/ Providing Inspection Services for
Department of Education
Department for Employment and Learning
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
Education and Training Inspectorate
Report of a Focused Inspection
St Colm’s High School
Draperstown
Inspected: November 2002
CONTENTS
SectionPage
1.STATISTICAL INFORMATION - INTRODUCTION1-3
2.THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS’ WORK3
3.MANAGEMENT8
4.CONCLUSION8
APPENDIX 19
APPENDIX 210
APPENDIX 311
STATISTICAL INFORMATION
1.1 i.School: St Colm’s High v. Date of Inspection: W/C 5.11.02
ii. School Reference Number: 323-0132 vi.Area of Study:
iii.Age Range: 11-16 Environment and Society
iv.Status: Secondary Maintained
1.2Intake/Enrolment
Year 8 Intake / 83 / 71 / 68 / 77 / 68
Total Enrolment / 371 / 365 / 373 / 366 / 366
1.3Attendance
2001/02 / NI Average
2000/01
% Attendance / 96.4 / 96.19 / 92.5 / 95.35 / 95.41 / 95 / 90
1.4 / i. / Total Number of Teachers: / 24.5 / iii. / Contact ratio (percentage of
timetabled time in direct
class contact): / 0.81
ii. / PTR (Pupil/Teacher Ratio): / 14.94 / iv. / Numbers of Teachers
involved in Area of Study:
(Focused Only) / 5
Year 2002/03 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / TOTAL
Enrolment: Boys / 33 / 47 / 32 / 41 / 31 / 184
Enrolment: Girls / 35 / 29 / 36 / 30 / 52 / 182
Enrolment: Total / 68 / 76 / 68 / 71 / 83 / 366
PTR / 15 / 15 / 15.7 / 14.8 / 14.4 / 74.9
1.5Leavers’ Destinations (2000/01)
% / NI %
Total Number of Leavers / 82
Another School / 22 / 27 / 8
Employment / 8 / 10 / 15
Full-Time Further Education / 20 / 24 / 32
Full-Time Higher Education / N/A / N/A / N/A
Full-Time Training / 32 / 39 / 38
Unemployed / 0 / 0 / 5
Destination Unknown / 0 / 0 / 2
1
NAME OF SCHOOL: / St Colm’s High School, Draperstown / SCHOOL YEAR: / 2001/2002GCSE /
2000 /
2001 /
2002
Percentage of Year 12 taking GCSE in at least 5 subjects / 92 / 92 / 93
Percentage of Year 12 obtaining Grades E or above in at least 5 GCSE subjects / 82 / 80 / 81
Percentage of Year 12 obtaining Grades C or above in at least 5 GCSE subjects / 56 / 53 / 57
Percentage of total exam entries obtaining Grades E or above in GCSE / 94 / 96 / 98
Percentage of total exam entries obtaining Grades G or above in GCSE / 99 / 98 / 100
2
Within this report, when commenting on examination results of individual subjects, the respective CCEA average is used as a proxy for the corresponding average for all pupils in Northern Ireland taking that subject.
1.INTRODUCTION
1.1St Colm’s High School is a maintained co-educational secondary school situated in the town of Draperstown. The school draws its pupils from the town, from the extensive rural area around it and from the nearby towns of Maghera and Magherafelt. The enrolment has fluctuated slightly in recent years around the present figure of 366. Over the previous three years, 9.3% of the school’s intake received grade A or B in the transfer procedure; 11.4% of the school’s intake received grade C and 22.3% received grade D. Some 57% of the school’s intake did not participate in the transfer procedure tests. Approximately 17% of the pupils enrolled are entitled to free school meals. The school identifies about 12.3% of the pupils as requiring additional help with their learning, including five pupils with statements of special educational need.
1.2Over the last three years, the results obtained by the pupils in public examinations have shown improvement. In 2001, for example, 81% of the year 12 pupils achieved grades A*-E in at least five subjects at General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level, while 57% of the year 12 pupils obtained grades C or above in at least five subjects. These strong performances are well above the corresponding Northern Ireland (NI) averages for similar non-selective schools.
1.3Over the three years ending in 2002, in most GCSE subjects, the proportion of pupils obtaining grades A*-E was more than ten percentage points above the respective NI average for non-selective schools. A similar pattern of high achievement was also evident for the great majority of subjects at grades A*-C. More details about the results for each subject are provided in Appendix 3.
1.4The report is based on the inspection of all of the subjects that are included in the environment and society area of study within the school; these are business studies, geography, history and home economics (HE). The school’s arrangements for pastoral care, including those for child protection, were also evaluated.
1.5As part of the inspection, the parents’ views on aspects of the work of the school were sought by means of a questionnaire. Members of the inspection team also met with governors, parents and groups of pupils to hear their views. The parents and governors expressed their strong support for the work of the school. They commented on the school’s high reputation in the local community, the high quality of the examination results and, in particular, the strong caring and supportive ethos that has been built up by the principal and the staff. The discussions that were held with the pupils provided further support for these observations. The findings of this inspection endorse fully the views expressed by the parents, governors and pupils. The governors’ concerns about aspects of the accommodation are dealt with in the main body of the report and in Appendix 1.
