INSPECTION REPORT

Plashet School for GirlsLondon

LEA area: London Borough of Newham

Unique Reference Number: 102782

Headteacher: Mrs B Nasir

Reporting inspector: Michael Lightfoot

Dates of inspection: 1st B 5th February 1999

Under OFSTED contract number: 704480

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

8 Crown Copyright 1998

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that allextracts 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 school.

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, the school must provide a copy of this reportand/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 SCHOOL

Type of school: Comprehensive

Type of control: LEA maintained

Age range of pupils: 11-16

Gender of pupils: Girls

School address: Plashet GroveEast HamLondonE6 1DG

Telephone number: 0181 471 2418

Fax number: 0181 471 3029

Appropriate authority: The governing body

Name of chair of governors: Ms Dona Henriques

Date of previous inspection: January 1995

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Michael LightfootRegistered Inspector

Attainment and progressTeachingLeadership and managementAccommodation

Jennifer MynettLay Inspector

Attitudes, behaviour andpersonal developmentAttendancePupils= welfare and guidancePartnership with parents and thecommunity

Robert Allen English Curriculum

Marguerite Presman Mathematics The efficiency of the school

Joseph Edge Science Assessment

John Chapman Art

George Hicks Design and technology

Paula Askew Information technology

John Carnaghan GeographyHistory

John Bald Modern European languages

Barbara Johnstone Music

Ann Braithwaite Physical education Equality of opportunityEnglish as an additional languageStaffing

Lynn Bappa Religious education Pupils= spiritual, moral, socialand cultural development

Ann Sydney Special educational needsResources for learning

Mark Sims Urdu

Sibani Raychaudhuri Bengali

The inspection contractor was:

PkR Educational Consultants Ltd.6 Sherman RoadBromleyBR1 3JH

Tel: 0181 289 1923

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

The RegistrarThe Office for Standards in EducationAlexandra House33 KingswayLondon WC2B 6SE

REPORT CONTENTS

MAIN FINDINGS Pages 6 - 8

What the school does wellWhere the school has weaknessesHow the school has improved since the last inspectionStandards in subjectsQuality of teachingOther aspects of the schoolThe parents= views of the school

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION Page 9

Paragraphs

INTRODUCTION 1 - 6

Characteristics of the schoolKey indicators

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school 7 - 25

Attainment and progressAttitudes, behaviour and personal developmentAttendance

Quality of education provided 26 - 66

TeachingThe curriculum and assessmentPupils= spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentSupport, guidance and pupils= welfarePartnership with parents and the community

The management and efficiency of the school 67 - 94

Leadership and managementStaffing, accommodation and learning resourcesThe efficiency of the school

PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 95 - 113

Other subjects or courses 114 - 178

PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 179

Data and indicators 180

MAIN

FINDINGS

What the school does wellC. Strong, sensitive and highly effective leadership and management by the headteacher, well supported by the

capable and hardworking senior management team, with a clear and very determined commitment to higheducational achievement for all

C. An excellent school ethos and climate for learning with pupils displaying excellent attitudesC. Excellent relationships based upon mutual respectC. Excellent provision for pupils= personal development leading to a high degree of self-confidence, independence

and social responsibilityC. Good teaching in the lower school and very good teaching in Years 10 and 11 promoting very good progress on

examination coursesC. An excellent provision for pupils= spiritual, moral social and cultural development in this racially diverse,

multi-faith and multi-cultural school communityC. Very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional

language promoting very good progress of these pupilsC. Very strong and productive partnerships with parents and the local community

C Where the school has weaknessesI. Safety concerns related to the unsatisfactory arrangements for crossing the busy main road that separates the

two main school buildingsII. Health, welfare and hygiene concerns about the absence of showering facilities and the inadequate provision for

lockersIII. The provision for the use of information technology in several subjects across the curriculum is inadequate,

especially in Years 10 and 11IV. A shortfall in the time allocation for the teaching of music in Years 8 and 9

The school=s many important strengths considerably outweigh the few weaknesses. The governors= actionplan will set out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection will be tackled. The plan will be sent to allparents or guardians of pupils at the school.

C How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has made very good progress since the previous inspection. At the time of the previous OFSTEDinspection just over 32 per cent of pupils gained five or more passes at GCSE grades A*-C, below the nationalaverage, whereas in 1998, 51 per cent of pupils gained five or more of these GCSE higher grades which is above thenational average. This performance is very high when compared with similar schools. Overall pupils= attainment atGCSE shows a rising trend at a much faster rate than the national average. Attendance remains at more than 93 percent, above the national average. The quality of teaching has improved considerably previously 88 per cent oflessons were satisfactory or better with 42.5 per cent being good or very good. Now there is only a very smallproportion of unsatisfactory lessons; 97 per cent are sound or better and, overall 73 per cent of teaching is good, very

good or excellent. At Key Stage 4 this figure is 80 per cent. The school is well placed to maintain these highstandards and continue the very good progress.

All the key issues on the previous report have been tackled, almost invariably to good effect. There is good provisionfor the needs of the more able pupils, there is a whole-school approach and each department has its own strategy topromote their achievement, for example early entry of pupils to GCSE and 'A' level examinations is possible if this isconsidered to be appropriate for particular pupils. One indication of the success of the policy is the high number ofthe highest grades of A* and A for science at GCSE. The improved links with partner primary schools is nowleading to much better progression for pupils into secondary education. Systems for the development of quality andschool improvement are now well established and the school undertakes critical self-evaluation very effectively inorder to assess the impact of initiatives. The curriculum has been reviewed but some imbalances remain with regardto, for example, music provision at Key Stage 3 and cross-curricular information technology at Key Stage 4. Allstatutory requirements are met. The appointment of a very efficient bursar has relieved the burden of a large amountof the day-to-day routine administrative duties from other members of the senior management team. The proportionof teachers' timetabled time that is devoted to purely teaching is below average, but this is compensated for by theteachers= evident commitment to the girls= success, their professionalism and willingness to run a wide range of out-of-school provision including homework and revision clubs at weekends and holiday times.

Standards in subjects

The following table shows standards achieved by 14 and 16 year olds in national tests and GCSE examinations in1998:

Performance in: Compared withall schools

Compared withsimilar schools

KeyVery high A*well above average Aabove average Baverage C

Key Stage 3 tests E B below average DGCSE examinations B A* well below average E

In the national tests at the end of Key Stage 3 pupils= performance in all three core subjects of English, mathematicsand science is well below the national average. Inspection evidence indicates attainment, which is in line with thenational average in English and below average in mathematics and science. When compared with similar schoolsattainment in English is above average, in mathematics it is broadly average, and in science it is well above average. Attainment in art is well above the national average. In the community languages of Bengali and Urdu attainment isabove average. In all other subjects attainment is in line with national averages.

At GCSE pupils= attainment is above the national average for pupils gaining five or more passes at GCSE both atall grades and at the higher grades of A*-C. In 1998 every pupil in Year 11 except one gained at least one GCSEpass which is very high by national comparison. When compared with similar schools overall GCSE attainment isvery high and puts the school in the top five per cent of similar schools in the country. The GCSE attainment inEnglish is well above the national average, in science it is above average and in mathematics it is in line with thenational average. When compared with similar schools, the proportion of pupils gaining the higher grade GCSEpasses in English, in mathematics and in science is very high.

In all other subjects at GCSE attainment is mostly in line with national averages except for history, sociology, theshort course in religious education and the community languages of Bengali and Urdu where it is above average, andart where it is well above. In information technology, music, geography and German, GCSE attainment is wellbelow average.

C Quality of teachingOverall quality Most effective in: Least effective in:

Years 7-9 Good English, art, English as an additionallanguage, special educational needs

Years 10-11 Very good English, art, science, religiouseducation, English as an additionallanguage, special educational needs

English Very goodMathematics Good

Across the school the teaching is satisfactory or better in 97 per cent of lessons; in more than two thirds it is good orbetter and in over one third it is very good or excellent. Teaching is better in Years 10 and 11, where about eight outof ten lessons are good or very good and in four out of ten are very good or excellent.

The most significant and striking features of the teaching are the quality of the relationships, the good planning andthe high expectations which teachers have of their pupils. The management of pupils is excellent at both key stages. Teachers who are supporting pupils with special educational needs and pupils whose mother tongue is not Englishplan well and integrate their work with the class subject teachers.

In English, the best lessons are characterised by a clear sense of objectives, effectively communicated to the pupils,and by high expectations accompanied by work which provides appropriate challenges to pupils of the full range ofattainment. In art lessons during individual work, teachers circulate to help, encourage and provide new directionsfor work, making effective interventions. In science good use is made of practical activities and group work is wellmanaged; the marking of pupils= work is very good. In religious education teachers stimulate a level of debate anddeep understanding within the pupils about the nature of belief.

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory;poor; very poor. >Satisfactory= means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses

C Other aspects of the school

Aspect CommentBehaviour Very good: pupils courteous, trustworthy and polite. Very few incidents of

inappropriate behaviourAttendance Good: overall attendance above the national average; authorised absence well

below averageEthos* Excellent: very strong commitment to high standards coupled with an excellent

provision for pupils= all-round personal developmentLeadership and management Very good: school=s aims values and policies well implemented; effective and

fully consultative planning; successful evaluation of policiesCurriculum Good: generally broad and balanced; some shortcomings for music in Years 8 and

9, and cross-curricular information technology in Years 10 and 11; extra-curricular provision, including supported homework and study time in thelibrary/resource centre is excellent

Spiritual, moral, social &cultural development

Excellent: a great importance attached to personal belief and moral values; social& cultural development enriched by a wide range of opportunities

Staffing, resources andaccommodation

Satisfactory: well qualified staff with good arrangements for professionaldevelopment; adequate resources for learning; accommodation just adequate butvery little outside free space for recreation

Value for money Good: very good teaching promoting very good progress from Years 7 to 11;resources deployed efficiently; excellent climate for learning

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

C The parents= views of the school

What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy aboutV. It encourages parents to play an active part in the life

of the schoolVI. Parents find it easy to approach the school with

questions or problems to do with their daughtersVII. It enables their daughters to achieve a good

standard of workVIII. The school encourages children to get involved

in more than just their daily lessonsIX. Parents are satisfied with the work that their

daughters are expected to do at homeX. Their daughters like school

XI. Many parents are concerned about the safety odaughters having to cross the busy main road dividing the school site

XII. Several parents are concerned about the lack of lockers, theinadequate provision for drinking water, the poor state of the toilets andthe absence of showering facilities

XIII. Some parents feel there is a need for more consultation inYear 9 earlier in the year

XIV. A small number of parents feel that the handle complaints from parents well

Inspectors endorse parents= views about the school. The school=s particular strengths are the high standards ofwork, the wide range of out-of-school activities, the positive contribution that homework makes to pupils= learningand the commitment of the girls to their studies. Inspectors echo parents= concerns about the safety of girls havingto cross the busy main road dividing the school site many times a day. The pedestrian crossing between the schoolbuildings is in poor condition, it is badly lit and traffic frequently backs-up from the traffic lights at the end of theroad obscuring the crossing. There have been fifteen accidents, two of which required hospitalisation, in the last fouryears.

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In order to maintain high standards and ensure the health safety and welfare of the pupils, the headteacher, seniormanagers and governors should address the following key issues for action: -

XV. Endeavour to secure the safety of the pupils as they transfer between the school=s two main buildingsthrough improving the arrangements for crossing the busy main road; (paragraphs 61 and 62)

XVI. Improve the provision for pupils= health, welfare and hygiene through providing adequate showeringfacilities, and access to other amenities such as personal lockers, drinking water and improved toilets;(paragraphs 80 and 172)

XVII. As part of the schools' continuous process of self-evaluation and review, ensure that the plan for thedevelopment of information technology across the curriculum is implemented in full and that music is providedwith sufficient curriculum time in Years 8 and 9; (paragraph 35)

In addition to the key issues identified above when drawing up their action plan governors should also consider thefollowing less important weaknesses: -

XVIII. Uneven quality of teaching in geography; (paragraphs 32 and 127)XIX. Lack of regular formal checks for health and safety risks around the school and no governor with

responsibility for health and safety; (paragraphs 61 and 70)XX. Unsatisfactory accommodation for design and technology and special educational needs (paragraphs 80

and 81) .INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school

1. Plashet School for Girls is a large comprehensive school of some 1339 pupils educating girls between the agesof 11 and 16. It is situated in the Borough of Newham, an inner-London borough where there are high levelsof social exclusion related to above average levels of adult unemployment and low family incomes.Approximately half of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is almost three times the nationalaverage.

2. Since the time of the previous OFSTED inspection in 1995 the numbers attending the school have risen, thereare now 95 more pupils on the school=s roll. The school is oversubscribed and there is a waiting list for entryto the school in every year group. The school is very popular and in 1998 the pupils beginning at Plashetcome from 28 different primary schools, but there are four principal partner primary schools which are localauthority designated feeder schools. Other girls who come from outside the immediate catchment are allocatedplaces based upon the local education authority criteria of siblings attending the school, proximity of homeaddress, special needs considerations and parental request for single sex education.

3. The pupils have richly diverse cultural backgrounds and the proportion of pupils for whom English is anadditional language is very high by national comparison. 93 per cent of pupils come from homes whereEnglish is not their first language; 87 per cent of the pupils are from Asian backgrounds and are first orsecond generation immigrants. The school does not have a static population. Of the 259 pupils who were inYear 11 in 1997 / 98, 214 had started the school in Year 7 so there had been a 17 per cent turnover in the yeargroup. In 1997/98, 34 new pupils were admitted to the school as term time admissions. Up to 35 differentlanguages are spoken by the pupils in the school, the majority of pupils are bilingual or multi-lingual.

4. Pupils= attainment on arrival at the school in Year 7 is well below average. The school uses information fromthe national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 as well as the results of baseline testing to assess pupils= ability onentry. Whilst there has been a slight improvement in pupils= attainment on entry since the time of the lastinspection, it remains well below average. There are 198 pupils on the special educational needs register B

about 15 per cent of the school population, in line with national averages; of these pupils 37 have statementsB about 3 per cent, which is above the national average.

5. The school aims to be a community where all its members are working together to promote and celebrateachievement. The school has agreed ambitious but realistic targets, based upon secure evidence, for the nextthree years which aim to maintain and improve the current GCSE performance at levels which are above thenational averages and well above both the local authority averages and the performance of schools with asimilar intake.

6. Key indicators

Attainment at Key Stage 3

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage3 Year Boys Girls Total

for latest reporting year: 1998 - 268 268

6. National Curriculum TestResults

English Mathematics Science

Number of pupils Boys - - -at NC Level 5 or Girls 142 91 110

above Total 142 91 110Percentage at NC School 53 (52) 35 (41) 41 (45)Level 5 or above National 65 (58) 60 (60) 56 (60)Percentage at NC School 26 (14) 18 (17) 19 (18)Level 6 or above National 35 (25) 36 (36) 27 (29)

6. Teacher Assessments English Mathematics ScienceNumber of pupils Boys - - -at NC Level 5 or Girls 168 115 136

above Total 168 115 136Percentage at NC School 63 (64) 43 (46) 51 (41)Level 5 or above National n/a (60) n/a(64) n/a (61)Percentage at NC School 23 (33) 18 (22) 23 (13)Level 6 or above National n/a (28) n/a (27) n/a (29)

Attainment at Key Stage 41

Number of 15 year olds on roll in January of thelatest Year Boys Girls Total

reporting year: 1998 - 260 260

GCSE Results 5 or more gradesA* to C

5 or more gradesA* to G

1 or more gradesA* to G

Number of pupils Boys - - -achieving Girls 133 245 259

standard specified Total 133 245 259Percentageachieving

School 51 (42) 95 (88) 100 (98)

standard specified National 44.4(43) 89.6 (88) 95.1 (94)

1

Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) %missed through absence for the latest Authorised School 5.5complete reporting year: Absence National comparative data 7.9

Unauthorised School 1.3Absence National comparative data 1.1

6.6.6. Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) Numberduring the previous year: Fixed period 13

Permanent 0

6. Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: %Very good or better 34Satisfactory or better 97Less than satisfactory 3

6.

