|
INSPECTION
REPORT ON | |||
|
Queen
Ethelburga’s
College | |||
|
| |||
|
Full Name of the
School |
Queen Ethelburga’s College | ||
|
DfES
Number |
815/6014 | ||
|
Address |
Thorpe Underwood Hall,
| ||
|
Telephone
Number |
0870 742
3300 | ||
|
Fax
Number |
0870 742
3310 | ||
|
E-mail
Address |
admin@queenethelburgas.edu | ||
|
Name of Headteacher |
Mr P Dass | ||
|
Chairman of
Governors |
Mr B
Martin | ||
|
|
3 months to 18
years |
Gender |
Boys and
Girls |
|
Number of
Pupils |
366 |
Number
of Boarders |
208 |
|
Inspection
Dates |
11th to
| ||
|
This inspection report is
based on a framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate
(ISI) and agreed with the DFES and OFSTED for the purposes of ensuring
that standards are maintained and that the school complies with relevant
legal requirements.
Recommendations are included to help the school improve. The report will be lodged with the
ISI, the Head of the School, the Proprietors, the DFES and OFSTED. A summary will be provided by the
school for all parents free of charge and the full report on request. Other interested parties may have
the summary or full report, subject to a charge for copying and
postage. The report may not
be selectively quoted in the school prospectus or other promotional
literature but may be used selectively within the school. The inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting procedures. The inspectors check the school’s health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards they encounter: they do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety examination. The inspection was not
carried out in conjunction with the National Care Standards Commission and
the report does not contain specific judgements on the National Minimum
Boarding Standards. It
comments on the progress made by the school in meeting the recommendations
set out in the most recent statutory boarding inspection and evaluates the
quality of the boarding experience and its contribution to pupils’
education and development in general. | |||
1.1 Queen Ethelburga’s College and the Preparatory School, together with the kindergarten have many features of a good school. A broad education is provided, the main focus of which is upon academic standards. The staff are strongly committed to the pupils’ personal development, pastoral care and welfare, and pupils grow up to be confident and independent young adults most of whom continue their education at university or in institutions of higher education. Boarding is an integral part of the College; it is well organised and contributes to the College’s cultural life. Aspects of the College’s management structure, departmental planning and arrangements for staff professional development need to be improved.
1.2 The preparatory school and college have a number of major strengths.
· The provision for sixth-form boarding and day students is of high quality and makes a significant contribution to good standards of achievement in the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level (A-level) examinations.
· The opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good, and the ethos of the College contributes to their courtesy and good behaviour.
· The excellent premises and accommodation provide an attractive and stimulating environment in which to live and work.
· The Under 5s provision offers children a happy and good introduction to school.
· The teachers and boarding house staff are committed to the well-being of pupils, and relationships between staff and pupils, and between pupils themselves, are warm and friendly.
· The College has a well-deserved reputation for its horse-riding provision.
What the School Should Do Better
1.3 The inspection revealed a number of weaknesses.
· The high turnover of teaching staff, especially in the college, constrains continuity in departmental development, and in teaching and learning.
· The arrangements for professional development and appraisal are unsatisfactory.
·
Some
· Not all middle management postholders are given sufficient responsibility and associated accountability, nor is there a clear rationale for managing the academic and pastoral work of the preparatory school and college.
· The aims of the College’s strategic plan are rarely built into departmental plans, some of which are poor, giving no indication of how each department plans to maintain and improve standards.
Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects
1.4 In the preparatory school, throughout the Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils’ standards of attainment are good in relation to their abilities in all subjects. In Key Stage 1, pupils build on the good grounding they receive in the Foundation Stage, and by the age of seven their literacy and numeracy skills are developing well, and they observe and record accurately in science. By the end of Key Stage 2, the great majority of pupils read fluently and expressively, have a good command of number and most calculate rapidly. They have a very good grasp of basic scientific facts and record scientific investigations competently.
1.5 Pupils’ standards of attainment in the college at the end of Key Stage 3, are satisfactory in the lessons observed and workbooks scrutinised, and in line with their capabilities. By the age of 14 they speak fluently and are articulate in discussion; most write well for different purposes. In mathematics they have a secure understanding of mathematical concepts, and in science they have a good grasp of scientific method and are acquiring a good foundation in scientific processes. In the GCSE examinations in 2002, the number of pupils achieving A* to C grades arrested the decline of the last three years, and the results were above the national average for all maintained schools and in line with non-selective maintained schools with socio-economically favoured intakes. Eighty-one percent of grades were in the A* to C range, of which 28% were A* or A. At A level, almost all students achieved grades in the A to E range and 55% of grades were A or B. These results are well above the average for all maintained schools, and represent an improvement over the last three years.
