King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

Unique Reference Number 103554

Local Authority Birmingham

Inspection number 323859

Inspection date 29 April 2009

Reporting inspector Davinder Dosanjh HMI

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

Type of school	Grammar (selective)
School category	Voluntary aided
Age range of pupils	11-18
Gender of pupils Number on roll	Boys
School (total)	703
Sixth form	227
Appropriate authority	The governing body
Chair	Jim Beeston
Headteacher	Michael Roden
Date of previous school inspection	16 May 2006
School address	Vicarage Road Kings Heath Birmingham B14 7QJ
Telephone number	01214 443188
Fax number	01214 412796
Age group	11-18
Inspection date	29 April 2009

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools.

The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

■ the quality of teaching and learning
■ the effectiveness of support provided for the small number of students with English as a Second Language
■ the effectiveness of middle managers in monitoring and evaluating the performance in subject areas
■ the strengths of leadership and management which have ensured the school continues to provide a high quality education.

Evidence was gathered from: the school's self-evaluation form; achievement and attainment information; observation of lessons and the school at work; scrutiny of documentation provided by the school; discussion with senior managers, governors and students; and an analysis of responses to the parents' questionnaire. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate Description of the school

King Edward VI Camp Hill is a smaller than average secondary school with a flourishing sixth form which attracts approximately 35 students a year from other schools. The school draws its students not only from the area in which it is situated but also from other areas across the city and beyond. Over half of the students are from minority ethnic backgrounds, although no-one is at an early stage of learning English. Students join the school with attainment which is well above average. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is very low, as is the proportion claiming free school meals. In the sixth form, 18% of students receive the educational maintenance allowance. The school has specialist status in science, humanities and applied learning.

Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding

Grade 2 Good

Grade 3 Satisfactory

Grade 4 Inadequate

Overall effectiveness of the school

Grade: 1

King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys is an outstanding school. It provides a first-rate all-round education, built on high expectations and standards in all aspects of school life. This quality of education helps prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of adult life. Achievement is outstanding. Students are selected on ability and are very highly motivated to succeed so they reach the best standards they can. GCSE results place the school amongst the top performing state schools in the country. In 2008, all students obtained five GCSE grades at A* to C including English and mathematics. More importantly, the proportion of students achieving A*/A grades has continued to rise and is exceptionally high. All groups of students achieve well, including those from minority ethnic groups and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Alongside academic success, students achieve success in a host of national competitions such as the British Mathematics Olympiad and National Aerospace challenge.

Personal development, support and guidance are essential parts of school life, with many excellent features. Students are keen to learn, take responsibility and use their initiative. They talk with great enthusiasm about how much they enjoy school. Students feel safe. Students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. The school celebrates all cultures and faiths. Behaviour is exemplary and attendance outstanding. The contribution made by students to school life and the community is impressive. Students organise many charity fundraising events. Senior boys act as mentors in local schools. Students are articulate and confident and readily give presentations in assemblies and during school open days. The boys are exceptionally well prepared for the world of work and adopt excellent attitudes to healthy lifestyles. Students are supported throughout their school careers by a highly committed staff who take a personal interest them. Support for the small number of students who show difficulties as a result of having English as an additional language is very effective and monitored on a regular basis. The quality of information, advice and guidance received by students is excellent.

The outstanding curriculum is broad and balanced, ensuring students study three sciences, a modern foreign language (they can study two) and two other subjects up to the end of Year 11. The students benefit tremendously from their extensive involvement in the school's extra-curricular activities. Visits cover a wide range and include residential experiences, art and language visits to Europe and public speaking competitions. The range of activities on offer is breathtaking. Besides an extensive sporting programme the students also take part in high quality musical and drama activities. The boys and staff pride themselves in the sporting excellence they achieve and the high profile it is given in school.

