/ 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
Grosvenor Grammar School
Belfast
Inspected: February 2003
CONTENTS
SectionPage
1.STATISTICAL INFORMATION - INTRODUCTION1-3
2.THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS’ WORK3
3.MANAGEMENT 8
4.CONCLUSION8
APPENDIX9
STATISTICAL INFORMATION
1.1 i.School: Grosvenor Grammar, Belfast v. Date of Inspection: W/C 24/02/03
ii. School Reference Number: 141-0079 vi.Area of Study (Focused only):
iii.Age Range: 11-18 Science and Technology
iv.Status: Controlled Grammar
1.2Intake/Enrolment
Year 8 Intake / 161 / 161 / 155 / 158 / 157
Total enrolment / 1108 / 1089 / 1080 / 1082 / 1082
1.3Attendance
2001/02 / NI Average
2000/01
% Attendance / 96 / 96 / 95 / 95 / 94 / 95 / 93 / 95 / 95
1.4 / i. / Total Number of Teachers: / 68.4 / iii. / Contact ratio (percentage of
timetabled time in direct
class contact): / 80.4
ii. / PTR (Pupil/Teacher Ratio): / 15.91 / iv. / Numbers of Teachers
involved in Area of Study:
(Focused Only) / 19
Year 2002/03 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / TOTAL
Enrolment: Boys / 89 / 95 / 94 / 103 / 99 / 79 / 86 / 645
Enrolment: Girls / 68 / 65 / 63 / 58 / 61 / 72 / 50 / 437
Enrolment: Total / 157 / 160 / 157 / 161 / 160 / 151 / 136 / 1082
PTR / 17.9 / 18.4 / 17.9 / 15.9 / 16.1 / 12.3 / 14.3
1.5Staying On Rate (2001/02) (Current year 13/14 as proportion of year 12 from 1/2 years previously)
Year 14 / 86.5 / NI Av / Year 14 / 83.3
1.6Leavers’ Destinations (2001/02)
Total Number of Leavers / 25 / 155
Another School / 4 / 15 / 5 / 1
Employment / 2 / 6 / 24 / 5
Full-Time Further Education / 16 / 63 / 29 / 10
Full-Time Higher Education / N/A / N/A / 91 / 82
Full-Time Training / 0 / 11 / 0 / 0
Unemployed / 3 / 2 / 6 / 1
Destination Unknown / 0 / 3 / 0 / 1
1
NAME OF SCHOOL: / Grosvenor Grammar, Belfast / SCHOOL YEAR: / 2001/2002GCSE & GCE /
2000 /
2001 /
2002
Percentage of Year 12 taking GCSE in at least 5 subjects / 99 / 100 / 100
Percentage of Year 12 obtaining Grades E or above in at least 5 subjects / 94 / 99 / 99
Percentage of Year 12 obtaining Grades C or above in at least 7 subjects / 88 / 94 / 93
Percentage of Year 14 obtaining Grades C or above in at least 3 GCE A level subjects / 52 / 48 / 52
Percentage of Year 14 obtaining Grades E or above in at least 3 GCE A level subjects / 86 / 85 / 93
Percentage of total subject entries obtaining Grade E or above at A level / 95 / 96 / 97
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.
INTRODUCTION
Grosvenor Grammar School is a co-educational selective school located off the CastlereaghRoad in East Belfast. The school draws its pupils from the greater Belfast area and North and Mid Down. At the time of the inspection, the enrolment was 1,082 pupils, approximately 5% of whom were entitled to free school meals. The percentage of pupils attending the school who have achieved gradeA in the transfer test has increased in recent years from 60% in 1995 to its present level of approximately 90%.
Over the last three years, the results obtained by the pupils in public examinations have improved. The number of pupils achieving grades A*-C at General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level in at least seven subjects has increased from 88% in 2000 to 93% in 2002. A similar improvement has been recorded at General Certificate of Education (GCE) advanced level over the same period with the percentage of pupils achieving gradeE or above in at least three subjects increasing from 86% to 93%. The numbers of pupils achieving the higher grades of A-C at this level has remained constant at around 52%. These strong performances are more than five percentage points above the corresponding Northern Ireland (NI) averages for similar selective schools.
In the majority of GCSE subjects over the past three years, the proportion of pupils obtaining grades A*-C was within, or above, five percentage points of the respective NI average for selective schools. At GCE A level, the pupils’ performance at grades A-E was within five percentage points of the NI average for selective schools in four-fifths of the subjects. At grades A-C just under half of the subjects were within or above five percentage points of the NI average. More details about the results for each subject are provided in Appendix2.
The inspection focused on the work of the science and technology area of study, and also evaluated the school’s arrangements for pastoral care and child protection.
