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Providing Inspection Services for
Department of EducationDepartment for Employment and Learning
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
Education and Training Inspectorate
Report of a Focused Inspection
Our Lady of Mercy Girls’ School
Belfast
Inspected: November 2002
CONTENTS
SectionPage
1.STATISTICAL INFORMATION - INTRODUCTION1-3
2.THE QUALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING4
3.MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS7
4.CONCLUSION10
APPENDIX11
STATISTICAL INFORMATION
1.1 i.School: Our Lady of Mercy Girls’ v. Date of Inspection: W/C 11.11.02
ii. School Reference Number: 123-0104 vi.Area of Study:
iii.Age Range: 11-18 Special Educational Needs
iv.Status: Secondary Maintained
1.2Intake/Enrolment
Year 8 Intake / 103 / 121 / 79 / 90 / 63
Total enrolment / 632 / 621 / 600 / 574 / 557
1.3Attendance
2001/02 / NI Average
2000/01
% Attendance / 93.4 / 89.82 / 87.79 / 84.3 / 85.65 / 89.27 / 87.4 / 88 / 90
1.4 / i. / Total Number of Teachers: / 41 / iii. / Contact ratio (percentage of
timetabled time in direct
class contact): / 0.733
ii. / PTR (Pupil/Teacher Ratio): / 13.59 / iv. / Numbers of Teachers
involved in Area of Study:
(Focused Only) / 41
Year 2002/03 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / TOTAL
Enrolment: Girls / 63 / 89 / 75 / 119 / 92 / 71 / 48 / 557
Enrolment: Total / 63 / 89 / 75 / 119 / 92 / 71 / 48 / 557
PTR / 15.4 / 13.5 / 13.7 / 13.5 / 12.2 / 14 / 14
1.5Staying On Rate (2001/02) (Current year 13/14 as proportion of year 12 from 1/2 years previously)
Year 14 / 34.7 / NI Av / Year 14 / 17.9
1.6Leavers’ Destinations (2000/01)
Total Number of Leavers / 49 / 52
Another School / 4 / 8% / 8 / 0 / 0% / 1
Employment / 19 / 39% / 15 / 21 / 40% / 22
Full-Time Further Education / 23 / 47% / 32 / 7 / 13% / 22
Full-Time Higher Education / N/A / N/A / N/A / 7 / 13% / 39
Full-Time Training / 0 / 0% / 38 / 2 / 4% / 6
Unemployed / 1 / 2% / 5 / 4 / 8% / 6
Destination Unknown / 2 / 4% / 2 / 11 / 21% / 4
1
NAME OF SCHOOL: / Our Lady of Mercy Girls’ School, Belfast / SCHOOL YEAR: / 2001/2002GCSE & GCE /
2000 /
2001 /
2002
Percentage of Year 12 taking GCSE in at least 5 subjects / 95.6 / 91.2 / 96.6
Percentage of Year 12 obtaining Grades E or above in at least 5 subjects / 63.7 / 77.6 / 78.2
Percentage of Year 12 obtaining Grades C or above in at least 5 subjects / 39.6 / 42.2 / 36.8
Percentage of total exam entries obtaining Grades E or above in GCSE / 84.7 / 95.8 / 93.5
Percentage of total exam entries obtaining Grades G or above in GCSE / 100 / 98.3 / 97.2
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
1.1Our Lady of Mercy Girls’ School is a maintained, post-primary school catering for girls aged 11-18. It is situated in North Belfast, close to the Ballysillan and Upper Crumlin Roads. It draws its pupils from a wide geographical area. Almost all of the pupils travel to school by bus or private car. The enrolment has declined slightly in recent years; it is currently 557 pupils, of whom 119 are in the sixth form. Just over 38% of the pupils are entitled to free school meals. In the last three years, 83% of the pupils either achieved a grade D or did not participate in the Transfer Procedure. Approximately 52% of the pupils are deemed by the school to have special educational needs (SEN).
