Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend

Pelham Road

Gravesend

Kent

DA11 0JE

Head: Elaine Wilson

T 01474 352896

F 01474 331195

E enquiries@mgsg.kent.sch.uk

W www.mgsg.kent.sch.uk

A state school for girls aged from 11 to 18.

Boarding: No

Local authority: Kent

Pupils: 1057

Religion: None

Mayfield Grammar School

Pelham Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 0JE

Inspection dates 11-12 June 2013

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

Information about this inspection

• ■ Inspectors observed 39 lessons, in addition to making shorter visits to a number of classrooms. A number of these observations were made jointly with school leaders. They also looked at the quality of teachers' marking and how this was helping students to improve.

• ■ Inspectors met with three groups of students to discuss their experience of school, and particularly their learning, behaviour and safety. They also spoke to students informally at lunch and break times and in lessons.

• ■ The lead inspector met with the Chair of the Governing Body. Inspectors also met with a number of groups of school leaders.

• ■ Inspectors reviewed a number of documents including: the governing body minutes; safeguarding procedures; behaviour and attendance records; documents relating to school selfreview and improvement; and school records on performance management and teaching, including records of lesson observations.

• ■ The lead inspector worked with the headteacher and members of her leadership team to analyse the school's data on students' current progress, including those supported through the pupil premium, those who are disabled and those who have special educational needs.

• ■ In planning and carrying out the inspection, inspectors took account of 87 responses to the Parent View survey and 59 questionnaires completed by members of staff.

Inspection team

• Graham Tuck, Lead inspector  Additional Inspector
• Patricia MacLachlan  Additional Inspector

• Alastair McMeckan  Additional Inspector

• Angela Podmore  Additional Inspector
• Jason Wye  Additional Inspector

Full report

Information about this school

• ■This is an average-size secondary school with 256 students in the sixth form.
• ■The school selects from the top 25% of girls.
• ■It converted to become an academy in February, 2012. When its predecessor school, Gravesend Grammar School for Girls, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good.
• ■The school has a specialism in science and a second specialism in languages.
• ■Approximately one in 20 of the school's population is known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding provided for children in local authority care, children of service families and those known to be eligible for free school meals. This proportion is well below the national average. There are no children from service families currently on the school's roll.
• ■There are no Year 7 students eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium, which is provided by the government to support those students who have not previously reached the expected levels in English and mathematics.
• ■A little under one in three students is from a minority ethnic group, which is above the national average.
• ■A little under one in five students speaks English as an additional language which is above the national average.
• ■The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below the national average.
• ■Some additional A-level courses are taken by sixth form students at Saint George's Church of England School, Northfleet School for Girls, Northfleet Technology College, Gravesend Grammar School and St John's Catholic Comprehensive School.
• ■The school meets the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.
• What does the school need to do to improve further?
• ■Maintain the school's outstanding quality of teaching by developing the skills of all teachers to:

• - use questioning to check students' learning and progress during lessons and to adjust activities when appropriate

• - plan lessons so that all students are given the maximum opportunity to work together in class and to learn from each other.

