Malmesbury School
Corn Gastons
Malmesbury
Wiltshire
SN16 0DF
Head: Mr Tim Gilson
T 01666 829700
F 01666 829701
E admin@malmesbury.wilts.sch.uk
A state school for boys and girls aged from 11 to 18.
Boarding: No
Local authority: Wiltshire
Pupils: 1315
Religion: None
Unique Reference Number 126452
Local Authority Wiltshire
Inspection number 293563
Inspection date 9 November 2006
Reporting inspector Anthony Shield
This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.
Type of school Community
School category Comprehensive
Age range of pupils 11-18
School address Corn Gastons/Malmesbury/SN16 0DF
Gender of pupils Mixed
Number on roll (school) 1028
Number on roll (6th form) 199
Appropriate authority The governing body
Date of previous school inspection 14 January 2003
Telephone number 01666 829700
Fax number 01666 829701
Chair Deborah Gray
Headteacher Tim Gilson (Acting)
Age group 11-18
Inspection date 9 November 2006
Inspection number 293563
The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors
Malmesbury School is a larger than average comprehensive school serving a rural community in Malmesbury and its surrounding villages. Most pupils are from a White British background and there are only small minorities from other ethnic heritages. The school has joint science and performing arts specialist status. Fewer than average pupils are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is below average. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher was on secondment and the school was being led by an acting headteacher.
Grade 1 Outstanding
Grade 2 Good
Grade 3 Satisfactory
Grade 4 Inadequate
Grade: 2
Malmesbury School is a good school with a number of significant and outstanding strengths. It benefits from pupils whose positive attitudes and sheer enjoyment of school contribute strongly to their achievement. At the same time, the school's leadership is exceptional, offering both imagination and a thoughtful concern for all who work and learn in the school. It has created a culture of high expectations and ambition, where students' personal development is as important as their academic achievement.
Parents are enthusiastic in their support of the school. Typical of comments received by inspectors were: 'Malmesbury is a great school ... caring and committed teachers inspireonadailybasis'and'Mychildrencouldnothavebeenbettereducatedor happier than they have been.'
Standardsareaboveaverageandstudentsachievewellthroughouttheschool,including inthesixthform.ResultsbothattheendofYear9andinGCSEexaminationshave beenconsistentlygood.Resultsinmathematicsandscienceareparticularlygoodin KeyStage3,butperformanceinEnglishisalsostrong.AtGCSE,resultshavebeen consistentlygoodformanyyearsandpupilsdoverywellinmostsubjects.Goodand sometimesinspiringteachingensuresthatpupilsmakegoodprogress.Teachershave high ambitions for their students and they respond with determination and a pride in whattheydo.However,manystudentsarenotconfidentinmanagingtheirown learningorinthinkingforthemselves,oftenlackingtheskillstopursueideas independentlyoftheteacher.
The school's status as a science and performing arts college is promoting thoughtful andimaginativeapproachesbothtothecurriculumandteachingstyles.Theexcellent curriculum is enriched by an outstanding range of well supported extra-curricular activities.Students and staff get on very well with each other.The school educates somestrikinglyconfidentyoungpeople.Students'personaldevelopmentisgoodand very positive attitudes characterise lessons. Students feel safe and the school's proceduresforthecareandwelfareofstudentsareexemplary-oneofthereasons why parents are so enthusiastic in their support of the school. More than anything, students appreciate the time given by staff to support them, whether helping with their work, or preparing the Christmas concert.
Leadership and management are excellent. The acting headteacher, well supported by his senior team, leads with integrity, and shared values and vision are woven into the fabric of the school. Comprehensive faculty self-reviews ensure the involvement ofallstaffinself-evaluation,andtheschooltakesameticulousapproachtoreviewing itswork,sharinggoodpracticeanddealingrobustlywithareasofrelativeweakness. Whilestandardsareimproving,thereisapassionatepursuitofevenhigherstandards. Governors,ablyledbythechair,providecommittedsupportandchallenge.
Grade: 2
Theoveralleffectivenessofthesixthformisgood.Standardsareaboveaverageand students achieve well because teaching is consistently effective, both scholarlyand challenging.Leadershipandmanagementofthesixthformbytheheadteacherand his team are outstanding. Students are confident, quite rightly, that they receive very good guidance. Their personal maturity is impressive and they are strong role models for younger students. They enjoy a well planned curriculum and an extensive range of enrichment activities.