1.2The attendance rate of 89% is just below the Northern Ireland average (90%) for non-selective schools. The school reports that a system introduced to monitor those pupils whose monthly attendance drops below 85%, is having a positive effect.
1.3The school is located in an area that has suffered from acute civil and social unrest over a period of some 30years. It is the school’s view that these attacks affect adversely the pupils’ attendance and enrolment, and curtail the programme of after-school activities. The teachers, the pupils and all those concerned with the school have demonstrated tremendous courage in the face of this hostility. Measures have been taken to strengthen the security arrangements at the school.
1.4The inspection focused on the provision for pupils requiring additional support for their learning but with particular reference to English, mathematics, modern languages and science. Lessons involving pupils in other subjects were observed by means of a class pursuit exercise. The school’s arrangements for the pastoral care and welfare of the pupils, including child protection, were also inspected.
1.5As part of the arrangements for the inspection, separate meetings were held with parents, governors and pupils. Prior to the inspection, 107 confidential questionnaires were distributed to parents, seeking their views of the school; approximately 40% of these questionnaires were returned to the Department of Education (DE), and, of these, eleven had additional written comments. Almost all of the responses were positive about the life and the work of the school and no concern was raised. A small number of parents had noted that the teachers had dealt effectively with particular incidents of bullying that had arisen. The parents and governors are supportive and appreciative of the work of the school. They mentioned especially the caring attitude and the ready approachability of the teachers, the encouragement they give to the girls and the good examination results. The inspection confirms these views; the confidence of the parents and governors in all aspects of the school’s work is well placed.
1.6The inspectors held discussions with groups of pupils from years 8 and 12. The pupils, who expressed their views with confidence, felt safe and secure within the school and had a good knowledge of the rules.
1.7The parents have been informed of the school’s procedures for child protection. The school is implementing fully the guidance outlined in the DE Circular 1999/10, “Pastoral Care in Schools: Child Protection”.
2.THE QUALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
2.1The school has its own distinctive ethos and values; these are based on the philosophy of the Mercy Order which is committed to the ‘holistic development and to the achievement of the full potential of each pupil, particularly those who are disadvantaged or marginalised’. These values are reflected extensively in the tone of much of the school’s daily work, and, especially, in the pastoral care provided.
2.2Relationships at all levels are excellent; the pupils are orderly and display good standards of behaviour. They are pleasant and courteous, welcoming to visitors and show respect for their teachers and for one another. The teachers make every effort to create within classes a secure climate that allows the pupils to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem. The vast majority of the pupils are well motivated and willing to respond positively to their teachers.
2.3The teachers are dedicated to the education and welfare of the pupils, and work well as a team. They are supportive and caring, yet firm when necessary. They work hard to keep the girls on task and interested in their work.
2.4In the main entrance foyer and in most of the corridors, there are colourful displays celebrating the pupils’ achievements in a range of subjects. In their classrooms the teachers have created a stimulating learning environment which highlights the pupils’ work.
2.5The quality of teaching ranges from satisfactory to excellent. In almost all of the lessons observed, there were significant strengths or strengths outweighed weaknesses. Many instances of good teaching were observed across a range of subjects. In these lessons, the teachers had appropriately high expectations of the pupils and engaged them actively in practical and meaningful tasks; the lessons were enjoyable and the pace was well judged. The teachers used a variety of approaches, including the effective use of the overhead projector, and the pupils had good opportunities to make oral presentations to their peers. Through skilful questioning, the teachers elicted extended oral responses from the pupils and helped them deepen their understanding of the topic under study. In a minority of lessons the work observed was over-directed and too tightly structured. The pupils would benefit from increased opportunities to take greater responsibility for aspects of their learning and the teachers should encourage them to develop more independence in their work.
2.6English is taught in rooms which are dedicated to the subject; the pupils’ work is given value by being attractively displayed and, along with other related memorabilia, ensures a stimulating learning environment. The teachers are well organised for their lessons and select resources and topics that they know will interest the pupils; this preparation, coupled with their own enjoyment of their subject, contributes to the high levels of motivation and engagement among the pupils.
