixth form.
Students’ attitudes, values and personal development
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 19 20. Students have positive attitudes to college. They enjoy coming to learn, especially when the standard of teaching is high. Teachers have consistently high expectations and fully engage the attention of the class; examples were seen in all subject teams. All year groups are very interested and involved in their lessons and students really apply themselves both to their work and to the extensive range of extra-curricular activities, in which the whole college takes part. Only a very small number of challenging students, mostly in Years 10 or 11, display negative attitudes at times. Positive attitudes are reflected in the pace at which students, including most of the less able, work in all subjects. Attitudes are very good in many subjects, for example music. Students have a desire to improve their work and take great pride in the finished product, as seen in the colourful Year 7 totem poles on display by the main entrance. Students’ capacity to work independently and to persevere is high, and many examples of students (including the youngest) taking responsibility for their own work were seen in lessons.
21. The overall standard of classroom behaviour is at least good in more than four out of five lessons and very good or excellent in over a quarter. Students respond positively to good classroom management in all subjects. Both students and parents consider that teachers successfully maintain high standards of behaviour and the inspection findings support this view. Behaviour is unsatisfactory in only a tiny proportion of lessons and usually occurs where the teacher fails to inspire or control a small group of mainly lower ability students. No poor behaviour was witnessed. Overall high standards prevail in classes with students displaying a sense of application and dedication. Students are co-operative and generally concentrate hard. The quality of students’ behaviour and attitudes makes a major contribution to their learning.
22. In line with the staff’s high expectations, students’ behaviour round the college is civilised; they behave sensibly on arriving at and leaving the college and when entering classrooms. They negotiate the staircases and corridors between lessons without incident under adult supervision. They behave well at break time and when queuing for and eating dinner. Respect for property is very good, with minimal litter and no evident vandalism. The college’s prevailing ethos and the nature of the rolling college day, whereby few students are out of the classrooms at any one time, make a really important contribution to the high quality of behaviour round the college. Nevertheless, the college has to deal with some challenging students, whose actions lead to a significant number of fixed period exclusions: 49 last year relating to 41 students, although permanent exclusions were kept to two. The comparatively small numbers of re-offenders points to the college’s success in dealing with bad behaviour. Management has introduced sensible measures for identifying those at risk of exclusion and for doing all it can to keep them at college. Most exclusions last five days or less and students are re-integrated unobtrusively through the pastoral support programme. The college maintains proper records of exclusions and follows the LEA reporting system.
23. The college impresses on new students and their parents the need to consider others, and most students react very positively. Students in Years 7 to 11 reported that instances of oppressive behaviour are very rare, and all those interviewed are confident that when bullying is reported, the college deals with it very fast and effectively. Students have a deep understanding of the impact of their actions on others. They are sensitive to the needs and feelings and beliefs of others, particularly those with physical disabilities. The college is very successful in promoting a tolerant and supportive society.
24. Students enthusiastically support the activities of their elected council, whose advice is welcomed by senior management. There are many opportunities throughout the college for students to take responsibility, such as working quietly on their own in the learning centre or helping younger students with reading. Students take up the wide range of popular extra-curricular activities with considerable enthusiasm. For example there was strong competition to be included in last year’s Year 9 work in a local hotel, which was sufficiently successful for the activity to be repeated this year.
25. Relationships amongst students and between staff and students are very good. Students are courteous to each other and friendly to staff. Students relate very positively to each other, and
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 20 work well together in lessons, both in pairs and groups. They react politely when addressed, and are friendly and helpful to visitors. Throughout the inspection they co-operated positively and cheerfully with inspectors.
26. Attendance has risen steadily in Years 7 to 11 from an overall low level of 88.2 per cent during the first year of operations to 90.9 per cent in the first half of the current academic year. It is now in line with the national average. Unauthorised absence has fallen slightly and is now slightly below the national average of 1.2 per cent. Attendance in Years 12 and 13 at 95 per cent in the current academic year is well above the national average.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 21 27. Teachers are in their classrooms on time and lessons generally start punctually. Most students display a responsible attitude to punctuality, though nearly one third have been late more than seven times in the first half of the current academic year and around 13 per cent have been late more than 20 times. Lateness has an adverse effect on the learning of these students.
Sixth form
28. Students are positive about their studies and although challenged by the breadth of the International Baccalaureate, appreciate the range of experience and the very good level of support they receive. A few feel they would benefit from more careers advice but speak highly about the guidance they received before choosing their sixth form courses and the subsequent help when applying for higher education.
29. Students behave very well in lessons and participate actively in their learning. In all inspected lessons students invariably showed good attitudes and in the majority those attitudes were judged very good or excellent. Attendance and punctuality are both satisfactory.
HOW WELL ARE STUDENTS TAUGHT?
Students enjoy their learning and progress in lessons is very largely good and often very good. This is so because of the developing strengths in teaching, with most being good or better.
30. The quality of teaching is good. Four out of five lessons seen in the inspection were good or better and over a quarter of all lessons were very good and excellent. The very few instances of unsatisfactory teaching were the result of inexperience in classroom management and insufficient lesson planning.
31. The developing reputation of the college enables it to recruit good quality subject specialists. The great majority of teachers have very good subject knowledge and use this effectively to challenge and develop students’ understanding and skills. This is particularly evident in modern foreign languages, science and music where students achieve standards well above expectations. The college humanities programme involves geographers, historians and religious education specialists teaching all the subject areas. This is a successful course though the newer, less experienced staff have yet to develop the wider knowledge and skills needed for what is a multi- disciplinary programme. On occasion this leads to less challenging work in geography and religious education and some lower quality outcomes. Similar isolated instances of less well- prepared teaching were evident in ICT and PSHE.
32. In a growing college with a significant proportion of new and often young staff each year, it is very impressive how quickly good classroom management skills are acquired. Consequently, although the college has a higher than average share of students with behavioural and other special needs, learning and behaviour is mostly good or better. This reflects the personal enthusiasm and commitment of staff as well as the very good induction and staff training programme.
33. Lesson planning is consistently good and often very good. This effective practice is often necessary because of the other benefits of having a continuous college day. Its clear advantage of creating a calm and more mature learning environment is balanced by the need for more double lessons, albeit broken up with staggered ‘brunch’ and lunch breaks. Occasionally the longer lessons lose some pace but most teachers, through use of varied and stimulating activities, engage and sustain student interest well. This is clearly so in the practical sessions within music, design and technology and art, though students’ active involvement in their own learning is also evident in other subjects such as ICT, modern foreign languages and science.
34. The contribution made by other subjects to the teaching and development of students’ literacy skills is good overall. This is evident in art, for example, where ‘key words’ and the use of
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 22 specialist vocabulary is emphasised. Students are encouraged to talk about art and describe their response to it. In mathematics, too, teachers make good use of strategies such as memorising, recording, defining and using key words. Similarly, in music key words are clearly listed and displayed in folders and on walls in the subject area. There is a ‘word of the week’ for students to learn and generally the correct use musical terminology is emphasised. Teachers in modern foreign languages foster speaking and listening skills in all lessons. Reading opportunities are frequent. Teachers pay attention to students’ handwriting and presentation skills when marking work although there is more limited emphasis on improving extended writing skills.
35. Teaching numeracy is developing and even in tutor time for Years 7-9, a series of numeracy activities is used at least once a week. Computer aided learning software is used to give all students practice and a set of practical activities known as “World of Maths” helps students to develop logic and thinking skills.
36. ICT is used innovatively in many subjects to support teaching and learning. This includes software that simulates planets’ movement in science, the Hot Potato interactive tool to create mini-test papers that give instant feedback, and, in modern languages, Smart whiteboards to manipulate digital images and video clips of European countries helping students translate menus into Spanish.
37. The teaching and support for students with special educational needs is good overall. All teachers are aware of the students' needs and Individual Education Plans, but the use of this information by teachers in planning their lessons is inconsistent. In music and art individual needs are very well met, but this is less well developed in other subjects. Teachers and students make very good use of computers to support and reinforce learning. The quality of withdrawal teaching is good, with realistic levels of challenge and effective checks on students’ comprehension through discussion and word meanings. Teachers and support staff keep detailed records of the students’ academic and social progress to inform future lessons and to liaise with subject teachers. Teachers have a very good knowledge of their students and relationships are very good.
38. Higher attaining students, including gifted and talented, mostly learn well and this is helped by the considerable extra opportunities through the ICT based enhancement programmes outside of lessons. Provision of more challenging and extending activities in the broader banded teaching groups is more variable. In English, some of the individually teacher planned activities do not extend the most able and are too piecemeal to provide a progressive development of higher skills. In geography, the over-reliance on prepared worksheets limits in-depth analysis of ideas that would improve the progress of the higher attaining students.
39. Students comment very positively on the efforts most teachers make to ensure that work is marked and progress is regularly checked and recorded. While a number of newer staff are less accurate in judging students’ standards against those nationally, most specify what they want the students to know and do and set clear targets for improvement. This is well illustrated in art lessons where there are lesson-by-lesson reviews, and in the regularity of work set in other subjects such as modern foreign languages and music.
40. Although some parents expressed misgivings about homework, the inspection found that it was set and completed regularly with increasing use of the college website, although students often completed research and other work in ‘curriculum plus’ lessons and in extra study activities at the end of the college day.
Sixth form
41. Five of the IB modules were chosen to be reported in depth though other modules were sampled. Teaching across the sixth form is good overall and very good in two of the chosen courses, namely mathematics and history. Three aspects of teaching in most areas are; teachers’ knowledge and understanding of their subject, their enthusiasm for the IB and their expectations
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 23 of what students can achieve. These have a positive impact on students’ learning and personal commitment.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 24 42. Teachers apply their subject knowledge effectively in all subjects. Although most are teaching IB for the first time, they have worked closely with a partner college and have a very good understanding of the aims and philosophy of the programme. As a result they set clear objectives for their students. In English, teachers draw on their detailed understanding of literature to develop students’ enjoyment of reading, and understanding of character. Modern foreign language teachers provide very good models in the use of language. Students make good progress through constant use of foreign language. In mathematics, teachers give clear explanations and build the confidence in their students to apply theory competently to a range of challenging problems. In history, teaching is highly focused and provides students with a secure framework in which they learn to challenge the interpretations of different historians, and to think creatively.
43. In lessons, high expectations and challenging tasks involve students at all levels of attainment in a suitable range of activities. For example, in history students are encouraged to deepen their appreciation of causation as was seen in a Year 12 lesson where students were guided in the deconstruction of the question “A revolution is a necessary characteristic of a single party state”.
44. Good classroom relationships with small groups of students form the basis of the good teaching seen in the sixth form. Students make good gains in knowledge because of the supportive relationships in lessons and their positive response to the teachers’ high expectations. Small classes provide the opportunity for instant feedback. Lessons provide students with the confidence to develop and argue their viewpoints. The Theory of Knowledge component of the IB helps to reinforce these skills, as students are encouraged to express their own viewpoints strongly but be willing to listen to, and accommodate, the views of others. Levels of concentration and students’ involvement in lessons are high. Teachers know students well and target tasks appropriately. Marking is effective and the use of examination criteria, progress sheets and diagnostic comments keep students well informed of their standards and how to improve.
45. In most areas of the curriculum, the teaching styles encourage students to develop their independent learning and research skills often through greater use of ICT. IB teachers also make very good use of ICT, including data projectors, and the college is working towards the creation of a virtual college with a significant proportion of curriculum on line.
46. Students with English as an additional language concentrate hard and keep up in lessons. Like other sixth formers, they have the confidence to ask if they do not understand and are willing to take responsibility for their own learning.
HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO STUDENTS?
The quality and range of learning opportunities offered to students are very good. An appropriate statutory curriculum is in place. The breadth, balance and relevance of the curriculum are very good overall.
47. The college provides a broad and balanced curriculum in Years 7-9 that meets National Curriculum requirements. In Years 10-11 the curriculum offered continues to be developed to include the main subject areas as well as the newer vocational courses now designated as applied GCSE and with an equivalence value of two subjects. Again, the National Curriculum requirements are met. The 11-16 curriculum has considerable strengths in some subjects, such as modern foreign languages and ICT, and in the range of enhancements outside of the taught programmes. Citizenship education is taught through the PSHE programme, humanities and curriculum plus and continues as a GCSE option. The sixth form runs the IB with full accreditation from the organisation in Geneva as an IB World College and this provides very good breadth for those students able to pursue it. In an otherwise very strong provision there are some relative weaknesses in curriculum provision for humanities and physical education.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 25 48. An innovative feature of the curriculum is the organisation of the day into 50 and 100 minute sessions broken by staggered ‘brunch’ and lunch breaks. This has a very positive impact on the atmosphere of the college creating a calm and orderly learning atmosphere and supports the very good ethos of the college.
49. There is a strong focus of ICT across the college. ICT is used well in different curriculum areas with, for example, Year 8 students using multi-tracking software well to compose their own dance music and Year 9 mathematics students researching the ‘lives of mathematicians’ from the Internet. Students make very good use of the ICT facilities provided in the learning centre, before and after college for research, homework and curriculum plus activities.
50. The college has successfully implemented the Government’s National Key Stage 3 Strategy for literacy, numeracy and science and college strategies for numeracy are good. These include the use of computer aided basic skills learning each week during Mathematics, English and Curriculum Plus lessons, reinforced by policies for developing literacy and numeracy across all subjects of the curriculum.
51. Provision for extra-curricular activities across the college and sixth form enrichment are very good. There are numerous activities operating at the end of each day as part of enrichment, ranging from sports to counselling training, investors club for investing money in the stock market, drama club and the physically handicapped and able bodied club, to name but a few. Year 10 business students travelled to the Merrychef factory in Ashvale to view the production of accelerated cooking systems for commercial organisations. Language students visited Barcelona, an experience summed up by one student as an amazing week’s experience with opportunities to practise the Spanish language and enjoy elements of Catalan culture. The textile subject team organises a very popular fashion show demonstrating designs and dresses made by the students.
52. The college’s good quality personal, social and health education (PHSE) programme incorporating citizenship, is broad and balanced, and has been very carefully planned. It includes, health, social, drugs, sex and careers education, with work experience at the end of Year 10. Environmental education is well covered in science and geography and there is specific multi- cultural education for Year 8. Students in Years 7 to 11 have one lesson a week, plus the early morning registration and mid afternoon assembly/tutorial period. The assemblies seen were of high quality and the quality of the teaching and behaviour in the PHSE lessons was good overall. Sex education is taught through science and the PSHE programme, where personal relationships and moral issues are fully explored. Drug awareness is covered in conjunction with the local police liaison officer who has a very good relationship with the college.