As part of the inspection process, meetings took place with governors, parents and small groups of year8 and year12 pupils; the parents’ views on aspects of the life and work of the school were also sought by questionnaire. Of the 150 questionnaires issued to parents 108 were returned, 44 of which contained written comments. Almost all of the responses indicated that the parents consider their children to be well settled in school, well behaved and making good progress. Almost all of the parents indicated that the teachers care about the welfare of their children. In addition, a number of parents, and pupils, commented favourably on the quality of the induction programme for year8 pupils including the residential experiences organised by the year8 pastoral team. The inspection team endorses these views and the views of the governors who, in addition, added that they believed that the arrangements for the pastoral care of the pupils, particularly those in key stage (KS)3, are a positive feature of the school. Nearly all of the parents agreed that Grosvenor Grammar School is a caring school which encourages pupils to be well behaved, helps pupils make good progress and has a good standing in the community.
2.THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS’ WORK
2.1Four departments, biology, chemistry, physics and technology and design contribute to the science and technology area of study. The 19 teachers involved in the teaching of science and technology and design are deployed appropriately and are well qualified to teach their subjects. At the time of the inspection, two of the teachers were on long-term sick leave.
2.2All pupils in year 8 study a combined science course; in years 9 and 10 separate courses in biology, chemistry and physics are provided. All pupils in KS3 study technology and design for two periods per week. Pupils at KS4 choose GCSE courses in either double award science or the three individual science subjects. Over the past three years approximately 45% of pupils have chosen the triple award science option. Pupils have the opportunity at the end of year 10 to continue their studies in technology and design by choosing to follow a GCSE course in the subject. This is a popular option; over the past three years approximately one-third of pupils were entered for, and completed, this course.
2.3At GCE level the popularity of the sciences is variable. Biology is the most popular course with approximately one third of pupils in year 14 studying the full Alevel course. The number of pupils following courses in chemistry and physics has declined over the past three years. The science department needs to address this issue by adopting strategies which will increase the pupils’ engagement in, and enjoyment of, the subject in all year groups.
2.4The relationships between the teachers and their pupils in both science and technology and design are very good. Pupils are very well behaved and, when provided with appropriate learning experiences, they display enjoyment and interest in their work. The accommodation provided for science and technology and design is modern, bright and spacious. In most rooms and circulation areas teachers have enhanced the learning environment further through the effective use of displays of artefacts and the pupils’ written and graphical work.
2.5The school’s arrangements for Child Protection are in line with the guidance provided in the Department of Education’s Circular1999/10. The staff have had appropriate in-service training (INSET) on child protection matters. The pastoral curriculum provides the pupils with information on personal safety. The school prospectus contains a summary of the school’s policy on child protection; it would be helpful to parents if this was also included in the information booklet which is issued to parents at the start of each year.
SCIENCE
2.6In all science classes the quality of teaching is satisfactory or better; in a minority of classes the teaching is excellent. The teachers are hard working, conscientious and committed to the welfare of the pupils in their classes; the lessons are well prepared.
2.7Departmental guidance for teaching and learning is produced for each of the three sciences by the relevant subject specialists. Whilst the quality of much of this is good, there is variation in the extent of the detail and useful guidance given. The departments have identified the review of this documentation as a priority for development; this is timely. Where the schemes of work have been reviewed recently, for example those developed by the biology department for KS4 lessons, the content for each lesson, or small group of lessons, is well organised and presented with the learning objectives identified clearly. Teaching strategies and resources that may be used to support the subject content are also identified. In the main, however, many of the subject schemes give insufficient guidance on these key areas. The schemes of work generally need to indicate more clearly when information and communication technology (ICT) and practical work, including investigative work, are to be used.
2.8In year 8 combined science, the balance between practical work and theoretical work is good. The pupils are enthusiastic learners; most understand the concept of a fair test and can apply it when engaged in practical work. They set about such work in an efficient manner and with due regard for safety. By the end of KS3, the pupils are able to display and interpret empirical data in the form of tables and graphs and they can discern relationships between physical quantities on the basis of experimental results. When working in pairs or small groups, the pupils co-operate effectively; most follow written instructions accurately. The vast majority of the pupils produce neat, legible work, and display an interest in, and enthusiasm for, the subjects.
2.9The three components of the GCSE double award science course are delivered by the subject specialists. Over the last three years, the proportion of pupils achieving A*-C grades in this course was within five percentage points of the NI average for selective schools.
BIOLOGY
2.10The quality of teaching in biology ranges from satisfactory to excellent; approximately two-thirds of the biology lessons observed during the inspection were good or better. The commitment of the teachers to raising the profile of the subject is evidenced by the extent to which they organise and run extra-curricular clubs and activities relating to biological matters such as zoology and ecology.
2.11The pupils are provided with a wide range of learning experiences in their lessons which include an appropriate range of practical activities. In addition, in some classes they are provided with the opportunity to consolidate their learning through activities such as role play.