1.6 Overall, progress made by pupils is good, and in the sixth form it is rapid. Throughout both the college and the preparatory school, pupils with specific learning needs, and those with English as an additional language (EAL) make progress that is in line with, and often better than, expected in relation to their capabilities. In Key Stages 1, 2 and 3, boys and girls generally make progress in equal measure.
The Quality of Pupils’ Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour
1.7 Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and the quality of their learning are good. Overall, pupils are keen to learn and they strive to do well. As they move through the preparatory school and the college, this keenness to learn contributes to at least satisfactory, and frequently good, attainment. Their active commitment was seen in their participation not only in lessons but also in a wide range of activities and opportunities provided. Pupils with specific learning needs, and those with EAL apply themselves well and persist in their efforts to improve.
1.8 The overall quality of teaching is good at all stages in the College. However, some teaching did not give pupils the opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning and very little teaching of the highest quality was seen throughout the preparatory school and the college. In this respect, teaching raises the performance of pupils whose ability is in the middle and lower ranges, but it does not always give the most able pupils scope to learn at their own level, particularly in the college.
1.9 Almost without exception, teachers have a secure knowledge of the subjects and age groups they teach, and they have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, attainment and progress. In the preparatory school they plan their lessons well, organising activities, tasks and coursework that will engage pupils and extend their knowledge and understanding of the subject. In the college a key factor influencing the quality of teaching was clear planning and a purposeful approach. In the majority of lessons observed, teaching was strongly focused on Key Stage 3 levels of attainment and GCSE and A-level grades. In this respect teaching styles did not always foster a spirit of enquiry and challenge pupils intellectually, giving them scope to develop independent research skills. Pupils with specific learning needs and EAL are well provided for.
1.10 The level of pupils’ attendance is very good, allowing them to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the College. All statutory requirements for completing the admissions and attendance registers are met.
1.11 Systems for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment and progress are accurate, efficient, consistent and appropriate for the age of the pupils, their particular needs and their stage of development. Assessment in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 is closely matched to National Curriculum levels of attainment. In Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form, assessment relates to GCSE and A-level grades. These arrangements enable pupils to understand the criteria by which they are judged, and to know how well they are doing, particularly in the college. Marking in the preparatory school is regular and usually includes written comments to show how a piece of work may be improved. In the college some variation was seen in the standard of marking in workbooks.
1.12 The curriculum in both the preparatory school and the college is generally broad and balanced, contributing effectively to the intellectual, physical and personal development of pupils of all ages and abilities. It reflects the aims of the College, and is planned to take account of, and go beyond, the National Curriculum with religious education (RE). The extra-curricular programme, subject-related activities and outside visits serve to enrich the educational experience of pupils of all ages. All pupils in the preparatory school and the college have equal access to the curriculum. A very good learning-support programme provides access to the curriculum for those with specific learning needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Horse-lovers may study on the British Horse Society (BHS) General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) programme for the BHS Assistant Instructors qualification or Equine Management certificate. Overall, the curriculum prepares pupils appropriately for the next stage of their education, training or employment.
Teaching and Non-teaching Staff
1.13 The number, qualification and experience of the teaching staff are satisfactory to cover the preparatory school and college curriculum, and in most respects they are deployed appropriately. They contribute effectively to the quality of education provided and the standards achieved. The turnover of staff, particularly in the college, in recent years has been high. The non-teaching staff are appropriately qualified and deployed effectively, enabling the preparatory school and college to run smoothly. Teachers attend in-service training courses (INSET), but the training undertaken is not embedded in department development plans or linked systematically to professional development needs. The appraisal process is currently in abeyance, with plans to introduce a revised scheme for teachers shortly. The College meets statutory requirements through the Criminal Records Bureau, before confirming teaching and non-teaching appointments.
1.14 The books, equipment and materials needed to support teaching and pupils’ learning are mostly adequate in quantity and quality and support the curriculum effectively. The substantial investment in information and communication technology (ICT) has the potential to support teaching and learning across all areas of the curriculum. The ICT resources are used appropriately to develop specific ICT skills, but their use and application in other subjects is under development.