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

Attainment and progress

1. Pupils= attainment in the general certificate of secondary examinations (GCSE) has been improving at a ratethat is much faster than the national average for the past four years, and it is now above the national average.In 1998, both the proportion of pupils gaining five or more passes at all grades and the proportion gaining fiveor more higher-grade passes is above the national average. All the pupils in Year 11, except one, gained atleast one graded GCSE pass, which is very high by national comparison. Compared with schools with asimilar intake of pupils, attainment is very high by all comparative indicators and puts the school in the topfive per cent of similar schools in the country.

2. At GCSE in 1998 attainment in English was well above average with pupils achieving high levels ofcompetence in spoken and written language. They debate effectively and justify their arguments and thenarrative style of many pupils is strong. In mathematics GCSE results in 1998 were broadly in line with thenational average with pupils manipulating numbers and using formulae effectively and geometry competently. In science the above average results which the pupils gained in 1998 together with the work of equal standardseen in class is achieved through good consolidation of scientific knowledge and increasingly effectiveapplication of the scientific skills of investigation, measurement and observation. The number of pupilsgaining the highest grades of A and A* in 1998 was well above the national average.

3. Attainment in art is very high, in 1998, 90 per cent of those entered for GCSE gained grades A*-C. Pupilswork with a high degree of technical competence in a wide range of media and use the art of many cultures asa rich source of inspiration in their sketchbooks. Attainment is also above average in history and sociologywith the pupils showing a high level of understanding and sophisticated argument in these subjects. Similarlyin the recently introduced short course in religious education where attainment is above average, the pupilsdemonstrate, through their capacity to engage in debate and argument, a high level of knowledge andunderstanding. Attainment in Urdu is above the national average. In all the other subjects at GCSE attainmentis broadly in line with the national average except in geography, information technology, music and Germanwhere it is below. These below average results are partly due to staffing difficulties, but also due to the GCSEoption arrangements which resulted in a high proportion of lower attaining pupils opting for informationtechnology and geography for GCSE. The attainment of pupils currently following the GCSE course ininformation technology is in line with the national average, but there are too few opportunities for pupils toapply their information technology skills more widely across all the subjects of the curriculum at Key Stage 4.The German GCSE course is being phased out.

4. In 1998 pupils= attainment in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 3 was well below average in English,mathematics and science. When compared with schools with similar pupils, however, attainment in English isabove average, in mathematics it is in line and in science it is well above average. Inspection evidenceindicates attainment in English at the end of Key Stage 3 that is in line with the national average andattainment in mathematics and science that is below average. Pupils= strengths in English are their speakingand listening skills, and these are considerably enhanced by the work in drama; their reading skills are alsowell developed but their weaknesses lie in their written work where errors in punctuation and common usagelet them down. In mathematics it is mainly pupils= weaknesses in the use of number which brings their overallattainment at the key stage to below average; they show average levels of competence in other aspects of thesubject, for example in their investigations, their manipulation of shapes and understanding of symmetry. Inscience the attainment evident in lessons and in the pupils= experimental work in class is close to the nationalaverage at the end of Key Stage 3 with no evident weakness in any of the parts of the science curriculum.

5. At the end of Key Stage 3 attainment in most other subjects is in line with national averages. Attainment in artis well above average at the end of Key Stage 3 and in the community languages of Bengali and Urdu it isabove average. Across the curriculum pupils= strengths are in their oral skills but their more restricted skillswith the written and printed word are a limitation to their attainment in the national tests at the end of KeyStage 3.

6. Pupils= attainment on entry is below average and in some cases well below. Progress of all pupils across KeyStage 3 is good, to achieve levels at the end of the key stage that are above average compared with similarschools. Across Key Stage 4 pupils= progress is very good, to reach levels of overall attainment at GCSEthat are above the national average. The progress across the different key stages is reflected in pupils=progress in lessons, at Key Stage 3 progress is good or very good in just under six out of ten lessons, whereasat Key Stage 4 progress is good or very good in more than seven out of ten lessons, and in half of these it isvery good.

7. On entry, pupils with lowest attainment are working at below the lowest National Curriculum level in the coresubjects. Progress at Key Stage 3 is good for all pupils with special educational needs. By the end of KeyStage 3, for example in English, a pupil with global learning difficulties is able to speak in full sentencesrather than just nouns and verbs. She can outline the plot of Romeo and Juliet, take part in role-play in a smallgroup, write short sentences from a model provided and spell some 2 and 3 letter words. In mathematics at theend of Key Stage 3 the same pupil can offer the correct coins for shopping, measure accurately with a ruler,do simple multiplication by 2 and by 5, identify lines of symmetry, construct and read simple bar graphs. Shecan add and subtract numbers to 20, sometimes using counters. In science, this pupil knows the characteristicsof living things, and can name the main parts of the body and their functions. She understands the importanceof hygiene and can name electrical appliances, knowing how to use them safely.

8. Progress for pupils with special educational needs at Key Stage 4 is very good. Not all pupils with specialeducational needs have learning difficulties; one girl with visual impairment copes well with work in the topability sets. By the end of Key Stage 4 an exceptional pupil with Downs syndrome is being entered for fivefoundation level GCSEs in science, French, drama, expressive arts and English literature, and otherexaminations in history and English. All pupils leave Plashet with some accreditation. However, pupils=progress is not measured by academic yardsticks alone, and records show that pupils are now able to walkindependently to school, socialise and have improved in confidence, even taking part in public performances.They are well prepared for the next stage of their lives.

9. A significant number of pupils who enter the school in Year 7 at the early stages of development of the Englishlanguage subsequently attain well in GCSE examinations. They attain particularly good results in Englishlanguage and art. A smaller number of pupils attain good standards in the community languages offered atGCSE. Pupils also attain well in the alternative accreditation offered to some pupils.

10. Since the time of the previous inspection, attainment and progress have improved considerably. The proportionof pupils gaining five or more high grade GCSEs has improved from 32 per cent to 51 per cent, and this risingtrend is set to continue with the targets that have been set for the coming years.

16.Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

11. Pupils= attitudes to learning are exemplary. Pupils are highly motivated, responding enthusiastically inlessons, quickly and confidently applying themselves to the activities presented. Pupils participate well inclass discussions and debates, and are prepared to undertake and persevere with challenging tasks for extendedperiods of time. Pupils take increasing responsibility for their own learning as they progress through theschool. Good evidence of excellent independent project work is seen in GCSE course work. In art and musiclessons, pupils undertake their own research and investigations and choose their own resources, whilst otherscompose their own music to accompany their dance examination. Pupils have good access to computers in thelibrary and information technology rooms at lunchtimes, after school and on Saturday mornings enabling themto pursue their own project work. All pupils are given the opportunity to undertake work experience in Year10, where they complete a number of structured assignments and activities. This approach has been verysuccessful in promoting pupils= self confidence and independence, and developing their sense ofresponsibility.

12. Behaviour in and around the school is very good, and this good behaviour makes a substantial contribution topupils= attainment and progress. They are courteous and polite, happy to talk about what they are doing and

show their work to visitors. Pupils speak well of their school, they generally show respect for the property ofothers and the environment. There is however a small minority of pupils who cause some damage in the toiletsand others who are not mindful of litter. Younger pupils undertake litter patrols to help resolve this problemon the north site. Parents speak highly of the school, commenting particularly on the good attitudes and theway high standards of behaviour are promoted. Pupils are well aware of the code of conduct, which has apositive impact on standards. There is little inappropriate behaviour or evidence of bullying in the school, andany incidents, which do occur, are taken seriously and dealt with promptly and effectively. The number offixed period exclusions in the school remains static with few pupils re-offending.

13. Relationships within the school are excellent. Pupils form constructive relationships with one another andwith staff, which go towards promoting high attainment. In many lessons, the examples of very good rapport,which have developed between teachers and pupils, are based on mutual respect. Pupils from the many variedcultural backgrounds mix and work harmoniously together. Pupils work well together in both pair and groupsituations, and examples of effective co-operative and collaborative work, are especially notable in scienceinvestigations, music and drama. The key skills programme in Year 11 encourages collaborative activities, forinstance where small groups of pupils design and make a product.

14. Frequent opportunities are provided for pupils to share their values and beliefs, and to consider and talk aboutimportant issues. They show respect for others= feelings especially when appraising each others= work. Thewell structured personal, health and social education programme promotes mature discussion and debate withpupils willing to listen, reflect and comment on a wide range of issues immediately relevant to their lives. Thereligious education programme and different faith assemblies successfully introduce pupils to different culturaltraditions to which they respond well.

15. Pupils are enthusiastic, showing initiative and willing to undertake positions of responsibility. There is aschool council with a system of elected representatives meeting within year groups and for whole schoolconsultations. Pupils discuss issues raised by their peers, however some expressed concern that the sameissues were raised each time and that nothing changed. Pupils are encouraged to apply for jobs advertised bystaff who need help in different areas, such as sorting musical instruments or filing. Year 11 pupils help run avery successful arts week each year for year 9. Various fund raising initiatives for different charities areorganised by pupils during the course of the year. There are tutor group representatives, library monitors and>litter bugs=. Reading buddies in Year 10 help weak pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 with their reading at lunchtimes.

16. The school is committed to the borough=s policy on inclusion of pupils with special educational needs, toequal opportunities and to the girls= social and moral development. Pupils with emotional and behaviouraldifficulties have support from a specialist teacher. Attitudes towards the pupils with complex difficulties arevery supportive, with other pupils gently reminding them to pay attention where necessary and involving themin group work. All pupils take part in work experience and some pupils on stage 4 and 5 of the special needsregister have the opportunity to take part in short courses at the local college, which prepares them for transferat the end of Year 11.

Attendance

17. The overall levels of attendance in the school at 93 per cent are good, and above the national average. Thelevels of unauthorised absences are broadly in line with that seen nationally, whilst authorised absence is wellbelow the national average. The school is seeking to raise the current attendance figure to 95 per cent. Thepattern of attendance is generally consistent across the school and age ranges, and the incidents of internaltruancy are minimal. Pupils are generally prompt into school and lessons start on time. The school is spreadover a split site with some considerable distances between different classrooms, and no changeover timeallocated between lessons. In the circumstances latecomers to lessons are few and they are generally suitablychallenged.

18. Registers are being completed correctly, and the school and governors are reporting the attendance figuresappropriately in the prospectus and annual report to parents.

19. Attendance for pupils with special needs is not as good as the rest of the school, but several pupils havemedical problems. Transport difficulties that have affected punctuality are being overcome.

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

Teaching

20. The teaching is of high quality throughout the school. Across the school it is satisfactory or better in 97 percent of lessons, in seven out of ten it is good or very good, and in over one third it is very good or excellent.There is more teaching that is very good or excellent in Years 10 and 11 than in the rest of the school; hereeight out of ten lessons are good or very good and approximately four out of ten are very good or excellent. AtKey Stage 3 approximately two thirds of lessons are good or very good and almost one third are very good orexcellent.

21. All teachers have good subject knowledge and understanding of the various learning needs of their pupils. Themost significant and striking features of the teaching, however, are the quality of the relationships, the goodplanning and the high expectations which teachers have of their pupils. The management of pupils is excellentat both key stages; the maturity of relationships and the evident mutual trust and respect which teachers andpupils have for each other creates a classroom atmosphere where a commitment to high achievement isenjoyed by all and a love of learning is evident. In art, for example, during individual work, teachers circulateto help, encourage and provide new directions for work, making effective interventions.

22. Planning is a strong feature in all subjects at Key Stage 4. In French, for example good planning is combinedwith an excellent understanding of patterns of progress among the pupils and outstanding class managementthat ensures that no time is wasted. In English, the best lessons are characterised by a clear sense of objectives,effectively communicated to the pupils, and by high expectations accompanied by work which providesappropriate challenges to pupils of the full range of attainment. In science, teachers plan lessons, whichincorporate a good range of methods such as rigorous questioning, useful practical work and well-managedgroup work.

23. Individual subject teachers and those who support pupils for whom English is an additional language carefullyplan together for the development of pupils. They use a range of methods that hold pupils= attention. Theteaching proceeds in small but clear steps that build pupils' confidence. Pupils and teachers have goodrelationships built on trust.

24. Support for pupils with special educational needs is almost wholly in class; there is very little withdrawal.Class teachers are well informed on special needs issues and on individual pupils= needs. Subject teachers areasked to use pupils= individual education plans as guides for targets in their own subjects and to report backon strategies they have tried, and the outcomes. In lessons teachers provide a good range of tasks and materialto challenge pupils at all levels of prior attainment. In the best lessons, such as a science lesson in Year 7, thesupport teacher and subject teacher had planned together in their own time to produce an enjoyable lessonwhere all pupils could make progress. Many support staff have specialist knowledge and expertise, and theircontributions are valued by subject staff. Relationships between support staff and pupils with specialeducational needs are excellent.

25. Teachers have high expectations for all pupils and the focus is very strongly upon success at GCSE. Pupilsare effectively prepared for the examinations through careful assessment which for some pieces of work isformative, telling the pupils exactly what they need to do to improve, whilst on other occasions it is summativeusing the GCSE grading criteria to give the work an indicative grade.

26. Teachers make good use of the time available and the resources at their disposal; most lessons are deliveredwith pace and energy with a range of different activities to stimulate and motivate the pupils. In mostdepartments there is a good degree of consistency in the quality of teaching but in others, such as geography,where there are several teachers providing an input to the subject the quality is more variable. Here theteaching is strongly polarised, some teaching is very good or excellent, but a minority of lessons areunsatisfactory due to ineffective planning, a poor focus on learning objectives and a delivery that is rather flatand mechanical.

27. Teachers make very good use of homework at Key Stage 3, and at Key Stage 4 the homework that is set is

highly relevant and makes an excellent contribution to pupils= learning. All teachers expect their pupils tocomplete their homework, and ensure that all pupils do. Homework is regularly marked and pupils who havenot understood are given help at lunchtime or after school. In most subjects teachers monitor pupils= workregularly to ensure progress. Marking is very good, even excellent at times, in that it is regular and detailedand because pupils clearly benefit. In information technology homework is set regularly and is used to extendpupils= information technology skills and knowledge and understanding of the applications of informationtechnology in the wider world and its implications. Not all the homework set requires the use of a computerand those pupils without computers at home are not disadvantaged because of the excellent provision ofsupport and access to computers out of lesson time.

28. At the time of the previous inspection, the teaching was of good quality with almost half the teaching judged tobe good or very good; but approximately 12 per cent of lessons were unsatisfactory. From this secure base,there has been a further significant improvement in the quality of teaching with hardly any unsatisfactorylessons now in evidence. Two thirds of lessons are now good or very good and about one third is very good orexcellent B at Key Stage 4 four out of ten lessons are very good or excellent. The most significantimprovement has taken place in the provision within the lesson planning to cater for the needs of the more ablepupils.