• Improvelearningbygivingstudentsmoreopportunitytoorganisetheirown learning,thinkmoreforthemselvesanddevelopskillsindependentlyoftheteacher.
Grade: 2
Grade for sixth form: 2
Students achieve well at all levels, attaining standards that are above average. PerformanceinKeyStage3testshasbeensignificantlyaboveaverageinrecentyears. Resultsinmathematicsareparticularlygoodwithsignificantnumbersreachingthe highest levels available in national tests, though performance in English and science is also very good.
Good progress continues in Years 10 and 11 and standards in GCSE examinations are aboveaverage,withboysdoingparticularlywell.Studentsdoespeciallywellinscience, geography and design and technology. Standards in mathematics are improving, but the improvement in Key Stage 3 has yet fully to filter through to GCSE. Challenging targets were largely met in 2006. Action taken to improve performance in modern foreignlanguageshasbeensuccessful,butmorestillneedstobedoneindramaand music. Students with learning difficulties make good progress.
Inthesixthform,resultsatAlevelareaboveaverageandstudentsachievewell.They have been improving and in 2006 nearly two out of three grades were either A or B.
Grade: 2
Grade for sixth form: 2
The school encourages students to develop into mature and thoughtful young people. Theyparticularlyenjoytheirlearningandareextremelyhappy,reflectedintheirabove averageattendance.Moststudentsbehaveresponsibly,althoughbullyingisaconcern for a small minority of pupils. However, they are confident that it will be sorted out if reported.Studentsarefullyawareoftheimportanceofdietandexerciseinleading healthylives;many,includingsixthformers,participateinextra-curricularsportin addition to regular physical education lessons. Students volunteer to be a buddy for othersandtaketheseresponsibilitiesseriously,sometimeskeepingintouchdiscreetly bytextmessaging.Studentshavearealisticunderstandingoftheskillstheywillneed intheworldofworkandappreciatebeingtaughtaboutmanagingmoney!Students' spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is good, particularly in terms oftheir social and moral growth.
Students are generous in their fund raising, for example, organising gift boxes for 'ChristmasChild',andcomeupwithimaginativewaystogeneratemoneyforcharities. Sixth formers willingly volunteer to spend time working in the community. Teachers readily listen to students' opinions and their involvement in staff interviews and governors' committees gives them excellent insights into the real world. However, both year and school councils have not been effective recently.
Grade: 2
Grade for sixth form: 2
Goodprogressistheresultofgoodandsometimesoutstandingteaching.Learningin classroomsisfocusedandpurposeful.Lessonsarewellmanaged;studentsareattentive andenthusiastic.Teachersclearlydisplaywhattheyexpectstudentstolearnandadopt awiderangeoflearningstrategiestochallengeandinterestthestudents.Forexample, the Year 8 'Water Day' was imaginatively used to excite students and make learning acrossarangeofsubjectsrelevantandmoremeaningful.Questionsarewellusedto gaugehowmuchthestudentshavelearntandalsotoprobeanddeepenunderstanding.
Aboveall,itistheframeworkofgoodrelationshipswhichgivesstudentstheconfidence tosucceed.Studentscommentedhowmuchtheyenjoylearning-'teacherssmilea lot and we like their jokes, even the bad ones!' Students also commented that the mosteffectivelessonsarethosewheretheyareactivelearnersandwheretheirideas andcontributionsarevalued.Teachingisnurturinggoodlearners,especiallythrough therecentschoolfocusondevelopingstudents'thinkingskills.However,manystudents stilllackconfidenceintheirabilitytoorganisetheirownlearningandtothinkfor themselves.Inthisregard,homeworkisnotalwayseffectivelyusedtodevelopthese skills,andlearninginsomeclassesremainstooheavilydirectedbytheteacher.Inthe sixthform,studentsexcelinthemoretutorialstyleofteaching,appreciatingthe opportunitytodiscussideasanddrawtheirownconclusions.
Grade: 1
Grade for sixth form: 1
Thecurriculumisimaginativelyandflexiblyplannedtoensurelearningismeaningful andinteresting.Severaltimesthroughouttheyear,thenormaltimetableissuspended forone dayso that students can focus on topics,such as 'Rockets', 'FairTrade' or 'Darwin'.Thislattersuccessfullybroughttogetherworkrelatedtotheschool'stwo specialisms,scienceandperformingarts.Duringtheinspection,Year8studentsmuch enjoyedlearningabouttheenvironmentalandhealthaspectsofwater.Suchdays extendandenliventhecurriculum.StudentsinYears7to9arefindingthenewpersonal and social programme relevant to their futures.
