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Raymond McGovernHeadteacherSt George’s School, Harpenden

Headteachers’ Update Briefing

Ofsted and Sixth Form Funding Briefing Monday 1st December 2014.

Hertfordshire Development Centre, Stevenage

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Section 5 Inspection (new framework introduced 1 September 2014)

Tuesday 9th September (Academic Year - day 7)11.00 – Head’s PA takes ‘The Call’

• Head on training course in Stevenage. Deputy takes the initial briefing call. Head contacted to inform and returns to school.

14.14 – Senior Leadership Meeting• Letters to parents organised for distribution• Staff Meeting to inform staff• Letters distributed end of last lesson via pupil post and email• Notification put on school website

16.30 – Leadership meeting • Programme planning, task allocation, additional evidence gathering

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Section 5 InspectionThe Team

Richard Sutton, Lead inspector Paul O'Shea Additional Inspector Susan Bullen Additional Inspector Rosemarie McCarthy Additional Inspector Ann Short Additional Inspector

Plus an inspector in training (attached to Paul O’Shea whose focus was 6th Form).

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Section 5 InspectionThe initial Plan

Day Time Activity

Wednesday10 Sept

08:00 Ofsted Team Arrive

08:20 Introduction of OFSTED team to staff (Assembly Hall)

08:30 – 08:50 OFSTED team to meet with Leadership Group

15:20 LI and HT ‘Keeping in Touch Meeting’

15:50 Feedback to staff in various location

16:30 Meeting with OFSTED & Leaders

17:30 OFSTED team meeting plus HT and Deputy

DAY 2

Thursday11 Sept

14:15 Final Team Meeting plus HT and Deputy

15:45 – 16:15 Feedback to Governors and Leadership (Outcome)

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Section 5 Inspection General Points•First meeting with Inspection Team and Senior Leaders was positive. However the initial plan was revised considerably – the limited time available makes this initial meeting a negotiation to match the inspection team’s requirements and the resources available. •The LI was open about areas to be explored (perceived areas of relative ‘weakness’) – at this point there was no indication about what the teams’ hypothesis was about the school (Outstanding, Good, RI, Inadequate?) •Consider reframing the Inspectors hypothesis•Joint observations were offered – we could have declined but we didn’t.•Lesson observations were not graded – staff were offered feedback at the end of the day.

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Section 5 Inspection General Points•Evidence of assessment, marking and feedback (consider how you evidence this so early in the year).•Additional Funding – Pupil Premium, Maths and English Catch up, 6th Form Bursaries – How do governors monitor the effective use of this?•British Values – Explicit expression of these•SMSC – Evidencing impact/outcomes important.•Staff Pay progression decisions (including Governors Involvement)•Assessment without Levels – How is the school planning for this?

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Section 5 Inspection Lessons learned (6th Form Specific) •Leadership and Management

• Ensure Student Progress is being regularly monitored and reported to Governors.

• Leadership includes every level – not just SLT, Governors and Head of 6th but Heads of departments, subject leaders and pastoral heads (and can include students).

•Student Progress• Evidenced based (data, data, data).• Students know what they need to do to improve (make more progress).• How are particular groups preforming relative the rest and nationally.• Support strategies for underperforming groups.

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Section 5 Inspection Questions we asked ourselves following the inspection 1.What data should we collect on a routine basis and how can we do so without creating an administrative monster?2.What evidence relating to quality of teaching or pupil progress should we collect on an ongoing basis as examples of good practice – how do we collect and archive in a sensible manner? 3.From our recent experience what 4 or 5 things should we work to improve in our practice?4. How could we manage the inspection process and inspection team better (for us)?

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What the report said.Only four paragraphs in the report covered the 6th Form.

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6th Form (Inspection Team final meeting notes)

1.Monitoring Progress - The data the staff has is used effectively to move students forward, and VA shows this.2.Teaching over time is outstanding, and is never less than good. There is lots of evidence of how staff impact on student progress. Achievement is improving over time, and strategies are in place.3.VA is improving: A*/B has been improved significantly in 2014. They concluded that pupils are making rapid and sustained progress. 4.Outcomes are outstanding in A1 and A2 Programmes5.Inspectors mastered the unusual leadership structure!. But the really impressive thing is the total package: the ethos of the school is replicated in the 6th form and driven by it.

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6th Form con’t…

6.Students go to an impressive range of destinations, be it Russell group or appropriate vocational type degrees. 7.The retention rate is very high. Only three students dropped out of A1 courses, and it was for the right reasons. 8.The Friday 5 programme is excellent (Enrichment programme – impact on learning not just for its own sake – SMSC, British Values, Safety of pupils).9.Behaviour and safety in the 6th form is excellent, but they also support B and S in the rest of the school. 10.Role modelling is done through the house system. The House staff use 6th formers in leadership roles, and they relish it. 11.The 6th form is not an elitist factory for passing exams. The school looks after everyone, inc. those who have not got A-C in English and Maths. 12.“Staff will walk the extra mile and a half to help the kids”

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And finally…“There is a real love of learning, the school could do more to promote this by handing the learning over to the students more.”

Final inspection team meeting.

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Raymond McGovernHeadteacherSt George’s School, Harpenden

Headteachers’ Update Briefing