34. The curriculum and assessment

29. The length of the teaching day and the time allocated to each subject are broadly in line with the nationalpicture. The curriculum is broad and balanced. Religious education, drugs and sex education are included. However, there is an area of unresolved inconsistency in Key Stage 3: the share of time given to music ishalved after Year 7 in Years 8 and 9. While information technology is taught as a single subject, there is nosystematic provision for it to form part of the programme for all subjects, nor is there monitoring of itsteaching across the curriculum. In Key Stage 4, pupils have the opportunity to study for GCSE qualificationswhich comprise English, English Literature, mathematics, science, a language (French, Urdu or Bengali),humanities, design and technology and an arts subject. There are also short courses in religious education andinformation technology, and good opportunities to take appropriate non-GCSE examinations.

30. Effective schemes of work are in place for all subjects, and these are carefully monitored by the school=ssenior and middle managers. Statutory requirements are fully met. The relevant aspect of the second keyissue from the last inspection - the review of the curriculum structure to ensure that it is as well organised aspossible and complies with statutory requirements - is therefore considered to have been met, with theexception of the time allocation for music in Key Stage 3.

31. On entry to the school, pupils are placed in mixed ability tutor groups, and in the main they are taught in thesegroups, with the exception of mathematics and languages, where older pupils are taught in sets according toability. There is also additional provision in separate classes for pupils who need support in English and inscience. Homework is set and monitored methodically throughout the school.

32. The curriculum provides equality of access to all pupils, and this is carefully monitored. All pupils are taughta full curriculum, and particular strengths of the school lie in the support, monitoring and appropriatechallenge. A strength is its provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those for whom Englishas an additional language. Pupils with special educational needs are absorbed seamlessly into the totality ofthe school curriculum and the fact that these pupils are enabled to participate in all activities with their peersand to enter examinations alongside them is a notable success.

33. Pupils with special educational needs follow the same curriculum as the rest of the school. Only one pupil isdisapplied from the National Curriculum and there are two instances of pupils being taught in a year belowtheir age group. Pupils with special needs also take part in the full range of extra curricular activities withappropriate support. At Key Stage 3 there are extra literacy lessons with English and support staff afterschool once a week. Lessons across the curriculum are modified to meet pupils= needs but follow the sametopic, for example in a Year 9 maths lesson the main class were doing work on tessellations, while a small

group of pupils with complex difficulties were naming shapes and producing repeating patterns.

34. At Key Stage 4 pupils with low scores in the Year 9 assessment tests and tasks are offered a >Workshop=option and >Life Skills= instead of humanities and some science. There is a considerable overlap betweenthese groups. They are valuable options because the skills learned enhance pupils= capacity to take a moreactive part in the rest of the curriculum. Despite talented teaching, double periods are too long for some pupilswho are not able to concentrate successfully for this length of time. In other subject areas, groups are arrangedby ability and extra support is given to lower sets in the core subjects by the special needs department.

35. A member of the special needs staff has responsibility for liaison with the four main primary feeder schools.Information on literacy and to a lesser extent numeracy has improved since the last inspection. Some pupilshave already been identified in primary school; others are picked up through testing on entry and bymonitoring sheets sent round the staff.

36. There is equally effective provision to ensure that the great majority of pupils for whom English is anadditional language are enabled quickly to apply it at a functional level, and are supported and monitored untilthey are completely at ease. These two factors contribute very significantly to the good progress of pupils asthey move through the school, to their attainment at the end of Key Stage 4, and to their social competence andpoise.

37. The curriculum is further enriched by a very wide variety of out-of-school activities. Some are in the form ofsupport for learning, like the homework clubs run by some departments, or the special interest clubs run byothers, or - the almost continuous access to the libraries (including, for Year 11, Saturday mornings). Someare in the form of special activities, like fundraising projects, the Arts Week, the recent production of ABugsyMalone@, the annual recitation competition. Some involve visitors to school, like drama groups, authors,artists or other special speakers. There is also a considerable number of visits out of school, particularly theYear 7 residential visit to a field study centre, and a Year 10 visit to France. These are a few examples ofwhat is a quite unusually good provision, promoting the social and cultural development of pupils to a highdegree. This provision earned the school a Certificate of Distinction in 1998 from Education Extra for itsAoutstanding scheme of out-of-school activities@.

38. The smooth movement of pupils from their primary schools to Plashet is supported by close liaison betweenthe school, and by a good provision of opportunities for them to visit their prospective secondary school fromYear 5 onwards. There are also visits by Plashet staff to contributory primary schools and an induction day.Interviews between prospective pupils, their parents or carers and form tutors, take place in advance of theirjoining the school. There is also liaison between primary schools and subject leaders at Plashet. The key issuefrom the last inspection report (Aimproving curriculum continuity and progression at 11+@) has been met. Equally good liaison is in place with local colleges for the post-16 phase of education. Careers education isparticularly good. An element of careers work is included in personal, social and health education from Year7, and pupils towards the end of Key Stage 4 are provided with opportunities for mock interviews withvolunteers from the business community, and for work experience placements with local firms.

39. The school has good systems for assessing pupils' attainment and uses them effectively. Statutoryrequirements for assessment and recording are being met including the requirement to maintain formal recordsand to transfer these when a pupil leaves the school. A good range of information is collected, sufficient togive a good measure of the attainment of pupils when they join the school. Subject departments all gathersufficient information about attainment and progress of each pupil in their subject, link this closely to the dataabout attainment at entry, and then make a variety of predictions and targets to guide future progress. Thesystems used to manage assessment in science, design and technology, mathematics and religious educationare especially good in this way; assessment of attainment in history is satisfactory but less well developed. Overall the accuracy of the data is good. The information is used well by senior staff as part of theirmonitoring of the effectiveness of the school. Heads of year use assessment information effectively as theyprovide their very good overall support for pupils' academic and personal development.

40. The school is using a new policy for assessment, recording and reporting. This gives staff including managers

detailed and comprehensive direction as to what systems they should follow. It was produced collaboratively,is well understood and widely used. The level of detail in the present policy is very good. This is a markedimprovement on the policy in use at the time of the previous inspection. A revised policy on marking pupils'work has been established, setting clear expectations of staff and giving detailed guidance. Though the qualityand use of day-to-day assessment by teachers is good, and very good in Key Stage 4, the phasedimplementation of the new marking policy is not yet complete. For pupils with special educational needs andfor those for whom English is an additional language there is very good use of assessment to establish levels ofneed and then to monitor individual education plans or the progress toward language targets. As a result thecurriculum provision for these pupils is effectively adapted and they learn well.

41. Curriculum planning is adapted well in the light of assessment information in Key Stage 3, and very well inKey Stage 4. The school has accurate data and makes well-informed decisions on important whole-schoolissues. It has checked that the relative progress of pupils from different backgrounds is as equally good. Checks have been made to show that attainment is good even if the way classes are grouped is very differentfor example, science classes mix all abilities, whereas mathematics and most modern foreign language classesseparate high, middle and low attaining pupils. Subject departments secure an impressive variety ofimprovements to curriculum based at least in part on assessment information. For example science providesalternative work to pupils known to be of different ability, and has set up a much better way of finalisingGCSE coursework to reach higher standards after seeing how groups using a pilot system made goodprogress. In religious education the implementation, sometimes by non-specialist staff, of new courses atGCSE has been helped substantially by the good assessment processes in the department. In informationtechnology assessment data showed that pupils on the new GCSE short course required better preparation sosuitable changes have been made to the Key Stage 3 curriculum. Projects are completed to a higher standard indesign and technology since teachers added pupil self-assessment alongside their own interim gradings: this isespecially effective in Key Stage 4. Pupil self-assessment is well used in a good number of departments.

47. Pupils= spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

42. The overall provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent and makes avital contribution to the successful functioning of the school as a community. These areas of pupils'development are systematically woven through the curriculum and reflected in the ethos and daily life of theschool. The school has successfully created an atmosphere in which the dignity and worth of each individual issafeguarded and its mission statement of working together to celebrate achievement is upheld.

43. Provision for the spiritual development of pupils is excellent. The school has established a clear ethos whichteaches its pupils how to value imagination, inspiration and contemplation. The aim of the school to recognise,actively promote and make provision for this aspect of pupils' development and this is evident throughout itspolicies and practice. Many pupils are characterised by their strong faith commitment. This is recognised bythe school within an ethos of respect and tolerance for others. The school organises five separate religiousassemblies - Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Hindu and multi-faith- three times a week. The multi-faith assembliesare led by school staff, but the other four are led by committed and dedicated members of the local community.In addition to the religious assemblies, the school organises lower and upper school assemblies twice a week.The aims of the assemblies, which are to unite pupils, and to help them reflect on their religious values andbeliefs, are effectively met and provide excellent opportunities for pupils to develop personal belief andspiritual awareness. Further opportunities to deepen pupils' spiritual awareness and self-knowledge areprovided throughout the curriculum and there is a high level of awareness of the contribution which subjectscan make to this aspect of pupils' development.

44. There is excellent provision for the support of pupils' moral development. Staff set a strong positive tone thathelps pupils to understand the difference between right and wrong and show respect for one another and forproperty. The school successfully emphasises the equal value to the school community of each pupil. Schoolassemblies strongly reinforce this with their emphasis on the necessity to make decisions of a moral nature.Most subjects challenge pupils to think deeply about moral values. History, for example, contributes to thisarea through the exploration of the immorality of slavery. In religious education, there is a clear emphasis onmoral issues, for instance improvisation on the theme of Muslim teachings. The school sets out quite clearlywhat it expects from pupils in terms of behaviour, respect and values. Teachers provide pupils with good role

models and pupils show respect for them and for each other. Displays around the school reinforce and upholdthe school's values, evident for example in work displayed in the foyer where pupils had looked at theApostles' Creed in Christianity and then drawn up their own personal creeds.

45. Pupils' social development is encouraged through a range of excellent provision. Most subjects provide goodopportunities for teamwork, group discussion and sharing ideas. Extra-curricular activities are also meanswhereby the pupils can extend their social skills, as are the school's fund-raising projects such as thecollections for the victims of Hurricane Mitch. There are also opportunities for pupils to exerciseresponsibility through, for example, the school council. Pupils are encouraged to take the initiative in manyareas of school life. Muslim girls, for example, arranged to break their fast in school during Ramadan, whilethe literacy group organised a competition for pupils to design its logo.

46. Arrangements for pupils' cultural development are also excellent. Scope exists throughout the curriculum andin extra-curricular activities for pupils to develop their aesthetic awareness and to appreciate their own andothers' cultural traditions. In mathematics, for example, pupils study Swahili numbers and Islamic patterns.The school sees itself positively as a multi-faith, multi-cultural community.

52. Support, guidance and pupils= welfare

47. There is very good provision for pupils= welfare and guidance, which makes a substantial contribution to theirpersonal and academic development. Pupils are well cared for and supported, and enjoy their time at school. Teachers work hard to provide a happy and secure environment where pupils can prosper, fulfilling their fullpotential as individuals, and achieving high standards. All pupils have access to the school=s curriculum andteachers are careful to ensure they have equal opportunities. There are very good systems in place formonitoring pupils= academic progress and personal development. The school recognises the importance ofpromoting pupils= personal development opportunities and has set up a working party to explore this areafurther. A mentoring scheme provides additional support for those identified as under-achieving in Year 11. The well focused programme of personal, health and social education developed throughout the school,enables pupils to look at growing responsibility and how to make informed choices. Drug awareness, healthand sex education are appropriately covered within these lessons.

48. The provision and support for pupils with special educational needs, and for those who speak English as asecond language is very good. There are detailed individual education plans which enable them to developtheir abilities and make good progress. The support and assistance offered to those pupils with statements ofspecial educational needs is well focused to meet their specific requirements, and helps to integrate themtotally into the life of the school. There are systems in place to identify the more able pupils, to foster theirabilities and enable them to take examinations early if appropriate.

49. The ethos of the school fully endorses >inclusivity= there is very little withdrawal for pupils with specialeducational needs or those for whom English is an additional language. What withdrawal exists is in the formof workshop sessions. Support is given in class, through team teaching and to support teachers= planning.After an initial induction and assessment the girls are directly immersed in the curriculum but with support.Peer support is a feature of the school and for some pupils the support of teachers speaking their first languageis also helpful. The environment of the school is welcoming, supportive but also about raising self-esteem,pupils are urged to be involved and to develop their self-confidence and to contribute. The school recognisesand supports where possible the first language of pupils and the use of entry for some pupils to communitylanguage course at GCSE is to build confidence and success. Sensitive contact with the community andparents and use of community languages around school all support the development and confidence of pupils. The network of support within the school extends not only to joint work with special educational needs andEnglish departments but also closely to the pastoral care teams.

50. The strong pastoral focus of the school is one of its many strengths. The support and guidance systems arewell structured to meet the needs of groups and individuals as they progress through the school. There is acomprehensive induction programme into the school which has been well thought out and provides excellentsupport for pupils making the transition to secondary education. The system of year co-ordinators, assistant

year co-ordinators and teachers attached to tutor groups as they progress through the school provides somecontinuity of staff. This facilitates the strong tutorial and pastoral arrangements and enables teachers to get toknow pupils and offer focused personal development support. This pastoral care extends to the help andguidance offered when pupils come to make option choices for GCSE, and the transfer to further education.There are sensitive counselling facilities available for pupils who may wish to acquire information or discussissues of concern. These are offered through the services of the school nurse, a counsellor and the educationwelfare officer who runs a new weekly >drop in session=.

51. The school has received a quality award from the local authority in recognition of the excellent careerguidance offered to pupils. Strong links with the careers service and employers, conferences and industry daysoffer pupils different perspectives. A well structured programme of advice, interviews, work shadowing andwork experience enables pupils to gain the full benefit of these opportunities, and helps them develop a matureapproach to their future. The school provides a comprehensive back-up system to support pupils at this timeincluding individual staff visits to supervise work experience assignments. Pupils with special educationalneeds receive excellent support to enable them to also take advantage of career guidance and work experienceopportunities.

52. The clear guidelines and procedures for promoting discipline and good behaviour are very effective, andcontribute significantly to the excellent behaviour patterns in the school. Separate policies relating to bullyingand racial harassment indicate clear guidelines and procedures in case incidents occur. Pupils are aware ofthese guidelines; they know who to go to, and are confident that they will be taken seriously and that anyincidents dealt with promptly and effectively. A comprehensive system of rewards in the lower school is wellknown and respected by pupils, who work enthusiastically to collect commendations and certificates. Thestructured system of sanctions deals with the few incidents of poor or unsocial behaviour that may occur, andthe school works hard to support pupils who have difficulties in these areas. It has also been very effective inretaining and motivating pupils who have been expelled from other schools.

53. The school has very effective arrangements for promoting prompt and regular attendance. Targets are set forimprovement, and a system of certificates and vouchers reward pupils with 100 per cent attendance. There areappropriate systems for recording and monitoring attendance patterns and following up absences and lateness. Parents are encouraged not to take their daughters on extended holidays in term time. Close links have beenestablished with the education welfare officer who liaises with the school regarding any problems andconcerns, and investigates cases where required.

54. Arrangements for child protection meet statutory requirements. There is a comprehensive policy with amember of staff identified as the designated reference point. She has undertaken appropriate training anddisseminated this to other members of staff. Regular updating training is undertaken to ensure all staff areappraised of the guidelines and procedures. There are appropriate links with the relevant outside agencies thatvisit the school regularly. There is a full time nurse and medical room, and suitable arrangements to meet theneeds of pupils who may fall ill during the day. Careful contingency plans are in place to support the medicalconditions of those pupils who require it. There are four other members of staff also qualified to provide firstaid assistance.

