INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE INTEGRATED INSPECTION BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2013 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE Birkenhead School Full Name of School Birkenhead School DfE Number 344/6023 EYFS Number EY320318 Registered Charity Number 1093419 Address Birkenhead School 58 Beresford Road Oxton Prenton Merseyside CH43 2JD Telephone Number 0151 6524014 Fax Number 0151 6513091 Email Address [email protected] Head Mr John Clark Chair of Governors Mr Andrew Sutton Age Range 3 mths to 18 Total Number of Pupils 789 Gender of Pupils Mixed (513 boys; 276 girls) Numbers by Age 0-2 (EYFS): 54 5-11: 297 3-5 (EYFS): 66 11-18: 372 Number of Day Pupils Total: 789 Head of EYFS Setting Mrs Jan Dorney EYFS Gender Mixed Inspection Dates 03 Dec 2013 to 06 Dec 2013 © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2013 PREFACE This inspection report follows the ISI schedule, which occupies a period of four continuous days in the school. The previous ISI inspection of the whole school was in November 2007 and that of the EYFS in January 2012. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the body approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, as amended. The range of these Regulations, which replace those first introduced on 1 September 2003, can be viewed on the website www.legislation.gov.uk. Additionally, inspections will consider the school’s accessibility plan under Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and the ban on corporal punishment introduced by the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. The inspection was also carried out under the arrangements of the ISC Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership. ISI is also approved to inspect the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which was introduced in September 2008 and applies to all children in England from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday. This report evaluates the extent to which the setting fulfils the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework published by the Department for Education (DfE) and follows the requirements of the Childcare Act 2006 as subsequently amended. The inspection of the school is from an educational perspective and provides limited inspection of other aspects, although inspectors comment on any significant hazards or problems they encounter which have an adverse impact on children. The inspection does not include: (i) an exhaustive health and safety audit (ii) an in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features (iii) an investigation of the financial viability of the school or its accounting procedures (iv) an in-depth investigation of the school’s compliance with employment law. Inspectors may be aware of individual safeguarding concerns, allegations and complaints as part of the inspection process. Such matters will not usually be referred to in the published report but will have been considered by the team in reaching their judgements. Both Ofsted and ISI inspect and report on the Independent School Standards Regulations. However, they apply different frameworks and have different criteria for judging school quality that are suited to the different types of schools they inspect. Both use a four point scale when making judgements of quality but, whilst the ISI terminology reflects quality judgements that are at least equivalent to those used by Ofsted, they also reflect the differences in approach. ISI reports do not provide a single overarching judgement for the school but instead give a clear judgement on each aspect of the school’s work at the beginning of each section. These headline statements must include one of the ISI descriptors ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sound’ or ‘unsatisfactory’, and where Achievement is ‘exceptional’ that term may be used for the top grade. Elsewhere in the report, inspectors may use a range of different adjectives to make judgements. For EYFS registered provision (for pupils aged under three), reports are required to use the same terminology (‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘requires improvement’ and ‘inadequate’) as Ofsted reports. © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2013 INSPECTION EVIDENCE The inspectors observed lessons, conducted formal interviews with pupils and examined samples of pupils’ work. They held discussions with senior members of staff and with the chair of governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended registration sessions and assemblies. Inspectors visited the facilities for sick or injured pupils. The responses of parents and pupils to pre- inspection questionnaires were analysed, and the inspectors examined regulatory documentation made available by the school. Inspectors Mr Martin Bussey Reporting Inspector Mr Howard Bourne Team Inspector (Former Senior Master, IAPS school) Mr Christopher King Team Inspector (Head, HMC school) Ms Linda Macfarlane Team Inspector (Former Deputy Head, HMC school) Mrs Lesley Parlane Team Inspector (Head, IAPS school) Mr Ian Raybould Team Inspector (Head, IAPS school) Mr Edward Rees Team Inspector (Head, IAPS school) Ms Adrienne Richmond Team Inspector (Deputy Head, GSA school) Mr Roger Waller Team Inspector (Former Head, ISA school) Mrs Jenny Clayphan Co-ordinating Inspector for Early Years © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2013 CONTENTS Page 1 THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL 1 2 THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHOOL 2 (a) Main findings 2 (b) Action points 3 (i) Compliance with regulatory requirements 3 (ii) Recommendations for further improvement 3 3 THE QUALITY OF ACADEMIC AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 4 (a) The quality of the pupils’ achievements and learning 4 (b) The contribution of curricular and extra-curricular provision (including community links of benefit to pupils) 5 (c) The contribution of teaching 7 4 THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS’ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 9 (a) The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils 9 (b) The contribution of arrangements for pastoral care 10 (c) The contribution of arrangements for welfare, health and safety 11 5 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 12 (a) The quality of governance 12 (b) The quality of leadership and management, including links with parents, carers and guardians 12 6 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE 15 (a) How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend 15 (b) The contribution of the early years provision to children’s well-being 15 (c) The leadership and management of the early years provision 15 (d) The overall quality and standards of the early years provision 16 © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2013 Birkenhead School 1 1. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL 1.1 Birkenhead School is a co-educational day school for pupils from three months to 18 years consisting of two sections, identified as the Prep, which includes the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Seniors. Situated at the top of the Wirral peninsula it draws pupils from throughout the Wirral and the Chester area with small numbers from Liverpool. The school is housed in a mixture of late Victorian and modern buildings within a green urban site. It is operated as a charity and company limited by guarantee, overseen by a board of governors who are trustees of the charity and directors of the company. Since the previous inspection the school has become co-educational across the entire age range; opened an extension to the Prep with facilities for science, information and communication technology (ICT) and new classrooms; opened a new careers room, and extended and modernised the sixth form centre, ICT and science facilities in Seniors, the sports pavilions and performing spaces. The chair of governors took up his post in 2011 and the head of the Prep in 2013. 1.2 The school aims to: provide an open and happy community in which endeavour and achievement flourish; offer a route to academic success enabling pupils to realise their potential inside and outside the classroom and prepare them for later life; create a caring and structured environment to encourage self-confidence and offer many opportunities for teamwork and personal development; set high academic and personal standards of integrity, self-discipline, compassion and respect for others. It has a Christian ethos but welcomes pupils of all faiths or no faith background. 1.3 At the time of the inspection there were 789 pupils on roll, of whom around a third were girls. There were 120 children in the EYFS. The Prep, consisting of Years 1 to 6, educates 297 pupils and there were 372 pupils in Seniors, including 93 pupils in the sixth form. 1.4 The ability profile of the Prep and Senior pupils is above the national average, with most pupils having at least above average ability, and around a quarter having well above average ability. This profile remains consistent in the sixth form. Most pupils are of British origin and from professional families. Nine pupils have English as an additional language (EAL), of whom five receive support. Two pupils have a statement of special educational needs. Of the 67 pupils who have been identified as having special needs and/or disabilities (SEND), 40 receive specialist help with their learning. 1.5 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school. © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2013 Birkenhead School 2 2. THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHOOL 2.(a) Main findings 2.1 The quality of the pupils’ achievement and learning is excellent and children in the EYFS make outstanding progress. Those with SEND or EAL achieve at levels equal to their peers. More able pupils and those with particular talents fulfil their potential, particularly in extra-curricular activities, although not all teaching offers tasks of suitably high demand to ensure this consistently. All pupils are enthusiastic learners, keen to succeed.