Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an HMI and three additional inspectors.

Description of the school

The Ridings School has fewer pupils than average although sixth form numbers are rising. Many pupils come to the school with a range of learning difficulties and below average attainment. The areas the school serves have high indices of social and economic deprivation. The vast majority of pupils are from British white ethnic background.

The school is community comprehensive school which operates within a selective system in Calderdale local authority. It was formed in 1995 by the amalgamation of two former secondary modern schools. The school has a new management team from September 2005.

Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding

Grade 2 Good

Grade 3 Satisfactory

Grade 4 Inadequate

Overall effectiveness of the school

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore give a Notice to improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to: standards and provision in the sixth form; achievement and progress of pupils; attendance and behaviour; the quality of provision of teaching and of the curriculum.

Pupils in the main school and students in the sixth form are capable of achieving much more than they do. The curriculum does not suit many pupils’ needs or wishes or offer the chance for many to accredit their learning. Although some teaching is good, too many lessons are not satisfactory because teachers do not have high enough expectations of what their pupils can achieve. Attendance is very low and the strategies employed by the school to secure improvement have met with limited success. The behaviour of some pupils disrupts the best efforts of teachers to improve learning. Issues from the previous full school inspection have not been sufficiently addressed, for example in attendance, literacy and numeracy.

However, the school is placed to move forward. The school has recently appointed a new headteacher and a new senior leadership team. In a short time they have accurately identified many of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and, with self-evaluation and support from middle managers, are not only making good plans to change, but are making a satisfactory impact: the school is starting to tackle behaviour problems; the curriculum is already being adapted appropriately. There is a growing shared vision to build a secure capacity to improve the achievement of all pupils, at all levels and in all subjects.

Finances are monitored and managed efficiently, the school’s deficit is planned to be reduced and the allocation of resources has been broadly satisfactory. However there is a need for better strategic planning to ensure that resources give adequate value for money by linking more clearly to raising pupil achievement.

Grade 4

Effectiveness and efficiency of the sixth form  

The school judges the sixth form to be inadequate. On the basis of scrutiny of data, lesson observations and discussions with staff and students, inspectors agree with judgement.

Standards are low but teaching, in many cases, is not effective in ensuring that students make progress. The curriculum is not adequate and attendance is very poor. Students are loyal to the school and speak positively about relationships with staff. Opportunities to take responsibility allow them to develop confidence and social skills. The head of the sixth form is newly appointed with little time to effect change. Nevertheless she has accurately evaluated areas for improvement, begun work on a clear action plan to improve standards and match the curriculum to students’ needs. Consequently, leadership and management are satisfactory.

Grade 4

What the school should do to improve further  

• Improve teaching and learning so that all pupils learn effectively and are enabled to progress
• Further implement the plans to improve the curriculum, so that it provides relevant and enjoyable opportunities to succeed and progress
• Continue to improve behaviour
• Improve pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy
• Improve attendance in the main school and in the sixth form.

Achievement and standards  

Standards and achievements are lower in the school and the sixth form than they should be and although there have been improvements over recent years, this has been erratic. Pupils arrive at school with lower than average attainment and most do not make enough progress. The new management team is very clear that pupils are, overall, significantly underachieving and inspectors agree. Measures to track progress are in place which have had an impact on attainment. Even so, at the end of Year 9, overall improvement is poor compared with pupils who have similar backgrounds and with similar prior attainment. At the end of Year 11 only one in five pupils gains sufficient GCSE and equivalent passes to allow them to progress to advanced courses. In the sixth form students are still not progressing as they should. Pupils are capable of much more and too many do not make appropriate progress.

Pupils who have learning difficulties are given support to improve, although here too, many are capable of better. Standards and achievement in literacy and numeracy are still too low and require further improvement. Pupils spoke with inspectors about their wish to achieve well. Some departments and teachers encourage them to do so with realisable expectations of success. This good practise does not sufficiently permeate the school, although the new leadership determined that it will.

Grade 4  

Personal development and well-being  

Many pupils are able to develop social skills and an understanding of wider society. They are given opportunity to reflect on moral and spiritual matters. However, very poor attendance, too many instances of poor behaviour and too little enthusiasm and enjoyment of learning mean that the overall quality of personal development and well-being is inadequate.

Behaviour and attitudes to learning are not good enough. Even though, in some lessons, learners are impressively mature and well motivated, a number misbehave and are inattentive in class which inevitably interrupts learning. Instances of serious misbehaviour have been dealt with well but there is scope for better ways of improving pupils’ attitudes overall. Pupils and parents report, however, that current action by the school is improving behaviour.

Attendance has remained stubbornly and significantly low since the last inspection. The school has tried a variety of strategies to improve it, but as yet with very limited success. Plans to limit the time spent by learners in the Active Recovery Centre in order to reintegrate them more successfully into mainstream classes are timely. The school has already taken effective action to ensure pupils attend lessons once they have arrived in school.