55. The school has a comprehensive health and safety policy which addresses the issues of safety and security ofpupils both whilst they are in school and out on visits. The bursar has responsibility for health and safety inthe school. Staff contact him if they have concerns or identify potential hazards which require attention. Theseare followed up by the maintenance staff. There are local authority risk assessments every two years, andappropriate action was undertaken to deal with the issues raised in the last inspection report. There havehowever been no recent checks undertaken by the other health and safety staff representatives, and there are noclear lines of communication regarding health and safety issues to the governing body, with no governorhaving specific responsibility for this area. Significant health and safety issues were raised by both theparents and pupils. These relate to the lack of drinking water for pupils, the poor state of some toilets, noshowers, the lack of hot water in some art classrooms and the dangers of the road. The inspection teamconcurred with the concerns of both the parents and the school that the split site, necessitating pupils to crossthe busy road a number of times a day presents a potentially dangerous situation.

56. The main road through the school site is a particular danger to those pupils with special needs who cannotcross independently and safely. Although certain designated pupils with special educational needs aresupervised by staff, the school in unable to supervise all pupils at all times.

57. Good support is given from the specialist services for the visually impaired, hearing impaired, learning andbehaviour support and the educational psychology service. There is a shortage of speech therapy. The co-ordinator for pupils with special educational needs is well informed about other services in the borough

63. Partnership with parents and the community

58. The school recognises the importance of effective liaison between home and school, and establishes contractsbetween teachers, parents and pupils even before they join in Year 7. The school actively seeks ways ofinvolving parents, and strengthening the role they can play in supporting their child=s education. Parents havevery positive views about the school, they feel staff are approachable and that they are kept well informed. Good information about the school and its activities is provided in the school prospectus, the introductorybooklet for new parents, information packs provided at transition points and the governors= annual report toparents. Regular contact is maintained through newsletters and reminders, and parents are circulated withdetails relating to option choices and career guidance. Much of the documentation is translated into Bengaliand Urdu, and interpreters are available where necessary to help facilitate parents who do not speak English.Occasional workshops are held to keep parents updated and suitably informed, and there are plans to providemore comprehensive curriculum information each year. There is a group for parents of girls with specialeducational needs, which meets regularly with the special needs staff that successfully shares information anddiscusses general issues. Consultation evenings provide opportunities for parents to meet teachers and toreview their child=s progress and achievements. The annual reports are very informative; they detail pupils=progress and attainment, and set targets for improvement. Records of achievement are compiled as pupilsprogress through the school. Parents of pupils with special education needs are kept fully briefed about theirchild=s progress, and are involved in the review process.

59. The school has successfully established a parents= involvement group, and hosts a number of lunchtimesessions for interested parents. Parents are contacted when their children join the school and invited to assistwith various activities. A number help by providing career talks, listening to reading or helping out with otherclassroom activities or school visits. Parents also help run an annual Summer Fayre which is very successfuland generates significant sums of money for the school. These funds have recently helped to improve theenvironment by purchasing benches and creating an attractive seating area in the playground.

60. The school has established very good links with businesses and the local community. There are contacts witha number of professionals who offer their time to help with careers talks and hold mock interviews for olderpupils. Strong links have been forged over a number of years with companies who offer placementopportunities for the work experience programme. Local companies have also sponsored different initiativesaround the school, such as the successful refurbishment of an inner courtyard. There are a large number ofvisitors to the school during the year, and opportunities for pupils to undertake trips and visits which supportproject work and enhance the curriculum. These include theatre outings, field trips and residential activityevents. Overseas visits to France help support pupils= language development. Various teams successfullycompete in different sporting competitions with other schools. Opportunities for pupils to undertakecommunity service are currently underdeveloped. The school has very strong links with the local religiouscommunities. Representatives of the Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Christian faiths visit three times a week to runassemblies, and provide different perspectives within the religious education programme. The excellent linkswith the local community are also fostered through the range of community activities which take place in theschool both during the week and at weekends.

THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

Leadership and management

61. The school is very well led with vision, determination and drive, but in a fully consultative fashion by theheadteacher. Her strong personal commitment to the pupils= high achievement and her sensitiveimplementation of the ambitious plans have resulted in the great success of the school. The loyal anddedicated support of colleagues on the senior management team ensure that the agreed policies are carriedthrough to fruition and the work of the school is effectively monitored. Since the previous inspection a highlyefficient bursar has been appointed to lighten some of the administrative burden from other senior colleagues.

62. Through their teaching, as well as their regular attendance at departmental meetings, in each of the fivecurriculum areas, the headteacher and deputies are able to monitor successfully the work of the curriculummanagers and subject departments in the areas where they line manage. The headteacher chairs the pastoraland academic committee and this is a highly effective forum for discussing policies and initiatives in thecontext of the whole school rather than as separate curriculum or tutorial areas.

63. Major policy decisions are discussed in detail at whole staff meetings and, for the most part, the school movesforward with the consensus of all the teachers and school managers. When disputes or disagreements arise thesenior management team have the personal resources to resolve matters and ensure that policies and plansagreed by governors and senior managers are implemented. For example, despite some disagreements withinthe staff on the way in which more able pupils should be challenged to achieve even higher standards, in linewith a key issue for action in the previous OFSTED report, a policy was agreed. The successfulimplementation of this policy has resulted in a significant increase in the number of pupils gaining the highestgrades of A and A* at GCSE, and the curriculum provision has been enhanced.

64. The governors are very supportive of the work of the school. Whilst they are committed to the success of theschool few governors have the time to gain a detailed knowledge of the day to day running of the school andthere is no governor with a responsibility for health and safety. Governors are appropriately involved withstrategic planning and agreeing the school budget and they are happy to delegate the daily routines to thesenior managers. There are currently moves to involve governors more in the life of the school by encouragingdepartmental and curriculum links to be established with individual governors so that their decision makingwill become better informed.

65. The management of the provision for pupils for whom English is an additional language is very effective. Very good use is made of data, including value added data, as suggested at the last inspection. The English asan additional language co-ordinator is line managed well by one of the deputy headteachers and she attendscurriculum managers meetings.

66. The special educational needs department is led effectively with a strong commitment to inclusion, equalopportunities and promoting independence for pupils. Relations with other departments, particularly Englishas an additional language, are good, and this has helped special needs provision to permeate the school=sorganisation and staff=s teaching methods. The link group with representatives from each subject has alsoimproved cross-curricular provision. Information to school staff, both permanent and supply, is good. There isa realistic department development plan, which has achievable targets. The management of special needs in theschool is complicated by the fact that only four staff are full-time and on the roll of the school. All the restbelong to a variety of support services. It is not possible to have department meetings or training with all staff.Procedures for communication generally work, and staff goodwill means that some school-based training withsupport staff is possible. Support teachers and assistants work very well together; teachers effectivelymodelling good practice to the support assistants. The quality of support staff is high.

67. The model for whole school development planning is clear, succinct and highly effective. Above the wholeplan is the overarching school motto AWorking together to promote and celebrate achievement@ each of thefive school aims then becomes a heading for a set of related plans B to generate a sense of ownership of theschool; to ensure high quality through effective resource use; to provide a broad, balanced and relevantcurriculum; to ensure equality of opportunity; to prepare students for the challenge of life in a complex andchanging society.

68. The plans are ambitious, but realistic, they include key tasks and people responsible for driving thedevelopments through, there are clear success criteria and timelines to mark the progress of implementation

and the success of the plan. Department development plans relate directly to the priorities within the wholeschool development plan. A shortcoming in the process is the lack of detailed costings attached to some of theplans.

69. Nonetheless the planning which arose from the previous OFSTED report was implemented to good effect andvirtually all the key issues for action have been acted upon in full. The policy for promoting the achievementsof the more able has led to more pupils gaining more higher grades. Improved links with partner primaryschools have greatly smoothed the transition into the secondary phase of education through better liaison,especially with regard to literacy; for example a two week summer school set up in August 1997 for 30 Year 6students to build on their literacy skills. One of the teachers who taught in the summer school was a primaryteacher. A literacy co-ordinator has been appointed to share literacy methodology used in primary schools inthe literacy hour and help departments to address literacy issues. The job descriptions of curriculum managersand heads of department now clarify their responsibilities with regard to ensuring quality and their work ismonitored by designated members of the senior management team. A curriculum review has resulted in somesignificant improvements in the curriculum such as the short course in religious education for GCSE, thepolicy of double science for all at GCSE, and the new GCSE in information technology, but there are stillsome shortcomings in the curriculum with regard to the time given to music as Key Stage 3. The appointmentof a bursar has greatly improved the cost-effectiveness with regard to the way in which senior managers spendtheir time; teaching staff are not deployed with greatest economy and the time they spend actually teaching iswell below average. There is ample compensation for this low contact time through teachers= involvementwith a wide range of out-of-school activities, homework clubs and curriculum support at evenings weekendsand holidays.

70. The total impact of the school=s highly effective management is to create a learning community where highachievement of every kind is rewarded and celebrated by all. It is a community where everyone has equality ofopportunity and where pupils= spiritual development is nurtured through the great value which is attached topersonal faith and religious conviction. The multi-cultural nature of the school=s population is a source ofgreat richness and nourishment as the girls are encouraged to explore the unique qualities and diversity ofcultures that are not their own. Above all it is a school where pupils are not afraid to be themselves, to do theirbest and to know that they will be supported and encouraged in all their endeavours.

76. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

71. The staff make a good contribution to the high quality of education, support and personal developmentprovided for pupils. There are sufficient well-qualified and experienced staff to teach the curriculumeffectively. In the recent past there have been problems of long term illness in science and Europeanlanguages. These have been resolved and staffing in these departments is now stable. However, inspectorsendorse parents= concerns that in German in particular this has adversely affected the attainment and progressof pupils. There is good provision of support teaching for pupils with special education needs and those pupilsat an early stage of learning the English language. The co-ordination of this support teaching together withthat of the support assistants is very effective and makes a good contribution to the progress made by thesepupils.

72. The non-teaching support staff give good support to the school administration and the curriculum. Theappointment of a bursar has relieved the heavy commitment of senior staff to some administrative functions,as identified at the last inspection.

73. There are good, effective arrangements for the induction of new staff. There is a close link between theprofessional development of staff and the identified priorities of the school and the subject departments.Teacher appraisal is beginning to contribute to these training arrangements.

74. The accommodation is barely adequate to provide comfortably for this large school population. The majordifficulty with the school=s efforts to provide sufficient suitable accommodation is the shortage of land andthe split nature of the school=s site. As the school roll has grown new buildings have been added and there isnow little space for comfortable outdoor recreation when the playing fields are unable to be used. Both theindoor and outdoor facilities for physical education are very limited and the showers in the changing rooms donot work. Facilities for design and technology are very restricted and have a negative effect upon standards inthis area and the spread of the art department between the far-flung ends of the two buildings means thateffective day-to-day departmental co-ordination is problematic. Nevertheless, since the previous inspectionthere has been the addition of a new purpose-built accommodation block within which are several new sciencelaboratories of high quality and three additional classrooms.

75. The accommodation for special needs was described as a weakness at the last inspection, and the situation hasnot improved. Accommodation is cramped with several activities going on in the same small room next to themusic department. There is an over-populated preparation and office area. There is no allocated private spacefor confidential meetings. The school is not wheelchair accessible. Any temporary wheelchair users must havechanges to their timetables. There is no separate special needs toilet for those pupils who need help.

76. Spending on learning resources is about the national average. While the amount of money allocated for eachpupil remains modest for practical subjects, there is a parallel system of bidding for extra money. This istargeted at new courses, for resources pinpointed in department development plans and in the whole schoolpolicy. The priority has been to provide for what will improve achievement. Most subject departments haveadequate resources. Resources for music are good, with a range of instruments and computers. Since the lastinspection the provision for teaching information technology has improved and is now good, with controlequipment, an Internet link and networks enabling whole classes to have a computer for each pupil. Apartfrom specialist software the provision of resources for statemented pupils is also good, with a range ofequipment for visually impaired pupils, radio hearing aids and a digital camera to record the achievements ofpupils with complex difficulties.

77. However there are insufficient resources in art especially at Key Stage 4, principally because of the high costof quality materials. There are shortages of textbooks in mathematics in Years 7 and 8 and in geography atKey Stage 4. Both subjects have limited access to networked computer facilities for teaching. This is affectingstandards in these subjects. Most Key Stage 4 subjects have up to date textbooks and revision materials, asthis has been a whole school priority. Provision of computers, specialist software and materials in the resistantmaterial and graphics components of design and technology are poor, to the point where it is adverselyaffecting teaching and learning.

78. Since the last inspection the library provision has improved tremendously. It is now exemplary. There areseparate upper and lower school libraries. They are both heavily used, not only by classes but also outsideschool hours including Saturday mornings. Stock is well looked after but with a total of about 8000 books anda large population of avid readers, the libraries are not generously resourced. They are welcoming, and wellmanaged. There is a range of books, newspapers, cassettes, videos, CD-ROMs and an Internet link. There isan attached careers library and a small staff library. Fiction includes other languages and dual language textsand there are books suitable for poor readers of secondary age. The qualified librarian and her two assistantssuccessfully develop the love and use of books throughout the school. There are good links with the literacyco-ordinator and they have been involved in national and local literary events. Staff and pupils mayrecommend new stock. There are security systems in place and the catalogue in the upper school library iscomputerised. Both libraries play central roles in the school, successfully encouraging independent learning.

79. Resources beyond the school are well used with a variety of visits including an activity day for the wholeschool, and a residential experience for Year 7 pupils. Visitors come into school regularly, for example localreligious leaders make valuable contributions to school life. Local college links are used to extend thecurriculum for pupils with special needs at Key Stage 4.

85. The efficiency of the school

80. Financial planning in the long and short term is good. At the time of the last inspection the school had a largeamount of money in reserves, over the past four years sensible spending decisions have led to an improvementin the quality of learning in many areas.

81. The school=s finances are efficiently managed to promote its educational aims. The senior management team,supported by the governors, ensure the budget is allocated in accordance with the school=s priorities. Thecycle of redecoration and renovation and the major improvements that have been made to the resources centreensure that the environment supports pupils= learning. The school development plan provides a clearstatement of priorities, but not all aspects of the plan are fully costed.

82. Effective use is made of staff, accommodation and learning resources to support the school=s commitment tothe high achievement of its pupils. The proportion of pupils to teachers has reduced significantly since the lastinspection. Teachers spend a below average proportion of their time in school actually teaching, as opposed tomarking and preparation. Many, however, give freely of their time during breaks, after school, at weekendsand in holidays to support the wide range of extra-curricular and out of school support activities that theschool runs, and this compensates for the relatively light teaching load. This factor, coupled with the highquality of the teaching which is promoting very good progress means that the teachers are providing a goodreturn for the resources invested in their salaries.

83. The appointment of a very efficient bursar and a school=s librarian has resulted in releasing teachers fromroutine administrative duties. Since the last inspection teaching time has been increased for pupils in the upperschool.

84. With its generous level of support staff and a below average pupil:teacher ratio, the school provides additionalfunds over and above the specific earmarked funds from the local authority. Staff are almost all effectivelydeployed; the exception being where support is only needed occasionally within a lesson or, rarely, wheresubject teaching does not allow a full role for the support teacher.

