School report Elizabeth Woodville School Stratford Road, Deanshanger, Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire MK19 6HN Inspection dates 29–30 January 2019 Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected Summary of key findings for parents and pupils This is a school that requires improvement The quality of teaching and learning is Pupils’ attitudes towards their learning are not inconsistent. Pupils, especially boys and the consistently positive. There is some low-level most able, do not make the progress they are disruption in lessons. capable of across key stages 3 and 4, A significant minority of pupils do not follow particularly in science. the school’s expectations for behaviour and The proportion of lessons taught by temporary punctuality. staff is too high. Pupils and parents and carers The implementation of the school’s curriculum say that this is having an adverse effect on for personal development is too variable. As a pupils’ progress and enjoyment of learning. result, pupils’ attitudes towards tutor time are Teachers do not consistently have high enough not consistently positive. expectations of what pupils can achieve. Students in the sixth form do not make the Teachers do not consistently use the progress of which they are capable. In 2018, information they have about pupils’ prior ability progress was significantly below the national to ensure that work is sufficiently challenging average. and engaging. Subject leaders are not consistently effective in Curriculum planning and teaching do not raising standards in their subject areas. always ensure that learning activities stimulate the interest and enthusiasm of pupils. The school has the following strengths School and trust leaders have taken Pastoral care is a strength of the school. Pupils determined action to improve teaching and report that they feel safe, well supported and subject leadership, often under challenging cared for. circumstances. These changes are leading to The recently appointed interim headteacher improvements in current pupils’ outcomes. leads the school well, with unwavering Pupils’ attainment and progress in English were determination. She is supported effectively by above the national average in 2018. Pupils say the trust. The leadership team is ambitious and that they enjoy their learning in this subject. committed to securing rapid improvement. Full report What does the school need to do to improve further? Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress, by ensuring that: – pupils are purposefully engaged in activities that inspire and enthuse them, challenging them to think more deeply about their learning – teachers have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve and are supported in knowing how to make good progress, particularly with extended writing – teachers consistently and accurately use assessment information when planning learning so that they build upon what pupils already know and can do – disadvantaged pupils receive consistently better support so that they make the progress of which they are capable – teachers become more skilled in meeting the needs of the most able pupils so that they can make rapid progress – there is a rapid reduction in the proportion of lessons taught by temporary staff. Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, by ensuring that: – subject leaders are equally effective in holding teachers to account and raising standards in their curriculum areas, taking sufficient account of pupils’ attitudes to learning and the progress made by different groups of learners – the school’s curriculum for personal development is more effectively delivered. Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare, by ensuring that: – tutor time is used consistently well to promote pupils’ learning and well-being – the whole-school policy for behaviour is consistently applied by staff and followed by pupils – all staff have consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and conduct throughout the school day and elements of low-level disruption during lessons are eradicated. Improve achievement in the sixth form, by ensuring that all teachers plan engaging learning tasks that enable students to apply their understanding at a greater depth to make at least good progress. Inspection report: Elizabeth Woodville School, 29–30 January 2019 Page 2 of 13 Inspection judgements Effectiveness of leadership and management Good The determined leadership of the recently appointed interim headteacher is bringing about rapid improvements at the school. A clear vision for the future direction of the success of the school has been communicated to staff, underpinned by core values based on quality and care. There is a sense of optimism about the future of the school and, despite very challenging circumstances, staff morale has been strengthened and is positive. Leaders now have a stronger visible presence around school. The support and investment from the TOVE Learning Trust has been effective in ensuring a stable financial foundation for the school and in the performance management and recruitment of staff. Trust leaders have secured effective support for curriculum and pastoral leaders. This has enabled them to begin to enhance the quality of the curriculum planning, and the quality of teaching, safeguarding and pastoral care. Leaders’ evaluation of the quality of teaching and of pupils’ personal development and behaviour is accurate and well informed because of the more rigorous checking and accountability processes that are now in place. This has not always been the case in the past. Leaders’ accuracy of information has provided a secure knowledge base from which they have driven improvement more rapidly. School and trust leaders acknowledge that there is much to improve to ensure that the school is securely good. However, their recent actions have brought about improved outcomes for pupils. Pastoral leadership is a strength of the school. Arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils and improving their attendance are effective. Initiatives such as the school’s pastoral ‘hub’ centre on the North campus are making a positive difference to the support provided for vulnerable pupils at risk of disengaging from learning. Leaders have improved the way they set targets for pupils and check their progress against these targets. The progress of current pupils is improving across most subjects, including those that have been weaker in the past. The leadership of the curriculum is effective. Pupils access a broad range of subjects at key stages 3 and 4. Following school and trust leaders’ assessment of curriculum design and implementation in 2018, significant changes have been made to improve pupils’ learning experiences and progress. For example, lessons have been reduced in length from three 100-minute sessions a day to five 60-minute sessions a day. Further curriculum enhancements are at the planning stage and therefore it is too soon to fully evaluate the impact of these changes on pupils’ outcomes. A well-planned and coordinated programme of professional development is now in place. This is beginning to have a positive impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning and the accuracy of assessment. Leaders have ensured that there are greater opportunities for staff to share effective practice within school and learn from wider expertise within the trust. Teachers say that they value these opportunities and the clarity of entitlement provided by the school’s new professional learning schedule. However, it is too soon to see the impact of the recent initiatives on securing consistently good outcomes for all pupils, particularly disadvantaged and most-able pupils. Inspection report: Elizabeth Woodville School, 29–30 January 2019 Page 3 of 13 Leaders provide effective support for teachers whose practice has not always been strong enough. Successful coaching and mentoring programmes are resulting in improvements. However, the consistency in the quality of teaching needs to improve more rapidly. The leadership of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. The recently appointed coordinator has comprehensively reviewed the specific needs of all pupils who require additional support. Her deep knowledge of pupils’ needs has helped to enhance the provision for these pupils and inspectors found that they are beginning to make stronger progress. Leaders use catch-up funding in Year 7 more effectively than has been the case in previous years. Pupils who commence at the school with skills in literacy and numeracy below those expected for their age are provided with effective support. As a result, these pupils are beginning to catch up with their peers more quickly than before. Newly qualified teachers are positive about the support they have received as they start their professional careers. Leaders’ actions have recently ensured that planning for the spending of the pupil premium funding is stronger than has been the case in the past. Leaders have appropriately identified pupils’ barriers to learning. A range of new approaches have been introduced and these are having a positive impact on pupils’ overall outcomes.