Orleans Park School

Inspection report

Unique Reference Number 102923

Local Authority Richmond upon Thames

Inspection number 335989

Inspection dates 24-25 November 2010

Reporting inspector John Daniell HMI

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

Type of school Comprehensive

School category Community

Age range of pupils 11 -16

Gender of pupils Mixed

Number of pupils on the school roll 1008

Appropriate authority The governing body

Chair Mrs A Reed

Headteacher Ms J Longhurst

Date of previous school inspection 16 May 2007

School address 

Richmond Road

Twickenham

TW1 3BB

Telephone number 020 88910187

Fax number 020 87440312

Email address info@orleanspark.richmond.sch.uk

Age group 11-16

Inspection dates 24-25 November 2010

Inspection number 335989

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way.

To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'.

Royal Exchange Buildings

St Ann's Square

Manchester

M2 7LA

T: 0300 1234 234

Textphone: 0161 618 8524

E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

© Crown copyright 2010

Introduction

This inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and four additional inspectors. The inspection team saw 38 lessons taught by 38 teachers and held meetings with members of the governing body, staff and students. Discussions also took place with parents and carers as well as senior staff at local partnership schools. Inspectors observed the school's work and looked at documentation including policies, self-evaluation information, performance data, school improvement plans, reports and reviews from the local authority as well as those from the school improvement partner. The inspection team scrutinised 230 questionnaires from parents and carers, 203 from students and 73 from staff.

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

• ■ Achievement and standards for different groups of students.

• ■ The use of assessment data in school, especially in the planning of lessons.

• ■ The effectiveness of senior and middle leaders in identifying and acting on weaknesses and driving improvement.

Information about the school

Orleans Park School is an average-sized school with specialist status in mathematics, computing and a higher performing specialism of languages. The school has considerably more boys than girls. The number of students known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. Around 70% of students are from a White British background and the proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is above the national average, as is the percentage of students who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is just above the national average; however the percentage with a statement of special educational needs is more than twice the national average.

The school holds Healthy School status as well as an Artsmark Silver award and a Safe Schools award. It also has Investors in Careers status and is a member of the Rugby Football Union Education Partnership.

Inspection judgements

Overall effectiveness: how good is the school?

The school's capacity for sustained improvement

Main findings

Orleans Park School is outstanding. This is because it delivers an excellent quality of education which has enabled students to reach high standards during recent years, through making good progress from their starting points, so their achievement is outstanding. There is a strong sense of community and pride in the school felt by students and staff. It offers its students a wealth of opportunities to help them develop into confident individuals and equips them exceptionally well for their future.

The school supports its students outstandingly well to develop excellent personal qualities and to feel very safe. The extremely well-targeted care, guidance and support results in happy students with high self-esteem and high personal aspirations. Students very much enjoy coming to school and make an excellent contribution to the school and wider community. The culture is one where achievement is celebrated and valued. School walls are adorned with student-designed posters and displays which inspire and motivate students to strive to achieve their goals. The school's three specialist subjects enrich students' learning and also make a substantial contribution toward raising standards across the school. Opportunities provided through working in very strong partnerships with other schools and organisations enhance the provision and result in improved outcomes.

The rich, vibrant curriculum provides students with a wide range of subjects and qualification pathways that is extremely well matched to their needs. This results in students reaching high levels of attainment overall. Through outstanding teaching and diligent work, students make good progress. Inspectors saw only good or outstanding teaching, but within this picture, use of assessment is not as exceptional as other features of teaching. Sometimes teachers do not make best use of available assessment information on individual students when planning the lesson and this means their progress is not maximised.

Leaders have a relentless focus on raising standards. The inspirational headteacher has effected strategic school improvement and she and her team are passionate about getting the very best outcome for every individual student and this drive and determination for excellence is echoed by the governing body, middle leaders, teachers and support staff. The many effective measures to maintain and drive forward school improvement, and the rigorous self-assessment systems that support accurate self-evaluation, give the school an outstanding capacity to improve.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Ensure individual students maximise their learning by:

- fine-tuning teachers' use of assessment when planning so that work is closely targeted to all students' individual needs.

Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils

Students greatly enjoy their work and progress in lessons is good overall. Nonetheless, outstanding learning was observed in English, German, science, history and geography. In these lessons, teachers' planning and use of prior attainment data result in outstanding progress. Learning and understanding are checked regularly in order to address any misconceptions. In all lessons, students are reflective and show excellent insight. They listen to each other's opinions with respect. One Year 11 form time sessio n 's topic exemplified the school's approach towards the importance of learning: 'Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere'. In most lessons students were aware of their current levels and how to improve. However, in a few lessons, progress slowed when some individuals found planned work too hard or easy as it was not sufficiently fine-tuned to their learning needs.