53. There are satisfactory opportunities for spiritual development both in and outside lessons. Assemblies are well planned and delivered and provide students with stimulating content and opportunities for quiet reflection. One assembly observed during the inspection specifically explored the mystery of being human whilst another gave students an opportunity to understand ways in which music and song express meaning and mood. Students interviewed testified to the way in which they feel respected and encouraged by staff at the college and how this leads them to respect their teachers and each other. The happy integration of physically disabled students within the college community is testimony to the college’s success in helping students to accommodate differences.
54. Opportunities for moral development are good and occur in most aspects of the college’s daily life. Teachers are very good role models in the respectful and friendly ways in which they can be seen relating to colleagues and students. Work in humanities on the civil rights movement and on the need for rules in community life specifically addresses issues of conscience and moral decision-making. Students are trusted with free access to classrooms before and after college and they respond by treating the college equipment, buildings and grounds with care. Students interviewed said that bullying in the college is very rare and if it occurs is always dealt with promptly and effectively.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 26 55. The promotion of students’ social development is very good. There are opportunities for students to collaborate and exercise responsibility both in lessons, in the enrichment classes that are a feature of the college, and for some students in the work of the college council with its elected representatives from different year groups. The College Council has its own bank account and a major area of its work is the raising of money for charity, £1,500 within the last year. The College Council also organises assemblies and makes arrangements for deciding which charities to support. By a voting procedure the student body decided to support Great Ormond Street Hospital, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Chase Children’s Hospice and the Milly Dowler Appeal. In history students acquire a conceptual and linguistic framework within which social issues can be debated. Students report that careers advice is helpful and some found work experience useful in developing their knowledge of personal strengths.
56. Provision for cultural development is very good. Students participated in a music assembly seen during the inspection whilst in another assembly two students read from a Shakespeare play. A recent event in college brought an Aboriginal artist to work with students in connection with both English and art. History lessons encourage students to explore cultural assumptions.
57. The provision for careers guidance and vocational education is currently good and there are further plans to extend the offer of vocational courses as the college expands. All year groups receive guidance through the PSHE programme. Year 9 students have personal interviews with their parents on career choice and the learning centre is well resourced with prospectuses and reference material on careers and higher education opportunities. The college aspires to provide courses that meet the needs of the local employment area. To this end some Year 10 students are following the full General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) in Hospitality and Catering and others the applied GCSE in engineering. Year 9 students also take the Part 1 GNVQ in ICT with the goal of completing the course earlier. Taking the GCSE Humanities in Year 9 also enables students to take a GCSE in geography, history or religious education.
58. The contribution of the community to students’ learning is very good. Tulip Computers offers considerable support in the provision of computer hardware and software. HSBC has sponsored the Technology Colleges Bid supported the development of the arts and sponsored sixth form students taking part in the Tall Ships voyage. Furthermore, its developing involvement with more local companies enables the college to organise its own work experience scheme.
59. The constructiveness of relationships with partner institutions is very good. The mathematics subject team ran a series of master classes for local Year 6 students for link colleges exploring the mathematics behind mazes. The local primary colleges work closely with and are supported by the college as part of its development as a technology college. One primary principal is also a governor. There are strong links with Guildford College where students from Kings attend courses in Hospitality and Catering. The annual Kings College Christmas concert in Guildford Cathedral is well attended by members of the community. Very close links with the University of Surrey provides opportunities for students to attend special functions and use the different study and sports facilities. University music students perform in the college and visit on a weekly basis to support students in the music subject team.
60. All students with special educational needs are assessed for their abilities on entry to the college, which identifies higher and lower achieving students. Individual Education Plans are satisfactory. However, the quality of target setting is variable, and there are no timescales for determining the students’ rate of progress. Nevertheless, the students’ achievements are well monitored on a six- weekly basis by the special needs subject team and education plans are updated accordingly. The excellent use of the college’s intranet links ensures that all staff have access to the students’ progress targets, which permits the implementation of the college’s educational inclusion programme. The very small student numbers from travelling families are fully included in main lessons. Students for whom English is an additional language have mostly higher level linguistic skills and are fully integrated into the mainstream college curriculum, although those with special gifts and aptitudes can take public examinations early and, where students expect to return to their homeland, arrangements are made for them to take the appropriate examinations through the relevant Embassy.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 27 61. Equality of opportunities is very good. ‘Fast track’ students in Year 9 take GCSE examinations early while students travel from as far away as London and Bournemouth to avail themselves of the opportunities to study the International Baccalaureate offered by the College. In this vibrant educational establishment there are opportunities for everyone to find enrichment for their lives through learning. The range of enrichment opportunities on offer is exceptionally wide and there is something for every individual. This is particularly true for the students in the Physical Disability Unit (PDU) who are fully involved in the life of the college. One PD student reported how he ‘enjoyed every single moment’ of a college production in which he took part. He also had the skills and confidence to organise a bowling trip for the PHAB club, including drafting letters for parents. The PHAB club enables students with and without physical disabilities, to share a very wide range of enrichment activities twice a week. The Kielder Challenge provides another opportunity for physically able students to work with peers in wheelchairs as a team to complete a number of demanding challenges against other teams in the country. All students take part in visits and residential trips. This includes travelling abroad with their peers, for example to Greece. These experiences contribute to students’ already high self-esteem and to their easy acceptance within the college community.
Sixth form
62. In respect of existing students, the curriculum provision for the sixth form is excellent. The strength of the IB is its breadth, and the opportunities created for students with a wide range of interests to study courses that are varied and permeated with an international dimension. 24 different modules exist and the selection of subjects is well matched to the current students’ aspirations and needs. However, the statutory requirement to provide religious education in Years 12 and 13 is not met.
63. The college recognises that the curriculum offered post-16 does not adequately meet the needs of all attainment levels of students coming up from the lower college, and there are plans to introduce a range of vocational courses within the next two years.
64. Provision for careers education is satisfactory and the college has plans to broaden provision. The quality of guidance offered in respect of higher education in the UK and abroad is very good.
65. Students follow a very well-planned programme of complementary studies. All students are required to participate in the Creative, Active Service (CAS) programme where they are able to select activities from a wide range. Where appropriate, the college will tailor activities to suit the interests of the students. For example, one Canadian student is able to develop her talent for ice hockey at a local rink; another student from Singapore has fulfilled an ambition by starting a Japanese language course. CAS activities provide students with an extensive breadth of experience and make a significant contribution to their personal development. As part of the CAS programme students also engage in a good range of community work. For example, they help in local primary colleges and homes for the elderly. University of Surrey is now likely to provide access to sports facilities in future though that aspect of the curriculum is currently less developed and college facilities are limited.
66. Students’ personal development is good and is effectively organised throughout the year. Several students have recently sailed on the Tall Ships voyage, and others travelled to Bratislava and Geneva to take part in model League of Nations and United Nations conferences with international students from other IB colleges. A field visit to Barcelona enabled IB art students to apply their learning and improve their skills. Sixth formers also contribute to drama productions and other whole college events.
HOW WELL DOES THE COLLEGE CARE FOR ITS STUDENTS?
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 28 The college has very good care systems and students value the support they receive in terms of their personal and academic development. The college procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are excellent.
67. Pastoral care is delivered very effectively through a year structure, overseen by four assistant principals, one of whom is responsible for maintaining close long-term contact with the feeder primary colleges. Very high standards of support and guidance to students (and their parents) and of provision for their welfare makes a very positive contribution to educational standards and help students feel happy and secure. The college has a noticeably welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Pastoral staff know their students very well and students confidently turn to them or other members of staff for help. The high quality of co-operation and liaison between all staff on pastoral matters is an important feature of the college. Students appreciate greatly both the academic and personal support given. Year 7 students in particular feel well supported and both they and their parents welcome the college’s comprehensive arrangements for their induction. Students’ personal development is well supported through effective assembly and tutor periods, as well as the PHSE provision and the very high quality enrichment programme. An external counsellor advises students on individual personal problems. The arrangements for transfer to further education or for training for employment work well and so ensure that students move on with confidence.
68. Systems to monitor the academic progress of students are very good. Throughout the college subject areas work on a basis of six week modules. At the end of each module students are awarded grades through tests or other methods of assessment and this information is passed to a central database. The database then provides the basis for a report every six weeks on each student’s progress. This ensures that students and their parents are aware of grades achieved in all subject areas throughout the course. The data is also used throughout the college as the basis for individual student targets which are discussed both with subject tutors and also with form tutors in tutor time. The success of this method was confirmed in discussion with individual students who were well aware of their progress in different subjects and the level at which they were working.
69. The database is also used across subject areas and across the college to monitor individual students or individual teaching groups of students to compare progress and results such as between boys and girls. Reporting to parents is good. They receive the six weekly reports based on student assessment grades in the previous module together with written comments on students’ learning. These are extremely useful documents in forming parents of student progress at frequent intervals. Parents reported favourably on the quality of academic information provided by the college.
70. Students’ written work is marked thoroughly and regularly, often with advice to students on how to improve. In newer courses such as the GNVQ and the IB the college has used its partner institutions to cross moderate student work. The quality of marking across the college is carefully monitored by senior staff on a regular basis.
71. The one concern in an otherwise rigorous assessment system is the overgenerous judgement of standards in some areas. This is often done for understandable reasons such as encouraging student effort, as seen in English, or may result from less clear use of National Curriculum criteria, as in art. It does make it more difficult to assess standards and estimate student progress more accurately.
72. The college complies fully with child protection guidelines, and teachers receive regular update training in this area. Liaison arrangements with external agencies are very good and, in the case of the police, exceptional. The college is very effective in its support of students with either physical disabilities or with special educational needs to meet the targets set in individual education plans and statements.
73. The college is working hard to comply with legal requirements for health and safety, but still has some way to go. It has a newly revised health and safety policy and concerns about health and
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 29 safety are quickly brought to the notice of appropriate staff. Governors are involved in promoting and monitoring heath and safety, though no external governor yet has specific responsibility for overseeing this vital activity. There are sensible and effective procedures covering leisure time supervision and the safety testing of most equipment, though electrical equipment has not been tested since 1999. Regular fire practices take place and students know what to do. The college is currently taking action to ensure that all fire escape doors can be used from inside at all times and is reviewing the signing of fire exits, which in places are insufficient; the fire escape arrangements in the English Centre are inadequate. Those students questioned all know the evacuation procedure in the event of fire. Caretaking staff’s manual operations have not yet been risk-assessed and the college is not clear as to the extent to which all other risks have been assessed, though it is confident that assessments in the science
subject team have been completed. Only one member of staff has been trained in this function. Provision for medical care and first aid are appropriate and health and safety procedures are satisfactory.
74. The college operates very effective measures for monitoring and improving attendance. The senior management team is deeply involved in monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour. As a result the procedures are excellent and the staff’s very high expectations are fully realised and promote an orderly and cheerful atmosphere throughout the college. Students consider they are fairly treated. The procedures for coping with the rare instances of bullying and oppressive behaviour are highly effective and students and their parents are happy that inappropriate behaviour is dealt with rapidly and effectively.
Sixth form
Assessment
75. Procedures for assessing and monitoring students’ progress in the sixth form are very good. Teachers know individual students well and remind them of ways to improve their work in lessons. Subject teachers also encourage students to take responsibility for their own progress by providing them with clear specifications for the qualifications they are working towards. The quality of marking is generally very good, as diagnostic feedback is full and meaningful. Students feel that their work is thoroughly assessed so that they can see how to improve it. The involvement of students in monitoring and improving their own progress is a strong feature of the sixth form. Subject teachers regularly inform tutors and the sixth form managers of students’ progress. Reports are sent out approximately every six weeks so that parents are also well informed of students’ progress and achievement.
Advice, support and guidance
76. Students say that they were made to feel welcome when they arrived at the college and that they receive good advice and guidance when making their initial choice of IB subjects. They found the printed information about subjects and courses clear, accurate and helpful. At the same time, they praised the accessibility of teaching staff, and felt that they would be able to seek help if they experienced academic difficulties.
77. Students who are at risk of underachieving are quickly identified by referral or by monitoring of the academic records. Links with universities, especially the University of Surrey, are very good. Close proximity of the Surrey campus enables students to use some facilities, such as the university library. There are effective procedures to ensure students’ health and safety.
HOW WELL DOES THE COLLEGE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
Parents think well of the college and appreciate its very good efforts to sustain close links and keep them very well informed.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 30 78. Parents’ overall views, that their children enjoy coming to college, were confirmed by all student year groups. Parents consider that their children are making good progress and that the college is well led and managed. Most recognise that the college tries to promote good behaviour, a view confirmed by the inspection. They see teaching as good, particularly in art and mathematics, though several have doubts about the setting of homework. Parents acknowledge that students are expected to work hard and that the college helps their child to become mature and responsible. They are comfortable about approaching the college and feel welcome. They also acknowledge that they are kept well informed and the college works closely with them. They consider that the college provides an interesting range of extra-curricular activities for their children. The inspectors agree overall with the parents’ views, though do not support the minority view on the amount of homework set.
79. The college’s relationships with parents are very strong and its links with parents, which it monitors carefully, are very effective. Assistant principals are available each day for discussion with parents and through its e-mail system the college encourages informal parent contact with teaching and pastoral staff. There is consultation with parents on matters of general interest and it is college policy for tutors to keep in regular contact with all parents. The visiting and interviewing arrangements for Year 6 prospective parents are much appreciated and the induction mechanisms are very helpful. The college rightly emphasises the family nature of education and provides frequent family learning nights when parents and children can work together on, say, cookery or music. Parents are provided with formal meetings, such as the Year 9 options evening or the Year 11 certificate awards, and are invited to a wide range of musical and dramatic productions, sporting events, and other activities, such as the fashion show.
80. The quality of the information the college provides to parents is excellent, in particular the Internet website, which provides a wide range of up-to-date information, including homework set for the month ahead. The prospectus and the governors’ report to parents are very informative and meet statutory requirements. The newsletter is frequent and businesslike and there is an attractive glossy student newsletter. Each family receives a high quality curriculum booklet outlining the students’ programme of study; the booklet relating to the International Baccalaureate is especially impressive. The quality of written reporting to parents on students’ progress is also excellent. Students receive an academic review and report every six weeks, followed up by a fuller report at the end of Years 9 and 11. Neither the parent nor the student is in any doubt as to the college’s view on the student’s achievement and effort. Parents can comment on the reports and review them with staff. This helps with the setting of new targets very shortly after each report. Parents of those with statements of special educational need or with individual education plans are fully involved in the review of progress. The college also provides high quality support for parents of students where English is not the first language.
81. The contribution of parents to children’s learning at home and at college is good. The student planner and the website are now being developed as a really effective three-way communication between college, student and parent. Attendance at parents’ evenings and the college’s social and cultural events is good and several parent volunteers help in the college or support college events. The hardworking Parents and Friends Network helps at college functions and regularly consults with the principal, always with the emphasis on supporting the children’s education. It arranges a number of well-attended fund-raising events, which bring in useful sums for their children’s benefit.
HOW WELL IS THE COLLEGE LED AND MANAGED?