2.THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS’ WORK
2.1The school is a friendly and welcoming place; the relationships between the pupils and the teachers and the support staff, are very good. The behaviour of the pupils is excellent. The teachers know the pupils well and demonstrate strong commitment to promoting their welfare and their achievements. The links with the local community are strong. Despite some significant deficiencies in the accommodation the school environment is well kept; the corridors and entrance area are clean and tidy. There are many attractive displays of the pupils’ work in the classrooms and corridors. The standard of caretaking is excellent.
2.2The school has a comprehensive pastoral care programme, which is supported by a range of clearly defined policies, structures and procedures, and a relevant three-year development plan. The co-ordinator of pastoral care is effective; she manages and reviews the programme in an informed and well-organised manner.
2.3A strong emphasis is placed throughout the school on the understanding and acceptance of responsibilities, positive behaviour, application to work and support for one another. The procedures for reporting on, and responding to, discipline matters are clear and the pupils report that they are implemented fairly. Weekly tutorial lessons complement a well-structured personal and social development programme. The tutorial programme provides valuable opportunities to monitor attendance and organise the pupils’ academic work, to record their individual successes, to communicate with parents through the pupils’ diaries, and to raise considerable sums of money for the school and for charitable purposes. The focus on reviewing the academic progress of individual pupils and assisting those who are underachieving to improve their work is a key strength of the programme.
2.4An effective induction programme for year 8 pupils is in place; a significant feature of this work are the opportunities that are provided for the year 12 pupils to act as mentors to the year 8 pupils. In addition, the year 12 pupils provide assistance after school to younger pupils who are experiencing difficulties in aspects of their learning. The school has also developed an effective programme of support for the year 12 pupils; the teachers provide them with regular assistance in their academic work on three afternoons each week. The pupils learn in a caring and supportive environment; they feel valued and respected, they are fulsome in their praise of the work of the school, and they demonstrate a good understanding of how they can bring forward any concerns that they have. The attendance rate of the pupils is excellent.
2.5The school is working steadily towards the implementation of the guidance outlined in the Department of Education (DE) Circular 1999/10, ‘Pastoral Care in Schools: Child Protection’. Designated teachers have been appointed and policies on child protection and anti-bullying that set out clear procedures and guidelines have been developed. All staff have been made aware of the arrangements for child protection and information has been sent to parents on the names of the designated teachers and the arrangements for the safety and supervision of the pupils. The school’s personal and social education programme has been developed further to take thoughtful and purposeful account of child protection and bullying matters. The school has recently centralised its procedures for recording reported incidents of bullying; these records need to be developed further to include any concerns raised by parents. In addition, a number of aspects of communication with parents are in need of further development, and arrangements to conduct vetting and to provide specific training for one of the designated teachers need to be implemented.
2.6BUSINESS STUDIES
2.6.1Business education subjects are popular choices at key stage (KS) 4. Pupils choose from GCSE business studies, and GCSE business and communication systems. Pupils who take business and communication systems also follow Oxford, Cambridge and Royal Society of Arts (OCR) courses in initial text processing and text processing stage 1.
2.6.2The business studies department is well led. There are very good relationships between the teacher and the pupils. The planning at individual subject level is excellent; the teacher has developed an effective range of teaching and learning resources based on the pupils’ interest in, and knowledge of, the local area, which contributes much to their enjoyment of business related subjects.
2.6.3The quality of the teaching and learning is always very good. The pupils benefit from a wide range of good quality learning experiences, including small group work and regular research activities. The pupils in GCSE business studies relate theory to modern business procedures, by often identifying and reviewing a range of relevant topics from newspapers and business journals. Appropriate worksheets, case studies and assignments, that are differentiated according to the range of abilities, ensure that all pupils develop a sound understanding of the topics under discussion. A majority of the business studies pupils in year 12 work well together as a team to set up and run their own small business and to develop a practical understanding of the functional areas of business, including sales, human resources and finance. Excellent links have been established with a range of local businesses and firms; these links have a positive impact on the pupils understanding of current business practice.
2.6.4The standards of almost all of the pupils’ coursework and work folders are good. They demonstrate a good understanding of a range of business and information and communication technology (ICT) related concepts, including break-even and cash flow analysis, databases and spreadsheets. The oral responses of the pupils are good; they are developed well by the teacher. The quality of nearly all of the pupils written work is good, and reflects a wide range of appropriate tasks and activities that engage them in extended and independent writing. The business studies pupils make good use of ICT in analysing and presenting their coursework. The marking of the pupils work across the courses is regular and thorough; it provides clear feedback to the pupils on how to improve their performance.
2.6.5Over the past three years the results in GCSE business studies are impressive; they have been significantly above the NI average for non-selective schools at grades A*-C, and more than 10% above the corresponding grades at A*-E. The results in GCSE business and communication systems are good.