2.7The pupils are orally very responsive and across key stages (KS)3 and 4, learn to become more reflective in their responses, to listen to one another and thereby, to extend their own understanding. The pupils are helped to develop the confidence and maturity to present an illustrated talk to their peers and to respond to their questions. Instances were also seen of skilful questioning by the teacher to help the pupils to extend their thinking through honing and developing their ideas or through seeing previously unconsidered implications of them.
2.8Well-chosen literature is given a suitably high profile in the English curriculum; the majority of the pupils are accurate and fluent in reading aloud and have a good literal understanding of what they read. They are, however, overly dependent on the teacher to find ways into new text; they would benefit from more help and encouragement to explore meaning for themselves, to understand how the writer uses language to achieve the effects he does and to find out information. The teachers support the pupils in the development of their writing through, for example, the provision of good models which the pupils can imitate, and through building up to the final task by carefully planned interim steps. The pupils’ use of personal dictionaries also contributes to the development of new vocabulary. Most of the pupils present their work neatly and with reasonable accuracy. The greater part of their writing is in response to structured questions or is written as narrative. There is scope for the pupils to develop how they can adapt their use of language to suit different readers and situations and to become more versatile as writers.
2.9All of the pupils work towards achieving a General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in English and the vast majority is successful. The results obtained compare favourably with those for girls in the non-selective sector in Northern Ireland.
2.10Within a broad and balanced mathematics programme for pupils with special educational needs, the teachers ensure that systematic attention is given to developing and maintaining essential aspects of number. The potential of various topics to reinforce the pupils’ numeracy through applying their mathematics in meaningful contexts could be exploited more consistently across the department. The quality of teaching in mathematics ranges from satisfactory to excellent, and is mostly good. The very good relationships in lessons ensure an orderly atmosphere in which the pupils feel they can request help, ask questions or volunteer responses.
2.11The teachers use a variety of approaches and adapt their planning, teaching methods and use of materials to meet the needs of pupils of different abilities. The pupils’ grasp of concepts and their competence in mathematical methods are developed through clear explanations, appropriate practical work, helpful visual representations, and practice activities. Much of the teaching is characterised by good questioning to develop and assess the pupils’ progress, attention being given to the use of appropriate mathematical language. A good balance between direct teaching and tasks for the pupils ensures that the pupils are engaged actively throughout lessons. The teachers make well-timed checks on the pupils’ progress in their class work and they provide effective feedback and support.
2.12The pupils work with steady application, many with enthusiasm, and most achieve good standards of presentation. They make progress commensurate with their abilities across a range of mathematical work. Where pupils are insecure in their understanding, the teachers are normally quick to identify the nature of the difficulty and to provide effective support. The mathematics department has appropriately high expectations for the pupils, almost all being entered for GCSE. Across the grade ranges A*-C, A*-E and A*-G, the results obtained compare favourably with those for girls in non-selective schools, being within five percentage points of the corresponding Northern Ireland averages.
2.13The work in mathematics benefits considerably from the thoughtful leadership and capable management of an experienced and committed head of department.
2.14All pupils study French and Irish in years 8-10. One class in each of years 11 and 12 takes French to GCSE level; the remaining pupils follow a General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) course in French at foundation level, or the recently introduced course of graded objectives (GOML) in Irish and Spanish in year 11.
2.15The relationships between the pupils and the teachers are very good and the lessons are often punctuated by moments of humour. In the classrooms there are attractive displays of the pupils’ written work, commercial materials and maps. The teachers prepare well for their lessons and produce useful support materials for the pupils. The pace of the work is well judged and the lessons include a variety of activities for the pupils. There is an appropriate emphasis on practising and reinforcing pronunciation, and the pupils have opportunities for chorusing and the repetition of key phrases. The pupils hear the target language spoken by the teachers, and from native speakers on audiotapes, video recordings and CDs. They understand and can extract essential details from the passages they hear.