Both the setting up of a college with a number of innovative and successful features and the significant improvements made in student standards and progress stemming from the good and often very good teaching, originate from the excellent leadership and management of the governing body, principal and key staff. The co-ordination and development of physical education, religious
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 31 education and geography are less effective. The college provides good value for money.
82. The college is part of a growing consortium of colleges that share a distinctive ethos which places an emphasis on developing students’ responsibility for their own learning and raising their self- esteem and subsequent expectations. Considerable responsibility is placed on the class teacher as subject specialist and pastoral tutor and, in the absence of a formal middle management structure, emphasis is placed on those teachers leading specific initiatives and working in teams. Teachers respond enthusiastically to the demands made on them and this sustains a clear and positive purpose throughout the college.
83. The college is run by a private non-profit making trust which has a ten year contract awarded by the LEA with clear and agreed targets relating to improvements in attendance, standards and student numbers. In the initial setting up of the college, the trust members and associates worked closely with the LEA and principal in developing the old college site and establishing the staffing structure. They have been very successful in identifying sources of funding and using them effectively to set up the college. The formal role of the Trust has evolved into one of monitoring college progress against core values and targets and providing appropriate support and development.
84. The governing body contains a number of Trust sponsored governors and has in its membership substantial professional and commercial expertise. All governors play an active part and the college benefits considerably in terms of its strong links with the neighbouring university and from the excellent knowledge and skills of different governors in education, finance and information and communication technology. As Trust members a number of the governors have been active in establishing the college and continue to provide well informed support to the principal within the context of the non-executive role of the governing body. The governors take an active interest in curriculum and staffing matters and demonstrate considerable insight into the college strengths and areas for future development. Through this work the governing body fulfils its statutory duties well, with the exception of the daily act of worship.
85. The principal and his key staff provide excellent leadership. He combines high level organisational skills with a capacity to encourage others to share his vision and commitment. The assistant principals mostly have similar strengths and with the principal they provide a high level of visibility and support throughout the college. This is important in a college that has no formal middle management structure based on heads of subject team and heads of year. That the college has a very effective system of delegated management is a result of the dedication of staff and their readiness to take responsibility and work co-operatively. The six assistant principals successfully combine their responsibilities for strategic planning with day-to-day management of curriculum and pastoral matters. Across the different curriculum areas, teachers are encouraged to work as teams to develop shared teaching and assessment practice with many taking responsibility to promote particular initiatives. Much of this works very well, even in the larger and mixed curriculum areas of science, modern foreign languages and design and technology. The few exceptions to this are in those teams that have yet to develop coherent and appropriate work schemes and practices, as in the case of physical education; or where there has been insufficient staff development, for example in the new humanities team, to ensure fully effective teaching of geography and religious education.
86. The governors’ procedures for teachers’ performance management are securely in place. Teachers are monitored by an assistant principal following a comprehensive self review. A key feature of the performance management cycle is its identification of the strengths of staff against the needs of the college. The lack of a more hierarchical management structure further enables the college to negotiate with staff and deploy them in roles that benefit both them and the college. This adds considerably to the self-esteem, enthusiasm and effectiveness of staff both as managers and teachers.
87. Newly appointed teachers, including those that are newly qualified, are given a very thorough programme of induction and quickly embrace the strong college ethos of collective working and
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 32 mutual support. Overall the arrangements for training, support and deployment of teachers are excellent.
88. The college has very secure and excellently managed financial systems that enable the principal and governing body to have a clear and accurate picture of funding and expenditure. The recent LEA audit positively evaluated those systems. The financial management systems follow the common practice of providing maintenance funding for the different curriculum areas plus allocations for capital purchases. The governors allow the principal some flexibility in use of funds particularly in acquiring new staff in a local area where teacher recruitment can difficult.
89. The governors and principal have been very effective in accessing different sources of funding that provided for new colleges as part of the ‘Fresh Start’ scheme. Its success in gaining technology college status has attracted further phased financial support. It has used these funds very well to improve the accommodation and facilities and this ability to achieve value for money is evident in the building of the new performing arts centre. The college uses funds for
their designated purpose such as that for students with special educational needs. Unit costs are high because of the initial set up costs and the small population of the college that will double in size as full cohorts move through to Years 10-11 and the sixth form.
90. There is a good match of staff to the demands of the curriculum and specialist teachers fill most of the main curriculum posts. There are particular strengths in physics and modern foreign languages in part because of the attractiveness of the sixth form curriculum, and specialist knowledge and skills is a key strength of the good teaching across the college. A teacher of Chinese and Japanese has been appointed for September which will further enhance modern foreign languages provision. In ICT an experienced systems manager from industry has recently been recruited as a specialist teacher to spearhead more advanced ICT subject developments in the college. There are few instances of non-specialist teaching with the main exception of the humanities programme which results in some weaknesses in provision for geography and religious education.
91. Resources are developing and are good overall. ICT resources are very good and are used very effectively for teaching and administrative purposes. These include excellent management of data on students, linking assessment to parents’ reports, and the use of electronic registration to monitor attendance tightly. Staff from several subject areas work outstandingly well together to build up exciting resources on the college web site (“DigitalBrain”) and introduce new ideas all staff can use, backed up by extensive training.
92. The accommodation is good. It has recently been substantially improved. Management and administration are now more effective and the students’ learning has been considerably enhanced through the well designed extensions and improvements, such as the design and technology area and the science laboratories. Structural repair and improvements have returned the buildings to a good condition. The café style dining facilities and a cloakroom for all the students to use, add to the general conviviality. The college buildings are clean and well maintained. Students take good care of all the facilities. Students' work is celebrated in attractive and informative displays in the hall, classrooms and common access areas. The college's surroundings are generous and attractive. Floor damage in one of the gymnasiums and the lack of fume extraction in the kiln room are weaknesses, but the most serious deficiency in the physical education and games area is the lack of sufficient good quality indoor facilities. This limits the range of learning activity and so slows students’ progress in game play.
Sixth form
Leadership and management
93. Excellent leadership, emanating from the principal, provides a clear direction for the development of the sixth form and is well supported by senior management, governors and the staff of the
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 33 college. Overall daily administrative arrangements, systems and procedures work well. The sixth form is a distinct but important part of the college as a whole. Students are known well individually and benefit from the small group sizes in terms of the personal support they receive. They contribute effectively to a range of college events.
94. The sixth form already attracts students from abroad, and is set to provide a model of international cooperation. Students who join the college from abroad are provided with very good support. Students work well together and provide good examples of mutual respect between people of different ethnic, national and religious backgrounds.
95. The sixth form is in the early stages of development, and is not yet cost-effective.
Resources
96. Staffing is matched well to provision and is generous given the modest size of most teaching groups. This has been intentional in order to provide good student choice. Students benefit from the good ICT provision and much of the accommodation is fairly new and with good resources. There are a few weaker aspects such as the limited range and quantity of library books for English. Sports facilities, particularly for indoor activities, are also lacking and this limits opportunities in that area. WHAT SHOULD THE COLLEGE DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
97. The college has in place all the key systems and structures that will further improve standards. Within these systems there is a need to ensure that:
1. the strong specialist teaching seen in most subjects, is extended to physical education, religious education and geography. This would be through staff training to ensure more rigorous delivery by non-specialists, continued effective recruitment of more specialists, particularly to help develop physical education and further strengthen a more coherent and shared approach to curriculum planning in those areas. (Paragraphs 30,195,197,199)
2. within the rigorous and supportive marking and assessment framework, teachers judge standards that more accurately reflect those nationally. This to form part of improving opportunities for moderation activity within and between colleges and a clearer focus on criteria based assessment. (Paragraphs 38,108,113,133,155,174,195)
3. in addition to the wider and often exciting learning opportunities for higher attaining students, those students are appropriately challenged in all lessons. This forms part of the continuing college focus on improved extension activity and continued staff training. (Paragraphs 14,37)
4. there are improved indoor sports and recreational facilities by short term enhancements, including building development in the college plan. (Paragraphs 93,196)
Sixth form
1. Meet statutory requirements for religious education by providing a planned programme that meets an agreed scheme. (Paragraph 61) 2. Improve provision of sporting facilities and activities through curriculum change and, at an early opportunity, enhance and improve accommodation and facilities. (Paragraphs 64,97,193) 3. Widen the sixth form curriculum provision to include vocational courses in order to meet the needs and interests of more students wanting to enter the sixth form. (Paragraph 62)
The college has recognised the need to address most of the above areas as part of its detailed evaluation and development procedures.
PHYSICAL DISABILITY UNIT
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 34 The college makes very good provision for students with physical disabilities. There are currently seven students with physical disabilities on role although there is accommodation for fourteen students.
Strengths · Very good provision for students to be included in all college activities. · Very good social integration which contributes to the high self esteem of students. · Excellent administration of the unit which ensures that individual needs are met efficiently and sensitively. · Very good liaison with parents and outside agencies which means that knowledge is shared and appropriate action taken.
Areas for improvement · Issues of accommodation need to be addressed. · Ensure that all targets on individual educational plans are measurable.
98. Students with physical disabilities in all years achieve well. This is because their individual learning, physical, social and emotional needs are catered for successfully. It is also because of their determination, enthusiasm and independence and the contribution they make to the life of the college. For example, one student reported how he ‘enjoyed every single moment’ of a college production in which he took part. He also had the skills and confidence to organise a bowling trip for the PHAB club, including drafting letters for parents. The PHAB club enables boys and girls with and without physical disabilities, to share a very wide range of enrichment activities twice a week. The Kielder Challenge provides another opportunity for physically able students to work with peers in wheelchairs as a team to complete a number of demanding challenges against other teams in the country. All students take part in visits and residential trips. This includes travelling abroad with their peers, for example to Greece. These experiences contribute to students’ already high self-esteem and to their easy acceptance by the college community.
99. Students of all ages and learning abilities make good progress against the targets on their Individual Education Plans. Targets are reviewed and updated regularly, with students involved in target setting and parents informed. However, it would be easier to measure the progress made if targets were more precise. Teachers cater for the needs of individual students with the help of very good information that is available electronically in each classroom. Very well targeted support staff and very good relationships between staff and students also contribute to the good progress students make academically. This means that all students are able to work as independently as they are able in groups which best suit their academic needs. In a physical education lesson one student was guided to hit the ball with his racquet by hand-on-hand support. Another student needed no support to participate fully in a top set science lesson. Good resources sometimes chosen carefully for individuals usually help students access all activities. For example, in a design and technology lesson a board helped one student control his design sheet, whereas the lack of a height adjustable table in food technology disadvantaged another student.
100. The management of the PDU is excellent and is characterised by high regard for individuals and efficient use of time and resources. Staff are calm and competent. They provide systems and give the practical and emotional support which enable students to succeed. The administration of records and reviews is very good, as is the pooling of information with students, colleagues, parents and external agencies. The site of the unit next to the cyber café is sensitive. It means that it is used constantly as a drop-in centre by students and their friends. It also provides a quiet space where students can support one another and where physical needs can be met. Its joint use by students with other special needs helps ensure the efficient use of the area and helps make it more socially inclusive. Accommodation overall is satisfactory with sufficient ramps and disabled toilets and a lift to all floors. However, shower facilities are inadequate because of the siting of the outflow, and access from outside is unsatisfactory. This is because there are no electronic doors and the present doors are too heavy for students or disabled visitors to open.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 35 The college is well aware of these deficiencies which are highlighted in the college development and accessibility plans.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 36 PART C: COLLEGE DATA AND INDICATORS
Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
Number of lessons observed Years 7-11 100
Sixth form 26
Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and students 65
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor Poor Very Poor y
Years 7-11
Number 7 19 53 18 2 1 0
Percentage 7 19 52 18 2 1 0
Sixth form
Number 2 5 13 6 0 0 0
Percentage 8 19 50 22 0 0 0
The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching
Information about the college’s students
Students on the college’s roll Y7 – Y11 Sixth form
Number of students on the college’s roll 548 33
Number of full-time students known to be eligible for free college meals 79 0
Special educational needs Y7– Y11 Sixth form
Number of students with statements of special educational needs 38 0
Number of students on the college’s special educational needs register 116 0
English as an additional language No of students
Number of students with English as an additional language 21
Student mobility in the last college year No of students
Students who joined the college other than at the usual time of first admission 13
Students who left the college other than at the usual time of leaving 16
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 37 Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 38 Attendance
Authorised absence Unauthorised absence
per cent per cent
College data 9.2 College data 1.4
National comparative data 7.8 National comparative data 1.2
Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9) Year Boys Girls Total
Number of registered students in final year of Key Stage 3 for the latest reporting 9 37 28 65 year
National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science
Boys 15 20 21
Numbers of students at NC level Girls 12 6 5 5 and above Total 27 26 26
College 42 (49) 42 (41) 42 (39) Percentage of students at NC level 5 or above National 66 (64) 67 (66) 66 (66)
College 15 (17) 27 (24) 15 (10) Percentage of students at NC level 6 or above National 32 (31) 45 (43) 33 (34)
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
Boys 15 24 24
Numbers of students at NC level Girls 5 14 8 5 and above Total 20 38 32
College 32 (54) 61 (52) 52 (54) Percentage of students at NC level 5 or above National 67 (65) 70 (68) 67 (64)
College 3 (12) 23 (23) 19 (4) Percentage of students at NC level 6 or above National 32 (31) 44 (42) 34 (33)
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 39 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11) Year Boys Girls Total
Number of registered students in final year of Key Stage 4 for the latest reporting 11 30 30 60 year
GCSE results 5 or more grades 5 or more grades 1 or more grades A* to C A*-G A*-G
Boys 7 21 28
Numbers of students achieving Girls 9 21 27 the standard specified Total 16 42 55
College 27 (15) 70 (77) 92 (88) Percentage of students achieving the standard National 50 (48) 91 (91) 96 (96) specified Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
GCSE results GCSE point score
College 23.4 (21.1) Average point score per student National 39.8 (39.0)
Figures in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
International Baccalaureate Number per cent success rate
College 7 100 Number entered for the International Baccalaureate Diploma and the percentage of those students who achieved all they studied National N/a
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 40 Ethnic background of students Exclusions in the last college year
Categories used in the Annual College Census No of Number of Number of students on fixed period permanent roll exclusions exclusions
White – British 565 48 2
White – Irish 3 0 0
White – any other White background 0 0 0
Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 0 0 0
Mixed – White and Black African 2 0 0
Mixed – White and Asian 0 0 0
Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0
Asian or Asian British - Indian 1 0 0
Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0
Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0
Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 5 1 0
Black or Black British – Caribbean 2 0 0
Black or Black British – African 0 0 0
Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0
Chinese 3 0 0
Any other ethnic group 0 0 0
No ethnic group recorded 0 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of students excluded.