85. The governing body=s report to parents does not show in detail how money is allocated for special needs. Thespecial needs register is now on computer and linked to the school office for easily updating the roll.

86. The bursar maintains very efficient financial control. He informs the governing body and the curriculummanagers regularly about the position of the budget, so that spending can be carefully monitored.

87. When pupils come to the school their levels of attainment are below, and in several cases well below thenational average; progress through Key Stage 3 is good and through Key Stage 4 it is very good so that by the

end of compulsory schooling the proportion of pupils gaining the benchmark of five or more grades A*-C atGCSE is above the national average. The quality of education, in particular the teaching, which the pupilsreceive is very good and their behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary. The school=s strongcommitment to high achievement and to the all-round development of all its pupils whatever their ability orspecial educational need means that there is an above average amount of support teaching at the school and thecost of educating each pupil is above average.

88. Taking all these factors into account, it is evident that, as at the time of the previous inspection, the school isproviding good value for money.

PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

94. ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

94. English

89. The majority of pupils enter the school with a lower standard of speaking, reading and writing English than isthe national picture. They make good progress at Key Stage 3 and very good progress at Key Stage 4. Whilstnational test results at the end of Key Stage 3 in 1998 were well below the national average in English, 68 percent of pupils obtained A*-C grades in English language, well above the national average. The percentageattaining all grades A*-G grades at 96 per cent was also well above average. These results represent asignificant improvement over the results at the time of the last inspection. The evidence of this inspection isthat the attainment of pupils at the end of Key Stage 3 is in line with national averages, and that at the end ofKey Stage 4 it is above.

90. In speaking and listening, pupils develop sound skills in Key Stage 3. They are lively and responsive. Theyare attentive, conscientious and respectful listeners, as is shown in their thoughtful responses to teachers=questions and in discussions with their peers. In drama lessons in Years 8 and 9 this is particularly wellillustrated. They have good oral expression; they control what they have to say carefully; they are sensitive tothe expectations of those listening to them. In Year 9, pupils improvising on some ideas from Romeo andJuliet showed unusually good knowledge of the requirements of spoken language in performance. In terms ofspeaking and listening, by the end of Key Stage 3, most pupils attain a level at least in line with nationalaverages, with a significant proportion - almost half - above or well above. In this aspect of English, pupils inKey Stage 4 show confidence and poise. They are careful to choose their words well, and to structure theirarguments. They have good knowledge of a variety of modes of expression. One particularly impressiveexample of attainment in speaking and listening was observed in Year 11, where pupils were discussing - withone of them in the chair - the subject of racism in Britain. Arguments and counter-arguments were carefullyput and responses provided. Every pupil took part. Great mutual respect was shown, and great thought wentinto the expression of views and its wording and structure. The rules of public discussion were observed, andthe lesson was a pleasure to witness. Equally good attainment in speaking and listening is to be found indrama lessons, where pupils rehearse and present their own compositions with attention to audience, to theme,to mood, and to structure as well as to the conventions of the theatre. By the end of Key Stage 4, attainment isgood, and above national standards.

91. In reading, the attainment of pupils corresponds with national averages at the end of Key Stage 3. They readaloud with care and many pupils are quite skilful in interpreting what they read, and giving it appropriateexpression. The ethos of the school promotes a culture of reading: the libraries are much used and manypupils read widely across a considerable range of books. In Key Stage 4, pupils show good critical responses,using illustrations and textual quotations to support their judgements. They are sensitive to the major issuesdealt with in a play like Othello and to the shades of meaning which may be ascribed to words: for example, ina range of advertisements. They use technical terms with ease in their discussions, and speak confidently andknowledgeably of a number of figures of speech, of themes and structures, of key adjectives, and of authors=intentions. Their reading of some quite challenging texts in both poetry and prose is careful, mature andanalytical, and their attainment at the end of the key stage is above, and in many cases well above, nationalaverages.

92. Attainment in writing presents a similar picture, though it is not as strong as the other elements of English.

Nonetheless, inspection evidence suggests that it is broadly in line with national averages at the end of KeyStage 3, and above at the end of Key Stage 4. In Key Stage 3 there is much thoughtful, adventurous writingand many of these pupils have a secure sense of structure both in sentences and paragraphs. However, amongthe average and below average attainers, at Key Stage 3 some pupils show inaccuracy in the use of standardEnglish, like omitting articles (Aa@ and Athe@) using apostrophes indiscriminately, or incorrect spellings. Some are so keen to write down what they have to say that they forget the rules, and ignore the need for fullstops and for structure in their narratives. In Key Stage 4, there is much greater accuracy. Short storiesproduced in Year 11 are well shaped; they are full, and even gripping - carefully building up tension. Thehighest attaining pupils are almost completely accurate, they have a wide and rich range of vocabulary, andare at ease with several different kinds of writing. Pupils of average attainment are usually accurate, theywrite at great length but with less control. Below average attainers, while being less accurate and showing lessawareness of the purpose and audience for whom they are writing, take great care and can produce successfulwork, like some quite moving poetry about family relationships which was seen on display.

93. All pupils make good progress in English throughout the school, and for many at Key Stage 4 the progress isvery good. They rapidly acquire, build and consolidate language skills if they lack them on entry into theschool. In Key Stage 3 their enthusiasm motivates them to make rapid progress in all aspects of the subject,and much of their good progress at this age is in learning control, in giving their work - whether is spoken orwritten - shape, and in choosing the best words to use from a widening vocabulary. They develop anawareness of the varieties of language which may be used in different situations. In their own composition inEnglish they are supported by an increasing range of reading. As they mature in Key Stage 4 they show moreand more sensitivity, and the ability to criticise and evaluate in a balanced and sensible way, basing theirjudgements upon the knowledge which they have progressively acquired. This good progress is particularlynoteworthy in a school where for most pupils English is an additional language. Pupils with specialeducational needs are enabled to make parallel progress alongside other pupils. They are fully integrated intolessons, and make their own contributions unselfconsciously.

94. Pupils= attitudes in English are very good. They show great enthusiasm; they contribute readily in response toteachers= questions and in class discussions. They write a great deal, and undertake willingly the tasks ofcorrecting, redrafting and editing before producing a final piece of work. They show great respect for theviews of both their teachers and their peers, and they work together in groups extremely well, providingmutual support. The lowest attainers persevere even when they find the going hard - and they usually coverthe ground. This kind of motivation is a very significant factor in the good progress they make.

95. The overall quality of teaching in English is very good. All the teaching in English is sound and secure, in sixout of ten lessons it is good and in a quarter is very good. The best lessons are characterised by a clear senseof objectives, effectively communicated to the pupils, and by high expectations accompanied by work whichprovides appropriate challenges to pupils of the full range of attainment. Less good teaching takes place whenteachers give in to the temptation of providing the answers directly, without drawing them out of pupils. Teachers have good subject knowledge, and teaching styles are very pupil-friendly - although the sense ofpurpose is the controlling factor. Pupils are well managed. There are very few discipline problems - partlybecause pupils are so well motivated, but also because they are known so well. A part of the success of theteaching provided by the school is in its support of pupils for whom English is an additional language. Thissupport is a rich resource, and is strongly instrumental in ensuring that pupils who are finding the language aproblem become rapidly functional in English, and can make rapid progress and develop skills which enablethem to achieve the best standards of which they are capable. Pupils with special educational needs are alsowell supported in the achievement of their targets. Drama, though additional to the National Curriculum, iswell taught, and is a strong promoter of progress in English, and in the overall personal development of pupils. It confers confidence, an awareness of human relationships, and of the need for control and structure. Theresults for GCSE drama were at the national average in 1998.

96. Both English and Drama enjoy committed and energetic leadership of high quality. Comprehensive and wellstructured schemes of work are in place for both subjects. Very good progress has been made since the timeof the last inspection and the department is well placed to maintain the high standards.

102.Mathematics

97. In 1998, attainment in the Key Stage 3 national tests was well below national average although these resultsare broadly in line with the average for similar schools. Work seen in pupils= books, towards the end of KeyStage 3, show attainment is below average. There has been a steady increase in GCSE results over the pastfour years. In 1998 pupils achieving grades A*-C is broadly in line with national averages. Pupils= standardsin number work are well below national averages in Year 7. Some pupils can find factors of numbers and canlong multiply and long divide in Year 7. Some pupils can identify line symmetry and rotational symmetry. InYear 8 pupils can tally results of experiments to find the probability of a drawing pin landing with the pin upor down. There is progression in pupils= work on number, shape and space and data handling and in usingand applying mathematics in Key Stage 3. In Key Stage 4, pupils learn to solve simultaneous equations, usePythagoras to find lengths of sides of a right angled triangle, and use a computer to draw symmetricalpatterns, both with line symmetry and with rotational symmetry. Higher attaining pupils at the end of KeyStage 4 can use trigonometry to find lengths or angles in a right angled triangle, and can draw a sine or cosinecurve.

98. Progress overall in Key Stage 3 is good, especially in Year 9. Pupils in Key Stage 3, with special educationalneeds make good progress particularly when they have additional help in the classroom. All pupils make goodprogress in Key Stage 4. Pupils come into school with weak skills in numeracy and mental mathematics. There is progression in pupils= work on number, shape and space and data handling. Pupils in Year 8 are ableto tabulate results of an investigation and some pupils are able to hypothesise from their results. Pupils learnto check the reasonableness of their results when using a calculator, and use approximations and estimationsin everyday mathematics. Pupils use their numerical and graphical skills in a number of subjects across thecurriculum.

99. Across the curriculum pupils apply their mathematical skills effectively. In experiments in science, pupils areusing their developing number skills and by Year 9 are able to find averages and produce accurate line graphsand interpret their meaning. In Key Stage 4 their number skills are higher than usual, and pupils find the linesof best fit, calculate gradients and use complex formulae. In design technology some product analysis workrequires measurement, cost comparisons and research that involves the use of mathematics and datapresentation. The costing of materials and components used in their individual designs is an unusual andwelcome development. Pupils use a variety of graphs and charts to convey information. In art pupils usemeasurement, proportion, scaling up and down and perspective. Pupils use patterning a great deal, creatingpatterns by mirroring, and drawings in two and three dimensions. In geography pupils use data to order wealthof countries in Key Stage 3. They are also developing well their use of bar charts and line graphs to illustrateclimate changes.

100. Pupils= behaviour in lessons is always very good. Pupils sustain concentration well, invariably show interestin their work, form constructive relationships with their peer and their teachers, and work hard throughout thelessons. Pupils work well with the teacher as a whole class, in small groups of two or three or individually.They develop their learning skills well from Year 7 to Year 11 and work well both individually and co-operatively.

101. The quality of teaching overall is good. Teaching is good or better in approximately two thirds of all lessonsseen and is very good in a third of lessons. Teaching was unsatisfactory in only a few lessons. The quality ofteaching is much better in Key Stage 4 than in Key Stage 3. In more than half of the lessons in Key Stage 4,the quality of teaching is very good, whereas in Key Stage 3 it is very good in one in every five lessons.Teachers= knowledge and understanding of the topics they are teaching are good and most teachers areconfident and competent in their delivery. Most teachers make clear their expectations of the pupils. Theyexpect and receive attentive pupils who listen when the teacher is talking to them, and concentrate throughoutthe lesson. Most teachers expect their pupils to complete their homework, and ensure that all pupils do. Theteachers make it very clear to the pupils that no one can afford to slacken their pace of work. During lessons,teachers remind pupils of what they need to do to pass their tests and examinations, particularly in Years 9, 10and 11. Teachers plan their lessons well, to ensure that there is sufficient work for all the pupils in the class

and so that no time is wasted. Teachers prepare extension work for pupils who are likely to finish quickly. However the planning is often better in Year 9 and Key Stage 4. Most teachers ensure that lesson time is wellused. Lessons start promptly and carry on to the very last minute. There is insufficient use of apparatus toimprove pupils= understanding particularly in number in Key Stage 3. Teachers use pupils= test results andhomework marks to help their lesson planning. Teachers set homework regularly which reinforces learningthat has taken place in the lesson or revises previous work. Most teachers mark homework regularly and offerpupils who have not understood help at lunchtime or after school. Teachers monitor pupils= work regularly toensure progress. However, some unmarked work was seen, where neither pupil nor teacher had marked workfor several weeks. Teachers use assessment better to help them plan to meet pupils= needs in Key Stage 4 andYear 9. Examples were seen of unsuitable work being set in Key Stage 3, which had not been informed byprevious assessment.

102. The department is well led. Significant improvements to the Year 9 and the Key Stage 4 schemes of workhave been made since the last inspection and the organisation of the classes support pupils= learning better.The school has also increased the amount of time allocated to mathematics by one period in Year 11 since thelast inspection. The schemes of work for Year 7 and Year 8 are not yet well developed. Improvements to theschemes of work in Key Stage 3 are planned. There is insufficient information technology in mathematicslessons and the department has no graphic calculators to support pupils= learning. Staffing andaccommodation is well used to support pupils= learning. However, the apparatus the department has tosupport number work is not used sufficiently, particularly in Key Stage 3.

108. Science

103. Pupils= attainment in the National Curriculum Tests at the end of Key Stage 3 in 1998 was well belownational averages, but well above the levels attained in schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. InGCSE the percentage of pupils gaining A*-C grades in 1998 were above national averages. This is an overallimprovement on the good percentage of A*-C grades in 1997 and a considerable improvement in theproportion gaining the highest grades of A or A*. The percentage of pupils gaining A*-G grades isconsistently high, and the school regularly enters a high proportion of the Year 11 cohort. GCSE Scienceresults have steadily improved over time. The school's GCSE results are above the national average and theyare excellent compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. In Key Stage 3 attainment isconsistent across all the required elements of science, broadly life processes, materials, physical process andscientific investigation. This is also true in Key Stage 4 with the extra benefit that attainment in scientificinvestigation is especially good. During the inspection attainment by the end of Key Stage 3 was nearly up tothe standards expected nationally: this is better than the results achieved in 1998. The reasons for thisimprovement are that most teaching is very skilful and effective, and that the pupils have a very fine capacityfor learning. Standards in Key Stage 4 during the inspection maintain the high levels shown in previous years.

104. Pupils= progress is good in Key Stage 3 and very good in Key Stage 4. Key factors leading to these levels ofprogress are the pupils' strong commitment to learning, and the pressure and encouragement from mostteachers to do well. Pupils regularly cover and understand considerable amounts of new knowledge eachlesson. For example, a Year 7 class were set almost too much work but their concentration and willingness todo everything asked of them led to very good progress. They learnt how forces in a catapult impel an objectand began to understand how the effect of the resultant force relates to the mass of the object being fired. Bythe end of Key Stage 3 pupils learn even more detail and make good progress in understanding up to the levelexpected for most pupils. Progress to higher levels is achieved very well and even to an excellent extent bysome teachers but missed by others. For example a Year 9 class studied how sound waves travel bycompleting straightforward worksheets; opportunities to explore how sound transfer happens in gasescompared to solids were not used well and pupils did not understand these harder ideas. Pupils' skills inscientific investigation improve steadily during Key Stage 3, and then further during Key Stage 4. Pupils aretaught in units and each step is organised very thoroughly. Pupils are regularly told how well they areimproving and they gain confidence about their progress. At best this leads to excellent progress. Pupils forwhom English is an additional language make very good progress so that by the end of Key Stage 3 most canuse scientific terms correctly and with good understanding. Pupils with special educational needs also make

very good and sometimes excellent progress.

