The Arthur Terry School

Unique Reference Number 103523

Local Authority  Birmingham

Inspection number  323850

Inspection date  25 February 2009

Reporting inspector Gwendoline Coates 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	11-18
Gender of pupils Number on roll	Mixed
School (total)	1579
Sixth form	353
Appropriate authority	The governing body
Chair	Alan Wharton
Headteacher	Christopher Stone
Date of previous school inspection	1 January 2006
School address	Kittoe Road Four Oaks Sutton Coldfield B74 4RZ
Telephone number	0121 323 2221
Fax number	0121 308 8033
Age group	11-18
Inspection date	25 February 2009

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and one Additional Inspector. Inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

• ■ achievements and standards

• ■ the quality of teaching and learning

• ■ aspects of the curriculum in each key stage

• ■ the tutoring system

• ■ academic tracking and intervention strategies

• ■ community cohesion

• ■ safeguarding procedures.

Evidence was gathered from: meetings with members of the leadership team and governing body, meetings with a wide range of students, observation of teaching and learning, and analysis of data. 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 the self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

Description of the school

The Arthur Terry School is a very large school that is heavily oversubscribed. Most students live in economically advantaged areas and the percentage of students eligible for free schools meals is well below the national average. The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is well below the national average, with the largest group being of Indian heritage. The percentage of students for whom English is not their first language is well below the national average and none are at an early stage in their acquisition of English. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below the national average, and for those with a statement of special educational needs it is well below. The school achieved specialist performing arts college status in 2001. It is the lead school in the Four Oaks Cluster and is a member of the Sutton post-16 consortium. It has recently moved into a new building on the same site, where construction work will continue until the end of 2009.

Key for inspection grades

Grade 1            Outstanding

Grade 2           Good

Grade 3            Satisfactory

Grade 4            Inadequate

Overall effectiveness of the school

Grade: 1

The Arthur Terry School is an outstanding school. The outstanding quality of its leadership and management ensures a quality of educational provision that is exceptional and, as a result, students' achievement and their personal development are excellent.

Students join the school with attainment that is broadly average. As a result of excellent teaching, an outstanding curriculum and exceptional care, guidance and support, they make outstanding progress and attain standards that are well above average. In 2008, the percentage of Year 11 students attaining five or more GCSEs at grade C or above including English and mathematics was well above the national average. Over time, these results show a sustained improvement, with the gap between the school's results and the national average increasing year on year. The attainment of students at all key stages in the performing arts subjects is exceptional, reflecting the success of the school's specialist status. All groups of students, whether identified by ethnicity, ability or gender, achieve well and, for example, students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make excellent progress.

Students' personal development is outstanding in every aspect. Students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is impressive. They respect each other, understand each other's cultures well, and are thoughtful and articulate young people who are aware of their responsibilities as well as their rights.

Students feel safe and very well supported in school. They feel the sanctions and rewards policy is fair. Bullying and racist incidents are rare and when they do occur, they are dealt with promptly and very effectively. Students understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy school and are proud to be a part of it. Attendance is excellent and this, together with students' excellent behaviour around the school and in lessons, their very high participation rates in extra-curricular activities and their outstanding achievement, confirms their enjoyment.

Students make very positive contributions to the community. They have many opportunities in school to do this, for example as members of the student council and by contributing to tutor sessions and house assemblies. In addition, they contribute by working with partner primary schools, by their charitable activities at local, national and international level and in their responsible attitude to the wider community. For example, over the last three years, students have raised funds for, visited and helped to restore a primary school in a South African township. Students' attainment in core subjects contributes exceptionally well to their future economic well-being. This is supplemented by the understanding and skills they develop as a result of enterprise days and related activities and the opportunities they receive for work experience.

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding and, as a result, students thrive and make exceptional progress. This is particularly true in specialist performing arts subjects, which drive whole-school improvement and classroom practice. Planning is excellent, lessons are well paced and there is a very clear focus on meeting the needs of all students, engaging them fully, stretching them and enabling them to reach their full potential. Teachers are highly skilled professionals who often inspire students in their lessons. Their confidence and skill enable them to take risks and be adventurous with their teaching, which promotes students' learning and their enjoyment. Students' attitudes to learning are exemplary; they work exceptionally well in small groups and demonstrate effective independent learning skills.

The curriculum meets all statutory requirements, is thoughtfully and creatively conceived and meets the needs of all students exceptionally well. The change to a two-year Key Stage 3 curriculum and a three-year Key Stage 4 curriculum was introduced in September 2008. This reflects the school's absolute focus on ensuring that students achieve well, by giving more time to core subjects and developing the attributes that contribute to their future economic well-being, while at the same time focusing on developing the whole child. At this stage, the school has not yet begun to evaluate the impact of these changes on achievement and standards. The uptake in performing arts subjects is excellent, and the performing arts specialism has had a significant influence on all aspects of the curriculum. Extra-curricular performing arts related activities are particularly appreciated and engage students of all abilities and interests. In addition, specialist funding is used to support performing arts activities in all partner primary schools, ensuring better transition and continuity of learning between Key Stages 2 and 3.