Teachers and classes Financial information
Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y13
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 41.2 Financial year 2001/2
Number of students per qualified teacher 14.1
Education support staff: Y7 – Y13 £
Total number of education support staff 15 Total income 2049093
Total aggregate hours worked per week 384 Total expenditure 2069045
Deployment of teachers: Y7 – Y13 Expenditure per student 4469
Percentage of time teachers spend in 75.1 Balance brought forward from previous year 170781 contact with classes Average teaching group size: Y7 – Y13 Balance carried forward to next year 150829
Key Stage 3 21.9
Key Stage 4 18.1
FTE means full-time equivalent.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 41 Recruitment of teachers
Number of teachers who left the college during the last two years 15
Number of teachers appointed to the college during the last two years 61.2
Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0
Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0
Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0
FTE means full-time equivalent.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 42 Results of the survey of parents and carers
Questionnaire return rate
Number of questionnaires sent out 581
Number of questionnaires returned 219
Percentage of responses in each category
Strongly Tend to Tend to Strongly Don’t agree agree disagree disagree know
My child likes college. 44 45 7 4 0
My child is making good progress in college. 50 42 5 1 1
Behaviour in the college is good. 26 52 11 5 6
My child gets the right amount of work to do at 25 44 18 8 5 home.
The teaching is good. 42 52 4 1 4
I am kept well informed about how my child is 55 35 6 4 0 getting on. I would feel comfortable about approaching the 61 32 5 2 0 college with questions or a problem. The college expects my child to work hard and 67 31 0 1 1 achieve his or her best.
The college works closely with parents. 41 42 10 5 2
The college is well led and managed. 49 42 2 2 5
The college is helping my child become mature 43 44 5 4 4 and responsible. The college provides an interesting range of 49 39 4 3 5 activities outside lessons.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 43 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN KEY STAGES 3 AND 4
ENGLISH
Overall, the quality of provision in English is good.
Strengths · Standards of attainment are rising. · Teaching is good overall and students usually learn well as a result. · Teachers manage students well, and the good relationships between them are reflected in students’ good attitudes and behaviour. · Teachers share a common desire to help students improve, and they give students confidence in their capacity to do so.
Areas for improvement · Teachers’ judgements of the standard reached by higher attainers are at times uncertain. · Some aspects of teaching lead to undemanding learning or ineffective use of time. · The planning of small units of work by individual teachers does not produce a coherent and consistently demanding learning experience for all students.
101. GCSE English results for A*-C grades in 2002 were significantly below the national average and below average for A*-G grades. Compared with 2001, however, these results showed considerable improvement, with the proportion obtaining grades A*-C almost doubling. In English literature the proportion obtaining grades A*-C was higher than in English but still well below average. Girls did better than boys, and the difference between them in English was slightly greater than nationally. Given their well below average attainment on entry to the college, students’ results indicate that they achieved at least as well as should be expected and lower attainers achieved well.
102. In 2002, students’ performance in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 9 was well below average compared with students’ performance nationally, but average in relation to prior attainment comparisons. On that basis their performance in English was better than in mathematics and science. Unusually, girls did less well than boys, but this was substantially due to the presence (and absence) of a group of disaffected girls who did not take advantage of the opportunities for learning. Students’ average points score was lower in 2002 than in 2001, but the college has not been open long enough to establish a trend in results. Teachers’ assessments of students’ performance at the higher levels in the last two years have differed from the actual outcome, and evidence from this inspection indicates that uncertainty still exists. Over-generous assessments of students’ performance may be intended to motivate and encourage, but they do not give students a clear idea of what is expected, so that higher attainers in particular, though achieving satisfactorily, are not fully stretched.
103. In work seen during the inspection, standards of attainment are below average at the end of Year 9. This judgement is in line with the subject team’s own analysis of predicted grades, and represents a substantial improvement over performance last year. Achievement is satisfactory in relation to students’ prior attainment. In the classroom Year 9 students’ speaking skills are average overall, with higher attainers able to give extended replies and show creative understanding when suggesting how to present a scene. They have a range of vocabulary available to describe, for example, Lady Macbeth’s state of mind. Scrutiny of students’ written work, however, shows that though well presented, it suffers from technical weaknesses in spelling and sentence punctuation. Often it consists of short comments arranged in chart or tabular form with little opportunity to produce an extended written response after this type of preliminary analysis. Work on Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ in preparation for Year 9 tests involved recording information about scenes rather than written explanations showing knowledge and understanding. There has been an intensive training focus on the national strategy for teaching English in Years 7 to 9 and the subject team has been recognised as having ‘leading practice’ in this respect.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 44 Despite this good practice, the planning of small units of work by different teachers does not always produce a coherent and consistently demanding learning experience for all students. 104. Lower attainers, students with special educational needs and students with English as an additional language are well supported. Additional literacy lessons, the valuable support of classroom assistants, and teachers’ knowledge of students’ individual needs ensure that these students make progress at least as well as others. In one Year 7 lesson such students confidently used computer aided learning software to practise their literacy skills and ‘PowerPoint’ presentation software to prepare a ‘press release’ about a recent visitor to the college.
105. In work seen during the inspection standards are well below average at the end of Year 11. Given the very low prior attainment of these students on entry to the college and their disrupted learning experience when younger, their achievement is good. The highest attainers show understanding of the key elements of their set texts and some sensitivity when writing about character and relationships. There is some confident personal or creative writing. Many of these students, however, lack fluency in expression, handle quotation awkwardly and make mistakes in spelling and sentence punctuation. These difficulties prevent them reaching the higher GCSE grades. Middle attainers show at least adequate knowledge of texts in written work that has clearly followed a supportive framework. They find handling the continuity or flow of an essay difficult without such support, however, and technical weaknesses are more prevalent. Lower attainers can produce reasonably extended pieces of coursework with support, but inaccuracies in spelling and limited vocabulary are even more obvious. Students in a higher attaining Year 11 class, though able to work with quiet concentration, had problems expressing their understanding clearly in writing, especially under the pressure of time. There are, however, signs that standards are rising in Year 10 as students gain confidence through good teaching.
106. The quality of teaching in English is good overall, and students usually learn well as a result. Teachers manage students well through a combination of good humour, knowledge of the needs of individual students and praise for their efforts. As a result students’ attitudes and behaviour are good. Some teaching, more often in Years 7 and 8 than for older students, lacks pace and learning is slower as a result. Teachers miss opportunities to show or model for students how to tackle a piece of writing, or to extend or challenge higher attainers. Even in otherwise good lessons, teachers over-explain or over-instruct so that students become passive rather than active learners. On the other hand, in a very good Year 9 lesson the teacher’s lively questioning and enthusiastic encouragement drew from students themselves the learning she required. Her knowledge of ‘Macbeth’ gave her teaching authority, and she demanded much from her students: ‘What I am giving you here is the formula for a Level 7 answer.’ As a result the lesson moved along at a very good rate, the students learned much about how to tackle their Shakespeare question and gained the confidence to do so. Similarly high expectations and a rapid pace of working were apparent in a Year 10 lesson. The teacher encouraged good vocabulary and praised its use, reviewed previous work rapidly by drawing a response from most students, took the opportunity to have students reading parts from a play script and set high expectations for effort, presentation and homework. As a result he caught the attention of all: students responded with interest and enthusiasm and worked with quiet concentration on their written task to a successful conclusion. In both lessons it was clear that very good teaching was raising standards. In fact, good and very good teaching occurs throughout the age range and because this is the standard in the majority of lessons, the subject team has a strong platform on which to build.
107. Leadership and management have been effective in creating a teaching atmosphere in which students can enjoy their learning and gain confidence in their ability to succeed. Some tightening up is necessary over teachers’ assessments and the quality of some units of the schemes of work, but the subject team has good capacity to improve further.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 45 MATHEMATICS
Overall the quality of provision in mathematics is very good.
Strengths · Lessons are planned very well. · There is excellent use of ICT. · Teachers have high expectations of students. · The staff is hard working and cooperates well as a team.
Areas for improvement. · Teachers do not make sufficient use of assessment data to help students to understand their own progress better.
108. On entry standards are now broadly in line with national averages. By the end of Year 9 in 2002, the number of students reaching level 5 or above was well below national averages. In relation to the prior attainment of these students this represents satisfactory progress. Results in Year 9 have been increasing steadily. The target of 65 per cent at level 5 and above for 2003 is realistic and would be at or above national averages. A similar picture of improving results can be seen at GCSE. Last year 29 per cent of students reached grades A*-C in mathematics. This is well below national averages but represents nearly a five fold increase from six per cent in 2000. In the two years that the college has been open, all students have made good progress in relation to their prior attainment in mathematics.
109. In work seen in class and students’ books, students in Years 7-9 are achieving very well and overall standards are in line with national averages. There is no difference in the attainment of boys and girls. In Year 9, students in a higher group were able to find the nth term of a complex quadratic sequence. In Year 8, students successfully used a conditional probability tree diagram to work out the probability of combined events. This is work at Exceptional Performance level and represents well above average attainment. The college intends to enter some of these students for mathematics GCSE in Year 10.
110. Standards in Years 10-11 are below average. Boys are attaining better than girls. Very few students will be entered for the Higher tier GCSE. Lessons seen indicate that there are many gaps in students’ knowledge of mathematics. For example, students could do trigonometric problems but could not work with three-figure bearings. Students in Year 10 and 11 had previously been at King’s Manor college where staffing difficulties meant that mathematics was taught by temporary and supply teachers. This disrupted the continuity of mathematics education. In this context students are making at least satisfactory progress through Years 10 and 11.
111. The good achievement is the result of good teaching overall. Teaching was good or better in 80 per cent of lessons. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to plan interesting and stimulating lessons. Expectations of what students can do are high and students respond well to the challenge. The National Numeracy Strategy has been implemented fully in Years 7 to 9, and some elements have been included in lessons in Years 10 and 11. All lessons have a starting activity which engages students’ interest and leads to the main focus of the lesson. Exposition of the main points of the lesson is very clear, although by using very good questioning and dialogue teachers encourage students to develop topics using prior knowledge. Teachers know their students well. Planning takes the individual needs of students into account. For example, in Year 11 students were working on differentiated tasks within the same topic to reflect their different levels of attainment. The use of ICT is a major strength of teaching. Imaginative use of this technology to introduce and develop topics engages students’ interest. Students’ attitudes are at least good throughout the college. They show independence in their learning. For example, when making drawing nets and dice, students checked the numbering. When working together they are cooperative and show respect for each other.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 46 112. The college’s management philosophy means that there is no head of subject team or faculty. Subject team responsibilities are spread amongst staff and are carried out very well. This leads to a ‘collegiate’ atmosphere within the subject team. Cooperation is a strong feature and staff communicate instantly via e-mail but there are formal meetings and many informal meetings. There is a sharing of good practice. The staff are hard working, very enthusiastic and imaginative. Schemes of work are very comprehensive and meet all statutory requirements. At the start of modules of work students are given a copy of the learning objectives. At the end of the module they are assessed against National Curriculum or GCSE levels. This information is recorded and targets set for future work. These targets are not always related to the original objectives and the subject team accepts this is an area for development.
113. The subject team has very good resources and excellent ICT facilities. Classrooms provide an attractive learning environment. One room within the subject team is a dedicated computer suite. Another computer suite is also used as a teaching room. Each teaching room has a data projector or interactive white board that are used well to enhance teaching. During the inspection week these were used for power-point presentations of lessons, showing videos and using the Internet to load dynamic teaching resources. All staff showed very good use of this technology.
114. The subject team offers a very good programme of enrichment in mathematics. Year 6 students from local primary colleges come into the college for mathematics master classes. Gifted and talented students in Year 8 visit the University of Surrey for master classes. Students are entered for national mathematics competitions. Students from the University of Surrey and the Royal Grammar College assist in mathematics lessons. Students are encouraged to use the Internet to research the lives of famous mathematicians.
115. The subject team supports the college’s literacy strategy well. Key words are displayed in classrooms. Students are encouraged to spell mathematical words. Students are given the opportunities to verbalise their mathematics and teachers insist on the correct use of technical language.
116. Overall this is a very effective team of teachers. In the two and a half years that the college has been open they have created an ethos of high achievement which challenges both staff and students.
SCIENCE
Overall provision for science is good.
Strengths · GCSE results are improving rapidly. · The committed team provide good quality teaching and have considerable subject expertise. · There are now outstanding accommodation and facilities. · The good range of courses is carefully planned with good assessment features. · The very good subject management is very well supported by technical staff.
Areas for improvement · On occasion the small number of more challenging students need careful behaviour management.
117. In 2002 the results of the National Curriculum science tests for students at the end of Year 9 were well below those attained in colleges nationally. However these results refer to the final cohort of students from the previous college where science attainment on entry was very low. The scrutiny of students’ work and the observation of lessons suggest a significant improvement in these results in successive years.
118. About half the students were entered for double award GCSE science in 2002 and their results were above the national average. However, those students entered for the single science award performed well below the national average. Again these results refer to the students inherited
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 47 from the previous college and work observed during the inspection suggests further improvement in GCSE results in future years.
119. Many Year 9 students are showing high standards in their work. This is clear from the written work of the more able students and from lesson observation. A Year 9 group in a revision lesson were able to answer questions on photosynthesis, measure the starch present in a leaf and understand the reason for the lack of starch in some cases. There is a wide ability range within the year but most students are making good progress. In the same way a group of Year 11 students readily understood the idea of moments and were able to demonstrate their grasp of the concept in subsequent calculations. The results from completed modules by the double science group suggest even better results than in 2002. Many less strong science students take the single science GCSE and are also making good progress. Standards across all Year 11 students are a little below national average though double award students are attaining standards in line with those nationally.
120. Standards in literacy in science are very varied across the college. Emphasis is placed on important science words displayed in laboratories and writing frames and other techniques are used to support students with reading difficulties. There is a strong emphasis on numeracy in the various science courses. For example, a Year 9 group carefully calculated speeds they had reached on the athletics track and converted these speeds into other units. There were good examples of line and bar graphs in the students’ work sampled. Students’ ICT skills are well used in science. They readily use the smartboards and the wireless laptops available in the laboratories and have no difficulties in word processing reports.
121. Students’ attitudes to science lessons are generally good; they enjoy the variety of practical work and appreciate the facilities and equipment available in science. There are, however, examples of poor behaviour in a very few lessons which interrupt the work of other students. In a GNVQ lesson one student decided to interrupt the lesson and this brought part of the class to a halt. The teacher gently persuaded her to work using an individual set of apparatus and the lesson continued. Relationships with students are good.
122. The quality of teaching across all years in science is generally good and can be excellent. Teachers are well qualified in their subjects and lessons are well prepared. In a Year 10 lesson with a lower attaining group on microscopy, students were given a very clear aim for the lesson which was reinforced throughout and skilful teaching ensured all students remained on task to achieve this aim. Students generally respond well and many work hard to meet the expectations of the staff. These students can reach high standards as is shown by the improving results in external tests and examinations. The emphasis on practical work in science ensures that students’ practical skills are of a good standard. A Year 10 group were investigating the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction of hydrochloric acid on marble chips. They worked efficiently and effectively, if rather too enthusiastically, to complete a large number of readings within the time available to them.