105. Pupils listen very attentively and behave well - often impeccably. They work with very good levels ofconcentration. The keenness of the younger pupils is often outstanding. Older pupils are inspired by the bestteaching because they want to do well and the more they are offered the better they respond. Some teachersare less inspiring but even so pupils work and concentrate, usually well and at least satisfactorily. In thesecases pupils are clearly disappointed but maintain reasonable courtesy and respect. Overall pupils show greatappreciation of the approach and example of the teachers. Pupils work together excellently and they share anddelegate tasks amongst themselves very well. Pupils of all ages show very good self-control so that orderlinessand safety in the laboratories is very good. Pupils, especially those in Key Stage 4, learn independently. When they are told what is required they get on with it reliably and reach high standards. For example a lot isexpected of them in the drafting and improvement of GCSE coursework and pupils of all abilities respond verywell. This quality is the key factor leading to the high capacity for learning shown by the pupils.

106. Teaching is overall good, very rarely unsatisfactory, often very good or excellent. Teachers are experts inscience with just a few instances where specific detail is lacking. They use a good range of methods such asrigorous questioning, useful practical work and well-managed group work. Planning always follows theschool scheme of work correctly. Teachers judge well what pupils are capable of and plan effectively to meetthese needs including many instances of alternative approaches for different ability groups. Plenty of work isset. Most lessons are interesting, some inspired, but a few are too mechanical. Work is well matched topupils= learning needs because teachers make specific provision for different groups of pupils such asalternative approaches to the work and specific care for individuals. Also the whole staff are applying verygood strategies by which they make sure all pupils learn and understand the key scientific words for eachtopic. Marking is very good, even excellent at times, in that it is regular and detailed and because pupilsclearly benefit. Useful homework is regularly set and completion is enforced. Assessment systems are usedvery well to track the overall progress of pupils in each class.

107. Leadership of science is excellent. The curriculum is organised very thoroughly with good use of informationtechnology throughout. The staff use very good systems by which to assess pupils. Great care is taken to usethe mass of data collected to devise ways to improve progress. For example, firm effective action is taken toensure all teaching is high quality. Since the previous inspection, when GCSE results were above average, thedepartment has made good progress, most notably in the proportion of pupils gaining the highest grades A andA*. All pupils, apart from a very small number who are not entered for the GCSE, take double award sciencewhich is a better preparation for those wishing to pursue further courses or careers in science-relateddisciplines.

OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

Art

108. By the end of Key Stage 4 pupils' attainment, both at GCSE and in the work seen in class, is well aboveaverage. Their work in a wide range of media shows impressive technical and expressive qualities. Insketchbooks pupils present their research and preliminary studies in a profusion of styles and images. The artof many cultures provides good source materials. The results of the GCSE art and design examination overthe last four years have risen considerably from a low level, well below national averages, to 90 per cent A*-Cin 1998 which, when compared to the national average for all maintained schools of 59 per cent A-C and anational average of 70 per cent for girls in all maintained schools, is an extremely creditable and high result.Throughout Key Stage 4 pupils' progress is very good. Over time progress is continually made inobservational drawing, in the experience of using many media and working in a variety of scales and in twoand three dimensions. For instance, when working on the project AAngels and Cherubs@, observationaldrawing progresses very well, figures are accurate in proportion as they are scaled up, representingconsolidation of developing skills. In lessons, new skills are learnt, such as researching and developing ideasfor borders or using wax resist on paper which will lead on to batik. The expressive qualities of the visualimages also develop very well. Pupils' attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 is well above average. Theyunderstand the value of research and of preparatory sketching and beautifully present these aspects in their

sketchbooks, integrating the two attainment targets. Their outcomes from investigating and making are ofhigh quality for meaningful and expressive images, for example, in a project on pop art they produce verygood drawings of food packaging and in three dimensional work they make highly decorated Islamic ewers.The progress of pupils in art across Key Stage 3 is very good. Knowledge and understanding of artists andtheir work is consolidated over time through research, careful observation and discussion. For investigatingand making, pupils improve their skills particularly in observational drawing and tonal shading. In lessonsnew skills are gained with tools, materials and techniques such as drawing with pen and ink or designing a linoprint.

109. Across both key stages pupils are very keen about art lessons and sustain concentration throughout. They arenot only enthusiastic about practical work but also about research, investigation, and preparatory work insketchbooks. Through much individualised artwork they develop their capacity for personal study. Pupilsbehave very well in art lessons, are courteous and trustworthy, and respect property and materials in artrooms. They form constructive relationships with one another and with teachers which go towards promotinghigh attainment. When the opportunities arise, pupils can work collaboratively to good effect. Pupils showrespect for others= feelings and values, especially when appraising each others= work. Once a project hasbegun, pupils are able to show initiative in deciding how their work is to progress and to take responsibility forthe outcomes.

110. The teaching at both key stages is invariably at least good and it is frequently very good. The art curriculumis broad, balanced and relevant containing a good mixture of art, craft and design activities. The art of manycountries is drawn upon. In Key Stage 3 the art curriculum matches statutory requirements. Though there isvery little access to art and information technology in Key Stage 3. Some very effective in-class support isprovided for pupils with special educational needs, their needs are well catered for by art staff and theirprogress is good. The head of department has been in post only since January and has a clear grasp of theneeds and priorities of the department. She provides strong, dynamic leadership but the art accommodation issplit between the two sites with no telephone link and this makes staff liaison very difficult. The rooms on thenorth site are not adequate in size and lack of natural light for teaching art. In art rooms and around the schoolthere are very good displays of pupils' work, promoting self-esteem and helping to raise attainment.

111. Since the last inspection report, standards have risen considerably and the quality of teaching has greatlyimproved. The support from the art technician continues to be invaluable. Class size has been reduced in KeyStage 4 though sometimes it is still too large and continues to be so in Key Stage 3. Problems still existbecause of departmental accommodation and consequent lack of communication. The amount of informationtechnology for art available to pupils in Key Stage 3 has not changed and is still insufficient.

Design and technology

112. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 is generally in line with national expectations. Standards achieved indesign modelling are high and consistent across all contributing subjects. The present timetablingarrangements, however, do not give pupils equal access to each subject across the three years and inconsequence, craft skills are less well developed in some areas than others. All pupils in Key Stage 4 take afull design and technology course. At the end of the key stage, all are entered for an examination; the majorityfor the GCSE and those for whom this would be unsuitable, work for a Certificate of Achievement. Results inthe GCSE over the last four years show improvement year on year and in 1998 were in line with, ormarginally above, the national average for all pupils and for those of all girls= schools.

113. Pupils of all ages and abilities respond well to the design challenges set. The rate of progress made in thegeneration and development of design ideas across Key Stage 3 is good. Design ideas are carefully detailedand the graphic skills needed for their presentation are well developed and much practised by the end of thekey stage. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own styles of presentation and by Year 9, the work of somepupils shows imagination and a high level of self confidence. Computers are used appropriately to enrich thequality of design work. Progress made in the attainment of craft skills, across all material areas, is restrictedby the facilities and resources available, seriously so in the case of resistant materials. Although the range ofwork possible in textiles is limited in this way, pupils acquire good practical skills in this area and produce

work of high quality by the end of Key Stage 3. Pupils on a textile=s technology course in Year 10 made afactory visit to see computer aided design and manufacture used in an industrial setting. This resulted in thecompany inviting pupils to submit designs that they could later use commercially. Responses were good andgenerous prizes were awarded, one being a length of embroidered fabric to the pupils= own design. Pupilsmake good progress across Key Stage 4 and good progress is made in all areas by pupils with specialeducational needs and those for whom English is an additional language; the individual difficulties of pupilsare well known to teachers and skilfully catered for.

114. Pupils enjoy design and technology. They strive hard for success and to meet high teacher expectations. Theytake responsibility for their own learning from an early age and enjoy the challenge this brings. Individualtargets are set for all age groups in all areas. At the end of a piece of work, pupils are expected to appraisetheir performance and from this to set themselves targets for their next exercise. Design folders show a highlevel of commitment and enjoyment. Research, using both primary and secondary sources, is extensivelyundertaken, often as a voluntary extension of the home work set and is well used in the development of thedesign proposals that follow. Many pupils work extremely hard to produce a level of work from which theycan derive maximum self-satisfaction. As craft skills develop, so pupils become less teacher dependent andmore imaginative in the work they produce.

115. The quality of teaching is generally of a high or very high level. Of the lessons observed more than nine out often were satisfactory or better. Of these, half were good or very good. Teachers are hard working,conscientious and committed to high levels of achievement in their own work and that of their pupils. Lessonsare well prepared, carefully structured, well resourced and delivered at a good, often brisk pace. They aim togive pupils maximum support whilst allowing them opportunities for self-expression. Teaching strategieshave been developed and perfected over time. Work rooms have been made as stimulating as possible butnone is really suited to current needs. Some are totally unsuitable and adversely affect both the nature and thequality of the work done. The most successful lessons were those in which teachers had best overcome theconsiderable limitations imposed upon them by the accommodation and the lack of basic resources. Thecurricular time given to design and technology in Key Stage 3 is a third less than national recommendations. In an attempt to overcome the effects of this, rotational courses of short duration are offered. The currentteaching programme used has not fully adjusted to the additional demands for coherence and progression thatthis imposes. Assessment and the sharing of assessment criteria with pupils at the beginning of a task havebeen contributing factors to the recent examination successes achieved. This curriculum area is well managedand well led; the leadership of the separate departments is also of high quality. Together they provide strongsupport for colleagues and pupils.

116. Accommodation for textiles is insufficiently equipped to give pupils full access to techniques and processesthey should experience on full GCSE courses. Two of the three rooms used for work with resistant materialsand related subjects are unsuitable and all three are in need of total refurbishment. The funding for this entirecurricular area is well below the national average, resulting in some shortages in resistant materials. Heavyreliance is placed on the use of recycled materials. The considerable achievements of this subject must beviewed alongside these very severe constraints.

117. Work has developed in all areas since the last inspection and the improvements made can be seen from theannual rise in examination successes.

Geography

118. At the end of Key Stage 4 attainment is below average. GCSE examination standards in 1998 were belownational averages both for girls and all secondary schools. There have been no significant changes in theproportion of pupils achieving at these levels of attainment over the period 1994-98. These results are belowaverage for the school. Attainment for A*-G grades in 1998 were above average and an improvement duringthe last four years. In contrast, lesson observations, scrutiny of work and interactions with pupils reveals that,overall, Key Stage 4 pupils= attainment is closer to the national average. A Year 11 group, for example,knew much of the specialist vocabulary relating to rivers and could explain the main features of river basins.Attainment at Key Stage 3 is in line with national expectations. Pupils learn basic geographical skills, like the

use of an atlas and ordnance survey map signs early in Year 7 but their recall of work is not always reliable.For example, many pupils in a Year 7 group were unable to identify the basic Ordnance Survey map signs thatthey had been taught three months previously. Knowledge of place is variable; pupils working on thedeveloping world were unable to locate many of the poor countries for which they had statistical data.

119. The progress at Key Stage 3 of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whomEnglish is an additional language, is good. Helped by careful lesson planning which effectively consolidates,then builds on previous learning. Pupils usually know what needs to be done are well motivated and areengaged by and interesting activities, which are appropriate to their abilities. A Year 9 group made goodprogress in their work on Brazil; key factors were the integration of the activities with earlier work on thecountry, a clear focus on learning from both the teacher and pupils and effective teacher intervention to helplower attainers. In Key Stage 4 pupils make satisfactory progress. The quality of pupil response is the keyfactor in this; pupils are strongly self-motivated, work collaboratively and remain on task with minimalguidance.

120. Pupils enjoy geography and their response is usually positive. They like answering questions and showinvolvement. A Year 7 class was keen to answer questions on the differences between rich and poor countriesand pupils worked very well in groups, to some extent compensating for weaknesses in teaching. They areconfident pupils who have a positive attitude to their studies and their teachers. Another Year 7 group,working on the difficult topic of indices of poverty, were all involved in answering questions and solvingproblems, moved from task to task quickly and efficiently and were charming throughout, relating very well totheir teacher and each other. The response of all pupils is good; they are very attentive and contribute well todiscussion, showing enjoyment. Their response to challenge is strong and behaviour is always good

121. The teaching of geography at Key Stage 3 is strongly polarised; there are both strengths and weaknesses but,on balance overall, it is satisfactory. Where teaching is good, teachers plan carefully, have good subjectknowledge and have high expectations of pupils. Lessons proceed at a good pace and there is a good mixtureof activities and varied learning strategies. Weaker teaching is characterised by ineffective planning and theresulting poor focus on learning objectives. Teacher delivery can be flat and tasks rather mechanical. As atKey Stage 4 there is insufficient attention to place in lessons; this is exemplified by a lack of British Isles,Europe and world wall maps in most geography classrooms. Teaching at Key Stage 4 is satisfactory; lessonshave a good focus on the GCSE examination requirements and this has a beneficial effect on pupil attainment.Lessons are well planned and teachers have good relationships with pupils, working well at an individual level.Teachers are careful to develop good relationships with pupils but occasionally fail to match the tasks topupils= different learning needs so that higher attainers do not have appropriate work; pace can falter andteachers do not set short term tasks with tight time deadlines.

122. The line management of the department is generally effective and the staff specialising in geography are allsuccessfully involved in developing policies. However, the practice of spreading teaching between six staff isinefficient. Teaching is not regularly and formally monitored by the head of department. The department runsa number of field trips to the benefit of attainment but not all year groups participate. At Key Stage 3 staffhave begun to keep thorough assessment records but there is no parallel system at Key Stage 4. There are veryfew examples of the use of information technology within the teaching of geography.

123. Since the last inspection pupil attainment, in terms of GCSE successes, has declined as a reflection of thelower prior attainment of many pupils opting for the subject. There have been significant developments in therecording and assessment procedures but they remain at the transitional stage identified in the previous report.A minority of the teaching still lacks sufficient focus on clearly identified learning objectives.

129. History

124. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4, based on GCSE results of pupils gaining A*-C grades in 1998, is abovethe national average. These results are better than those of the previous year. The percentage of pupils gainingA*-G grades B 100 per cent - for 1998 is above the national average and has been since at least 1994. Lessonobservations, scrutiny of work and interactions with pupils indicate that attainment at the end of Key Stage 4is also above national expectations. Pupils have good subject knowledge; they can analyse source material and

can begin to account for the results of historical events. Recall is usually good, for example, nearly all thepupils in a Year 10 group were able to explain why there was a stalemate on the Western Front in the FirstWorld War, a topic which they had covered some months ago. Year 11 pupils showed good understanding ofthe alliances in the same conflict and could explain their significance in the outbreak of the war. Attainment atthe end Key Stage 3 is in line with what would be expected of pupils of this age. By Year 9 many pupils canmake links between characteristics of past periods and societies in studying topics like the rise and fall ofslavery; pupils are practised at using source material to answer questions and are aware of bias in historicalreporting. There are many opportunities to develop the skill of writing fluently and at length on historicalissues. Pupils at both key stages present their work in a neat and orderly fashion.

125. Progress through Key Stage 3 is good; pupils often start from a low base of knowledge and skills. Goodteaching propels them forwards and pupils are strongly committed to their studies. Careful planning with aclear focus on learning objectives is a positive factor; pupils are invariably clear about their tasks, which aredemanding but achievable. Pupils in Key Stage 4 make very good progress. Lesson planning is careful to referback to earlier learning so that new skills and knowledge build on what has been learnt before. Pupils showgreat commitment to their studies and ask for and get help when it is needed. Progress of pupils with specialeducational needs and those for whom English is an additional language is in line with that of all the otherpupils at both key stages.

