The Ecclesbourne School

Wirksworth Road

Duffield

Belper

Derbyshire

DE56 4GS

Head: Mr James McNamara

T 01332 840645

F 01332 841871

E enquiries@ecclesb….derbyshire.sch.uk

W www.ecclesbour…rbyshire.sch.uk

A state school for boys and girls aged from 11 to 18.

Boarding: No

Local authority: Derbyshire

Pupils: 1,500

Religion: None

Type of school	Secondary
School category	Foundation
Age range of pupils	11-18
Gender of pupils Number on roll	Mixed
School (total)	1457
Sixth form	339
Appropriate authority	The local authority
Headteacher	Mrs Lesley Underhill
Date of previous school inspection	7 November 2005
School address	Wirkworth Road Duffield Belper Derbyshire DE56 4GS
Telephone number	01332 840645
Fax number	01332 841871
Age group	11-18
Inspection date	17 September 2008

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and one Additional Inspector. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: achievement and standards at Key Stage 4, the quality of teaching and learning for all students, care, guidance and support for particular groups of students, the impact of specialist status and the quality of leadership and management, including how well the school promotes community cohesion.

Evidence was gathered from the school's self-evaluation, achievement and attainment information; observation of lessons, scrutiny of documentation provided by the school, observation of the school at work, discussion with senior and middle managers, discussions with staff and students and analysis of parents' questionnaires. 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 in this report.

Description of the school

The Ecclesbourne School, is a large, oversubscribed, comprehensive school for students aged between 11 and 18. There are 1457 students on roll, of whom 339 are sixth form students. Socio-economic indicators are well above average and there are very few students entitled to free school meals. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is lower than average and mainly comprises of students with moderate learning difficulties or students with behavioural, social or emotional difficulties. The majority of students at the school are White British with students from minority ethnic backgrounds making up around 7% of the school population. The school has held specialist college status for technology since 2001. In 2006, it gained a second specialism, this time for the arts, and continues to maintain its status as a Leading Edge School.

Key for inspection grades

Grade 1            Outstanding

Grade 2            Good

Grade 3            Satisfactory

Grade 4            Inadequate

Overall effectiveness of the school

Grade: 1

The Ecclesbourne School is an outstanding school that continues to provide an exceptionally high quality of education and care for its students. The school's inclusive vision of 'Learning Together for the Future,' is one that permeates all aspects of its work. A key feature of the success of the school is the inspirational leadership provided by the headteacher, who together with a very strong senior management team and a committed and well informed governing body, are dedicated to the pursuit of excellence. Since the last inspection, the school has continued to improve its already high standards and improve behaviour from good to outstanding. This success is testament of a shared commitment from managers and staff at all levels to further enhance students' educational experience. As a result, this school has an outstanding capacity to improve.

The standards reached by students are outstanding. Students enter the school in Year 7 having achieved standards well above the national average. Their progress by Year 11 is good overall and in some cases excellent. A very high proportion of students leave the school with at least five A* to C grades at GSCE including English and mathematics and with very high grades in their GSCE subjects. Sharply focused and swift intervention enables students with specific learning difficulties, or those in receipt of additional learning support, to make outstanding progress in relation to their starting points. All student achievement, including in the sports and arts, is widely celebrated throughout the school. Students' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding because the school's expectations of them are very clear and consistent. Students learn in a supportive and highly inclusive environment where they feel safe and valued as individuals. The school works tirelessly to give its students a broad understanding of the wider community and as a result, students have an impressive understanding of wider social issues. Students respond extremely well to the numerous local, national and internal opportunities to take responsibility and make outstanding contributions to the community. Several initiatives are set up and run by the students themselves, such as a successful whole school project on recycling.

Teaching and learning are good, and in several instances outstanding. In most lessons, teachers use their strong subject knowledge to plan lessons that proceed at a brisk pace with learning activities that stimulate interest and provide an appropriate level of challenge. Relationships are very positive and the exemplary attitudes and behaviour of students are features of all lessons. Attendance remains excellent. Students have a thirst for learning and demonstrate real enjoyment in school. They thrive when lesson activities are challenging and allow them to take responsibility for their own learning. However, some lessons do not fully engage and challenge students enough to help them maximise the progress they are able to make in the time available.

Students' personal development is supported by excellent care, support and guidance. This is evident in the very positive relationships that pervade lessons and in innumerable informal exchanges between staff and students. Staff demonstrate strongly caring attitudes and students receive excellent personal support and guidance when making option choices. Students' progress is closely monitored and highly effective support is provided for those who find learning more difficult.

The school's quality improvement systems are well established and involve meticulous data analysis, monitoring and review of student performance at all levels of management. Targets are used very successfully to raise standards. Self-evaluation is thorough and provides a firm basis for improvement. A significant strength is the way the school successfully uses its specialist status in both technology and the arts to raise students' aspirations and further improve standards. The widespread use of new learning technologies in virtually every classroom, for example, has led to far more creative teaching and learning. The school is rightly held in very high regard by both the local community and parents alike. One parent's comments summed up the view of many: 'My child has blossomed at Ecclesbourne due to the encouragement of the teachers and the wonderful atmosphere it creates'.

Effectiveness of the sixth form

Grade: 1

Students enter the sixth form having already achieved standards that are well above that of similar schools. Overall, they make excellent progress and virtually all students who begin GCE AS programmes successfully complete their second year GCE A-level programme. The proportion of students achieving grades A to B is consistently very high. Students in the sixth form have excellent attitudes to learning and effectively build on the skills developed through the main school to become highly articulate and confident individuals who are exemplary role models for the younger students. Leadership and management of the sixth form are outstanding because, as with the main school, there is tenacious approach to improving performance. In 2008, the percentage of sixth form students progressing to higher education rose to 93%.

What the school should do to improve further

Ensure all lessons fully engage all students and challenge them to make the maximum progress possible.

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?	2	1
The standards1 2 reached by learners	1	1
How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners	2	1
How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress	1

Annex A

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	2
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	IE2
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	2	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