Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and students in the sixth form, thoroughly enjoy attending Lancaster Girls' Grammar School.

They told inspectors that they feel happy and safe in school. They make friends easily. Pupils and students recognise, understand and value each other's differences.

Staff resolve any incidents of bullying quickly.

Pupils and students understand the high expectations which leaders set. Pupils and students are guided well to live up to these through the school's shared values, which are to 'care, contribute and challenge'.

These expectations help pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities ...(SEND), to achieve well. Students in the sixth form achieve exceptionally well.

Pupils' and students' behaviour is exemplary.

They are eager to learn in class. They enjoy themselves at social times by reading and spending time with each other.

Pupils and students benefit from a rich spectrum of clubs or sixth-form societies that leaders provide for them.

They can join the LGBTQ+ group, the student council, and music and sports clubs. They can also take part in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Large numbers of pupils and students, including those who are disadvantaged or those with SEND, attend these extra-curricular activities.

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

Senior leaders and governors have made sure that all pupils, and students in the sixth form, study a broad and ambitious range of subjects. As a result, most pupils achieve well. Students in the sixth form learn exceptionally well.

Sixth-form students achieve the qualifications that they need to progress to highly appropriate and ambitious post-18 destinations.

Almost all key stage 4 pupils follow the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects. This prepares them well for the academic A-level courses that they can study in the school's sixth form, or at other settings.

Students in the sixth form are ready for further study when they complete their courses. Often, their preferred next step is a degree-level course at university, including Cambridge and Oxford.

Pupils' and students' behaviour is simply excellent.

In class, pupils and students are fully focused on their learning. They are curious, lively and attentive. There is no disruption.

Pupils and students also model superb behaviour outside of lessons. Older pupils and students are confident and kind in supporting new pupils to settle into school.

Teachers, including those who teach sixth-form students, have strong subject knowledge.

This has helped teachers, and subject leaders, to pinpoint much of the essential knowledge that pupils and students need to learn in each subject that they study. Teachers and leaders have also thought carefully about the order in which pupils and students learn this essential knowledge. This helps to make sure that pupils build securely on what they already know.

Teachers usually deliver the subject curriculums effectively. They are skilled in selecting activities that help most pupils and students to understand new learning readily.

That said, some pupils do not grasp key knowledge first time around.

In these cases, most teachers recognise and address misconceptions or shortfalls in pupils' knowledge. Teachers use assessment systems very well in the sixth form to adapt the delivery of the curriculum for students so that they can excel. Across the school, teachers reteach and continue to check pupils' and students' knowledge until they are confident that it is secure.

However, in key stages 3 and 4, some teachers are less adept at picking up on when pupils have not understood what has been taught. These teachers move pupils on to new learning too quickly, without ensuring that the foundations for future learning are firmly in place. This hinders some pupils' progress.

Pupils and students told inspectors of their love of reading as part of their studies, but also as an activity that they enjoy during their leisure time. The library is a thriving and popular part of the school, for pupils and students alike. Accordingly, most pupils are confident, fluent readers.

However, leaders quickly identify any pupils who find reading more difficult. They provide effective reading support for these pupils, enabling them to catch up quickly and learn successfully across the curriculum.

Leaders have effective ways of identifying the needs of pupils and students with SEND, including those who join the school in the sixth form.

Students with SEND in the sixth form achieve very well. Most pupils with SEND in key stages 3 and 4 progress well through the subject curriculums. However, sometimes staff do not adapt the delivery of the curriculum well enough in key stages 3 and 4 to ensure that as many pupils with SEND as possible learn all that they should.

Leaders have put support in place for staff to strengthen this aspect of education for this group of pupils.

Pupils and students benefit from a first-class programme of extra-curricular activities to broaden their understanding of the wider world. Leaders organise a wide and rich range of opportunities so that pupils and students are fully prepared to participate and succeed in modern Britain.

Pupils' and students' character education is exemplary. Opportunities to take on leadership roles are interwoven throughout their education. These opportunities provide pupils and students with a strong voice in how the school runs.

Pupils and students receive very high-quality independent careers advice and guidance.

Governors meet their statutory obligations and hold leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. Staff recognise leaders' efforts to support their well-being and ensure that they have a reasonable workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff are kept up to date with any risks that pupils and students may face. Staff are clear about how to spot the signs that pupils or students may be at risk of harm in or outside school.

Teachers are vigilant and report concerns quickly. Leaders make sure that they respond to any concerns promptly.

Pupils and students learn about risks to their personal safety and how to spot and avoid them.

Staff work together to identify quickly whether pupils and students require additional outside support. Leaders ensure that pupils, students and their families get the timely help that they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, some staff do not spot when pupils do not fully understand what they have been taught first-time around.

They move on to new learning before these pupils are ready. This means that some of these pupils do not secure the depth of subject knowledge that they could. Leaders should ensure that all staff address any missing component knowledge before moving on to new knowledge, so that these pupils know and remember more of the intended curriculum.

• Sometimes, teachers do not adapt the delivery of the curriculum effectively enough to support some pupils with SEND in key stages 3 and 4. This means that these pupils do not progress through the intended curriculum as well as they could. Leaders should continue to ensure that all staff have the training that they require to enable these pupils to know and remember more of the intended curriculum.