123. The quality of resources available to the students in science is of a very high standard. This is particularly true in ICT. A GNVQ Year 10 group sorted materials physically into different categories but were also able to sort them on the smartboard to obtain a written record. Another GNVQ group revised their microscope skills by using an interactive microscope before using a real microscope and a Year 11 double science group revised their work on moments using a software simulation of a balance. In all these cases the software engaged the interest of the students and contributed to their learning.
124. In Years 7 to 9 all students follow a balanced science course in broad ability bands. In Year 11 one group follows a double award science course to GCSE whilst the other two groups take a single award GCSE course. The situation in Year 10 is similar except that a GNVQ science course has been introduced to replace the single award course. The science curriculum covers a number of aspects of the college’s sex, health and environmental education programmes. Students are given opportunities to discuss moral issues related to science and practical work ensures that students are made aware of the social needs, rights and responsibilities of others.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 48 There are good opportunities for broadening the science curriculum, particularly with the science club and the range of website/television references provided to students weekly on e-mail by the science staff.
125. Marking of students’ work is thorough and supportive. Detailed records are made of student progress which is reported regularly to them and their parents and is used for target setting which has been used successfully to raise standards.
126. Leadership across the science area is very dynamic and is supported by lively young team of committed and well qualified staff who are open to new ideas and new developments. Good use is made of the expertise within the partner colleges and opportunities for staff development are excellent. The small team of technicians provide outstanding technical support to the teaching staff.
127. The accommodation and resources within science are outstanding and contribute strongly to a good learning ethos in science.
128. Recognising the developments in science in the last few years there is no doubt that there is capacity for even further improvement in the near future.
ART AND DESIGN
Overall quality of provision is good.
Strengths · The good teaching and course planning is raising standards. · Good relationships between staff and students are supporting and encouraging good attitudes to learning. · The good range of media available to students stimulates interest and helps to raise standards.
Areas for improvement · Assessment in Years 7 –9 does not accurately reflect National Curriculum levels. · Limited teaching of drawing means that students are less confident when researching and developing ideas. · Learning outcomes are less clearly defined when planning projects and selecting resources.
129. In 2002 very few students took the GCSE examination and results overall were below average, although the number gaining the highest grades was above average. Girls did better than boys. These students experienced some disruption to their early years of art education, which means that, when they began the course, standards were well below average; their results therefore represent good progress.
130. Students currently in Years 10 and 11 similarly started their course well below average. The standard of work of those about to do GCSE is below average overall. Their work shows that they have followed a well-structured course, which places strong emphasis on the development of ideas, particularly by experimenting with media. The effect of this is that they are making good progress. Where media experiments are well done, as in the work of one student who has explored surface qualities by combining and exploiting the potential of different materials, the work is of a good standard. Work is less good when students rely on the inherent qualities of materials to achieve their ends. All students have less well-developed drawing skills and this hinders their ability to research directly from observation. Drawings often show little understanding of the expressive potential of line, and tone is frequently used to fill in shape rather than to describe form. Students in Year 10, when given the choice, resort too readily to copying from photographs and reproductions rather than working directly from observation. In contrast these same students have produced work of a much higher standard when making still life drawings, collages and paintings from observation.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 49 131. In lessons and from the work seen, standards in Years 8 –9 are overall in line with national expectations. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls. All students, including those with special needs and physical disability are achieving well. Encouraged to experiment, students confidently use different media, as for example in Year 9 collages based on a theme of texture in landscape, and in the Year 8 relief work inspired by the sculpture of Giacometi and Saint Phalle. Students in Years 8 and 9 are not as good at sustaining and developing ideas through visual research and sketchbook work and drawing is less well done This is because drawing as a distinct skill is not being taught as well as it should be. Also the potential of homework to contribute to the development of these skills is not being fully utilized, particularly in Years 8 and 9. Teachers make frequent connections between what students are doing and the work of other artists and as a result students are able to make perceptive observations about the qualities found, for example in the contrasting sculpture of the human form. In Year 7 standards overall are higher than would be expected for students of this age. Sketchbook work is more substantial and ideas more thoughtfully developed, with drawing skills overall being much nearer to average for students of this age. The Totem project is a good example of how drawing in sketch books supports the development of a good standard of three- dimensional work.
132. Overall teaching and its impact on learning are good. Lessons are well structured and for younger students in Years 7 –9 begin with good whole class teaching which effectively refocuses students on the work in hand and sets targets for the lesson The effect of this is to ensure that students have a clear understanding of what is expected of them, seen for example in Year 7 lessons where students learn about the qualities of pen and ink as a drawing medium. Questioning is well used to probe students’ previous learning and this is effective in encouraging the development of a specialist vocabulary. Teachers have mostly high expectation of their students and this was particularly evident in a Year 7 lesson where high expectations were translated into high levels of homework completion. Good relationships are actively promoted by teachers, which make a positive contribution to learning. The majority of students respond well, particularly in Years 7-9. Some older students, for example in Year 10, present challenging behaviour and show a reluctance to engage positively with activities and this hinders the progress they make. The use of new technology by teachers is a developing strength and much specialist material can now be accessed by students via the college website to support individual learning. Students feel well informed about how well they are doing as a result of the regular reports on progress and attainment. These assessments need to be more rigorous to ensure that they define the National Curriculum levels more accurately. The whole curriculum for Years 7 –9 and for examination classes has been well planned and this is having a positive impact on raising standards. Teachers now need to give more thought to the way tasks within projects are matched to learning outcomes, for example, by ensuring that resources to stimulate learning are always carefully chosen.
133. This is a well-managed subject team where routines of review and evaluation are well established. Teachers work well together and willingly cooperate to ensure that jobs are effectively done. Subject team documentation such as schemes of work and policies are comprehensive and the subject development plan indicates appropriate areas for further development. Art is part of an arts faculty and the member of staff who oversees the work of this subject grouping is a member of the senior management of the college, ensuring that the arts area is represented at the highest level.
134. In a short time the art subject team has begun to establish an effective approach to the teaching of art. Teachers are enthusiastic about what they do, have the potential to succeed further and the vision to develop an area of excellence within the college
CITIZENSHIP
Overall, the quality of provision in citizenship is good
Strengths
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 50 · Students' attitudes as active participants in a learning community in which they are expected to contribute. · The ethos of the college, which ensures that citizenship is not another additional subject but emerges from the college's values. · There are well planned courses in personal, social and health education. · The current good provision provides a firm basis for future developments.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 51 Areas for improvement · An audit of the subjects' specific contribution to citizenship has yet to be completed. · Assessment systems are not fully developed. · There has been limited training and support to teachers teaching the personal, social and health education programme.
135. There are three inter-relating strands to the development of citizenship at Kings College. The most important strand developing the three aspects of citizenship1 is the college's ethos. The ethos of a college or college is not always easy to define. It is the way that the college's aims are translated into the daily life, through the daily encounter in classrooms and corridors. Underpinning the work of Kings College is the fact that the student is an active participating partner in the learning community and is expected to contribute to that learning community, rather than be a passive recipient. This is reflected most strongly in the very good relationships between staff and students. Courtesy and respect for students are key characteristics of the quality of this relationship. Members of staff are very good role models. They listen to students, value their contribution in class and their management of students is not based on coercion. Students do not do things because the teacher 'says so' but because the student comes to an understanding that it is the right thing to do. For example, a student reporting to an assistant principal at the end of the day to show his behaviour report card, sets his own target for the next day- ' not to sit alongside student x because he is more likely to "muck about" ', rather than being told not to sit alongside student x. Discussion, rationalisation, explanation, helping the student come to an understanding of the impact of his /her actions and, fundamentally, taking responsibility for the actions, are key features of college life which, along with the fact that members of staff work very hard to develop a student’s sense of self worth, are directly relevant to developing citizenship.
136. College assemblies are very important in transmitting these values. A Year 8 assembly sensitively explored the reasons put forward by those supporting and opposing coalition forces' action in Iraq and compared student polling in public ballot to national polling. They also participated in a secret ballot and the results and reasons explored why ballots were private affairs in the light of the results. The assembly made very effective use of current affairs material and provided opportunities for students to voice their ideas. There are other opportunities within the life of the college for students to take responsibility- such as the college council, and the college has plans for developing 'buddy 'systems and peer mediation.
137. Extension and enrichment activities also provide clear opportunities for students to participate and assume responsibilities. The importance of a fashion show, for example, extended way beyond the actual display of fashion and provided important opportunities for the differentiated team-work that such an event demands. The college is also currently re-vitalising the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme which provides important aspects of personal challenge and community service.
138. Another very important aspect of the college's ethos is the underlying implication of its thriving ICT policy and particularly through the college web page. Students know what they are studying; homework and extension opportunities are readily available. Information is open and available; students are encouraged to investigate and find out. The college works hard to share knowledge and encourage enquiry. Teachers do not use knowledge as a basis for their 'power' but are actively trying to ensure that the students gain knowledge and empower themselves.
139. The second way that citizenship is being developed is through the personal, social and health education programme. This element is detailed and planned well. There is a clear overview and the course is mapped out in detail. There are specific elements in the Key Stage 3 programme, such as living in a diverse society, rights and responsibilities and living in a democracy. Because of the way the sessions and the course are timetabled it was only possible to see a relatively small sample of the personal, social and health education lessons and the specific citizenship 'knowledge' sections were timetabled for the summer term. In Years 10 and 11, students take a specific GCSE half course in Citizenship due for examination in the summer of 2003.
1 The three aspects of citizenship being developed in colleges are: knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens, developing skills of enquiry and communication and developing skills of participation and responsible action.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 52 140. The third way citizenship is taught in the college is through the specific contribution of other subjects. The contribution of the history subject team has been specifically mapped out. The overt contribution of other subjects has yet to be audited. Nevertheless, students spoken to were very clear and, as importantly, made the connections with citizenship and their humanities work. For example, the work on world religions, constructing a 'Civilisation', work on the Cold War and Civil Rights had contributed to their world understanding and the rules needed to live by and the break down of these rules, as reflected in 'Lord of the Flies.'
141. The impact of the inter-relationship of these three strands means that students' standards in citizenship are above average. Particularly strong are the attitudes that underpin the skills of participation, enquiry and responsible action. A sample of higher attaining Year 9 students in discussion displayed mature attitudes to their learning. They recognised that within any group there exists a diversity of skills and viewpoints and are developing the skills to articulate, present and argue a case. In conversation they showed that they were assuming responsibility for their learning and beginning to make connections between work in one area and another. They were ambitious and saw opportunities within the college to further their interests. Above all they were engaged by the learning opportunities the college presented.
142. Overall, taking into account the contribution of other subjects, teaching is good. Teaching within the personal, social and health education element in the small sample seen is satisfactory overall but variable and further training is required to assist and support staff in teaching citizenship within personal, social and health education. Students in discussion clearly enjoyed the more active opportunities, such as for sharing ideas rather than learning through a worksheet.
143. Kings College's success in the introduction of citizenship is that it is not an additional subject bolted onto the curriculum but that it emerges as an extension of the college's aims and principles. The college acknowledges that it has further work to do to develop and refine citizenship within the college. In particular the college needs to: complete the audit of subjects' specific contributions to citizenship; use the learning intentions already identified for each module as the basis for an assessment system which extends beyond the current effort grade; provide additional training and support to the teaching of citizenship within personal, social and health education. Nevertheless, the current good provision brought about by very good management provides a very secure foundation for future developments.
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
The quality of education provided in design and technology is good.
Strengths · There is consistently good teaching and learning through all subjects of this curriculum area. · The staff work very well as a team and they know their students well to maximise learning opportunities. · Very good schemes of work ensure quality and continuity in learning. · There is outstanding learning in textiles. · There is very good assessment and tracking of students’ progress.
Areas for improvement · Computer control technology is insufficiently developed in Years 7-9. · There is too little technician time to prepare materials, maintain tools and support students’ practical work. · There is limited use of ICT to present course work including the graphical display and comparison of data and diagrams.
144. The percentage of students achieving grades A*-C in all the three subjects of food technology, graphic products and textiles combined is well below the national average. At the end of Year 11, the percentage of students who passed in the range A*-G is below the national average. Students studying textiles achieved better standards than those studying the other two subjects.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 53 They all achieved a pass grade and the number achieving the higher grades was much higher. At the end of Year 9, teacher assessments show students are achieving a standard that is in line with the national average.
145. Evidence from lessons and the analysis of work establish that students in Year 11 are achieving a standard of work that is below national expectations in food technology and graphic products and in line with expectations in textiles. Standards in Year 10 are better in the two new options of engineering and hospitality and catering where students are working to standards that are at least in line with national expectations. The inspection confirms that the standard of work is in line with national expectations in Years 10 and 11. There is no significant difference in the standards of work of boys and girls.
146. In Year 9, students successfully design and make sportswear. They complete a market analysis to identify suitable styles and draw their ideas imaginatively. They investigate the properties of a range of clothing materials for suitability. The brand name is of their choosing and this is embroidered onto the finished product having first been designed by the students on a computer that then transfers the digitalised graphic to an electronically controlled sewing machine. They have skills of pattern making and assembly well above expectations for their age.
147. In Year 11, students studying graphic products understand and can apply the concepts of hue, chroma and tone in their designs. They can use the standard colour wheel to identify harmonious and complementary colours to design appealing packaging for pet care products.
148. It is the synergy between good teaching and the interest, respect and cooperation that this engenders that leads to good learning throughout this curriculum area. The quality of teaching is always good and in nearly one quarter of the lessons seen it was outstanding. Teachers have a good knowledge of their subject and they teach with enthusiasm and good skills of communication. They support and encourage students of all abilities enabling them to experience success. In the majority of lessons students have a positive attitude to their work. Many are enthusiastic and they clearly enjoy their studies. They take pride in the quality of their practical and written work. In all classes students co-operate, sharing and using equipment sensibly and safely. They discuss their work with each other exchanging ideas and supporting each other’s learning.
149. Outstanding learning was seen in Year 7 when students were designing and making a patterned and embroidered bandana starting with plain white cloth. There was a relaxed but industrious atmosphere where all students were totally focussed on their project. A highly talented and enthusiastic teacher provided lots of encouragement and support whenever it was needed, empowering all the students with confidence to work to their very best skills and creative effort. Through this they were achieving well beyond expectations.
150. The quality of learning was outstanding for students in Year 10 when students, studying hospitality and catering, were examining the elements that constituted good personal presentation when dealing with clients and customers. The teacher skilfully led a discussion encouraging all the students to participate, developing and consolidating their ideas as they talked. They were very interested and highly motivated. They supported and enhanced each other’s learning through the exchange of ideas. Their written work very much supported the development of their literacy skills.