In KeyStage 4 and the sixth form, the curriculum effectively matches students' interests andaptitudes.Recentadditionstoanalreadygoodlistofacademicandvocational optionsincludeenvironmentalscience,beautytherapy,equinemanagementandmusic technology.Timetableflexibilityensuresthatstudentshavelongerlessonswhen necessary, particularlyfor practical subjects.Students value and participate in an extensive range of enrichment activities. The range of events put on by the creative andperformingartsfacultyishighprofileandadistinctivefeatureofschoollife.
Grade: 1
Grade for sixth form: 1
All students benefit from the school's outstanding procedures for care and guidance. Theyknowthatadultscareaboutthemandarecommittedtoensuringtheyfulfiltheir potential.Therecentappointmentofaninclusionwelfareofficertosupportvulnerable studentsistypicalofthethoughtfulapproach.Comprehensiveandeffectivelinkswith outsideagenciessupportanumberofstudentsatrisk.Students'personalandacademic developmentiscarefullytrackedandtheyareconfidentaboutthelevelstheyare workingatandwhattheyareaimingfor.Academicguidanceforsixthformstudents isparticularlyeffective.Studentsblossominthiscaringandsupportiveenvironment.
Grade: 1
Grade for sixth form: 1
The school thrives on shared values and common purpose. The headteacher has established a distinctive ethos in which human values and personal development are nurtured alongside a determined focus on high academic standards. Outstanding leadershiphasmaintainedhighstandardsandbeensuccessfulinimprovingachievement whereneeded,forexample,inmathematics.Theheadteacher'sabsenceonsecondment has not affected the school's purpose and the acting headteacher and his team have movedseamlesslyintotheirnewroleswithconfidenceandauthority.Theacting headteacherisverywellsupportedbyhisseniorteamandleadersatalllevels. Innovationisencouragedandinitiativesarecarefullydiscussedandimplementedonly iftheirimpactonstudents'developmentisclear,forexample,intheimaginative approachtocurricularplanningandtimetabling.Thecommittedandwellinformed supportofgovernors,whoregularlyattendfacultyreviewmeetings,alsocontributes strongly to the overall outstanding leadership and management.
Through annual subject reviews, all staff are able to contribute to school self-evaluation.Thecommitmentofallstafftoarealisticandself-criticalreviewisclear andevidenceoftheschool'sdeterminationtoimprovestillfurther.Theschoolhasan accurate view of its strengths and areas for development, and is vigorous in seeking improvements. Action taken, for example, to improve performance in mathematics andmodernforeignlanguages,hasbeeneffective.Giventherecentimprovements, theschoolisverywellplacedtomakefurthergains.Theschoolisverywellregarded locallyandparentsareextremelysupportiveoftheschool.
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Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate |
School Overall |
16-19 |
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How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? |
2 |
2 |
|
How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? |
2 |
2 |
|
The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation |
1 |
1 |
|
The capacity to make any necessary improvements |
1 |
1 |
|
Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection |
Yes |
Yes |
|
How well do learners achieve? |
2 |
2 |
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The standards1 reached by learners |
2 |
2 |
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How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners |
2 |
2 |
|
How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress |
2 |
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How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? |
2 |
2 |
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The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development |
2 |
|
|
The behaviour of learners |
2 |
|
|
The attendance of learners |
2 |
|
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How well learners enjoy their education |
1 |
|
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The extent to which learners adopt safe practices |
2 |
|
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The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles |
2 |
|
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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community |
2 |
|
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How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being |
2 |
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How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? |
2 |
2 |
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How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? |
1 |
1 |
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How well are learners cared for, guided and supported? |
1 |
1 |
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How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners? |
1 |
1 |
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Howeffectivelyleadersandmanagersatalllevelssetclear direction leading to improvement and promote high qualityof care and education |
1 |
|
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How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets |
1 |
|
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How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can |
1 |
|
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How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money |
1 |
|
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The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities |
1 |
|
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Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? |
Yes |
Yes |
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Does this school require special measures? |
No |
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Does this school require a notice to improve? |
No |