Attainment has been significantly high for a number of years and is increasing. In 2010, the proportion of students gaining five or more good GCSE grades was 81% and 71% including English and mathematics. Available data show current pupils are on track to maintain these high standards. Boys' attainment was significantly above the national average. Many, but not all, students identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities reached above average levels of attainment and those who were below average had been correctly identified and targeted with appropriate support. Progress made by most groups of students over the last three years has been significantly above that made nationally. The school has correctly identified where to target its resources to address slower progress and to secure outstanding achievement for all groups of students and to narrow any small remaining gaps.

High standards and a zero tolerance approach towards unacceptable behaviour lead to fixed-term exclusion figures that are broadly in line with the national average. This firm approach leads to good behaviour, particularly good in lessons but also around the school. Incidents involving bullying are few and students say that any incidents that do occur are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Students adopt healthy lifestyles and take up is high for the many opportunities to participate in a wide choice of extra-curricular activities. Through the Schools Sports Partnership, significant numbers of students coach pupils in primary schools. The student council is very active and works productively with staff, the governing body and other schools. Recent projects have included fundraising, recycling, art exhibitions and concerts. Basic and enterprise skills are extremely well developed. Year 9 students enjoy the 'Learn to earn' activity day and some Year 11 students were observed actively researching costs for living independently in a life-skills lesson. Although attendance is above average overall, the school rightly plans to eliminate any remaining elements of below-average attendance by using available data more critically to pinpoint individual students.

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils' attainment1 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress	1
1
2
2
The extent to which pupils feel safe	1
Pupils' behaviour	2
The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles	1
The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community	1
The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils' attendance1	1
2
The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development	1

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low

How effective is the provision?

The quality of teaching in the school is outstanding with 100% of all lessons observed being good or better. Teachers make excellent use of their subject knowledge and of resources such as information and communication technology to provide experiences which are exciting and creative. Opportunities are effectively built into lessons to allow students to check their own progress and that of their peers and they know how to achieve their academic targets. Students are enthused and challenged and encouraged to make good use of higher-order thinking skills. There are examples of excellent practice in the use of assessment for planning. In an outstanding science lesson on 'How batteries work' for a small group of vulnerable students, the teacher carefully designed the lesson to ensure the full range of students with challenging needs could access the teaching and make excellent progress. However, this is yet to become fully-embedded in everyday practice by all teachers. Nevertheless, where other adults are in classrooms, support is precisely targeted. Very careful ly-targeted questioning often boosts students' understanding, even where plans have not been as sharp. Marking is of high quality.

The outstanding curriculum provides a range of courses to match the needs of all students. The effectiveness of the curriculum is reviewed regularly by the school's senior leadership team as well as the students themselves to ensure it continues to inspire and challenge. The subject specialisms enrich the curriculum and provide the students with opportunities for high levels of success. The emphasis on personal learning and thinking skills at Key Stage 3 through the 'Learn 2 Learn' programme has made a significant impact on transforming students into independent learners. Enrichment through flexible learning days provides excellent preparation for the future and staff devote much time to delivering an extensive range of extra-curricular provision in which participation is high.

Students who join the school in Year 7 say they settle in very quickly and those in Year 11 are prepared well for the next stage in their lives, be it work or further studies. Pupils with statements of special educational needs receive very effective provision, fine-tuned to their requirements. Those pupils who speak English as an additional language receive excellent help. Pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable are very sensitively supported. One student said, 'The teachers don't just teach us, they really care for us as well'.

These are the grades for the quality of provision

The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning	1
2
The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships	1
The effectiveness of care, guidance and support	1

How effective are leadership and management?

The school's motto 'Be the best you can be' is known by all and underpins the headteacher's vision to make everything about the school outstanding. The headteacher has correctly identified key areas for improvement and has rightly gained the respect of students and staff in her tireless quest for excellence. The highly competent senior leaders have a clear understanding of their role in raising standards. A positive culture of selfevaluation is embedded and the school monitors, reviews and evaluates its actions with rigour. Middle leaders of subject areas and year groups contribute towards school improvement and conduct frequent reviews of the performance of their areas. Regular meetings chaired by senior leaders with common agenda items, including achievement and standards and the sharing of good practice, ensure an accurate assessment of the school's performance. Inspectors concur with senior leaders' judgements on the quality of teaching and learning. The school provided striking examples where targeted support has transformed inadequate teaching into outstanding practice. The importance of assessment information and target setting has a high profile, which ensures targets are challenging.

A committed and skilled governing body holds the school fully to account and regularly assesses its own performance to ensure it remains strategic. The governing body ensures safeguarding procedures are robust and systems are in place to gather views of students, parents and staff. Strong parental engagement contributes to the harmonious ethos of the school. The school engages particularly well with hard-to-reach parents and parental attendance at consultation evenings is high. The school's firm commitment to promoting community cohesion is much supported through its specialisms. There is a strong feeling of a community spirit within the school and students celebrate other cultures and religions through a variety of activities promoting marked engagement nationally and internationally. Extensive work with primary schools in mathematics and modern foreign languages is monitored for the impact it has on learning. Many strong partnerships exist between subject areas and other organisations or companies which have a positive impact on student outcomes. The information and communication technology (ICT) department recently offered free training to a local business in return for an apprenticeship placement. The school's strong commitment to equal opportunities in the way that it monitors the impact of its work on different groups of students, and the way it reports back to the governing body, is highly influential in improving the school's effectiveness. Unevenness of performance between different groups is minimal and reducing rapidly.