The curriculum provision contributes significantly to students' personal development and well-being. Opportunities for discussing issues of identity and diversity occur across the curriculum, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities and specialist subjects take a leading role in this area.

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. All safeguarding procedures are in place. Each transition stage is very well managed and students receive excellent advice about the next stage. Pastoral and academic support is seamlessly integrated, and inclusion is a strength of the school.

Vertical tutoring provides a system of outstanding care, guidance and support. Each mixed group of 20 students includes five students from the sixth form, ensuring excellent role-models for young students. An effective behaviour and reward system that is consistently applied is having an outstanding impact on students' behaviour and their attitudes to learning.

Academic support and guidance involves rigorous tracking systems and highly effective intervention strategies to ensure that all students achieve their potential. Systems for marking, assessment and setting personal targets are excellent. Students are aware of the levels and grades at which they are working and what they need to do to improve and this is reinforced by the one-to-one learning conversations they have with their tutors. Parents and carers are kept well informed about their children's progress. Parents clearly rate the school very highly and demonstrate this in their exceptionally positive comments in parental questionnaires. For example, one parent commented, 'I feel my child...has been encouraged to produce his best, exceedhispotential and believe in himself.' Outstanding support is provided for vulnerable students and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.As one parent put it, 'As parents ofadisabledchild,wehavenothingbutpraiseandadmirationforthewayinwhichourchild has been supported.'

Theschoolworksveryeffectivelywithotherservicesandpartnerstopromotethesafetyand healthofalllearners.Itmakesexcellentextendedschoolprovision,notonlyamongitspartner schools but also, for example, providing support for parents via its parent support advisors, ensuringthatallstudents,nomatterwhattheircircumstances,areexceedinglywellsupported and encouraged.

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher has introduced an excellent distributed style of leadership that ensures the development of highly effective leaders and managersatalllevelsintheschool.Theoutstandingnatureofthisstyleofleadershipensures thattheschoolhasconsiderablecapacitytoimprovefurther. Itbringsinnovationandcreativity totheschool, awillingnesstoembracechangeandanapproachtochangethatinvolvesthorough research, meticulous planning and extensive consultation with parents and students.

Arigorousself-evaluationprocess,atalllevelsintheschool,underpinstheannualreviewcycle. Challengingyetrealistictargetsaresetforeverystudentandforallareasoftheschool.There isathoroughandrigoroussystemformonitoringthequalityofteachingandlearning. The identification of strengths and areas for development drives the school's comprehensive professionaldevelopmentagenda,whichlinksdirectlytoschoolpriorities.

The headteacher inspires both staff and students with his resolute focus on raising standards andonpromotingequalityofopportunityandcommunitycohesion.Theschoolknowsits contextverywell,hasplannedandtakenveryeffectiveactiontopromotecommunitycohesion and is able to analyse the impact of this.

Governorsplayafullpartinthestrategicdevelopmentoftheschoolandhaveaclear understanding of the school's strengths and its priorities for further development and, in particular,fortheneedtopreparestudentsforthemodernworldoftechnologyandofdiversity. Valueformoneyisastrengthoftheschoolandprudentfiscalpolicyhasensuredthatallareas ofthe school are properlyfunded.

The performing arts college specialism has had a significant impact on improving the quality ofteachingandlearningandonraisingachievementandstandardsintheschool.Itsimpactin thewidercommunityisoutstandingand,linkedtotheschool'sexcellentextendedschools provision, isdemonstratingexcellentprovisionandsupportinrelationtocommunitycohesion. Issues forimprovement identified in the last inspection report have been fully addressed. The school is constantly striving for excellence in all that it does and there is a clear and shared ethos to constantly seek to improve on its previous best.

Effectiveness of the sixth form

Grade: 1

Theoveralleffectivenessofthesixthformisoutstanding.Itisbecominganincreasinglypopular destination for students from other schools.

Althoughmanystudentsenterthesixthformwithpriorattainmentthatiswellbelowaverage, students make outstanding progress because ofthe excellent education they receive. Sixth formers are effective independent learners with excellent personal skills. Vertical tutoring providesmanyopportunitiesforthemtotakeresponsibilitywithintheschoolandtheyactively embrace this. They have an excellent understanding of what supporting their own and other communities means for themselves and for others. One Year 13 student who has visited the linkedprimaryschoolinSouthAfricacommented,'Itmadeyouadifferentperson;whatwedid for them was minute compared to what they did for us.'

Thequalityofteachingisoutstanding.Averybroadcurriculumisofferedthatmeetstheneeds ofstudentsverywell.ProgressionroutesbeyondKeyStage4arecomprehensiveandbased uponindividualneed,withhighqualityguidancehelpingstudentstomaketherightchoices. Highlyeffectivetargetsettingandsystemstomonitorstudents 'progressareinplaceand excellentsupportisprovidedbothwithstudyneedsandintermsoffutureprogressionroutes, whether to university, to which the vast majority of students progress, to other courses or directlyintocareers.Outstandingleadershipofthesixthformensureexcellentprovisionfor sixth form students, which in turn contributes to their excellent levels of achievement and personal development.

What the school should do to improve further

■ Evaluatetheimpactofnewcurriculumstructuresonstudentoutcomes.

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	2	2
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?	1	1
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