Following the news of the latest CEC Ofsted Inspection report published by OnTheWight on Friday last week, this in from Glynn Taylor, We Do PR, on behalf of Cowes Enterprise College. Ed
Ofsted inspectors attended the College on 20 and 21 March 2014 for their fourth monitoring visit, and in their subsequent report have said “reasonable progress” is being made. This is the highest level result that can be achieved whilst the College continues to work towards the removal of special measures.
Among the inspectors’ findings, students’ attainment is said to be improving and teachers’ predictions indicate GCSE students could achieve results higher than the national average in their exams this summer. Students are also making better progress in the sixth form and are predicted to achieve better results than last year. The report acknowledges that more ambitious targets are being set and new systems introduced in a bid to track student achievements more consistently in future.
Quality of teaching
The report praises the quality of teaching, with inspectors finding that since the last monitoring inspection there has been a “more rigorous focus by leaders on teaching, marking and feedback.” Some outstanding teaching was observed in Year 11, with these teachers sharing good practice more effectively and offering coaching to colleagues.
There has been a significant improvement in student attendance, with levels now better than those nationally. Students are “positive” about a new rewards system that encourages them to maintain good attendance and a new behaviour management strategy is found to already be showing signs of impact.
“High expectations and a robust approach”
New Principal Rebecca Pearce is said to have 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.” Governors and a newly-established progress board, chaired by Ormiston Academies Trust, provide regular challenge and support to the leadership team, inspectors said.
They also point to there having been much useful partnership working between Hampshire County Council and the Ormiston Academies Trust since the inspectors’ last visit. Plans to become a sponsored academy with the Trust are “progressing rapidly”, Ofsted said, and this will happen in September 2014.
Ms Pearce: “There is still a great deal to do”
Principal Rebecca Pearce said:
“I am very pleased that the hard work of everyone at the college, and the support of governors and our parents, is being recognised. This is a very positive report and those involved in the school should feel rightly proud about the progress being made.
“There is still a great deal to do and we all remain deeply committed to addressing the issues raised in the report. However, inspectors recognise that we are already implementing systems to improve many of these areas and we will not stop until we reach our goal of becoming an outstanding college.”
Professor Toby Salt CEO of Ormiston Academies Trust said:
“Cowes Enterprise College the governors and Rebecca Pearce have done a very good job to get this feedback. We have been working in close partnership with the College since September and we are looking forward to working with them as a member of the Ormiston network of academies in the next academic year.”