These are the grades for leadership and management

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement	1
Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning	1
The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are ta ckle d decisively and statutory responsibilities met	1
The effectiveness of the school's engagement with parents and carers	1
The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being	1
The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination	1
The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures	1
The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion	1
The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money	1

Views of parents and carers

About 20% of the questionnaires returned contained additional comments from parents and carers. The vast majority of parents and carers believe their child is happy at school and that the school keeps them safe. A very small minority believe the school does not keep them sufficiently informed about their child's progress and would prefer more detailed information about it. Inspectors found that the school's procedures for reporting progress meet requirements and that termly grade sheets and an annual parents' evening ensure parents and carers are kept informed. A small minority believe the school does not help them support their child's learning. However, the inspection team notes that special evenings are arranged to guide parents on supporting their child and plans are in place to target hard-to-reach parents. The school's website has been significantly developed to allow parents and carers to access key information from the school. A very large majority of parents believe the school is well led and managed and that Orleans Park School is a positive experience for their child.

Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Orleans Park School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school.

In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

The inspection team received 230 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 1008 pupils registered at the school.

Statements	Strong ly agree	Agree	Disagree	Strongly disagree
Total	%	Total	%	Total	%	Total	%
My child enjoys school	104	45	111	48	15	7	0	0
The school keeps my child safe	113	49	110	48	4	2	2	1
My school informs me about my child's progress	86	37	113	49	23	10	3	1
My child is making enough progress at this school	92	40	104	45	25	11	6	3
The teaching is good at this school	81	35	126	55	16	7	1	0
The school helps me to support my child's learning	70	30	108	47	37	16	6	3
The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle	83	36	119	52	20	9	1	0
The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment)	92	40	112	49	9	4	0	0
The school meets my child's particular needs	80	35	107	47	26	11	8	3
The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour	80	35	121	53	14	6	6	3
The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns	67	29	114	50	23	10	4	2
The school is led and managed effectively	111	48	99	43	11	5	2	1
Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school	108	47	100	43	16	7	2	1

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionna ires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

Glossary

What inspection judgements mean

Grade	Judgement	Description
Grade 1	Outstanding	These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.
Grade 2	Good	These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.
Grade 3	Satisfactory	These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.
Grade 4	Inadequate	These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

Overall effectiveness of schools

Overall effectiveness judgement (percentage of schools)
Type of school	Outstanding	Good	Satisfactory	Inadequate
Nursery schools	58	36	4	2
Primary schools	8	43	40	9
Secondary schools	10	35	42	13
Sixth forms	13	39	45	3
Special schools	33	42	20	4
Pupil referral units	18	40	29	12
All schools	11	42	38	9

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that ins pectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously.

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.

Percentages are rou nded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures include those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement:	the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.
Attainment:	the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.
Capacity to improve:	the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.
Leadership and management:	the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.
Learning:	how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.
Overall effectiveness:	inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be. ■ The school's capacity for sustained improvement. ■ Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils. ■ The quality of teaching. ■ The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships. ■ The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.
Progress:	the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

This letter is provided for the school, parents and

carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main findings from the inspection of their school.

* ’x’Sc Ofsted raising standards improving lives

26 November 2010

Dear Students

Inspection of Orleans Park School, Twickenham, TW1 3BB

Thank you for making the inspection team feel so welcome when we visited your school recently. You are excellent ambassadors for Orleans Park and you are rightly proud of your school. Orleans Park is providing you with an outstanding quality of education and everyone in the school works hard to ensure you have the best possible outcomes. These are our main findings:

• ■ your attainment is high and you make good progress

• ■ the quality of teaching is outstanding and the specialist subjects enhance your learning experience

• ■ you respect your school environment and you told us you are kept very safe

• ■ the curriculum is very well-planned to meet your needs

• ■ your behaviour is good and can be outstanding, especially in lessons

• ■ you show a very good awareness of your levels and know how to improve

• ■ leaders and managers are doing an outstanding job in raising standards

• ■ you contribute exceptionally well to the school and wider community

• ■ your teachers are aware of your individual needs but sometimes lessons are not planned to fully cater for these and progress is slowed down for a few of you

• ■ a very few students do not attend school as often as you should; we know the school is working hard on this but you can also help.

We have asked the school to ensure that all of your teachers plan their lessons to allow for your differing needs.

I wish you well for the future

Yours sincerely

John Daniell

Her Majesty's Inspector

Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', 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 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.