Specialist status is a key strength of the school and has brought many benefits to the students and local schools. The school is outward-looking and has become involved in many collaborative ventures and initiatives. For example, it runs Saturday schools for students from local primary schools and master classes for Year 10 students with secondary partner schools. Alongside this, the school has gained a number of prestigious national awards; the Royal Society of Chemistry described it as having 'the best school chemistry department'; a number of individual teachers have received national recognition. Teaching and learning are good, with an increasing number of lessons that are outstanding. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and they provide students with a range of stimulating and challenging activities. The best lessons encourage independent learning, debate and good analytical skills. There is frequent use of peer assessment, students review each other's work and offer useful guidance on how to improve it further. The pace of lessons ensures students make rapid progress. Occasionally, teachers talk for too long, not drawing enough on students' own ideas, and the marking and assessment of work is inconsistent across the school. The quality of planning of lessons is variable.

Leadership and management are outstanding, resulting in a relentless pursuit of excellence in all aspects of the school's work. Leadership is inspiring and reflective, promoting a sense of common purpose and high expectation. Strong, passionate and imaginative leadership by the headteacher has ensured the school has a decisive vision for the future. The headteacher is supported well by strong senior and middle leaders. Monitoring and analysis of examination performance is detailed and robust. The school collects and undertakes analysis of a wide range of data based on the different groups of students at the school. Middle leaders have clear lines of accountability. They lead their subject areas with enthusiasm and throughout the school there is no complacency.

Governors provide excellent challenge and support to the school. They bring a wealth of skills and experience and share a clear view of the aims and strategic direction of the school. They are committed to ongoing improvement and, by taking part in lesson observations, they have a clear perspective on the student experience. Their contribution to self-evaluation is critical and constructive. Outstanding promotion of community cohesion is reflected in the harmonious relationships within the rich ethnic mix of the student body and the flourishing links with local schools. Boys of all cultures and backgrounds relate well to each other. There is an atmosphere of mutual respect between students and staff, and boys are known well by their teachers. The school makes a commendable contribution to promote community cohesion at the local, United Kingdom and global levels, developing students' understanding of diversity exceptionally well. The vast majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire were extremely positive and commented on the committed staff, excellent quality of education and impressive range of opportunities on offer. The school is seen as a caring community.

Effectiveness of the sixth form

Grade: 1

The sixth form provides an outstanding quality of education. That is why nearly all students in Year 11 progress into the sixth form. Pass rates at A level are well above average and the proportion of high grades have continued to rise. In 2008, 84% of students achieved an A or B grade. The number of boys achieving four or more passes at grade A also shows improvement. The progress made by students in the sixth form is outstanding, even considering that boys enter the sixth form with already exceptional achievement at GCSE. Sixth form students make an invaluable contribution in the school as role models to younger boys, as prefects, and as house and sports captains. They are instrumental in organising many events. The curriculum meets the needs and ambitions of students very well, with large numbers studying sciences and mathematics at A level. The curriculum is also continually being reviewed and developed to increase choice and collaboration with the neighbouring girls' school. Leadership and management of the sixth form are outstanding and have been strengthened since the last inspection with careful monitoring of individual student progress and a sixth form induction evening. Support for students has been increased, allowing for more one-to-one work. Nearly all students go on to higher education, with the vast majority gaining places at prestigious universities.

What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure best practice is shared across the school so more teaching and learning is consistently outstanding.

Annex A

Inspection judgements

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

School

Overall

16-19

Overall effectiveness

How effective,efficient and inclusive is the provision of education,integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners?	1	1
Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection	Yes	Yes
How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being?	1	1
The capacity to make any necessary improvements	1	1

Achievement and standards

How well do learners achieve?	1	1
The standards1 reached by learners	1	1
How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners	1	1
How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress	1

Personal development and well-being

How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the learners?	1	1
The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development	1
The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles	1
The extent to which learners adopt safe practices	1
The extent to which learners enjoy their education	1
The attendance of learners	1
The behaviour of learners	1
The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community	1
How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being	1

The quality of provision

How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of learners' needs?	2	2
How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners?	1	1
How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?	1	1

Leadership and management

How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners?	1	1
Howeffectivelyleadersandmanagersatalllevelssetclear direction leading to improvement and promote high qualityof care and education	1
How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards	1
The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation	1	1
How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated	1
How well does the school contribute to community cohesion?	1
How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money	1
The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities	1
Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements?	Yes	Yes
Does this school require special measures?	No
Does this school require a notice to improve?	No

Select	Course	Delivery Method	Price
	11+ English, Grammar Schools, Pack 1, Exam Papers+		Not open