Collingwood College

Kingston Road, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 4AE

Inspection dates 22-23 May 2013

Previous inspection:	Not previously inspected	N/A
Overall effectiveness
This inspection:	Good	2
Achievement of pupils	Good	2
Quality of teaching	Good	2
Behaviour and safety of pupils	Good	2
Leadership and management	Outstanding	1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school

■ Leadership and management are outstanding because the Principal's vision to achieve the highest standards is shared by all staff.
■ Leaders and managers at all levels are well placed to secure further improvement. The quality of teaching has improved and any that was inadequate has been eradicated.
■ Subject and pastoral leaders use data well to evaluate students' progress. As a consequence, underachievement is quickly tackled.
■ Students make very good progress and achieve well in English and mathematics. Standards attained in many subjects are above average.
■ Support for students with special educational needs is exceptional.

■ Teaching is mostly good and much is outstanding. Most teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve.
■ Students behave well and have very good attitudes to learning. Attendance has improved and is now above average.
■ The sixth form is good. Students make good progress because provision has been skilfully managed to meet their needs.
■ Almost all students leaving the college go into education, employment or training.
■ Students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the college.
■ The governing body provides highly effective support and rigorously holds leaders to account for improving the quality of teaching and raising achievement.

It is not yet an outstanding school because

■ Marking and feedback are not of a consistently high enough quality to enable students to understand how to improve their work and achieve higher standards. Teachers do not always provide time for students to act on the advice given.
■ Although the gap between those students eligible for the pupil premium and similar students nationally has closed, these students achieve less well than their college peers.
■ Students do not have enough opportunity to learn independently so that they can take greater responsibility for their learning.

Information about this inspection

■ Inspectors carried out 50 lesson observations, 16 of which were joint observations with members of the college's senior leadership team. Inspectors looked at work in students' books and scrutinised the quality of marking and feedback.
■ Meetings were held with the Principal, vice-principals, senior and other leaders, a representative of the local authority, members of the governing body and with five groups of students.
■ The inspection team examined a range of college documentation, including the college's improvement plan and self-evaluation documents, data on students' attainment and progress, monitoring and self-evaluation procedures, a range of policies and the arrangements for safeguarding students.
■ Inspectors took account of the 473 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the 94 staff questionnaires.

Inspection team

Caroline Dearden, Lead inspector	Additional Inspector
Roger Garrett	Additional Inspector
Jacqueline Goodall	Additional Inspector
Carolyn Steer	Additional Inspector
John Collins	Additional Inspector

Full report

Information about this school

■ The college converted to become an academy school in April 2011. When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.
■ The college is a larger-than-average-sized secondary school.
■ The college has High-Performing Specialist School status with specialisms in technology and vocational education.
■ The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for students known to be eligible for free school meals, those who are looked after by the local authority and the children of service families) is low.
■ The proportion of disabled students and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above average.
■ The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.
■ The majority of students are from White British backgrounds. The proportion from minority ethnic heritages or who speak English as an additional language is below average.
■ A small number of students in Key Stage 4 attend alternative provision at Farnborough College Merrist Wood College, the SHAPE Vocational Centre and Fairoaks Motor Vehicle Training School.
■ The proportion of students staying on in the sixth form from Year 12 to Year 13 is above average.
■ The college meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Increase the proportion of teaching that is outstanding and hence raise students' achievement further by:
- making sure that teachers' marking and feedback is of a consistently high quality across all subjects and clearly identifies how students can improve their work
- providing opportunities for all students to respond to teachers' advice and comments about their work
- building on the high levels of independent learning, particularly seen in the sixth form, so that teaching provides more opportunities for students to take responsibility for their learning
- making sure that the support provided by teachers for those students eligible for the pupil premium enables them to make outstanding progress and therefore achieve as well as their college peers.