151. Older students are less successful in evaluating the things they have made by considering the views and preferences of the users of their products. Students studying GCSE graphic products have made slower progress in turning creative ideas into real 3D plans and specifications for a product. Students with special educational needs make good progress. This is because they receive good support and individual attention from their teachers when engaged on individual tasks.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 54 152. There is a well thought out scheme of work. This provides a wide range of learning experiences designed to challenge high attaining students and to provide for students with special educational needs. There are study guides that provide structure and prompts for the students when they are recording the design, making and evaluation processes. They make a valuable contribution to the quality of learning.
153. There is a wide range of opportunities to extend learning; for example, an annual fashion show for clothes they have designed and manufactured. Leading High Street clothes shops have sponsored this. Applied GCSE Engineering students take part in the “Formula Colleges” scheme to design, build and then race scale remote controlled cars with very powerful engines. Working in teams and finding sponsorship gives students a taste of the work place whilst engaging with the project work they really enjoy. Valuable experience is gained when Hospitality and Catering students provide for college events.
154. Procedures for assessing students' work are good. Their attainment is carefully monitored and recorded as they progress from year to year. This further enhances learning as the students have a clear idea of their standard of work to help them progress and the teachers are able to modify their teaching as strengths and weaknesses in the students’ work are identified. Homework is set regularly and the assignments are often discussed with the class in advance.
155. Knowledgeable and dedicated staff work very well as a team to ensure the provision of quality education that is consistent between subjects, year groups and classes. They monitor the progress of the students carefully. They are all committed to further development. They have a common vision and the tenacity to realise the expansion of an increasingly successful faculty. Currently there is no full-time technician. This has a direct impact on the quality of learning. Some tools are not available when required and materials are not prepared or tested for suitability before class use. This has been identified as a priority in the college’s development plan.
GEOGRAPHY
Overall, the quality of provision in geography is satisfactory.
Strengths · The dedicated teachers are committed to raising standards of attainment. · The planning and provision of resources for teaching and learning are much improved. · The course for the IB has been successfully implemented. · The developing use of ICT is well used in student presentations. · The subject makes a good contribution to the personal development of the students.
Areas for improvement · Newer staff are less well prepared to teach the geographical components of the humanities programme. · Fieldwork provision is insufficiently developed. · There is overuse of handouts and insufficient attention to students’ presentation of work. · There are too few opportunities for students to work independently.
156. Much has been achieved since the opening of the college in September 2000 and the standard of attainment of students by the end of Year 9 is in line with expectations nationally. Standards by the end of Year 11 and 13 are below national averages. Based on prior attainment at entry the students have all made good progress by the end of Years 9 and 11. The students with special educational needs make good progress because of the good support they receive throughout the college, not least of which is via the curriculum plus programme.
157. The students receive a broad and balanced programme. On entry to the college they learn how to give the correct six figure grid reference of locations on a map and understand the use of lines of latitude and longitude. They accurately calculate time differences across the globe and translate contour lines into features of the landscape. The presentation of geographical data in statistical
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 55 form illustrates their work on world population. By the end of Year 9 the students have obtained a wide range of geographical experiences from natural hazards to the impact of human action on the landscape. At the end of Year 11 students complete the geography component of the Humanities GCSE course which includes population studies, earth structure and natural hazards. Case studies provide opportunities for independent investigations.
158. The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was good but evidence from the scrutiny of work and elsewhere indicates teaching is satisfactory overall. Where the geographical component of the humanities course is taught by more specialist staff the standards are in line with those nationally. However, where staff have had less preparation for covering topic areas outside their immediate expertise, the expectations and standard of student work is below national average. The college recognise the need for more staff training. Where teaching is good, teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge which is effectively used to challenge the students’ thinking. For example in a Year 11 lesson on the rural/urban fringe the students discussed their experience of land use conflicts on the outskirts of Guildford. Good teaching strategies were observed in a Year 8 lesson on the Brazilian rainforest as the students worked in discussion groups to prepare a case for or against exploiting the resources of the rainforest. The students worked with enthusiasm providing arguments as well as how to respond to possible counter arguments against their point of view. Significant learning took place as evidenced by the number of times students commented on the things they hadn’t thought of before. Good on-going questioning was employed by teachers to assess the students’ level of understanding as the lesson proceeded and at the end of each session. This helps to consolidate what has been learnt. In some lessons there is over-reliance on prepared worksheets which limits in-depth and individual analysis of ideas. The insertion of these in exercise books does not always enhance presentation of work in order to demonstrate pride in achievement. Work to match prior attainment is not always sufficiently challenging for the higher attaining students and this reduces the standards which could be achieved. These issues are being vigorously addressed by the college as part of the drive to raise standards.
159. The subject is well led by a very enthusiastic, hardworking leader who has made good progress in the short space of time since taking responsibility in September. Schemes of work have been drawn up, intensive planning has resulted in a store of resources, and the sharing of ideas between staff and the commitment to raising standards are having a positive impact on achievement. Procedures for assessment and recording of students' attainment and progress have been developed. Homework is regularly set and marked and plans for fieldwork opportunities are in hand.
HISTORY
The quality of education provided in history is good.
Strengths · Teachers have positive expectations and there is a clear commitment to raise standards. · Teachers are producing high quality teaching materials to promote good learning and interest in the subject. · The development of students from the point of entry who are willing to take responsibility for their own learning.
Areas for Improvement · There are no significant areas for improvement and staff should readily share their good practice with others.
160. In 2002, GCSE results were below the national average for all maintained colleges. Of the small cohort entered, fifty per cent of students achieved grades A*-C.
161. Inspection evidence shows that at the end of Year 9 standards are generally in line with nationally expected levels, and students are achieving well in terms of their ability and attainment levels on
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 56 entry. Overall, students have a good understanding of the major historical events and personalities studied. They appreciate that history is based on evidence. Most students show an understanding of chronology and can use historical terminology accurately. All, including those with special educational needs, can extract information from a variety of written and pictorial sources. The majority of students have satisfactory oral and writing skills, although the written work of some low attainers is flawed by poor grammar and spelling errors. Listening skills are above average as most students are attentive in class and motivated to succeed.
162. At the end of Year 11, overall attainment is below the nationally expected level. However, this evidence is drawn from the work of students who originally entered the Kings Manor College with well below average skills. In general this small cohort are making good progress in history. It is evident from lesson observations that students’ historical knowledge and understanding has deepened. Higher attaining students are beginning to interrogate evidence critically to produce reasoned arguments; they can explain how and why different historical interpretations have been produced. Lower attaining students can use sources to support their narratives, and draw simple conclusions. Students are responsive to the directions of their teachers, but most expect to receive knowledge and require prompting to pursue independent lines of historical enquiry.
163. Students join the college with few skills in history. They are making good progress in lessons due to the highly focused teaching of basic skills, including literacy. Lower attaining students, and those with special educational needs, make similar rates of progress as their peers because of careful planning and the value of teacher interventions. Accessible teaching materials have been produced to assist slower learners, including those undertaking the early-entry GCSE Humanities at the end of Year 9. Good provision is also made for gifted and talented students who are challenged in lessons and undertake regular extension work. Overall, students in Years 7 to 9 show willingness, sometimes eagerness, to take responsibility for their own learning, and this trait is especially marked amongst higher attainers. In this important sense, the work of the subject team clearly reflects the aims and ethos of the college.
164. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. Lessons are well planned and structured, and learning objectives are shared with students at the outset. Teachers aim to consolidate knowledge and understanding systematically. Much is done to help students to develop critical thinking skills and to encourage them to share their points of view, both orally and in writing. Lessons successfully incorporate a diversity of learning strategies, styles and activities that promote positive expectations of achievement. By challenging students appropriately, for example through skilful questioning, teachers encourage active and meaningful participation in class. Where teachers are using effective classroom management techniques, secure relationships contribute to very good standards of behaviour in class. Good quality resources, including teacher-produced worksheets and course booklets, are used to stimulate interest and help understanding. A sharp rise in the number of students opting to study history at GCSE in 2003, points to a growth in interest and confidence which may be expected to reflect well in future standards of attainment.
165. The subject is well managed by a very capable and conscientious teacher. Teachers are firmly committed to raising standards. They are working with enthusiasm and sharing good practice openly. Good systems are in place for the monitoring and evaluation of teaching. Where history is taught as part of a humanities course, schemes of work are planned and resourced by specialist teachers to raise the quality of teaching and learning across the team. A history subject team handbook and new schemes of work are currently in progress. Homework is set regularly, and used to reinforce learning in lessons. Marking provides students with a good understanding of how they can improve the quality of their work. Target setting is both regular and effective, and National Curriculum levels are monitored through common assessment tasks across the humanities course. The subject team recognises that assessment data could be used more effectively to inform planning and teaching. Students are taught to use correct spelling, punctuation and grammatical conventions in class, and it is usual for key errors in literacy to be highlighted in written exercises. There is also evidence of good practice in the use of ICT in history. For example, the course booklet for the GCSE humanities course is available to students on the college network to support anytime, anywhere learning. Plans are underway to allow other students to access history course material electronically. The subject team is well
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 57 resourced to meet the needs of existing students. The area contributes to cultural, moral and social education, as well as the teaching of citizenship. However, there is scope for the colourful and interesting work undertaken in history to be more effectively projected in the larger forum of the college and on classroom boards. There are proposals to enhance the curriculum in the near future, through the provision of field trips and visits. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Provision in information and communications technology is good in timetabled lessons. College-wide it is very good.
Strengths · Year 9 ICT standards are improving significantly. · Good and sometimes very good teaching. · Teachers’ good relationships with students help them achieve well. · Resources are very good, with some excellent features such as the DigitalBrain virtual curriculum (“e-learning”). · ICT is used very well to help students learn in different subjects.
Areas for improvement · Not all staff are yet sufficiently trained and developed to deliver the higher standard ICT courses. · Some marking is too generous in Years 7 and 8 ICT lessons. · In Year 7 ICT lessons and work, a significant proportion of boys do not apply themselves sufficiently.
166. Results for GNVQ Foundation and Intermediate students in Year 11 were well below average in 2002 because the group had too few ICT lessons in previous years and teachers were not fully prepared for GNVQ.
167. All Year 9 students now take GNVQ at Foundation or Intermediate level, and in lessons and work seen, are working at average national curriculum levels overall, reflecting good achievement from higher Year 7 entry levels. Work shows a considerable improvement from previous years. The quality of Year 9 database work seen is above average expectations because the majority of students create a relational database for a video shop, linking products, customers and orders. Higher attaining Year 9 students can create complex queries.
168. The college provides one ICT lesson per week for all students in Years 7and 8 and they commence the GNVQ in ICT in Year 9. In Years 7 and 8, all students learn about and can use the main software applications including effective use of the Internet for research. They also use computer aided learning software to solve problems and develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
169. Currently around two thirds of students in Years 10-11 take the GNVQ course although the very good ICT use across the college enables it to cover the National Curriculum ICT requirements for those years. Year 11 GNVQ students have below average in terms of national levels but are achieving well above their low prior attainment. The Foundation level students have considerably weaker knowledge and skills but in the recent external test for Part 1, GNVQ Intermediate students obtained results in line with those nationally. The majority of students are on target to pass the Intermediate and Foundation course although with fewer than average merits. The minority of students not taking examination courses in ICT do not show the higher standards but do make satisfactory progress in developing their use of ICT and by the end of Year 11 they are often independent, responsible and reflective users of ICT and can select, develop and use a variety of information sources and ICT tools to support their learning.
170. Teaching and learning in ICT are good overall, and very good in about a third of lessons seen. Strong features of teaching include the excellent subject knowledge of specialists which enables students to work at the levels needed to pursue GNVQ as early as Year 9. Teachers also give very good individual support using very well planned work sheets that meet the needs of all, including students with special educational needs. Most Foundation GNVQ students have
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 58 special educational needs and the support teacher helps considerably in ensuring those students make good progress. Satisfactory though less strong teaching in Years 7 and 8 illustrated some weaknesses in class management and specialist knowledge with a tendency for the staff to have lower expectations about the quality of students’ work. This was evident in a Year 7 class where boys were making unsatisfactory progress. In the GNVQ course, teachers assess rigorously against examining board mark schemes and encourage students to assess their own progress using checklists. These features help students to sustain very good attitudes and behaviour in lessons and improve the quality of their work. Assessment in Years 7-9 is satisfactory, but teachers are less secure about national standards, and judgements about the levels students obtained have been overgenerous.
171. ICT is very well used across the college. In most other subjects, teachers use innovative software such as simulating planets’ movement in science, the Hot Potato interactive tool to create mini- test papers that give instant feedback, and in modern languages Smart whiteboards to manipulate digital images and video clips of European countries to help students translate menus into Spanish. The college’s innovative e-learning system provides a ‘virtual curriculum’ easily and quickly accessible to students and parents in and out of college, so that work and resources are freely available. The college’s outstanding vision and strategies for developing students’ capability to use ICT to improve their learning in all subjects, is beginning to bring significant improvement in students’ standards and progress. ICT provision reflects the college’s desire to give students the freedom to explore and communicate information and create opportunities to improve their own learning.
172. Leadership and management of the subject are very good college-wide, because there is an outstanding vision and strategy, co-ordinated by the principal and a management group of staff from different subjects, to increase computer provision, plan staff training and develop new initiatives. The subject has excellent capacity for further improvement.
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
The college provision for modern foreign languages is very good.
Strengths · The high quality of the teaching is reflected in the students’ achievements. · All the teachers have excellent subject knowledge. · Computer technology is used very well to enhance learning. · Students’ cultural awareness is well promoted through foreign visits and exchanges. · There are good opportunities for higher achieving students.
Area for improvement · There are no significant weaknesses.
173. By the age of 14, the attainment of the majority of students is at or near national averages in French and Spanish representing good progress over time. Additionally, a number of students in Year 8 achieve standards above the national average for their age. The examination results of 16 year olds in the 2002 General Certificate of Secondary Education in French are in line with national averages, which is a significant improvement on the results of the previous year. For example, the percentage of A*-C grade passes in 2002 is three times that of the previous year. There are no examination results in Spanish.
174. Students are set by ability for French and Spanish. By the age of 14 students make good progress. For example, lower achieving students use a good range of vocabulary and verbs to express their views on topics such as fashion and leisure activities or holidays. They use regular and irregular verbs accurately and use negative responses with confidence. They listen well, read aloud and try hard with their accents. Their written work indicates developing comprehension and vocabulary skills and there are good examples of their increasing awareness of European cultures. Higher achieving students use their good knowledge of past, present and future tenses
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 59 with confidence in their written and oral work, and there are good examples of hand-drafted and word-processed essays in their work, which indicate their ability to express themselves in a foreign language. They are well motivated and have a good understanding of their learning and what they must do to progress further.