126. Pupils= response to history at Key Stage 3 is good; they are quick to settle to tasks and concentration isinvariably good. The quality of their response is a reflection of the high quality of teaching which positivelypromotes the good progress and standards of attainment evident at Key Stage 3. Pupils enjoy participating inquestion and answer sessions and are confident and enjoy reading aloud. At both key stages the pupils' work ingroups is exemplary, as is their behaviour. Response in Key Stage 4 is very good. Aided by enthusiasticteaching pupils concentrate well showing good response to challenge and working independently whenrequired. The atmosphere in lessons is positive and purposeful.

127. Teaching at Key Stage 3 is good. Lessons are thoroughly planned with sensible regard for the needs of thepupils. Teachers have good subject knowledge, high expectations and pupils are well managed. In manyinstances learning activities have good pace, to the benefit of attainment. There is a good variety of classroomactivities; the enthusiasm and commitment of teachers is infectious and pupils are carried along. Theindividual education plans for pupils with special educational needs, to which individual history teacherscontribute, are known to teachers and effectively used in both key stages. Teaching at Key Stage 4 is verygood. Again, subject knowledge is a strong feature and pupils are closely questioned. Pace is good, as is pupilmanagement. Teachers are skilled at utilising the correct strategy to meet their learning objectives; they havean enthusiasm for their subject and this communicates to pupils. A Year 10 lesson - which was team taughtwith a support teacher for English as an additional language - had been very thoroughly prepared and thelearning objectives were made clear to pupils at the lesson's outset. The subject knowledge of both staff, aswell as the pace of the lesson, were powerful contributors to the very good progress that followed. Thedepartment has a good focus on literacy and language and teaching often seeks to develop these skills.

128. Record keeping, to mark the progress of each individual, includes pupils having a portfolio of their best workin Key Stage 3; the results of unit assessments are held centrally, in order to track individual progress. Thereis regular target setting for individual pupils. Classroom teaching is not regularly and formally monitored bythe head of department. The department recognises the value of trips to enhance the curriculum but the numberof visits is restricted, as there are limitations due to the pressure of the school curriculum. There are too fewopportunities to use information technology through the study of history.

129. Since the last inspection GCSE results have improved considerably. Of the recommendations in the last reportthere has been satisfactory progress in assessment and recording procedures and teaching has improvedmarkedly and learning objectives are a clear element in virtually all lessons.

135. Information technology

130. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 is in line with national expectations. In Years 7, 8 and 9 all pupils follow

a discrete information technology course which covers all aspects of the information technology NationalCurriculum. In addition to this, a number of departments plan the use of information technology in to theirschemes of work and there are also excellent opportunities for pupils to use information technology for coursework in teacher supported computer clubs which are well used. Some pupils are attaining higher than theexpected levels in the areas of communicating and control. A number of Year 9 pupils selected appropriatesoftware for a publicity assignment and produced a slide show and other high quality publicity material withlittle teacher support. Some Year 7 pupils are working at higher than expected levels in the programminglanguage LOGO. Pupils use software competently to support learning in other subjects.

131. GCSE information technology is an option for pupils at Key Stage 4 and results in 1998 were below thenational average. Previous years have been above the average and 1999 results are expected to show animprovement. Since September 1998, the school has introduced a GCSE short course in informationtechnology for all pupils in Years 10 and 11. Attainment of pupils in Year 10 following this course and theGCSE information technology group in Year 11 is in line with national standards and coursework ismoderated throughout the year to ensure standards. Pupils use information technology competently for theindependent production of course work in other subjects and the Internet and CD-ROMs in the library forresearch

132. Progress in lessons in both key stages is satisfactory with pupils making good progress over the key stages asa result of the good use of homework and the access to computers outside lesson times, including Saturdaymornings. The progress of the few pupils who struggle in the use of the computer in Key Stage 3 lessons ishampered by the lack of additional support material.

133. At both key stages pupils show positive attitudes towards information technology, they behave well andresponsibly in the computer rooms. All pupils listen attentively and show respect for others, clappingspontaneously at a peer=s shown work. Older pupils work independently with less support from the teacherand take the initiative to use information technology in their course work in other subjects. Pupils are highlymotivated, attending the computer clubs to complete information technology tasks and a number of Year 11pupils unable to take GCSE information technology because of the option choice attend after school to followthe course.

134. In each key stage, specialist teaching is at least satisfactory and frequently good, particularly at Key Stage 4.The information technology teachers have good subject knowledge, classroom management and informationtechnology skills. Lesson planning is sound with a good balance of whole class teaching and individualsupport. Cultural, moral and social aspects of the use of information technology are considered in planningwith pupils given the opportunity to use mother tongue word- processors and at Key Stage 4 the moral andsocial implications of information technology are included. There is good use of questioning and explanationof terminology in order to ensure pupils= understanding, particularly of information technology relatedvocabulary. Teaching in Key stage 3 is less effective when pupils are not given the opportunity to progressindependently and spend lesson time waiting for the teacher for help or approval to carry on. There is good useof homework, which is set regularly and is used to extend pupils information technology skills and knowledgeand understanding of the applications of information technology in the wider world and its implications. Notall the homework set requires the use of a computer and those pupils without computers at home are notdisadvantaged because of the excellent provision of support and access to computers out of lesson time.

135. The specific curriculum in information technology at both key stages is sound, with all pupils in Years 7, 8, 9and 10 following a discrete course in information technology, extending to Year 11 next year. Howeverplanned cross-curricular entitlement for all pupils is not yet fully implemented. Good assessment systemstogether with moderation and monitoring of work are in place and used to inform planning. However there isno formal system of assessing work completed outside information technology lessons in other subjects acrossthe curriculum. The information technology co-ordinator is providing good leadership, with regular planningand review meetings with the information technology specialist teachers and the information technologytechnician, who have clear roles and responsibilities. The co-ordinator works informally with otherdepartments and the cross-curricular use is developing, however there is no policy or co-ordination for thedelivery of whole school information technology.

136. The available resources are very well managed. The ratio of computers per pupil is in line with the nationalaverage, but many are more than five years old and do not run the required software. There are three well-resourced computer suites, of which one is for cross-curricular use. In the library there is a well-resourcedcomputer suite with a wide range of software to support all areas of the curriculum and access to the Internet.Computers are not consistently available within all the subject departments. In some, such as science andmusic the provision is good but elsewhere, notably in mathematics for example, the provision is notsatisfactory.

137. Since the last inspection improvements have been made in extending and ensuring the entitlement of all pupils.Discrete information technology courses for all pupils have been introduced and there is increased access inrelation to the provision of more equipment and software to support all aspects of information technologycapability and the after school support and access. The use of information technology as an aid to thedevelopment of learning skills throughout the curriculum is still developing, however, the school is in a goodposition to move forward in this area.

Modern European languages

138. Attainment in French at GCSE is in line with the national average. Standards in German, however, remainwell below those achieved nationally. This reflects both a particularly severe staffing problem and the decisionto discontinue German from the end of the current school year, which has left the subject short of resources.Progress in the German lessons observed during the inspection was satisfactory, but longer term progress isnot. At the end of Key Stage 3 attainment in French is broadly in line with national expectations but with awide range of attainment oral work is stronger than written activities.

139. Progress in French is good overall at both key stages, and ranges from satisfactory to excellent in individualclasses, although it too has not yet fully recovered from the effects of staffing problems. Progress is closelyrelated to the quality of teaching. Teachers plan lessons carefully to ensure consistent provision for all aspectsof the National Curriculum. In the most successful lessons, teachers show exceptionally clear understanding ofthe contribution of each element of the work to the pupils= understanding of the language and ability to use it,both in speaking and in writing. This leads to accelerated progress and has been a key factor in improvingexamination results in difficult circumstances. In roughly half of the lessons observed, good provision forspeaking and listening was less effectively supported by written work, and pupils= ability to retain and usewhat they had learned was more limited. Pupils with special needs make good progress, which is sustainedeffectively to the end of Year 11. The progress of all pupils, including those with special educational needs andthose for whom English is an additional language, is enhanced by a sensitive and flexible system of groupingand setting, which allows work to be matched effectively to their learning needs.

140. Pupils= attitudes to their work in modern languages are now good overall, though in some classes they are stillrecovering from the effects of a succession of short-term teachers. Pupils try hard in oral work, both in theclass and in pairs, and complete their homework conscientiously, although in a quarter of lessons they take toolong over completing written work. Where the teaching is very good or excellent, pupils' response rises to meetit, and a dynamic learning atmosphere is produced in which everyone gives of her best.

141. The overall quality of teaching is good. In a quarter of lessons, teaching is very good or excellent in equalmeasure, and in about one third it is good. In the remaining lessons, teaching is sound, and has good features,notably in planning, matching work to pupils= needs, knowledge of French and German and very consistentuse of homework. The best teaching combines these qualities with excellent understanding of patterns ofprogress among the pupils and outstanding class management that ensures that not a second is wasted. Wherethe teaching is excellent, work is marked in great detail and marking is used systematically to promoteunderstanding. Marking elsewhere in the department is less consistent, and not enough is done to ensure thatpupils learn from it. While there was good word-processed work on display during the inspection, informationand communication technology was not used during lessons observed, and its scope within the departmentremains limited.

142. The modern languages department is managed very well. The head of department has steered a clear course

through exceptionally difficult circumstances, and has helped establish a stable staff, with a clear sense ofcommon purpose, in both European and Community languages. Progress is enhanced by a network of clubs,closely related to the curriculum, and by an annual four-day visit to Paris. All of the teachers have highexpectations of pupils of all abilities, and a very good basis has been established for further improvement inthe future.

143. Despite considerable difficulties with staffing in modern foreign languages, standards have improvedconsiderably since the school was last inspected and this trend is accelerating. The department now has astable staff, and pupils are achieving standards which are in line, overall, with those achieved nationally.Results in GCSE examinations for 1998 show four times as many passes at grades A*-C in French as in 1994.

149. Bengali

144. By the end of Key Stage 3 pupils= attainment in Bengali is above the national standards expected for the agegroup where as at the end of Key Stage 4 it is in line with the national standards with some attaining higher.Over the past years, GCSE attainment has been high. The 1998 GSCE results also confirm that pupils=attainment is above the national average for community languages, but specific national comparativeinformation for Bengali is not available. At the end of Key Stage 3 pupils= attainment in listening andresponding, speaking, reading and writing is generally good and their listening and responding are of higherorder in National Curriculum terms. At the end of Key Stage 4 most pupils attain good standards in listeningand responding, and reading but satisfactory in speaking and writing. Pupils across the key stages showcompetence in standard Bengali when they are spoken to and many are able to use it. Most pupils read arange of texts with fluency and accuracy. They can compose and write in well-formed Bengali scripts. Pupilshave developed some independent learning skills: pupils use dictionaries and reference books with confidence.At the end of Key Stage 4 pupils achieve above national standards in reading demanding information textswith understanding. For example, the pupils in a Year 11 lesson read a piece on giving up smoking anddiscussed it in the lesson. Progress in lessons and over time is good in both key stages. Pupils' progress inlistening, reading and writing are good but in speaking it is satisfactory. The pupils= existing speaking skillsin the language are not sufficiently developed in line with the expectation that they should speak according tocontext, audience or purpose. Pupils' progress across both key stages in reading and writing is good: they payattention to accuracy in what they read and write. They make good progress in the acquisition of newvocabulary and reading unfamiliar words. The pupils= progress in writing is particularly good in Key Stage 3where they learn to write for different purposes. For example, they write stories, descriptions, lists, andgreeting cards: in Year 7 the pupils produce identity cards introducing themselves.

145. Pupils' attitudes to learning and behaviour in lessons are good. Pupils arrive at lessons with motivation to learnBengali and show interest in the language. In both key stages pupils remain engaged throughout the lesson andable to work without the supervision of the teacher. They show respect for property, their books and foldersare kept organised and tidy. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and teachers are good. Pupilslisten to each other with respect and contribute to discussion appropriately. Pupils work well as a whole class,responding to whole class discussion. In a Year 7 lesson pupils were observed to work effectively in pairs. Inthis lesson pupils showed confidence in expressing their likes and dislikes about fruit and vegetables. Despitethese good features many pupils in both Key Stage 3 and 4 lack initiative to ask questions.

146. Teaching is good in both key stages. The teacher has a secure knowledge of the language and the NationalCurriculum. The teacher is a native speaker of Bengali and provides a clear model of pronunciation. Theteacher also uses standard Bengali accurately, but there is not enough insistence on pupils' use of the languagein speaking except in a few lessons. A good example was observed in a Year 9 lesson where the teacherorganised a practice of speaking skills through the revision of what the pupils knew about Tagore, a famouspoet. The lesson was marked with brisk pace good interaction between pupils. However, in most lessonsthere are not sufficient planned opportunities for sustained speaking. Lessons are planned with clear objectivesand suitable resources. Teaching identifies specific vocabulary for the topics and offers work matched topupils= needs. Although there is an attempt to integrate all four language skills there is generally moreemphasis on reading and writing. Most lessons are presented with planned activities in an organised sequence

with some opportunities for the revision of previous lessons. All lessons offer opportunities for developingcultural awareness of the communities where Bengali is spoken. Class management and discipline are good.Relationships between the teacher and pupils are good and supportive of pupils' learning.

147. Assessment and record keeping using the National Curriculum levels are regular and marking is up-to-datewith comments in the target language. Information technology was not integrated into the planning andteaching in the lessons observed but work samples and displays included word-processed work. Since theprevious inspection there has been an overall improvement in the standards achieved by pupils at the end ofboth key stages.

153. Urdu

148. Attainment is above the national average at the end of both Key Stages 3 and 4. In 1998, 70 per cent of pupilsachieved A*-C at GCSE and 100 per cent achieved A*-G. Pupils know the names of school subjects in Urdu.They can tell the time, ask and answer questions about lessons and school routine Higher attaining pupilsspeak with confidence and fluency. Their pronunciation is good. Pupils can answer questions from extendedpassages of text. Pupils have learnt to read individual words and construct sentences from them. Higherattaining pupils have learnt to use newly acquired vocabulary in writing letters. Pupils can conduct interviewsabout health. They can record information on tables from information acquired through interviews. Higherattaining pupils can produce extended pieces of writing using a wide range of vocabulary. Lower attainingpupils can sort words into the correct order to construct sentences. Progress both in lessons and across bothkey stages is good.

149. Pupils are keen to exercise responsibility. They volunteer for tasks and arrange themselves in groupsefficiently. They help with tasks about the classroom, setting up the room, and handing out activity sheets.They work well in groups, supporting each other=s learning. Timekeeping is generally good although there issome lateness, which is occasionally disruptive at the start of lessons. Pupils volunteer answers. They useUrdu with each other and with teachers. They listen attentively to exposition from teachers and to tapedextended passages on topics such as daily routine. There is a good relationship between pupils and teachers.Pupils keep on task throughout. They enjoy their learning. Pupils take responsibility in using tape recordersand videos to record conversations. Pupils take the initiative if they do not understand or require explanation.They listen to each other. In one lesson, a role-play activity where pupils played the role of famous person andinterviewer was particularly effective. Pupils took responsibility for preparing questions and answers in pairsand conducted the interview on video. Their behaviour is good in all lessons.