Inspection judgements

The achievement of pupils is good

■ Attainment on entry is above average. Students make good progress, and there is no difference between their achievement and that of other students in the college, including those from ethnic minority heritages or those who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of all students making expected progress is above average in both English and mathematics.
■ The proportion of students achieving five or more GCSEs at grade C or above, including in English and mathematics, has been above average since the college opened as an academy. Information provided by the college, which is based on results from examinations taken early, indicates that the current Year 11 will also attain above the national average in a range of subjects including English and mathematics.
■ The support provided for students eligible for the pupil premium has been increased and students benefit from a range of extra-curricular opportunities to support their learning. As a consequence, all eligible students progress well.
■ Results for these students have been approximately one grade higher in both English and mathematics than for similar students nationally at the end of Key Stage 4. However, although the gap between eligible students and their college peers is closing, they are approximately one-and-a-half grades behind their peers in English and mathematics because of the high attainment of all students in the college.
■ The Year 7 catch-up premium (additional funding to support the attainment of students who join the college below the expected level in English and mathematics) and some pupil premium funding have been used to provide smaller classes and specialist staffing. The ‘Aspire' curriculum provides opportunity for students in Years 7 to be taught English, mathematics and science in small groups by specialist teachers. The progress of students enrolled on the ‘Aspire' curriculum is very good because their needs are well known and catered for.
■ Provision for disabled students and those who have special educational needs has recently been reorganised. Students are supported exceptionally well and, as a consequence, those in Years 7 and 8 make better than expected progress. However, as this provision is relatively new, the impact on students in other year groups has not yet been fully realised.
■ Many students take some GCSEs early because the college has implemented a two-year Key Stage 3. The impact of early entries has been good with those students achieving the highest grades being provided with opportunities to study for higher-level or additional qualifications.
■ Those students attending alternative provision make very good progress and achieve well because courses are well matched to their learning styles and career aspirations.
■ Achievement in the sixth form is good and improving because great care is taken by college leaders to make sure that the curriculum is carefully matched to the needs of all students, and that students receive the appropriate support and guidance to help them choose the correct course for their future education, employment or training.

The quality of teaching is good

■ Teachers have very good subject knowledge which they use to good effect through the effective use of questioning. For example, in an outstanding physics revision lesson, Year 13 students were exceptionally well supported to apply their learning independently to unpick the precise methodology required to answer complex A-level examination questions.
■ Teachers have high expectations of students, and the majority use assessment information very well to plan effective lessons and to adapt or modify activities during lessons if students find the work too easy or too challenging. For example, in a Year 10 English lesson, as a result of skilful teaching and appropriate use of praise, students with special educational needs clearly made very good progress in the development of their literacy and communication skills.
■ Students' work is regularly marked. Where marking and feedback are of high quality, for example as seen in English and geography, students understand how and why they need to improve their work and are keen to achieve the highest grades. However, in a number of subjects, targets for improvement are too general and do not help students to understand how to improve their subject-specific knowledge. In some circumstances, for example as identified by Year 11 students, marking can limit students' aspirations because it focuses on what they cannot or are unable to do, particularly in mathematics.
■ In the sixth form in particular, students are provided with a range of opportunities to work independently or to lead learning. For example, in a Year 12 physical education lesson, students worked in pairs to discuss concepts and agree definitions of key terms. The quality of the discussion was very high. However, this good practice does not routinely happen across the school, and in some classes students do not have enough opportunities to take responsibility for their learning.
■ High-quality teacher questioning and very good development of students' literacy and communication skills helps students to make good progress across a range of subjects. For example, in a Year 7 science lesson, the range of activities planned by the teacher and the opportunities provided for students to read out loud to their peers helped them to develop a sense of inquisitiveness to explore a range of factors affecting the weathering of rocks.
■ Teaching assistants make a strong contribution to learning in lessons. They understand the requirements of the subject areas in which they work and are therefore able to respond to the needs of the students they support.
■ Teaching in the sixth form is good. Teachers assess students' progress regularly and revise their planning to address any underachievement. Students are well known by their teachers and benefit from small class sizes.