175. In Years 10 and 11, the curriculum is dictated by examination requirements. The standard of their current work and their completed and moderated examination coursework suggests an increased number of A*-C grades in the 2003 examinations. By the age of 16, they speak and write with confidence on themselves and their families and can produce original reports on
personal holidays and college visits to France and Spain. They demonstrate good powers of recall when using previously learned vocabulary. They prepare and enact role play situations and present sophisticated computer programmes to their peers.
176. The standard of teaching is good overall. It is sometimes very good with one excellent lesson in Spanish. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. Well-planned lessons are balanced and structured to include elements of speaking, listening, reading and writing, which strongly promote improving literacy skills. Imaginative teaching supported by modern technology makes lessons fun, retains maximum student interest and encourages students to extend their linguistic skills. The teachers’ excellent subject knowledge and lively pace promotes enthusiastic and positive responses. High expectations and the consistent use of the language encourages students. Learning is further reinforced by the teachers’ repetitions, body language and hand gestures. Students participate well in class games, such as when using a computer whiteboard to identify the named item. Good use of overhead projectors or computer whiteboards promote the visual impact of the language, and there are frequent opportunities for the students to read aloud, which they do willingly, making every effort to read with expression and good accents. Students are expected to speak at all times in the target language, and are prompted to do this by the vocabulary sheet attached to the fly leaf of their exercise books. There is evidence in the students’ books of carefully prepared conversations, which they practise in the classroom. Relationships are very good and, if poor behaviour occurs, staff use effective strategies to ensure minimal time is wasted and maximum learning takes place. Marking is consistent and organised, and is matched to National Curriculum levels or examination grades. Some marking is done electronically. Homework is regularly set via the e-mail, which provides good links between parents, students and the college.
177. The subject team is very well managed by an effective team of skilled linguists. There is a united commitment and shared vision for the development of languages, which indicates an excellent capacity to fulfil the college’s aims. Subject team documentation and planning are very good, and the promotion of literacy and computer skills is very well embedded and implemented. There are very good procedures for monitoring the students’ progress and this information is used well to develop the curriculum and to inform the ability setting of each class. For example, higher achieving students are encouraged towards ‘Fast-Track’ courses which enable early examination entries. Opportunities to promote spiritual, cultural, moral and social awareness are very good as is the promotion of European citizenship. The college library has a wide range of international newspapers, magazines and reference books. The restructuring and refurbishment of the accommodation are due to start in the week following this inspection. They will significantly improve the current satisfactory resources and accommodation, with the addition of a complete computer suite.
MUSIC
Overall, the quality of provision in music is very good.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 60 Strengths · Standards are rising in all years. · Teaching is very good and students of all levels of ability achieve very well. · Students enjoy their lessons and work hard. Numbers in the option groups, instrumental lessons and enrichment clubs are all increasing. · Leadership and management of the subject are very good with particularly good use of technology to support the subject. · The subject team moved into purpose-built accommodation at the start of the academic year.
Areas for improvement · More curriculum time is needed in Years 10 and 11 to ensure that all examination classes take place in lesson time. · More resources are needed to develop skills in music technology throughout Years 7-9.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 61 178. At the end of Year 9 most students are achieving the expected level. Some are also achieving above the standard with a small proportion just below. This group of students were below national levels when they entered the college and their experience of practical music-making was very limited. Achievement and progress across Years 7-9 are very good with students gaining skills in performing, composing, listening and music technology. They develop performing skills on keyboards and tuned and rhythmic percussion instruments and can maintain their parts accurately in ensemble performances. They can also follow notation. They develop skills in improvising and they can compose in a variety of historical and world music styles. In Year 9, they use music technology in their work. Students have a particularly good understanding and knowledge of various musical styles and they also have a good awareness of the social and cultural circumstances in which they evolved. They use musical terminology accurately in appraisals of their own work and can distinguish similarities and differences between different arrangements of the same music. Throughout all areas of the curriculum there is considerable emphasis on developing skills in creativity, problem solving, cultural understanding, communication and teamwork. There is also a deliberate emphasis on raising self-esteem and confidence and students are making very good progress in acquiring these, too.
179. Standards are rising year on year. This is confirmed by the teacher assessments of Year 9 in 2001 when most students were below national levels, and the good standards already achieved by most Year 8 students. Two students in Year 9 are following a fast-track course to GCSE. At the end of Year 11, standards in examination results in 2001 were far below the national average and in 2002 no students were following the course. A marked improvement in standards was observed in the inspection and about half the students are now achieving national standards. Progress is very good for students of all levels of ability including some students with special educational needs achieving the national standard. In performing, a vocal performance demonstrated technical control and musical understanding and an ensemble performance was confidently maintained. In composing, students achieving the national average standard demonstrated good control of melody, harmony and rhythm and they can develop their ideas within balanced structures. Those students just below the standard are less good at developing their ideas or maintaining structure. All show good skills in their use of music technology. Year 10 students have their lessons in enrichment time this year and this adversely affects attendance.
180. Standards in instrumental playing are good and, in the extra-curricular groups, some good ensemble playing was heard including a newly set-up jazz band and a very good Year 8 band who played in assembly.
181. Teaching is very good overall and some outstanding teaching was also observed. Lessons are very well planned with a variety of tasks which help to sustain students’ interest. Tasks are supported by good work sheets and they are timed, which maintains a good pace to the lessons. Teachers explain the tasks patiently and clearly and they make very good use of inclusive questioning to ensure that there is good understanding by all. Students are keen to respond to questions and they also volunteer their opinions of the music. Teachers work very hard and share their love of the subject with their students who respond by working with interest and pleasure. Students enjoy their music lessons. Teachers also have very good subject skills which they use well to support student performances and to develop student understanding. Classroom management is very good and students appreciate the very lively good-humoured teaching. Teachers have high expectations and students respond well, striving to succeed in their tasks. They are also encouraged to co-operate with each other in their practical tasks and students learn good social skills in these lessons. In the very best lessons teachers have a very good understanding of their students’ abilities and needs and they establish a very good learning environment in which all want to achieve. Relationships are exceptionally good; students trust their teachers, there is an outstanding level of co-operation and they develop a good degree of self-confidence and independent learning skills alongside their musical skills.
182. Leadership and management of music are very good and the subject leader has a very clear sense of direction for the subject. In Years 7-9, the curriculum has been very well devised to include a wide range of musical styles from different times and different areas of the world. Subject skills are developed appropriately throughout the various modules and music makes an
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 62 outstanding contribution to the spiritual, moral, social, cultural and multi-cultural awareness of the students. The subject makes very good use of music technology to support the curriculum. The resources available on the college network are particularly impressive. Apart from access to homework there are daily updates of music subject team activities, chart music and classical music. There are also extremely good links with music teachers and musicians world-wide with information on a different style of world music updated regularly.
183. Instrumental lessons have been introduced. Nine peripatetic teachers offer lessons in keyboard, piano, guitar, voice, violin, woodwind, brass and percussion. 36 students have lessons and the college supports the GCSE students financially. Numbers learning are just below the national average of 10 per cent, but they are increasing. No lessons were observed in this inspection as the peripatetic teachers had completed their 10 week term before the inspection.
184. The subject team makes a very active contribution to college life through enrichment time and a variety of clubs. There is an annual production and the subject team presents an annual Christmas concert in Guildford Cathedral. Jazz band, choir, orchestra and various other small ensembles including the popular Year 8 percussion ensemble ‘Pak Choi’ meet regularly.
185. Assessment is good and thorough and also makes good use of technology. Development is underway to share the marking and assessment schemes more fully with the students via the website and to show the link between these criteria and the developing skills across the curriculum.
186. The subject team is very well resourced overall but there is a need for more computer work- stations to ensure that all students in Years 7 and 8 have the opportunity to develop skills in music technology. With the new purpose-built accommodation the subject team is very well poised to move even further forward.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The overall quality of provision is satisfactory
Strengths · GCSE results have shown a rapid improvement and are now a strength. · Committed teachers give a substantial amount of time to extra-curricular activities. · There are examples of good teaching and good practice in the subject team, upon which to build. · There are high participation rates together with positive student attitudes. · Good outdoor accommodation.
Areas for improvement · Specialist accommodation for indoor games activities is inadequate for curriculum needs and affects attainment. · Standards are not as high as they could be in Years 7-9 and teacher assessments are not always soundly based. · There is insufficient breadth in some curriculum aspects. · The current specialists do not have a coherent and well documented approach to the subject.
187. GCSE results are encouraging, reflecting steeply rising achievement between 2001and 2002 when the number of students gaining grades A* to C doubled to a figure significantly higher than the national average. The cohort was small but, nevertheless, it represents a creditable 100 per cent improvement over the previous year. With similarly small numbers, attainment in Year 9, judged by teacher assessment in 2001 and 2002 for students at level 5 or above, was well below the national average. A contributory factor to this was a lack of systematic target setting, assessment and record keeping.
188. Standards of achievement in Years 7-9 are generally variable in practical terms and are directly related to the teaching and methods used. The limitation of physical education to one 100 minute
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 63 period per week is unhelpful to the subject as, with the currently implemented curriculum, the number of aspects that can be taught is restricted and the period of time over which activity can be sustained productively, is too long. Where different teaching styles and strategies are used this is ameliorated. ICT is used regularly to support the learning. Students work together constructively regardless of ethnicity, whether English is their mother tongue or whether they have any identified special educational needs: wheel-chair users work with their peers in a co-operative environment. Students with SEN make similar progress to other students.
189. Years 10 and 11 feature similar characteristics to those found in Years 7-9. The impact of poor indoor facilities upon attainment was clearly seen here. GCSE students worked well in badminton lessons and generally showed good technique in the production of shots and good understanding of how and when to use them: the use of fine touch shots by some students was sophisticated and effective. Because of the inadequacy of the indoor facilities for games, game play was constrained by relatively large groups playing across the single court available, which will present the students with difficulties in accommodating full court depth and width when playing on a full court for their moderated assessment.
190. In all years the time allocation for the subject is modest. The organisation of the timetable into one weekly session exacerbates this so the range of student experiences is more limited. The response and behaviour of students is good: participation rates in lessons are high.
191. There is variation in the quality of teaching, but overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. Where there is strength in teaching, it derives from a good basis of subject knowledge in specific areas, supported by coherent planning, the use of different teaching strategies and close and frequent monitoring of student understanding and performance. Lessons follow developmental plans. The instances where teaching and learning can be improved hinge upon the pace and activity level of the lesson, the frequency of feedback and intervention and extension of the more able students.
192. The subject team has considerable enthusiasm and key specialist strengths but unlike most other subject areas has not grasped the opportunities to work closely in order to share good practice and develop a more coherent and challenging curriculum and assessment programme. Documentation is lacking and the judgements and recording of students’ progress and standards lack accuracy and consistency. The development of the subject is hampered by the lack of good quality indoor sports accommodation. There is also a lack of ICT facilities for staff. More positively, an enthusiastic programme of extra- curricular activities operates, that focuses upon games and athletics. Games matches are played at inter-college level, with successful results. Sixth form sports facilities have been lacking though an interim solution has been provided by the nearby University of Surrey which has agreed to provide access for the college sixth form students.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Overall the quality of provision of religious education is satisfactory
Strengths · There has been good achievement in short course GCSE examinations. · There are very good planning procedures.
Areas for improvement · Necessary professional development has yet to be fully provided for the staff contributing to the multi-disciplinary humanities course. · Assessment in Years 7-9 is not sufficiently related to subject specific criteria and lacks accuracy against national expectations.
193. In 2002, standards achieved by students by the end of Year 10 were in line with national averages. The college entered most of Year 10 students for the short course examination in
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 64 GCSE and all of these students obtained a pass grade with 27 obtaining a C or a B grade.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 65 194. Standards achieved by students in Years 7-9 are well below national average. To some extent this is due to students arriving at the college having not attained the levels of knowledge and understanding anticipated by the local Agreed Syllabus. The lessons seen were at an early stage in a unit on the importance of rules to societies and involved video clips, discussion, and students producing, orally and in writing, their views in response to a number of questions. All of this was done well by teachers with clearly good and (on occasion) excellent general teaching skills. However, the written work done by students showed a limited understanding of religious traditions and reflected an unchallenging and uncritical approach taken by some teachers and so higher level analysis and discussion was lacking. In part this was the result of newer teachers less acquainted with the specific religious education requirements. Overall, students in Years 7-9 do less well than they should in specifically religious education aspects of the humanities course. Individual pieces of work demonstrate good achievement, an example being an essay on the synagogue and its importance to the Jewish community that had been produced on the basis of research by a Year 8 student.
195. Students currently taking the GCSE course in religious education do not seem to be greatly handicapped by their more limited experience of the subject in earlier years and most look to be making good progress and are likely to attain similar standards to the 2002 cohort.
196. A lack of expertise in aspects of religious education makes overall teaching satisfactory but it is certainly true that the strong classroom skills of humanities staff enable them to capture the interest of students and ensure good behaviour. Lessons seen were all very well planned. There were clear objectives shared with students. Relationships between the teachers and students were uniformly very good and a good range of teaching techniques was employed. The lessons proceeded at an appropriately brisk pace and the needs of all students present were provided for - in two cases with the help of classroom support by an additional adult working with students with special educational needs. The support teachers were well-prepared and well used.
197. A subject specialist plans the scheme of work and individual units and lessons and attends meetings organised by the LEA for secondary heads of religious education. This subject co- ordinator is effective and enthusiastic in the way she guides colleagues in matters concerning the teaching and assessment of religious education. However, it does highlight the problem of inducting a largely new team and the need for greater and more in-depth staff training to ensure that the religious education programme is fully understood and well taught within the humanities course in Years 7-9.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 66 PART E: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN THE SIXTH FORM
Until it has sufficient numbers to broaden its provision, the college provides only the International Baccalaureate.
There are currently 20 courses provided as part of the IB and, of these, just five were chosen as the focus subjects for inspection: English, mathematics, art and design, history and physics. However, a further 9 subjects were sampled and brief evaluations are included. These sampled subjects include: biology, chemistry, French, Spanish, business studies, economics, psychology and music. The International Baccalaureate also requires students to follow a Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) programme to complement the above subject provision. Results for the IB only exist for 2002 when the first small cohort completed the programme. All seven students gained sufficient points to gain acceptance at their chosen university.
SUBJECTS AND COURSES GROUPED IN CURRICULUM AREAS
MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCES
Physics and mathematics were inspected. The college also teaches biology and chemistry for the IB and lessons in these subjects were observed. In the Year 13 lessons, students were revising for their final examinations just before their departure on study leave. In both lessons students appeared to have a generally good grasp of the subjects.
Physics
Overall, the quality of provision in physics is good.
Strengths · It is taught by a good team of well qualified staff. · The course benefits from excellent facilities. · The teachers have good relationships with students. · There is good and effective use of ICT.