150. The teaching is invariably good and often very good. Lessons have clear objectives and are well managed.There are no discipline problems. Most worksheets are handwritten although some use is made of an Urdusoftware program. Good use is made of word cards for pupils to construct sentences. Teachers have highexpectations of pupils throughout. Activities are set at higher and foundation level for pupils of differingattainment. Homework is regularly set. The register is taken in Urdu and the pupils respond appropriately.Previous work is recapitulated and revised. A volunteer parent supports pupils effectively in Year 10. Thepace of the lesson moves briskly with little time wasted over changing groups or commencing activities. Pupilshave the opportunity to read out loud and do so with fluency and understanding. There is some distractionfrom Physical Education activities in the hall. This is a problem when quieter pupils read out loud and cannotbe heard. Homework is followed up. Tape recorders and videos are used to record interviews andconversations. Pupils use the equipment confidently. Urdu is used throughout for incidental language as wellas class activities.

151. There are two full time teachers of Urdu teaching from Years 7 to 11. There are at least two teaching groupsin each year. The library is well resourced. There is a wide range of Urdu novels and the Daily Jang isavailable. Information technology software is well used by pupils. Teachers have had the opportunity forprofessional development organised by examination boards and national Urdu conferences. The subject iseffectively led and co-ordinated by a head of community languages. Pupils can explore their spiritualdevelopment through Daily Routine (prayer times), Festivals (Eid), and Food (Halal). Pupils= moraldevelopment is provided through the topic of services where crime, drugs, alcohol and smoking are discussed.

Cultural development is promoted through topics, which explore Pakistan and life in Pakistan B clothes,marriage, food and drink, weather. Social development is promoted through trips to the office of the DailyJang and use of group and pair work. A comprehensive community languages development plan is in place.

152. There has been steady and sustained improvement since the previous inspection, the number of pupilsachieving A*-C has increased by 11 per cent and the percentage of pupils achieving A*-G has increased by 8per cent.

Music

153. The proportion of pupils achieving grades A*-C in the 1998 GCSE examination was below the nationalaverage, but it showed a good improvement over the previous year. There is a good take -up rate for thesubject in the current Year 10. The current Year 11 pupils follow the GCSE expressive arts course.

154. On the whole, at the end of Key Stages 3 and 4 attainment is broadly in line with national expectations.However, a significant number of pupils in both key stages attain below this standard in performing oninstruments. Many Year 7 pupils enter the school with limited musical experiences and their attainment isbelow that expected. A significant number of pupils do not have access to instruments outside school andcultural differences often prevent them from taking part in performances. As a result, pupils have limitedopportunity to develop further instrumental performing skills outside of lessons. Pupils in Key Stage 3experience a good range of musical activities. They make satisfactory progress, with many pupils makinggood progress in using music technology and in acquiring vocal skills. Pupils with special educational needsand those for whom English is an additional language make satisfactory progress in relation to their priorattainment. Year 7 pupils listened to an African call and response song and were able to talk about the waythe different voices were used. In Year 8 pupils listened to music which was used to create an atmosphere.They composed their own short extracts to describe a similar scene, showing a good understanding of differentsound effects on the keyboards. Year 9 pupils practised short musical ideas and read from simple notation. They appraised each other=s performances and successfully identified the ideas that had been used. In KeyStage 4, Year 10 pupils make satisfactory progress, with many making good progress in using musictechnology to develop and refine their compositions. They are skilled at accessing the computer programmeand in using their imaginations to obtain different sound effects. They have a secure sense of pulse andshowed good rhythmic ability when playing contrasting off-beat rhythms on African drums.

155. Pupils in both key stages have good attitudes towards the subject. In Key Stage 3 they work co-operatively ongroup tasks, handle instruments with care and are always well behaved. In Key Stage 4 pupils workcollaboratively in music technology and develop independent learning skills. Pupils in both key stages show agood response to extra-curricular activities.

156. Teaching in both key stages is always at least satisfactory, with half the lessons being good or very good.Teachers have secure subject knowledge and use their own musical skills to aid pupils= learning. Musictechnology is well taught. Teachers plan and organise lessons well and are skilled in their use of questioning.In a Year 7 lesson very good teaching enabled pupils to develop their aural skills and to gain confidence assingers. In a Year 10 lesson very good teaching resulted in pupils having a greater understanding of howdifferent rhythmic patterns were notated and how they could be combined to form an effective piece. In bothkey stages teachers make good provision for special educational needs pupils. The time allocation for lessonsin Years 8 and 9 is at present unsatisfactory, resulting in teachers having to work hard to cover theprogrammes of study in the short time available. The school has increased the time allocation for Year 7lessons since the previous inspection and is now in the process of reviewing the time allocation for the othertwo years. Teachers give freely of their time to provide extra-curricular activities and to assist pupils inlunchtime and after school clubs. Over 240 pupils attend these activities. There are choirs, a junior andsenior band, an orchestra and an African drumming group.

157. The music department celebrates the cultural diversity of the pupils and builds on the experiences that theybring from the community. The head of department provides good leadership. The schemes of work areregularly reviewed and are having a positive effect on raising standards. Homework is regularly set to

reinforce pupils= learning. Assessment procedures in both key stages are satisfactory. Pupils are ofteninvolved in assessing their own work. Although the accommodation is adequate, there is only one practiceroom which has to be shared with the drama department. There is a lack of space in the smaller classroomwhen 30 pupils are taking part in practical activities. The resources are good and well used by pupils. Theyinclude over 15 computers and software, keyboards, tuned and untuned percussion instruments and ethnicinstruments.

158. Currently 30 pupils receive instrumental lessons provided by teachers from Newham Music Trust. Lessonsare available for piano, violin and viola, woodwind and brass. Pupils have taken part in performances both inand out of school. There has been a successful and popular school production of Bugsy Malone and pupilshave performed at local primary schools. They have also performed at the Institute of Education in London, atSloane Square, for the launch of a new charity, at Newham Music Trust Concerts and at the Royal AlbertHall as part of Newham Goes to Town. Pupils are taking part in the Newham Summer Festival of Music. Visitors to the school have included a Japanese multi-arts performer, a Thai dancer and African drummers.

159. The school has been successful in addressing the issues raised in the last inspection report. The quality ofteaching has been maintained and standards of attainment in both key stages continue to improve

165. Physical education

160. Pupils= attainment at the end of both key stages is broadly in line with that expected nationally. However,attainment in gymnastics and dance at both key stages is often above that of pupils of a similar age. There isno GCSE in physical education offered. The teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 3 show the majorityof pupils attaining average standards.

161. At the end of Key Stage 3 pupils can devise sequences of work in gymnastics that use a wide range of actionsand incorporate clear changes of speed and direction. They respond creatively in dance lessons and performtheir own dances with confidence and control. In a Year 9 lesson pupils worked in small groups to createdlively dances showing good knowledge of the characteristic styles of African-Caribbean dance. Pupils=attainment in games is satisfactory. They have acquired the basic skills of a number of games together withknowledge of simple rules and positional play. They understand the importance of preparing for physicalactivity and carefully apply the principles involved to their own work. At the end of Key Stage 4 pupils havedeveloped further skills in their chosen activities. They have a satisfactory understanding of simple tactics ingames, for example in badminton they can adapt their play and move their opponent about the court in order tomake a winning shot. However, large groups of pupils working in a limited indoor space prevent thedevelopment of higher levels of tactical skill. Pupils understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and canprepare and perform a challenging programme of exercises that will help them to achieve this.

162. In lessons across the school at both key stages pupils often make good and occasionally very good progress.Pupils are well motivated and carefully planned tasks ensure they work at levels appropriate to their ability.Pupils with identified special needs take a full part in lessons and make satisfactory progress. Those pupilswith more complex special needs make good progress especially when given additional in-class help fromlearning support assistants. Pupils make good progress over longer periods of time. They develop good skillsof observation that enable them to analyse and comment on their own work and that of others. In a Year 8dance lesson pupils accurately observed their partner and used this to help them to improve their dance basedon a theme of street art. Pupils develop good planning skills as they move through the school. In Year 7 theycan select and link a series of actions in gymnastics by Year 11 they can plan a demanding routine to raisetheir heart rate in an aerobics lesson.

163. Pupils have positive attitudes to physical education that have a good effect on standards. They are alwayssmartly turned out, reflecting a pride in their appearance and their work and participation rates are high.Pupils always behave well. They respond confidently to questions and are happy to demonstrate their work. Anoticeable feature of lessons is the positive way in which pupils support and encourage one another. Pupilslisten carefully and continue to work well when the teacher is with other groups. They understand and acceptthe need for rules and fair play in games. Physical education makes a strong contribution to pupils= social

and moral development.

164. In almost a half of all lessons teaching is good, with a quarter of satisfactory lessons being matched by anequal proportion that is very good. The quality of teaching of physical education is consistent across theschool. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to plan tasks that interest pupils and help themdevelop the necessary skills. The good organisation of pupils and equipment ensures lessons proceed smoothly. Teachers clearly explain the work to pupils at the start of the lesson and check at the end that they haveunderstood. The best lessons have a brisk pace with a good balance of explanation and activity, in a fewlessons some activities go on too long and then the pace of the lesson is slower. Teachers observe carefullyand assess pupils' progress before making helpful comments on how they can improve. On a few occasionsthese comments are too general and do not sufficiently focus on helping individuals improve.

165. Both the leadership and the management of the department are very effective. Staff are committed and workwell together. The curriculum and assessment procedures are well planned and meet statutory requirements.There is a well-planned programme of extra curricular activities and competitive team games. The numbers ofpupils involved in these activities is rising.

166. The good standards and attitudes of pupils, together with the good teaching identified at the last inspection,have been maintained. However, there has been no improvement in the condition of the showers and changingprovision since then. The concerns parents raise about these facilities are justified.

172. Religious education

167. Pupils who studied for the full-course GCSE examination in 1998 achieved results in line with nationalstandards. Standards attained in the GCSE short course were above national averages with 49 per cent ofpupils achieving grades A*-C. The attainment of most 16 year-olds in lessons seen and in the work observed isabove national expectations. Pupils show secure knowledge and understanding of basic religious concepts andare familiar with aspects of Christianity, Islam or Sikhism. They confidently relate religious teachings tomoral issues such as abortion, animal rights and euthanasia. The broader issues of the syllabus, such asquestions of meaning, religious expression and commitment are understood well. Standards in Key Stage 4have risen since the last inspection. At the end of Key Stage 3, the attainment of most 14 year-olds in thelessons observed meets national expectations and is sometimes above this. Pupils show knowledge andunderstanding of Christianity and other world religions such as Islam and can understand and use specialistreligious language with appropriate confidence. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whomEnglish is an additional language achieve their potential.

168. For the majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is anadditional language, progress through Key Stage 3 is mostly very good in relation to levels of attainment onentry. Pupils make rapid strides in Year 7, for example, in their understanding of religious symbolism bylooking at pictures of Jesus Christ in Renaissance paintings. They gain an understanding and respect for thebeliefs and views of others. Teachers' high expectations of achievement in the pupils' work is a key to the rapidrate with which pupils' work develops. Attention to the full range of attainment ensures that pupils with specialeducational needs make very good progress in all aspects of their work. Pupils for whom English is anadditional language become increasingly confident in their use of English.

169. Progress at Key Stage 4 is very good, and sometimes excellent. There are very clear gains in knowledge andunderstanding of the moral issues examined, and pupils increasingly see how these issues are addressed insome of the world's religions. Understanding becomes increasingly sophisticated as pupils move through KeyStage 4. In a Year 10 lesson, for example, the teaching enabled pupils to make excellent progress inidentifying and responding to questions of meaning within religions.

170. Pupils' attitudes to learning are very good. They have a strong commitment to achievement. They show a livelyinterest in their work, they behave well and remain on task throughout lessons. Levels of concentration and thedesire to participate in lessons are impressive. Pupils develop ideas co-operatively, building on the answersand comments of others.

171. The overall quality of teaching is very good, and occasionally excellent. It has improved since the lastinspection. This is the pattern in both key stages. A significant feature of the teaching is teachers' capacity forengaging the interest and enthusiasm of the pupils. Their high expectations for attainment, their enthusiasmand their commitment to high endeavour bear fruit in the progress pupils make in their lessons. Tasks arechallenging and enable pupils to become actively involved in their learning by, for example, improvising role-play to illustrate Muslim attitudes towards the family in Year 10.

172. The curriculum in both key stages now meets statutory requirements. The accommodation for religiouseducation is satisfactory and there are good displays of pupils' work and information to stimulate learning.Resources are effectively used and support for pupils with special educational needs and those for whomEnglish is an additional language has a significant impact on their attainment. This is a very good department,with a strong ethos for learning. The teachers are very well led in working as a cohesive team with a clearsense of common purpose.

PART C: INSPECTION DATA

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The inspection team consisted of 16 inspectors who visited the school collectively for a total of 57 days.During that time inspectors observed 222 lessons or parts of lessons. In addition registration periods of all thetutor groups and range of extra-curricular activities were observed. All the written work of a representativesample of pupils was scrutinised by the whole team and inspectors interviewed pupils from each year groupand spent a total of approximately 190 hours in direct contact with the pupils or their work. All the teacherswere observed teaching except for 1 part-time language support teacher and 1 teacher who was absent during theweek of the inspection once and many several times. A range of assemblies and form groups was visited.Interviews were held with the chair of governors and all the school=s senior management as well as subject co-ordinators and those carrying pastoral responsibilities. The school held an informal reception at which theinspectors met with a selection of governors, representatives of companies and organisations with which theschool has links and members of the local community with whom the school has a close partnership. The teamanalysed 834 responses from parents to questionnaires that were sent out before the inspection, and theregistered inspector held a meeting that was attended by 39 parents. The school prepared a considerableamount of documentation that was examined by inspectors before and during their days in school.

DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil dataNumber of pupils on

roll (full-timeequivalent)

Number of pupilswith statements of

SEN

Number of pupilson school=s register

of SEN

Number of full-timepupils eligible for free

school mealsY7 B Y11 1327 37 198 654

180. Teachers and classes

180. Qualified teachers (Y7 B Y11)Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 84Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 15.8

180. Education support staff (Y7 B Y11)Total number of education support staff: 24Total aggregate hours worked each week: 714

Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes: 69%

Average teaching group size: KS3 25KS4 20

180. Financial data

Financial year: 1997 / 1998

,Total Income 3,131,940Total Expenditure 3,215,925Expenditure per pupil 2,418Balance brought forward from previous year 260699Balance carried forward to next year 176,714

PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 1068Number of questionnaires returned: 834

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

Stronglyagree

Agree Neither Disagree Stronglydisagree

I feel the school encourages parents to play an activepart in the life of the school

17 68 9 4 1

I would find it easy to approach the school withquestions or problems to do with my child(ren)

20 64 8 5 1

The school handles complaints from parents well 14 55 19 8 3

The school gives me a clear understanding of what istaught

24 59 10 7 1

The school keeps me well informed about mychild(ren)=s progress

32 56 6 5 1

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a goodstandard of work

30 54 7 6 1

The school encourages children to get involved in morethan just their daily lessons

36 52 8 3 -

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/areexpected to do at home

31 54 6 6 2

The school=s values and attitudes have a positive effecton my child(ren)

19 60 14 4 1

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 22 58 13 4 1

My child(ren) like(s) school 33 53 9 3 3

180. Other issues raised by parents

Many parents are very concerned about the safety of their daughters who have to cross the busy main road dividingthe two school buildings many times each day

Parents are concerned about the lack of provision for drinking water, the poor state of the toilets and the lack ofshowering facilities

centages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting yearional comparative figures for teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 3 are not available