Inspection judgements

The achievement of pupils   is outstanding

• ■Students join the school with levels of attainment that are well above the national average. They make excellent progress in all of their subjects so that by the end of Year 11 levels of attainment are exceptionally high. For example, in 2012 almost half the grades awarded at GCSE were at A and A*. In English and mathematics progress is much higher than national rates and, as a result, the percentage attaining the top grades is almost three times the national average in English and over two and a half times in mathematics. Based on the school's reliable data, achievement is set to rise still further this year with almost 60% of grades projected to be awarded at A and A*.
• ■The small number of students supported by the pupil premium make outstanding progress. In 2012 they attained at a third of a grade lower than all other students in English and a third of a grade above in mathematics. However, their rates of progress are higher than those for all other students in the school and significantly above those for similar students nationally. As a result, any gaps in attainment between these students and the attainment of others are narrowing rapidly. The very effective targeting of pupil premium money, for example in providing additional support for reading and writing, has contributed significantly to this success.
• ■Disabled students and those with special educational needs make excellent progress. This is due to high levels of care and support and astute planning by teachers.
• ■Students from minority ethnic groups, including those with English as an additional language, make excellent progress and as a result their standards of attainment are high.
• ■This year for the first time, more-able students have taken their GCSE mathematics at the end of Year 10. This is so that they can move on to advanced level studies in year 11. The school uses this system to deepen their understanding of mathematics and to prepare them for advanced level studies. Care is taken by the school to ensure that students continue with the subject until they achieve the grade that is expected of them.
• ■Throughout the school, students are encouraged to read widely and often, and the well-resourced library is a busy and bustling place at all times of the school day. Opportunities are taken through national, local and school-run competitions to extend and develop students' reading for pleasure. Reading for research purposes is encouraged across the curriculum and subject teachers take on the responsibility for teaching specific skills, such as scanning a difficult piece of writing for its meaning and purpose. As a consequence, progress in literacy across the school is exceptional.
• ■As a result of outstanding teaching that encourages students to work independently and with each other, students, including those who attend other settings for part of their studies, make excellent progress in the sixth form and are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage in their education. Almost all the parents and carers who responded to the Parent View survey agree that their child makes good progress in the school: almost half strongly agree that this is the case.

• The quality of teaching  is outstanding

• ■The excellent relationship between students and their teachers is a striking feature of the school and helps to ensure that all lessons take place in an atmosphere of mutual courtesy and respect. Teachers know their subject well and share this knowledge enthusiastically with the students.
• ■Teachers plan their lessons carefully and use the information they have about students' achievement to create challenging work that builds on what they already know and understand.
• In the vast majority of lessons, questioning is used skilfully to assess the students' progress and to make timely adjustments to their learning. However, in a very few lessons questioning is too closed, not deepening students' understanding and this limits the students' progress.
• ■Students work well together and thrive in situations where they can talk to each other about their learning. For example, in an outstanding Year 10 French lesson, students worked in pairs translating phrases about holidays. They challenged each other's answers and in doing so were able to attain exceptionally high standards. In a Year 12 English lesson, pairs of students explored complex questions about different styles of writing and then shared their ideas with others. Timely interventions and the reshaping of activities by the teacher meant that the progress made by the students was exceptional. On the rare occasions where teaching was less effective, opportunities for students to engage in collaborative learning were more limited.
• ■In their marking of students' work, teachers are extremely thorough in providing students with written support and encouragement and this often has a notable impact on their learning. For example, in a Year 8 art lesson, students were able to hone their drawing skills in response to the teacher's thoughtful and perceptive comments.
• ■All teachers have taken on a responsibility for the teaching of literacy. As a result, students are exceptionally confident in their use of technical language and use this to explore complex ideas. For example, in a Year 8 music lesson students were able to use a rich vocabulary in their analysis of a piece from Holst's ‘The Planets' and then apply this analysis to their own compositions.
• ■Homework is set regularly and is used very effectively to develop students' understanding of a subject and to extend their thinking. Almost all parents and carers agree that their child receives appropriate homework for their age.
• ■Teaching in the sixth form is outstanding. Students agree that they are fully involved in their learning and that they are supported and encouraged to become highly effective independent learners. For example, in government and politics students are provided with a safe ‘online feed' so that they can access current blogs.