2.16The teachers use a wide variety of approaches to support the pupils’ learning. These include good use of flashcards and the overhead projector as a visual starting point for language work. In addition, games and songs enhance greatly the pupils’ sense of enjoyment. The teachers acknowledge the potential benefits of using the target language in the classroom and they are beginning to use it increasingly and for sustained periods during lessons. The pupils would benefit from more opportunities to make extended contributions in the spoken language. There are graded readers available and most classes have opportunities for systematic, extended reading sessions, often accompanied by dictionary work. The integration of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning is a strong feature of the department.
2.17Extra-curricular activities play a valuable part in the pupils’ language experience, especially, in the study of Irish. A large number of pupilsvisited the Gaeltacht last summer having won scholarships to attend an Irish language summer school. In June 2002, pupils participated in the Irish language section of the Belfast Feis winning silver and bronze medals.
2.18A small number of pupils are entered for GCSE in French. The results obtained compare favourably with those for girls in non-selective schools, being more than five percentage points above the corresponding Northern Ireland averages at grades A*-E, and more than ten points above at grades A*-C. In addition, all pupils taking GNVQ examinations have been successful and most of the pupils sitting levels 1-3 in GOML gained the appropriate certification.
2.19In science lessons, the relationships between the teachers and pupils are excellent. The pupils are well behaved and generally keen to learn. In most classes, they are provided with good opportunities to develop an appropriate range of practical skills. They work well in small groups or individually; they work safely, make accurate observations and understand and can apply the concept of the fair test. They enjoy practical work and achieve standards commensurate with their abilities.
2.20The departmental planning in science has many strengths and is sufficiently detailed to ensure that the pupils follow a broad and balanced science programme. This guidance is supplemented by worksheet material, much of which is of a very good quality and well matched to the needs of the majority of the pupils. The pupils, particularly those in the upper bands, are given ample opportunities to develop their skills in recording their work in a variety of forms; much of the written work in these classes is good. Appropriately, the newly appointed head of department has identified the need to review the written resources. A key aim of the review is to adapt the resources to meet, more fully, the needs of the less able pupils in order to ensure that their skills in literacy are developed in a more systematic and consistent manner.
2.21A feature of the examination entry policy in science is that all pupils are entered for a GCSE qualification. Moreover, all of the pupils are offered the opportunity to follow the full programme of study for science and take the double award GCSE in science. In recent years, the majority of the pupils have chosen this more demanding course; in the last academic year, for example, approximately 85% of the pupils sat GCSE double award science. Most of the pupils achieve standards in these external qualifications that are in line with their ability and many achieve standards which are good or better; for example, in spite of the wide range of ability of the pupils taking double award science, all pupils achieved grades within the CC to FF range. The results achieved by the pupils who are entered for the more limited science programme, in which they are entered for a single award GCSE, are above the average for girls in non-selective schools.
3.MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
3.1Approximately 10% of the pupils have been identified as having special (cognitive) educational needs (SEN); of these five are at stage 3 and the remainder at stage 1 of the Code of Practice (COP) for SEN. The school identifies the pupils initially through their performance on literacy and numeracy tests; the reports of subject teachers are also used in the process. The school makes provision for these pupils largely through organising classes according to ability, and smaller teaching groups for the pupils in need of additional support. The work in SEN is managed effectively by the special education needs co-ordinator (SENCO).
3.2The school has invested in an educational software programme which is followed by many of the pupils, especially at KS3. The individualised nature of the computer programmes, the immediate feedback on the correctness or otherwise of their responses, along with the visual and auditory dimensions of the software serve to motivate the pupils; they enjoy the programmes and the teachers report that it improves their concentration and confidence. This provision is free-standing and develops only a limited range of language; in addition, it does not allow for the consolidation of learning or for the pupils to gain some understanding of why their answers are right or wrong.