1.15 The preparatory school library facilities offer good support for the curriculum and they are used effectively, but the library provision for the college offers limited support. The libraries in both the preparatory school and the college are centrally located and pleasant places in which to study and research. The computerised catalogue and access systems used in the preparatory school library are shortly to be installed in the college library. The part-time chartered librarian does not have enough time to manage the college library and enter stock. Some 4000 volumes remain to be catalogued before the computerised system can be fully implemented. The current absence of an effective borrowing system in the college means that the records of borrowing are incomplete.
1.16 The premises and accommodation are of a high standard, creating a learning environment that contributes constructively to pupils’ attainment and progress. The original hall has been imaginatively adapted and extended in recent years to provide modern, purpose-built accommodation. The buildings, accommodation and other facilities are very good and appropriate for the numbers, abilities, ages and gender of pupils; they are used well and enable the curriculum to be taught effectively. The classrooms vary in size and have reasonable storage space. Most of the teaching areas are of a high standard, and the specialist accommodation, for design and technology (DT), home economics, drama, physical education (PE) and games and science in the college, is very good. The gardens and grounds are well maintained. A feature of the College is the high quality equestrian facilities with boxing for 187 horses and an Olympic-size indoor arena.
Links with Parents and the Community
1.17
The College has developed an
effective partnership with parents and sound links with the community. The majority of parents who responded to
the pre-inspection questionnaire said they were supportive of the College. They
are encouraged to attend events, such as drama productions and concerts. Communication with parents is good, and
in addition to written reports there is a newsletter, calendar, communications
from the head on particular topics when necessary, and regular parents
meetings. The isolated location of
the site restricts spontaneous links with the community, but every opportunity
is taken for the College to participate when possible. Some statements in the prospectus, in
other College literature and on the website could, however unintentionally,
mislead. A significant minority of
pupils are not entered for the national tests at 11 and 14 years of age, and
therefore any comparison of the College’s performance with national averages is
exaggerated. In addition, several
logos printed in the prospectus give the impression of accreditation to
organ
1.18 Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. The College’s aim for pupils to ‘be the best that I can with the gifts that I have’ puts their personal development at the centre of its work. This is evident in assemblies in both sections of the College, the curriculum and throughout the RE programme. All faiths are recognised and pupils can develop their own values and beliefs in a varied spiritual environment. In the boarding environment, opportunities are provided to support pupils’ moral development, in which they learn the difference between right and wrong, and how to work together. A number of activities and other opportunities exist for developing cultural awareness. Pupils are keen to take on positions of responsibility in all parts of the College through which they learn the skills of leadership.
1.19 In both the preparatory school and the college, very effective support, advice and guidance is provided to promote pupils’ personal and academic well-being. The College’s system for pastoral support centres around the houses, the form teachers, and class teachers in the preparatory school. The dedicated staff within their own areas of influence make successful contributions to the well-being of all pupils. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme effectively helps pupils to understand relationships. Good-quality careers education and guidance are provided in the sixth form, and a programme for pupils in Years 7 to 11 is being developed. The measures to promote discipline and good behaviour ensure the highest standards of behaviour. Statutory requirements for child protection, through the Criminal Records Bureau, are being met. The College has in place measures to ensure the health and safety of pupils and staff. The buildings are safe and secure.
1.20
A National Care Standards Team
did not take part in the inspection.
1.21 Overall, the governance and management ensure the College’s aims are met, a broad education is provided, and that planning secures a good range of resources for teaching and learning. The appointment of a new head 18 months ago has provided the governors with the opportunity to review and consider further developments to move the College forward. The College has a number of valuable strengths in its governance and management. The head’s leadership is strongly focused on raising standards and increasing numbers. The management structure is cumbersome, with numerous committees whose functions often overlap. More effective management could be achieved by reducing the number of committees and clarifying their terms of reference. Scope exists to give more responsibility and associated accountability to senior members of staff. Systems for monitoring and evaluating the pupils’ standards and achievements are developing well, but departmental planning is variable, and does not contribute to the College development plan.
Achievement and Quality in Activities
1.22 The preparatory school and the college both offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities to promote individual interests and introduce new opportunities. The activities are appropriate for the pupils’ ages, aptitudes and abilities and make a beneficial contribution to the personal development of all pupils. The activities programme for boarders in the evening and at the weekend is extensive. The opportunities offered through the equestrian centre are of high quality.