• The behaviour and safety of pupils   are outstanding

• ■Students are proud of their school and this is reflected in how they wear their uniform and their welcoming and courteous treatment of visitors. They demonstrate impeccable behaviour when moving to and from lessons and in their breaks and lunchtimes. Teachers provide students with outstanding role models and staff are unanimous that behaviour is a strength of the school.
• ■Students display exemplary attitudes to their school work, arriving at lessons on time and keen to achieve and succeed. They take every opportunity to be involved in class and whole-school activities. As a result, they are extremely accomplished in supporting their own and each other's learning.
• ■The overwhelming majority of parents and carers agree that students behave well at the school and are happy and safe. Students say that they feel safe and that bullying is very rare and, if it does occur, is dealt with rapidly and effectively by the school. They have a clear understanding of the different types of bullying and an excellent knowledge of potential hazards, including the risks of internet use and cyber bullying. To support this, there is an e-safety representative in every class.
• ■Each key stage has its own council and students recognise that through this they have a genuine voice in the running of the school. Students appreciate the opportunities they have to interact with other year groups, for example through the school's mentoring system or student-run charity events. In the sixth form, elected ‘senior officials' are involved in supporting younger students, presenting in whole-school assemblies and organising events such as a pensioners' tea party.
• ■The students' positive attitudes to school are reflected in the fact that there are no exclusions and attendance is well above the national average.

• The leadership and management         are outstanding

• ■The headteacher's outstanding leadership, which puts the learning and progress of all at the heart of the day-to-day life of the school, has helped to create a school where all students flourish both academically and socially. Excellent monitoring systems are in place to track the progress of students, and teachers and school leaders are quick to provide any additional support that a student might need to help them progress. Leaders model the qualities of openness and honesty, courtesy and respect, and this is reflected in the day-to-day work of the school and particularly the exemplary behaviour of the students and their attitudes to learning.
• ■Leaders know the school well: their self-evaluation is robust and from this they are able to identify areas for further improvement. These are set out in a clear, well-structured and appropriately ambitious school development plan. Staff morale is exceptionally high as demonstrated in the overwhelmingly positive response in staff questionnaires.
• ■A relentless focus on teaching has meant that there is much teaching that is outstanding. Teachers are fully committed to their training and development and this is reflected in their excellent classroom practice. Subject leaders regularly observe lessons and their judgements on the quality of teaching in the school and what needs to be done to make it better are accurate and astute. Staff performance is managed very well and pay rises are closely linked to the targets set for teachers and the progress of the students that they teach.
• ■The school provides very positive information and advice about joining the sixth form and carefully tailors courses to the individual's needs. The school's offer is enhanced through collaboration with other local sixth form providers.
• ■The school's curriculum, which is very well matched to students' interests and abilities, makes a significant contribution to the school's high levels of achievement. For example, opportunities are provided for students to begin their GCSE and A-level studies a year early so that they can explore subjects in greater depth. Important topics, such as disability and animal cruelty, are studied through personal and social education and these help to support the students' spiritual and moral development. The leadership of literacy is exceptionally strong and has made a significant impact on the quality of learning throughout the school.
• ■Students' cultural development is exceptionally well catered for through a wide range of activities including drama productions, school choirs and theatre visits. Each year group has the opportunity to take part in a trip abroad and school sports include rugby, rowing and fencing. Participation rates for all activities are high.
• ■The school is an exceptionally harmonious community. There is a strong commitment by leaders at all levels to promote equality of opportunity, positive relationships and ensure there is no discrimination.
• ■Safeguarding arrangements, including those for students who attend some off-site provision, are thorough and meet requirements.

The governance of the school:

• - Members of the governing body make a highly effective contribution to the overall leadership of the school. They are knowledgeable, offer appropriate challenge and support, and recognise how important it is to develop their own skills. For example, training on school achievement data has enabled governors to ask challenging questions about the school's academic performance. From this, they have developed an excellent understanding of how well the school is performing compared with other similar schools. Through their committee structures, their scrutiny of regular reports, their oversight of performance management and their frequent school visits they understand the quality of teaching in the school and this enables them to make informed decisions about teachers' salary progression. Governors have an excellent oversight of school finances and hold leaders to account for the impact of pupil premium spending on the progress of students known to be eligible for free school meals and those in local authority care. Governors ensure that safeguarding and child protection procedures meet statutory requirements.
• What inspection judgements mean

• School details
• Unique reference number   137834
• Local authority  Kent
• Inspection number  403716
• This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

• Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.
• You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.
• You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk
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