2.12In the best practice, the teachers’ questions encouraged the pupils to give extended answers and to develop their oral skills and scientific vocabularies. In general, the pupils would benefit from having further opportunities to clarify their thinking through discussion and debate and to express scientific ideas in their own words. The biology teachers have worked hard to produce a range of written resources to support the pupils’ learning. Whilst many of these are of a high quality, there is a need to review the extent to which they are useful in developing the pupils’ literacy and biological skills.
2.13Under the leadership of an effective head of department, the teachers of biology, have in recent years prioritised the need for more progressive development of the pupils’ skills in the use of ICT; consequently the learning experiences provided for the pupils in some aspects of ICT are good. In particular, the pupils’ skills in using ICT to research and present their work are developed well. A good range of biological journals and other text materials is available for the pupils to use during their study periods.
2.14Over the last three years, all pupils entered for GCSE biology achieved grade A*-C, this is above the NI average. At GCE A level, the pupils’ results in the range A-E are within five percentage points of the NI average; the performance for the range A-C was more than ten percent below the corresponding NI average. The teachers of biology need to make more effective use of the outcomes of the assessment of the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of key biological concepts to identify more precisely those pupils who are experiencing difficulty in the subject with a view to developing, and implementing, remedial measures.
CHEMISTRY
2.15The work of the chemistry department has many significant strengths. The department is ably led and its members prepare diligently for their lessons. The quality of teaching and learning seen was always sound, and in a significant minority of lessons it was very good. In all of the lessons seen, the teachers explained key points relating to scientific content in a clear, succinct and effective manner. The chemistry content of the programme of study for science at KS3, and for GCSE and GCE A level, is covered well in all the classes. Most of the pupils recall scientific facts well, and their written work is neat and well presented. Most of the pupils set about practical activities in a methodical way and with due regard for safety. The best practice occurred in about one-quarter of the lessons observed. In these lessons the teachers used a variety of imaginative strategies which allowed the pupils to work with a wide range of written resources, think critically and develop a range of note making skills. The pupils developed initiative and independence; there was a good balance of practical and theoretical work. They benefited from, and clearly enjoyed, a mixture of whole-class, group, paired and individual activities. In this very good practice the pupils gave extended oral and written responses which demonstrated an excellent understanding of the scientific concepts and content taught. This good practice needs to be more widespread and is a key priority for development. Members of the chemistry department provide a science club for interested pupils and a number of GCE A level chemistry students attained some of the highest marks in Northern Ireland in recent years; these are noteworthy features.
2.16There are a number of areas for improvement, most of which have already been identified by the department. In a significant minority of classes the pupils spend too much time copying into notebooks, including, at times, the unnecessary transcription of practical work. In general, the expected learning outcomes need to be made clearer to pupils at the start of lessons. The pupils need more opportunities to write independently, to read during class work and for extended oral discussion with one another and with the teacher. Over the past three years, the examination results for GCSE chemistry at grades A*-C are within five percent of the NI average for schools of a similar type. Over the same period, the numbers of pupils achieving GCE A level grades A-E in chemistry is within five percentage points of the NI average for schools of a similar type; the performance for the range A-C is more than 10% below the corresponding NI average.
PHYSICS
2.17The quality of teaching in physics is always satisfactory and on occasions it is good. In the best practice observed, a wide range of appropriate teaching strategies was deployed, the work was related to everyday life and the pupils were given opportunities to learn through active approaches that stimulated their thinking and increased their enjoyment of the subject. The lessons were conducted at a brisk pace and the teachers had high expectations of the pupils. In these classes, the teachers’ questions encouraged the pupils to give extended answers and to develop their oral skills and their scientific vocabularies. In general, the pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to clarify their thinking through discussion or to express scientific ideas in their own words.
2.18The assessment of the pupils’ work is systematic and thorough. The teachers mark homework and tests conscientiously and often annotate written work with helpful comments. Most pupils present their work neatly and maintain notes in a systematic manner. A few pupils do not take sufficient pride in presenting their written work. Over the past three years, the examination results for GCSE physics at grades A*-C are within the NI average for schools of a similar type. Over the same period, the numbers of pupils achieving GCE grades A-C and grades A-E in physics are both within 5% of the NI average for schools of a similar type.
2.19The organisation of the physics department is good; the teachers and technician work well as a team and provide strong mutual support. The department has made a start on the process of development planning; a departmental action plan, based on the development plan for the school, has been produced. This action plan identifies issues such as the development of planning for teaching and learning, the use of ICT in lessons and increasing the opportunities for the pupils to learn independently. The plan could be improved further by including priorities for development, targets to be achieved and the criteria used to measure success. The head of department has begun the process of monitoring and evaluating the quality of the provision in physics; this useful start could be developed further by involving all of the physics teachers more actively in the evaluation process.