Progress Made by the School since its Last Inspection
1.23 The College was last inspected in November 1994 by a team of four inspectors on behalf of the Independent Schools Joint Council. Since that inspection many changes have taken place, including the admission of boys, and the findings of that report are no longer relevant. Ofsted made a three-day visit to the College in November 2001. The two minor health and safety issues have been dealt with, and the resistant materials workshop has opened. The Social Services department inspected the boarding provision in November 2001 also. No recommendations were made.
2.1 The main recommendations are listed below. Other less significant recommendations are raised as suggestions in the paragraphs to which they apply.
R1 Rationalise the internal organisation of the preparatory school and college, to simplify academic and pastoral management by:
· reviewing and revising the management responsibilities carried out by members of staff to ensure they are relevant to management needs;
· preparing a simple line-management structure, with accountable links and clear lines of communication, in which management responsibilities are clearly understood;
· preparing terms of reference for all committees responsible for the academic and pastoral management of the College.
R2 Revise the prospectus and other published material to ensure all information is reliable and valid by:
· printing logos of only those accrediting bodies that can be verified;
· making reference to the College’s national tests results only when data relating to all pupils in a cohort are available for comparative purposes with national results;
· appointing a small committee, to include teachers, to be responsible for preparing for publication comparisons between the College’s public examination results and national data.
R3 Give priority to the completion and implementation for the new teacher-appraisal scheme to improve professional development by:
· finalising the proposed appraisal scheme in consultation with teachers, ensuring that it includes self-appraisal, classroom observation, an appraisal discussion on chosen areas of focus, target setting and a review procedure;
· linking INSET to individual or department priorities identified through appraisal, and preparing a scheme to evaluate the benefits of INSET in the classroom;
· revising the draft of the salary enhancement scheme to place greater emphasis on staff retention and career progression.
R4 Prepare a development plan that includes not only the College’s strategic plan priorities, but also departmental and preparatory school curriculum development priorities by:
·
reviewing with teachers the
current strategic plan and associated development
plan;
·
defining in a revised strategic
plan the direction in which the preparatory school and college will go in the next five to eight
years;
·
involving all teachers in
drawing up a detailed development plan for the next three years that establishes
priorities for maintaining and improving standards, identifies financial
implications, names those responsible for different parts of the plan, sets a
time frame and establishes criteria for evaluation;
·
preparing preparatory school and
department development plans that set out priorities for curriculum development,
show how standards will be maintained and improved, and how they will implement
strategic plan priorities.
3.1
Queen Ethelburga’s College, near
3.2
At the time of the inspection
the number of pupils on roll was 366.
Of these, 20 pupils were under three years of age (in Queen’s
Kindergarten), attending mainly part-time.
The preparatory school (called Chapter House) had 108 pupils, of whom 28
were under 5 (Foundation Stage), taught in three
classes, and 80 in Years 1 to 6 (Key Stages 1 and 2). Years
3.3 Pupils seeking admission after this age additionally take tests, set by the College, in mathematics and English, and complete a standardised test of general ability. Overseas pupils are tested by agents and reports from their previous schools are requested. The College’s intake is wide: overall, the range of ability is above average, but with a 16% in the college with English as an additional language. Pupils entering the sixth form are required to have at least five grade Cs in GCSE. Day pupils are drawn from a 25-mile radius of the College. One pupil has a statement of specific educational need funded by the local authority, and a further 49 pupils have been identified by the College as requiring specific educational provision for such conditions as dyslexia. Most pupils transfer to the college at the end of Year 6, and the great majority of pupils leaving at 18 go on to higher education either immediately after the A-level examinations or following a gap year.
3.4
Boarding pupils are drawn
principally from the
3.5 The College’s philosophy is for pupils ‘To be the best that I can with the gifts that I have’. Recent priorities in the management of the College have been associated with preparing a strategic plan, raising standards, and improving boarding and pastoral provision. The science laboratories have been refurbished and the DT resistant materials classroom fitted out.
3.6 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the College. The year group nomenclature used by the College and its National Curriculum (NC) equivalence is shown in the following table:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
College |
NC |
|
College |
NC |
|
Kindergarten |
Under 3 years |
|
Year 7 |
Year 7 |
|
Nursery |
Foundation Stage |
|
Year 8 |
Year 8 |
|
Reception |
Foundation Stage |
|
Year 9 |
Year 9 |
|
Year 1 |
Year 1 |
|
Year 10 |
Year 10 |
|
Year 2 |
Year 2 |
|