2.7GEOGRAPHY
2.7.1The work of the geography department is well organised and supported by a good range of relevant resources; the department is well led. The teachers plan systematically for their work, all of which is underpinned by sound aims and policies that reflect closely those set by the school. The departmental development plan is closely aligned to the school development plan. The departmental handbook contains a commitment to the promotion of effective learning through the provision of a range of teaching and learning activities; this commitment is reflected strongly in the day-to-day work in the subject.
2.7.2The relationships in all of the lessons seen were always good and often very good. The pupils at all levels are well motivated and work diligently on the good range of well-focused activities. The pupils co-operate purposefully with the teachers and with one another. A feature of the work of the department is the effective manner in which the teachers take time, at the start of each lesson, to inform the class of the work that is to be undertaken and to indicate the skills and knowledge that will be acquired. In addition, any new vocabulary is also highlighted. Teacher exposition is clear and lessons are well structured; appropriate resources are deployed carefully to support the learning. Regular and effective use is made of ICT. The work in geography is often rooted in the pupils’ experience and includes references to aspects of the local area and culture. Field trips and the investigation of selected issues form an integral part of the programme. The quality of the teaching in geography lessons is typically good or very good with most showing significant strengths.
2.7.3The pupils are attentive and invariably work diligently in geography lessons. Most aspire to produce work of good quality that reflects the high expectations of the teachers. The pupils are often involved in presenting aspects of their work to each other in small groups and to the whole class. Most pupils complete such tasks with confidence and insight; a small minority are more diffident in their oral responses. As they progress through KS3, the pupils acquire and demonstrate appropriate geographical skills including those required for map work and field work. In addition, they are comfortable and confident in handling the rich and diverse range of resources that the teachers have compiled to support the various geographical topics and case studies that are used. The work in geography, particularly that produced for assessment and external examinations, is monitored regularly and marked systematically. Increasingly, the teachers are including comments that will help the pupils improve their work and the pupils themselves are being involved in assessing their own work. The subject is a very popular option at KS4 and the results achieved in the GCSE examination have been consistently and significantly above the NI averages in the subject at Grades A*-C and at Grades A*-E.
2.8HISTORY
2.8.1Written planning in history is characterised by breadth and depth of content and is complemented by comprehensive and helpful resource materials. In a situation, however, where history as a GCSE subject has limited appeal in the school, the current approach to KS3 planning and practice merits reconsideration. In particular, attention should be given to reducing excessive detail, developing a broader, overview approach to history, widening the current range of teaching and learning strategies, and identifying ways to involve the pupils more actively in their learning.
2.8.2Half of the lessons observed were well presented, had clear objectives, highlighted important historical issues and provided the pupils with appropriate tasks. The remaining lessons observed were less effective as the teacher adopted too dominant a role, key issues were not identified clearly, and the pupils were largely passive and uninvolved. To achieve greater overall consistency and effectiveness in the quality of teaching and learning, classroom practice should be amended to ensure that lessons are well focused on major issues within the history programme, that the pupils are provided with greater challenge and involvement, and that they experience a wider and more demanding range of written work.
2.8.3The standard of the pupils’ historical knowledge and understanding varies considerably. At its best, for example in a year 9 class, the pupils identified and discussed some of the principal changes of the 16th century, and they recalled effectively aspects of their year 8 work in history. In contrast, the pupils in a year 10 class, when considering key issues and turning points in the history of Ireland and Britain, were most insecure in their chronological understanding, in their knowledge of key events, and in their ability to highlight continuity and change. Furthermore, the overall range and standard of the pupils’ writing in KS3 is limited, mainly due to the generally short and structured nature of the written work they undertake. This writing does not help them to demonstrate the breadth and depth of what they have learned, and contributes little to the history department’s intention to use marking for improvement as a strategy to raise the standard of the pupils’ work.
2.8.4The strengths in the history department, include a commitment to providing the pupils with an improved and challenging programme, the teaching observed in half of the lessons observed during the inspection, and the historical knowledge and understanding of some of the year 9 pupils. Much, however, still needs to be done. The department needs to improve its planning and practice in KS3, to encourage the pupils to select history as a KS4 subject, and to develop a programme that is more broadly and actively focused on how the past links to, and explains, the present.
2.9HOME ECONOMICS (HE)
2.9.1There are many strengths in the school’s HE provision including, committed and enthusiastic subject co-ordination and leadership, collaborative approaches to planning, excellent departmental documentation which reflects closely whole-school developmental planning, effective and detailed marking and assessment of the pupils’ and well-planned strategies for ensuring examination success.
2.9.2The quality of the teaching is very good; on occasions it is excellent. The teachers are diligent and well prepared for their lessons. Topics are introduced clearly and there is effective review of the work completed at the end of the lessons. A strong feature of the lessons observed is the motivation of the pupils and their willingness to work hard; an obvious partnership in learning exists between the teachers and the pupils. The topical nature of home economics is promoted through the effective use of case studies, relevant ICT programmes, external support agencies and school-based resources. During the inspection, well-organised and creative group discussion activities, contributed much to the pupils’ understanding of complex topics and their oral presentations helped to develop confidence, self-esteem and their competence in language.