Northampton School for Girls

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This highly popular school serves a diverse community. Relationships are positive. The school is welcoming and inclusive.

Pupils are happy at school. They say that they feel safe.

The curriculum is broad.

There is a wide range of subjects for pupils to study at key stage 4 and in the sixth form, including vocational subjects. Expectations are high. Pupils achieve well.

Staff are determined to help pupils achieve their best in most subjects, particularly performing arts and humanities subjects. Staff provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language.
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The majority of pupils uphold the school's values of 'respect for self, for others and for learning'.

The large majority behave well. The environment is calm and orderly, including when pupils move between the site's various buildings. Pupils are confident that staff will deal with any occurrence of bullying.

The school's provision for extra-curricular activities is a strong feature. Levels of participation in these activities are very high. Activities include sports, school productions such as Billy Elliot, and debating.

Many older pupils complete the National Citizenship award. Sixth-form students value the opportunity to lead projects, including talking to younger girls about important issues that affect them.

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

Leaders and governors have an ambitious vision.

They know the school well. Their vision is complemented by detailed plans to further enhance the school's provision. Leaders have high expectations of themselves, staff and pupils.

Governors listen to staff and are effective in holding leaders to account.

The curriculum is ambitious. It at least meets the aims of the national curriculum.

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. Leaders have ensured that the subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate are at the heart of the curriculum. The proportion of pupils opting for these subjects is rising.

Pupils achieve well. Achievement has improved for disadvantaged pupils and sixth-form students.

Subject leaders are refining their curriculum plans across all key stages.

Their plans identify the knowledge pupils require and when they need to learn it. They have considered how their subjects support the social and cultural learning of pupils. In art, for example, pupils discover how portraits reflect human diversity.

Leaders have devised effective systems for checking pupils' knowledge and understanding. Staff access a wide range of opportunities to develop their professional practice. Leaders make checks to ensure that this training is having the intended impact.

Teachers' subject knowledge is strong. In most subjects, teachers use their expertise well to check pupils' understanding. Despite high levels of achievement, however, this is not always consistent.

In some subjects, teachers move learning on to the next stage before ensuring that all pupils are secure in their understanding.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Through a recent review, leaders have ensured that pupils with SEND receive the support they need to be able to access the full curriculum.

Disadvantaged pupils are well cared for. Many staff contribute towards the extra support for pupils who speak English as an additional language. There is an effective programme to promote reading for all pupils.

Pupils who struggle to read receive the extra help they need.

The behaviour of most pupils is very good. They are polite and courteous.

Students' attitudes to learning in the sixth form are exemplary. Attitudes are positive in most subjects. However, some pupils' attitudes are not as consistent as they should be.

In a few subjects, including modern foreign languages and science, some pupils engage in off-task chat which distracts them and others from their learning. Some staff do not always challenge this strongly enough.

On occasions, some pupils are not as respectful to others as they should be.

Leaders act swiftly when this is reported.

The curriculum for pupils' personal development is strong. It has been designed to build pupils' character.

Pupils have many opportunities to discuss and debate issues, including equality, protected characteristics and emotional well-being. Most understand what makes people similar and different. Leaders have introduced a new 'unity charter' to help ensure that pupils value the importance of developing respectful relationships between everyone.

Pupils value forums such as the diversity 'Q' group and 'Heart' club, for example. The curriculum for relationships and sex education is equally strong. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps at the end of Years 11 and 13.

They receive high-quality guidance about future options.

The school promotes an excellent range of extra-curricular activities to further develop pupils' character. Leaders record the high number of pupils who take part.

Pupils strongly value them. Parents agree. One parent, typical of many, said: 'the extra-curricular activities offered are fantastic, the opportunities are amazing'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are forensic in their analysis of risks in the local area. They know what the priorities are, including online safety and child criminal exploitation.

Staff are vigilant. They receive thorough training. Pupils learn about personal safety.

They know who they can talk to about their worries.

Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that the school's most vulnerable pupils receive the help and support they need. They take swift and appropriate action to protect pupils.

Leaders work well with external agencies, including social care, the health services and the police. Leaders' record-keeping is thorough. The oversight of pupils in the care of local authority is strong.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, including science and modern foreign languages, teachers do not always check that pupils have understood the knowledge they need to be able to complete tasks or contribute towards discussions. When this is the case, pupils sometimes do not participate as fully as they might. Sometimes, pupils leave tasks incomplete.

Teachers should ensure that pupils' understanding of concepts taught is secure before setting tasks or moving learning on, so that pupils can apply more of the knowledge they have learned. ? There are pockets of low-level disruption to learning in some subject areas. This is typically presented by off-task chat between pupils.

It disrupts the flow of learning. A small minority of pupils can engage in behaviour which is disrespectful to others. Leaders need to ensure that staff are consistent in their application of the school's behaviour management policies and that all pupils understand the importance of upholding the school's values in all that they do, including in how they interact with others.