Staff, parents and pupils of Cowes Enterprise College will be pleased to hear some positive news about the school.
Following a recent Section 8 inspection by Ofsted officer, Catherine Anwar, a report has now been published revealing that, as well as the school making “reasonable progress towards the removal of special measures”, it is also able to appoint newly qualified teachers.
The College was placed in Special Measures in November 2012 and this was the fourth monitoring inspection.
Changes to staffing
The Inspector points out that since the last monitoring visit, a total of five teachers have left the college. As we know, Rebecca Pearce has joined as new Principal, but also a new mathematics teacher joined the college in January 2014.
The new staffing structure – which as been opposed by staff as well as pupils who last week protested at the plans – is mentioned, with the Inspector saying, “The college has just introduced a new staffing structure which will come into effect in September 2014”.
Highlights of improvements
Improvements have been made in teaching and pupil attainment. Some of the highlights from the report include:
- Current data show pupils’ attainment is improving.
- Teachers’ predictions are more accurate and indicate outcomes higher than the national average in GCSE examinations this summer.
- Students are making better progress in the sixth form as a result of more effective teaching.
- Steady improvement in students’ achievement in mathematics, which is moving closer to the national average.
- Students eligible for pupil premium funding are now better identified and given targeted support from trained teaching assistants.
- Students’ progress in English is continuing to improve and the gap between students supported by the pupil premium and their peers has closed in Year 11.
- Effective support and training for teachers, matched with sharper monitoring, have begun to embed better practice.
- Senior leaders judged that more teaching was now good than was evident during the inspection.
- Teaching in the sixth form is better than that in Key Stage 4, and students commented positively on this.
- Well trained teaching assistants work productively with those students eligible for pupil premium funding in English and mathematics and this is starting to improve their progress.
- There is some outstanding teaching and these teachers are sharing good practice more effectively and offering coaching to colleagues.
- There has been a significant improvement in student attendance.
- A new behaviour management strategy, which includes four levels of intervention in the classroom followed by sanctions if required, is already showing early signs of impact, with reduced exclusions and fewer incidents of poor behaviour.
- Older students felt that behaviour had improved ‘steadily’, particularly in lessons, due to more effective teaching.
- The new Principal has already established high expectations and a robust approach.
- She has a clear purpose which has led to a rigorous self-evaluation, and she is rightly uncompromising in tackling weaknesses that remain.
- Well-defined priorities have been agreed in partnership with governors and the newly-established progress board.
- Staff absence rates have been firmly addressed and attendance is improving as a consequence.
- The leadership and management of teaching and learning are improving.
- Leaders have improved the curriculum further to ensure it brings higher standards and better progress.
- The quality of middle leadership continues to improve.
Useful partnerships
The inspector points out the “useful partnership work between Hampshire local authority and the Ormiston Academies Trust as the college moves towards becoming an academy”. They add that Ormiston Academies Trust was heavily involved in the appointment of the Ms Pearce who has been well supported this term by them and the local authority.
Improvement needed
The full report – which includes details of where improvements need to be made – is embedded below for your convenience.
Click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
