George Green’s School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

George Green's School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this school.

They feel at home in its respectful and kind culture. All pupils follow the same broad curriculum. This includes those with special needs.

Pupils respond well to leaders' high expectations. Pupils are ambitious about their own futures and enthusiastic about their learning. They achieve highly, often against the odds.

Pupils appreciate the dedication and commitment of their teachers. Pupils are safe at school and are helped to stay protected beyond the school gates. They are proud to stand up for the school's values of justice, equality an...d human rights.

They behave respectfully towards all members of the school community. As a result, bullying is extremely rare. Pupils trust adults to sort out problems and concerns.

Teachers listen to pupils, who are given a voice in the school. Teachers use systems that pupils understand, to stop poor behaviour interfering with learning.

Pupils enjoy opportunities to widen their horizons, such as sea cadets, the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, drama, and young farmers' club.

They are enthusiastic about the work of the anti-bullying committee. This runs workshops and assemblies, and trains primary school children. Pupils appreciate the school's focus on reading and writing.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have a far-reaching and inclusive vision for the curriculum. They want all pupils to succeed in the EBacc subjects. Now, 95% of pupils in Year 10 are following this path.

Leaders have revised the way subjects are taught so that pupils understand better and remember more. In English, they have chosen texts that help pupils make sense of the world around them. Leaders have thought carefully about the order in which topics are taught.

For example, they teach pupils about iambic pentameter when they study Shakespeare in Year 7 and this prepares them well for more extended study at GCSE. Pupils learn history in the order in which events happened. This helps them make better sense of ideas like continuity and change.

Science teachers make sure pupils grasp basic ideas before moving on to more complex knowledge. This means they are achieving more in this subject. Leaders' planning in languages has been revised.

They expect all pupils, including those with special needs, to study a language until Year 11 and to master more grammar and vocabulary as they move through the school.

Teachers' subject knowledge is strong. A-level teachers expertly support students in a range of individually chosen coursework topics.

Teachers explain clearly and use resources well to help children learn. They know about the needs and abilities of their pupils, especially those with special needs, and help them all achieve well. Teachers use activities like quizzes and questioning to develop pupils' memories.

Many pupils are proud of what they know and remember. For example, in geography, Year 10 pupils could confidently define terminology relating to urbanisation. In some lessons, pupils lack confidence and do not speak out or contribute to discussion.

Across the school, including at key stage 5, all pupils learn the curriculum well. Sometimes, pupils' errors of spelling and grammar, including their use of key subject terms, are not corrected. Teachers do not always check pupils' misconceptions and mistakes.

There were examples, cutting across subjects and teachers, showing errors in spelling being self-assessed as correct or repeated. Some teachers' approach to assessment is not consistent or coherent.

Leaders' focus on reading is exemplary.

The literacy lead has developed a special website to promote dialogue between and among pupils and staff about the books they read and enjoy. This approach has led to exciting events such as a Year 10 pupil interviewing the author of 'The Hate You Give' live in Mississippi. There is a paired reading scheme where Year 10 read alongside Year 7 pupils.

Its impact is shown by the current Year 10 pupils who benefited from it becoming reading partners themselves. Inspectors heard early readers involved in other programmes read fluently.

Pupils learn to recognise online and offline risks to their well-being, including radicalisation and extremism.

They are well prepared for the next phase of education, training or employment. Pupils take part in a wide range of enrichment opportunities, which are part of the normal school day once a week for Year 7 pupils. These include video-making, music, eco-society, art and sports clubs.

The school's focus on rights and respect helps pupils develop morally, socially and culturally. Low-level disruption in classrooms is rare. Pupils have opportunities for leadership, including through the school council.

They are learning how to influence society.

Leaders and governors are attuned to staff well-being. They check that workload is manageable.

Staff feel supported. They enjoy working at the school and are proud of it.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is a central focus for the whole school community. Leaders are knowledgeable about the local risks to their pupils. They work closely with external agencies, including the police, to keep pupils safe.

Leaders and carefully selected external partners provide high-quality training to all staff and relevant governors. Staff carefully identify all pupils at risk. They are alert to dangers to pupils' mental health, as well as issues of sexual harassment and abuse.

They thoroughly share information with staff and ensure that all risks are managed. Pupils feel safe. They all know who they would report any concerns to.

The school liaises with alternative providers to monitor pupils' attendance, well-being and progress.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers' approach to assessment is not always consistent. Errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar are not always corrected.

This can allow misconceptions to persist. Leaders should ensure their policies on feedback are consistently implemented. ? Sometimes, teachers miss opportunities to develop pupils' spoken language.

As a result, some pupils are not developing the skills that underpin reading and writing. Teachers should ensure that all pupils are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others, and participating in debate.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 24 March 2017.