| ISC Report - April 2005 |
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COUNCIL ******* INSPECTION OF SHOREHAM COLLEGE By the INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE on April 25th- 29th 2005 SUMMARY REPORT ********
Overall Summary Shoreham College is a small, expanding and improving school for boys and girls aged 3 to 16. Its premises and accommodation are spacious and maintained to a very high standard. Teaching and non-teaching staff are very committed to the school and to pupils’ welfare, while pupils and parents are also very loyal to the school. The great majority of pupils are courteous and hard working. Most senior teaching and non-teaching staff give a good lead. Management structures, however, do not lend themselves to effective monitoring of the curriculum, assessment and special needs, and staff do not always get the best from all pupils in Years 5 to 9. What the School Does Well The school provides very well for pupils in the above average to below average ability range.
What the School Should Do Better The school does not have management systems and staffing arrangements to bring out the best in all of its pupils.
Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects Overall, pupils achieve satisfactory standards and make sound progress. Standards and progress are often good and a few pupils attain high standards and make rapid progress. Attainment and progress are good in the Nursery and Reception classes, in Years 1 and 2 and Years 10 and 11. Pupils in all years have good knowledge of information and communication technology (ICT). Those in the senior section have good, and those in the junior section sound, literacy and numerical skills. The Quality of Pupils' Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour The overall quality of pupils’ learning, attitudes and behaviour is sound. In the main, pupils are competent learners, and most are strongly supportive of the school. The behaviour of a minority, mostly boys in Years 5 to 9, detracts from the good behaviour and learning of the majority. The Quality of Teaching The quality of teaching is good overall. In almost all lessons it meets the needs of the majority of the pupils, and it makes a significant contribution to the quality of pupils’ attainment and progress. In the majority of lessons observed, teaching is at least sound and in nearly one in five it is very good; on occasions it is excellent. A small but significant minority of lessons, however, are not taught effectively. Very good or excellent teaching is often characterised by clear objectives, high expectations, a good pace and the setting of a variety of tasks that arouse pupils’ interest. Other Aspects of the School Attendance The level of attendance and the school’s procedures for recording registration are very good and meet legal requirements. The office staff follow up any unexplained absence and retain letters of explanation from parents. Admissions registers have long been well kept. The level of attendance by pupils is high. Unauthorised absence is very rare. Assessment and Recording The quality of teachers’ assessment and recording is sound. The whole-school system of recording pupils’ progress by attainment and effort grade mark orders in each subject is well established. Although pupils do not sit externally moderated national tests at the ages of 7, 11 and 14, they take cognitive ability (CAT) tests at regular intervals. A few teachers use their own assessments to plan lessons and schemes of work, but the school does not yet have sufficient data with which to monitor pupils’ progress or to plan the school curriculum. Marking of work by staff is inconsistent, but in many years and subjects it is detailed and constructive. Curriculum The curriculum is sound overall. It is broadly based and in many respects is well balanced, providing an education suited to pupils of all ages and abilities. Through the areas of learning for children under five and the subjects and courses offered to junior and senior pupils, it contributes effectively to their intellectual, physical and personal development, as well as preparing them for the next stage of their education or training. The evaluation of the curriculum, however, is unsatisfactory. Plans to support the curriculum of special needs pupils have been drawn up but are not yet fully implemented. Teaching and Non-teaching Staff Teaching and non-teaching staff provision is good. Almost all staff are well qualified and experienced for the roles they undertake, and they are soundly deployed. The teaching and support staff are industrious and enthusiastic; they contribute significantly to the positive ethos of the school. Induction procedures for newly qualified and newly arrived staff are good. The administrative and other non-teaching staff provide very good support. Resources for Learning The range, quality and organisation of ICT, audio-visual equipment, books and materials needed to support the teaching, learning, and recreation of the pupils is good at all levels. Resources are appropriate to the ages and abilities of the pupils. They are easily accessible and well used, and they contribute effectively to pupils’ attainment. Libraries Library provision is sound. Book stocks adequately support teaching in most, but not all, subjects. Access and supervision are satisfactory overall, although the times at which senior pupils, in particular, can use their library for independent study are limited. Although most junior classrooms have book corners, and a few subject teachers in both sections of the school keep selections of books in their classrooms, classroom and departmental stocks do not significantly augment those in the two main libraries. Premises and Accommodation The school’s premises, accommodation and other facilities are very good for the numbers, ages, abilities and gender of the pupils. They are well used and enable the curriculum to be taught effectively. The school stands in spacious grounds which, like the buildings, are maintained to an excellent standard. Links with Parents and the Community The school has good links with its parents and with the wider community. Parents receive good quality information about the school and its activities. Twice a year they receive good reports on pupils’ attainment and progress. The school welcomes them to all events, and many are members of the Parents Association. Parents responding to a confidential questionnaire distributed before the inspection gave the school strong support. The school has many positive links with the local community. Pupils’ Personal Development The quality of pupils’ personal development across the whole school is good. A wide range of opportunities ensures the promotion of a moral code and promotes the spiritual, cultural and social awareness of pupils. By their commitment and example, the teaching and non-teaching staff contribute positively to pupils’ personal development. Pastoral Care In its arrangements for pastoral care, guidance and welfare, the school cares effectively for the well-being of all of its pupils. It has good systems, formal and informal, for pastoral care, and has good child protection procedures. Pupils understand well its measures to maintain discipline and good order. The school gives high priority to measures to promote health and safety and first-aid. The dining hall serves adequate meals, although not always at suitable times. Governance and Management The quality of governance and management of the school is sound, and in many respects it is good. Good governance ensures the provision of adequate resources to enable staff to provide a rich and successful education for the pupils. The head and other senior staff receive strong support from pupils, staff and parents, although lines of responsibility within the school are not always clear and effective. Middle management is uneven in quality, because pastoral management is stronger than academic. The school’s financial administration is well organised, effective and very good. Very capable non-teaching staff support the academic staff well. Communication within the school, routine administration and documentation are good. Achievement and Quality in Activities The extra-curricular activities the school provides are appropriate for the ages, aptitudes and abilities of the pupils. These activities enrich the curriculum and appropriately support the personal development of the pupils. A good proportion of staff supervise activities, and pupils achieve good standards in them. Progress Made by the School since its Last Inspection The last inspection was in April 1999. Inspectors judged that the school had many good features: the staff, the support of the parents, the nursery, the breadth of the curriculum, and its overall ethos. Weaknesses were: the organisation of pupils in stages that did not mirror National Curriculum key stages, the need for a more rigorous assessment system linked to standard tests, too little use of the excellent new library, too little use of ICT, the lack of a policy for staff development, an unnecessarily complex management structure for the size of the school, the heavy load carried by the head of juniors, and the need for a director of studies. In the last six years, the school has grown in size and greatly improved its accommodation and facilities. It now gives greater priority to staff development, although it has yet to appraise all staff. It has good ICT provision. It has improved the quality of pupil assessment, without linking this to standardised tests. It has modified its management structure to coincide with National Curriculum key stages. Senior pupils, however, still make too little use of the library for personal study, accommodation for DT remains limited, the head of juniors continues to carry heavy responsibility and no member of staff, other than the head, has sole responsibility for coordinating the curriculum.
A nursery inspection took place in October 2004. Inspectors commended the school for the high quality of its nursery provision. Compliance with the Regulations for Registration
Actions Required for Compliance with the Regulatory Requirements No action is required. In addition, the school is asked to address any issues highlighted in What the School Should Do Better. These are set out as recommendations for the school in Section 2 of the report. |
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