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

■ Students behave well and have very positive attitudes to learning. They are well mannered and respectful to staff and visitors. This is confirmed to be generally the case by the large majority of staff, and parents and carers, who completed questionnaires.
■ Good behaviour is the result of clear and consistent approaches to managing behaviour. The recently introduced rewards system is used very well to promote high expectations. Students welcome the opportunities for staff to praise their behaviour. However, some students believe that behaviour is dependent on the relationship between students and the teacher and, where relationships are weak, students are slow to respond to instructions or have low aspirations.
■ Students are taught about the different forms of bullying and are therefore able to recognise and intervene when bullying does occur. They know who to approach when they have concerns and are clear that when incidents do occur they are dealt with quickly and appropriately. Friendships within and across year groups are strong and incidents of bullying are rare.
■ All students, including those who are vulnerable and those participating in alternative education, feel very safe. The college curriculum includes many opportunities for students to learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, students are learning about the safe use of the internet, including social networking, and the dangers associated with drug or alcohol misuse.
■ The college has appointed full-time non-teaching staff to work with vulnerable students and their families to ensure the welfare and safety of these students.
■ The college is committed to promoting equal opportunities, and discrimination is not tolerated because students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a particular strength. For example, the college has very strong links with schools in China and in Thailand which enable students to understand different world cultures.
■ Attendance has improved and is now above average.
■ During social or unstructured times, behaviour is occasionally not as good as that in lessons.
■ Behaviour in the sixth form, including behaviour that supports learning, is excellent. During a meeting with sixth form students, the following comments were offered:
- ‘I like the atmosphere and support; I would recommend the sixth form to others.'
- ‘We're much more of a family here and we care about Collingwood. It has an aura of its own.'

The leadership and management are outstanding

■ The vision of the Principal for the college to be outstanding is shared by leaders at all levels. As a consequence, the quality of teaching has improved since the college opened as an academy and any inadequate teaching has been eradicated.
■ Highly effective support for teachers, together with very strong management of their performance, means that all teachers are able to build on their skills and contribute to wholecollege developments.
■ The college's approach to developing the capacity of leaders is outstanding. Many senior and other leaders have been coached and supported to take on increasing levels of responsibility. All fully understand their roles and responsibilities and how they contribute to the development of the college.
■ The curriculum in Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form is very well developed to meet the needs and interests of both students and the local community. In addition to the full range of expected subjects, work-related courses and alternative provision through partnerships with local colleges increase the breadth of options open to students. Almost all students leaving Collingwood are in education, employment or training.
■ The overwhelming majority of parents and carers are very positive about the college and would recommend it to others. There are striking examples of success in the college's work with parents and carers. For example, the vast majority of parents and carers participate in academic reviews.
■ Communication between the college and parents and carers has been greatly enhanced by the provision of a dedicated email address for parental concerns. Response times and quality of advice provided by staff are monitored by senior and middle leaders to ensure that parental concerns are addressed swiftly and appropriately.
■ The college council is very well developed and its structure mirrors that of the governing body. There are a range of opportunities for students to influence the decisions made by college leaders. For example, the Head Boy and Head Girl represent the views of students at meetings of the full governing body.
■ Policies and procedures for safeguarding students are fully in place.
■ The local authority provides good support for the college through the school improvement adviser, who knows the college and its context very well.
■ The governance of the school:
- Members of the governing body are highly skilled and knowledgeable about the college, including how well the college is doing and the impact the quality of teaching has on standards of achievement. They are fully committed to the college's vision to be outstanding and provide strong challenge and effective support for leaders at all levels. Planning for the retirement of the Principal has been central to governors' work and is reflected in the plans for co-leadership by the current vice-principals. Governor committees have recently been reorganised to bring about even sharper monitoring of the key priorities identified in the college development plan. For example, strong links between governors and subject leaders mean that governors are acutely aware of the impact of actions taken to raise achievement and tackle any underperformance. Governors are fully involved in planning the use of the pupil premium and know that the achievement of eligible students is improving rapidly. Governors display astute financial management both in their understanding of the links between performance management and salary progression for staff and in an anticipated falling roll due to reducing numbers of school-aged children in the local area. Highly effective training is provided through the relationship with the local authority and by the Chair of the Governing Body, who is a National Leader for Governance.

What inspection judgements mean

School
Grade	Judgement	Description
Grade 1	Outstanding	An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment.
Grade 2	Good	A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils' needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment.
Grade 3	Requires improvement	A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection.
Grade 4	Inadequate	A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school's leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

School details

Unique reference number 136828

Local authority Surrey

Inspection number 413424

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

Type of school	Academy converter
School category	Non-maintained
Age range of pupils	11-18
Gender of pupils	Mixed
Gender of pupils in the sixth form	Mixed
Number of pupils on the school roll	1,906
Of which, number on roll in sixth form	372
Appropriate authority	The governing body
Chair	Steve Barker
Principal	Jerry Oddie
Date of previous school inspection	Not previously inspected
Telephone number	01276 457600
Fax number	01276 457610
Email address	tc@collingwood.surrey.sch.uk

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