The school promotes health and safety well. Safety procedures in food technology and technology lesson are carefully observed. The school has taken steps to encourage healthy eating and lifestyles and pupils enjoy a good variety of sporting activities. There is an active school council. Learners work well with local charities and a local home for older people. Good relationships have been established with local employers, who support extended work experience for some. The school has begun to adapt courses it offers to provide learners with better opportunities to gain the qualities and skills that will help them prepare for the world of work.

Grade 4

Quality of provision

Teaching and learning  

Despite good examples, the quality of teaching is variable. In too many lessons pupils do not make enough progress. In ineffective lessons teachers do not manage the pupils’ behaviour well and they do not inspire them to learn. Work is too easy and so pupils do not have an opportunity to develop skills and improve their knowledge and understanding. In some subjects they are not aware of their standards or how to improve. However, there are areas of good, confident teaching, particularly in years 10 and 11. In some lively and well planned lessons, teachers motivate pupils to take an active part in their learning. In these lessons, teachers set challenging targets and are very clear about what they expect pupils to learn.

In several subjects, for example in geography, catering and mathematics, some pupils with difficulties receive particularly good support and are helped to improve their reading skills. As a result they are enabled to make slightly better progress than others in the class. However, there is not enough use of assessment data to monitor the progress of all pupils with learning difficulties and to judge whether initiatives have been successful.

In the sixth form, the quality of teaching varies but is inadequate overall. A significant proportion of lessons does not actively involve students or enable them to take responsibility for their learning. The best lessons are engaging and encourage students to make good progress but too often, teachers’ expectations are too low, work set is not challenging or interesting and so students do not achieve enough.

Grade 4

Curriculum and other activities  

Inspectors agree with the school’s evaluation of the current curriculum: it is inadequate for all year groups. However, the school’s new senior leadership team has identified weakness and has begun to remedy them.

In years 8 and 9, an “integrated learning” course takes time from core subjects in which pupils are underachieving, but does not give adequate opportunities to learn.

The Key Stage 4 curriculum does not fully meet the needs of pupils to achieve and does not prepare them sufficiently for future study and employment. For example, only the higher attainers have the opportunity to study a GCSE science course and some courses do not lead to any qualifications. There are too few vocational courses and work-related learning is lacking. However the alternative programme centre provides a useful curriculum for helping pupils who are in danger of not completing their education.

There is a shortage of courses in the sixth form that genuinely match the students’ needs and interests. There is no religious education or physical education. Students are involved with the community as “millennium volunteers” or in the “Ovenden initiative” but there are few other opportunities for learning beyond the examination courses.

Pupils speak highly of the good range of extra-curricular activities that the school provides. Sporting activities are a particular strength and make a useful contribution to encouraging pupils to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Grade 4

Care, guidance and support  

Care and guidance for learners in the main school are satisfactory. Systems for tracking progress are contributing to improvements in the achievement of learners in Years 7 to 9 and are particularly well used by the mathematics department, for example, but they are not implemented consistently or vigorously across the school. A well planned programme of induction activities for learners during the summer term of Year 6 paves the way for a smooth and well managed transfer into Year 7. Learners have access to good guidance and advice on choices to be made in Year 9 and 11. Because instances of bullying are dealt with quickly and effectively, learners are confident that the reporting of such cases results in a safer environment for them. Child protection arrangements are efficiently organised and staff are well aware of the key people they can turn to for advice. In the sixth form, weaknesses in target-setting, attendance and the progress of students mean that the quality of care and guidance is inadequate for their needs.

Grade 3

Grade for sixth form 4

Leadership and management  

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory and shows sufficient capacity to improve.

The governing body has a clear allocation of responsibilities, liaises with external bodies and has been energetic in supporting the school and appointing a new senior leadership team: much of this work has been good. However, governors could help the school further to move forward by focussing more on the outcomes for learners and dealing clearly with inadequate provision. Poor attendance and behaviour, too much inadequate teaching and an unsuitable curriculum have all contributed to pupils’ underachievement.

Subject departments have made adequate initial self-evaluation identifying areas for improvement. Pupils have been canvassed this term in a questionnaire and their views are taken seriously. Staff care for the welfare of their pupils and some departments are building on that concern to lift their pupils’ ideas about what they can achieve. Improvements in attainment in 2005 at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 are supported by a wealth of data and a satisfactory system to monitor pupils’ progress.

Inspectors agree with the school’s judgements that much of its provision is not adequate for the needs of its learners but also agree that the current approach is tackling issues effectively. In the short time the new leadership team has been in place it has accurately identified areas for improvement. It is drawing on the strengths of its staff and has begun to put in place arrangements to: see each child as of equal importance; improve teaching in all subjects, lessons and key stages; explain to all pupils what they need to do to improve; monitor how well they manage and intervene when they don’t. The schools undoubted aim is to give all its pupils a good start in life.

Grade 3

Inspection judgements

 Overall effectiveness

Achievements and standards

Personal development and well-being

The quality of provision

Leadership and management