Areas for improvement · There are no significant weaknesses – the only concern is the very small number of students on the course.
198. This, along with the other IB courses, is very new and there is information on only one previous student who achieved well in physics in the 2002 examinations. Currently there are three students in Year 13 and four in Year 12. The Year 13 students taking the higher physics examinations should achieve good grades. In Year 12, two are well advanced towards a high grade but two started the course late and will need extra time during the year to reach a similar standard.
199. Achievement in Year 13 is good; students show that they understand the concepts in forces required by the examination questions on which they are working. In Year 12 one group worked confidently on the algebra of the Doppler Effect and were able to solve problems based on this effect. The other group had started a practical investigation into the energy stored in a stretched elastic band. Their practical skills and some of the discussion showed that they were at an early stage of the course having started late in the year. However, once started, they rapidly drew graphs and were able to suggest possible reasons for the anomalies they discovered.
200. Teaching in physics is good. Lessons are well prepared and teachers have excellent up-to-date subject knowledge. They use ICT well in helping to explain many of the ideas involved in the subject. The accommodation, resources and equipment available for the course are of a very high
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 67 standard. Students’ attitudes to the subject and their behaviour are very good. Good technical support is provided to all science subjects. 201. The physics course is run by a team of three well qualified physicists who work closely together to provide an interesting and accessible course for the students. In addition, the physics team work closely with colleagues who have more experience of IB courses in their partner colleges. With the small group sizes, monitoring of students’ work is of a high standard.
Mathematics
Overall, the quality of provision in mathematics is very good.
Strengths · The course and teaching are very well planned. · There is excellent use of ICT for teaching and learning.
Areas for improvement · There are no weaknesses.
202. The college offers the IB qualification. This is an inclusive qualification as far as mathematics is concerned. All students take one component in mathematics. Students can choose a course in ‘Mathematics’ which is a similar standard to GCE Advanced level, or ‘Mathematical Studies’ which is similar in standard to Higher level Year 12. ‘Mathematical methods’ is also being offered, which is similar in standard to AS level. Small numbers in the sixth form as a whole mean that there are only 2 students in Year 13 and 4 students in Year 12 doing the higher courses. Results in all mathematics components were in line with expectations in 2002.
203. It is not possible to assess standards on entry in mathematics for the sixth form as a whole since the IB attracts many foreign students who do not have a qualification in mathematics at GCSE. Students from Year 11 and local schools have an average standard of attainment for students starting on an IB course, but all students take mathematics as part of the IB at a lower standard than those who choose to study the subject at GCE Advanced level in normal sixth forms.
204. The standard of work seen in the mathematics classes was above the expected standard. In Year 13, students were using graphical calculators to investigate the reasons why some iterative procedures converged whilst others did not. In Year 12, students were challenged to discover a rule for the integration of a general polynomial.
205. The standard of work seen in the Mathematical Studies courses was in line with the expected standard in Year 13 and well above that in Year 12. In Year 13, students were working through past examination questions. It was clear that a few students had some difficulty with basic ideas such as plotting linear graphs. In Year 12, students were using ICT well in producing a PowerPoint presentation of a statistical analysis of data.
206. Learning is at least good. The inclusive nature of the IB means that many students study mathematics to a higher level than they would in a college offering GCE Advanced level. Students are willing to learn from their mistakes and ask sensible questions to ensure that they understand. Their very good attitudes help them to persevere with a difficult subject. Higher attaining students show enthusiasm and interest in the subject.
207. Teaching is very good. Two excellent lessons were seen. A strength of the teaching is the use of ICT. For example, in Year 12, different sets of data for a statistical analysis had been collected from the Internet. This data was chosen not only to reflect the abilities of students in the class but also their main interests and nationality. This motivated students well. The data had been placed on the college’s computer system for students to access and analyse using spreadsheets. In another Year 12 lesson an Internet site that automatically integrates functions was used, via the interactive whiteboard. This engaged the attention of students, gave them some control over their own learning and ensured that an important concept was learned well and quickly.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 68 208. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use their expertise to respond quickly and accurately to students’ questions. Good advice was given to students preparing for examinations. 209. Management of the subject is good. Teachers take a collegiate approach to managing students and there is a commitment from teachers to do their best for all students regardless of their prior level of attainment. Students are assessed regularly and they are kept well informed about their level of attainment. Good advice is given about how to improve.
BUSINESS
The college provides opportunities for students to study business and economics as part of the IB programme. The economics lesson observed was well taught by a specialist teacher and the student made progress in understanding the application of supply and demand analysis to development economics.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
ICT is a strong feature of the college and is well used in different subject areas in the sixth form. In the newly introduced computer studies module, students were learning about computer programming and making very good progress and attaining standards in line with those expected. The teacher had excellent knowledge and was able to support student learning very well. Sixth form students have developed very good ICT skills and use them frequently in most subjects.
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS AND MEDIA
The focus subject for the inspection was art and design though music is also offered as part of the IB and the vocal performance element of the music module was observed. The teaching was very good in the way it helped the individual student gain confidence and develop her performance.
Art and Design
Overall quality of provision is good.
Strengths · Good teaching based on a good methodology which promotes experiment and creativity. · The lesson by lesson reviews of students’ work which set individual targets for improvement. · Standards of work seen which are above average overall. · The wider cultural perspective promoted by the course which makes a positive contribution to personal development.
Areas for improvement · The teaching of drawing which needs to be more effectively used as a tool for research and the development of ideas.
210. In 2002 two students completed the art component of the International Baccalaureate, attaining below average results, one at higher, and one at standard level. These students started from a very low base and results represent good progress.
211. The estimated grades of those about to complete the course indicate that standards are above average and the work of students seen during the inspection supports this. Students’ work shows an appropriate breadth, and skills in a range of media have been well developed. Overall the best work is done when students combine different media, seen for example in the large mixed media paintings inspired by a visit to Barcelona. A more intensive study of a specific skill such as painting is also evident in the work of one student resulting in above average paintings on a portrait theme. All students have rich collections of sketchbooks and journals, which show the
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 69 way their ideas have developed. These indicate a growing independence of thought and individual creativity, and are used well to support the production of final outcomes, some of which are very ambitious, such as the large canvases based on a theme of colour. Students talk articulately about their work and are very positive about the way their work in art has encouraged them to develop a broader cultural perspective. Students’ work is less good when they use drawing as a tool of exploration and expression, and a more rigorous approach to the teaching of this basic skill is required. The majority of students following the course are reaching their potential; the poor attendance of a minority may adversely affect this.
212. Teaching and its impact on learning is good and is based on a sound methodology which encourages students to research widely and explore the potential of media. Teachers have a good understanding of the requirements of the course, which is effectively transmitted to students. The projects selected by teachers and the approach they take provides a good balance between group teaching and opportunities for students to develop their individual creativity. A particular strength is the lesson by lesson review, by teachers, of the work of each student. This provides clear guidance to students about what they need to do to move work on, and is effective in raising standards. The development of an understanding and respect for cultural diversity is an inherent requirement of the course and this is effectively promoted by trips to galleries and visits to other countries such as Spain. .
213. The course is well managed, has been running for a short time and has been enthusiastically developed by teachers into an effective and stimulating experience for students.
HUMANITIES
The focus subject for the inspection was history though lessons in geography were also sampled. The geography lessons demonstrated the mature attitude of students and their developing independence in researching and presenting their ideas. Good use was made of presentation software covering the theme of population and development. Standards were variable and some students’ progress was inhibited by the weaker than average basic skills. Teaching was clearly structured and supportive. The psychology lesson seen was well taught and gave students clear help in addressing the examination with effective use of mind maps and other revision devices.
History
Overall, the quality of education in history is very good.
Strengths · The very good quality of teaching demonstrates impressive levels of subject expertise and organization. · The teacher’s understanding of the way students learn is reflected in their development as independent learners. · The quality of assessment and diagnostic feedback provides students with very clear indicators for the improvement of their work.
Areas for Improvement · Greater exposure to similar groups of young historians from other colleges is valuable in order to build confidence and skills of communication.
214. In the work seen standards are above national expectations. Students are achieving well and making very good progress in relation to prior attainment. Students in Year 12 are learning to synthesise a range of information in order to reach sound historical judgements independently. With skilful guidance from their teacher, they exercise critical thinking skills and apply rigour to the evaluation of conflicting evidence. Written work demonstrates the growing ability of all sixth form students to challenge the assumptions implied in a question, and to select and use knowledge relevantly and effectively. Adopting an analytical approach, students can produce convincing arguments and reach coherent conclusions. They are able to consider historical
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 70 issues from different perspectives and to use the interpretations of different historians to support their arguments.
215. It is clear that the emphasis placed on individual achievement in lessons has a positive impact on the students. They are focused and quietly responsive, whether collaborating together to share different perspectives and ideas or completing structured tasks in class. Overall, students make good progress in the development of their understanding and historical skills. They become reflective, independent learners and, as such, are well prepared for university education. Where there is capacity for development is in the quality of historical debate. Students can be reticent in articulating their views without clear prompts from the teacher. There is scope to support learning and build individual confidence by the inclusion of external lecture visits, symposiums and video- conferencing links with partner colleges.
216. Teaching in the sixth form is very good. Possessing an excellent level of subject expertise, the teacher is able to confront students energetically with issues surrounding evidence and the significance of historical controversies. Giving high priority to the intellectual development of her students, she aims to provide challenging and thought-provoking tasks in class. By using skilful questioning techniques, she heightens the appreciation of different factors in historical causation, as was seen in a combined Year 12 and 13 lesson, where students considered whether détente prolonged or shortened the Cold War. The teacher’s gentle but searching style contributes to an atmosphere that is both constructive and secure. Lessons are designed to extend historical enquiry and to develop conceptual understanding within a secure framework. Demonstrating a particularly good understanding of the way students learn, she produces an interesting range of high quality teaching materials, which underpin learning. Making well-considered interventions, she works to ensure that each student acquires the self-knowledge required for success. Overall, lessons are very well structured and identify what students must, should and could know.
217. The subject is very well managed by a teacher with strong organisational skills. Working hard to raise standards of attainment, she has an excellent appreciation of the philosophy and requirements of the IB. Her commitment is mirrored in the excellent quality of assessment, as work is marked regularly and diagnostic feedback is eminently constructive. All students are provided with very clear indicators for the improvement of their work. Students have very good access to a range of resources, including ICT. They are able to make good use of the Smart Boards when giving presentations to others in the class. When required they have access to the library of the University of Surrey to supplement their reading.
ENGLISH, LANGUAGES AND COMMUNICATION
Lessons in modern foreign languages were observed and students make satisfactory progress towards the compulsory language module of the International Baccalaureate. They follow standard and higher level courses in their own choice of Spanish or French, and they work hard to reach their personal targets The college’s introduction of the International Baccalaureate for its post-16 students has been very effective in promoting the learning of languages in the sixth form. The subject team is currently working towards creating e-mail and video conferencing links with European and multi-national colleges. The four teachers in the subject team have a wide range of linguistic ability and excellent subject knowledge. Two appointments have been made for the new academic year to increase the range of language possibilities through enrichment courses in German, Japanese and Chinese.
English
Provision in English post 16 is good.
Strengths · There is a strong academic leadership and teachers have very good knowledge of their subject. · The course is very well planned so that students gain from thematic approaches to a wide variety of literature from different centuries, countries and genres. · Teachers have good relationships with students. They communicate their enthusiasm and commitment to the students who respond very positively in the work that they do.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 71 · The international philosophy of the IB enhances the range of students’ learning experiences and adds to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.
Areas for improvement · Teaching does not sufficiently encourage students’ participation in lessons and make them more responsible for their own learning. · Students’ essay writing skills are less developed in providing more critical analysis of issues and less background, summary and narrative content. 218. Of the first students to complete the course last year, all gained the Certificate award and one student achieved the full Diploma of the International Baccalaureate. All students were offered places in colleges or universities. The attainment of students taking English varies because it is a compulsory requirement for all IB students. While attainment is currently below national norms, good teaching helps students make good individual progress. College evidence is that the attainment of students in English is improving.
219. The standard of teaching is good. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Teachers have very good conceptual grasp of their subject and good technical teaching skills. Basic skills are very well taught and include lessons to improve the literacy of students including those for whom English is an additional language. Year 13 Standard Level students were observed practising their writing skills, including essay planning and exercises on paragraphing and punctuation. Lessons are prepared thoroughly and contain a variety of related activities for the whole class and individuals, with a mixture of note-making, discussion and textual analysis. In the small sample of lessons seen there was no opportunity for discussion in small groups. Much of the discussion observed was led by teachers who tended to dictate both its pace and its direction. More able students would benefit from lesson organisation that would make them take a more active part in identifying issues and arriving at judgements in ways that would make them more responsible for their own learning. Less able students tend, in their written work, to spend a disproportionate amount of time in establishing background and summarising plot or character when they should be tackling issues and demonstrating more critical judgement. Students’ folders include plentiful evidence of computer literacy and effective use of Internet research. In one lesson observed a student was giving a PowerPoint presentation with an impressive demonstration of skill and confidence in ICT. There was a positive emphasis in all lessons observed on the need for students to develop their arguments and to offer proof from the text. Observation of students in lessons and an analysis of samples of their work indicate that achievement in lessons is good for these students but the pace of the lessons is slower than would be expected at this age.
220. Academic written work examined was in the majority of cases of good quality [IB grades 4 and 5] for students who make good individual progress over the two years of the course. Although one folder scrutinised was very untidy, and contained little developed or completed work, all of the other folders were very well organised and full of good quality notes and assignments indicating the students’ positive attitudes and pride in their work. Index and assessment sheets currently being introduced will ensure that all students are closely monitored. Students’ work is well marked, with precise accurate comments that reflect their individual achievement, with an indication of the IB grade they are achieving and with clear guidance about how to improve their work. Students are very positive about their teaching and their progress. Students at Kings College study a much wider range of texts than is normal on other sixth form English courses. Currently they are studying Greek tragedy, Chaucer, Comedy of the Absurd and a range of novels which includes a Chilean novel in translation. The inclusive and international nature of the English course is very valuable and means that spiritual, moral, social and cultural education of students is greatly enriched. The breadth of the programmes of study in English is enhanced by the range of learning activities that the college offers to all IB students.
221. English is very well led and managed in the sixth form. There is a strong sense of educational leadership and a very strong commitment to the philosophy of the IB. Teachers are well qualified and well deployed. For both Higher Level and Standard Level students, the schemes of work are very well planned to meet the specifications and the assessment criteria of the course. The subject team produces high quality teaching materials including handbooks, notes and revision guides. Assessment of students’ progress is thorough and accurate and is well used to revise their personal targets.
Kings College for the Arts and Technology - 72 222. Generally there is a shared sense of achievement and growth which indicates that the scope for development is very good.
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