What have been our successes this year?
Amongst our many successes was a second very pleasing OfSTED inspection report in a calendar year. Our school inspection of January 2008 judged us to be a good school with outstanding attainment in both the main school and Sixth Form. It included a comment which summed up the sentiments of very many of our parents: “The excellent progress our daughters are making shows they are both receiving a first-class education. They are also enjoying themselves - lucky girls!” OfSTED felt that our ‘Technology college status has had a good impact across the school, especially in terms of driving up levels of attainment’. Our second inspection, focussing on Citizenship, judged us to be good in that area also. The inspector commented that “The school council is an effective forum for students to express their views; sixth formers lead research into particular issues they wish to consider. All students research citizenship topics intelligently”.
We were delighted that the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust again identified us as a high performing school.
Our students achieved well again in examinations at all key stages. Our key stage 3 results were very good and attainment in Mathematics was outstanding. 78% of our GCSE students achieved five or more grades at A*-C and we are particularly proud that 73% achieved five or more A*-C grades including both English and Maths. Our average A level points score per pupil was up from 286 (2007) to 309.6 and the value the school has added for our Sixth Form students was graded as Excellent for the third year in a row. More than half the A Level grades achieved were A or B for the third year in a row. We are proud that our pupils were able to build so much on their successes lower down the school.
Specialist School status has enabled us to broaden the range of our curriculum to meet the needs of all of our pupils better. We have introduced the option of Btec Retail at KS4 and at KS5 we offer both Btec Business and Retail and our new Btec Sport course has moved into Year 11. We now have KS4 pupils studying hairdressing at the East Berkshire Skills Centre.
We are delighted that so many of our students took part in extra-curricular activities ranging from lunchtime clubs to cultural visits overseas and we are proud of the quality and range of opportunities on offer to them. There were a variety of different concerts, our annual musical and sixth form production and a well attended summer school. Over 300 pupils were involved in our excellent Gym and Dance Show. Superb performances by our sports teams include our Under 18 Indoor Hockey Team winning the Berkshire Championships and representing Berkshire at the Southern Counties Tournament and several of our school teams winning their borough leagues in Netball, Hockey, Rounders and Athletics.
We are pleased with the ways we have strengthened our partnerships with members of our community and beyond. Our new second specialism as a Training School enabled us to focus on improving further the ways we support our pupils and our wider community. We ran courses for our staff and for our partnership schools and parents. Areas across the curriculum supported by specialist school status including Business and Enterprise established stronger links with the world outside school to enrich pupils’ experience and learning and we have been working through our School Council to implement the Sustainable Schools Framework.
We are delighted that the measures we have introduced to support good pupil behaviour has resulted in a 60% reduction since 2006 in the number of days for which we have had to exclude pupils.
What are we trying to improve?
Teaching is consistently good; we want to improve the quality of teaching and learning further. The specialist school subjects are leading a programme of sharing good practice.
We are working to extend and embed a culture of independent learning through strategies including Assessment for Learning and students mentoring other girls.
We will meet the needs of all learners through an outstanding curriculum.
We collect a large amount of information and are improving the ways we make use of it to raise pupil achievement.
We are proud of the progress we have made through our Technology College and Training School specialist status and are building on our achievements so far to increase the impact of specialist status on all learners.
How have our results changed over time?
Our pupils’ progress from KS2 to KS3 has been significantly above the national average for 5 of the last 6 years. 90% of pupils have achieved Level 5 or above in English in 6 of the last 7 years. Maths and Science, two of our specialist school departments, exceed the national average each year. At level 6+ there is an upward trend in all 3 subjects using a three year average. Attainment in Mathematics is outstanding and progress in Maths has been significantly above national averages for 5 years in a row. Pupils’ attainment in Science is good, significantly above national averages for the past 5 years and there has been strong improvement in the specialist areas of ICT and D&T. Attainment in other subjects remains very good at both levels 5+ and 6+. At 5+, 10 of the 13 departments had teacher assessments of over 90%. Due to targeted support in departments, significant progress has been made at levels 6 and above this year in German=92%, French=64%, Geography 69%, Music 60%.
At Key Stage 4, attainment for 5+A*-C, including English and Maths, is outstanding. 73% achieved this key indicator in 2008, for the third year in a row, the highest in the local authority and significantly above the national average. The percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more A* to C grades in all their subjects has exceeded 70% in 6 of the last 7 years and has been 78% or above for 5 of the last 6 years, including 2008.
English results consistently show 80% or more of the pupils achieving A* to C. Results in Mathematics are outstanding and significantly above national averages for the last four years. Progress from KS2 to KS4 in Maths is significantly above the national average for the 5th year in a row. Results in Science have improved in each of the last three years.
How are we making sure that every child gets teaching to meet their individual needs?
Personalised and independent learning is strongly developed within the school. Gifted and Talented students are identified and we currently have members of Young, Gifted and Talented scheme. All subjects make special G&T provision.
The Learning Support department both provides and supports teaching to meet the needs of many individuals. Individual Educational Plans are written for SEN students to identify their particular needs and to provide strategies for staff.
We have 13 Teaching Assistants who provide in class support for girls and communicate with teachers on their needs. Specialist Support Services observe pupils in class and feed back to the teacher with advice and further strategies.
Support is given to English as an Additional Language girls new to this country by one to one tuition through Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant and with teaching assistants in lessons.
The learning needs of any student whose behaviour is causing concern is supported by the use of a support plan. The Behaviour Support Plan is agreed by the student, her parents and the Head of Year. Targets are set and support is put in place by the school. The targets are shared with teaching staff and are regularly reviewed.
The Student Focus Centre provides one-to-one and small-group support for students, working particularly on self-esteem and anger management.
How do we make sure our pupils are healthy, safe and well-supported?
We hold the Healthy Schools National Award. We encourage healthy eating and it is a regular item on School Council and form discussion. We have a Healthy Eating Charter signed by every form.
PE is a strength of the school, both in terms of numbers and success at all levels inside and outside the curriculum.
Each year is supported by a strong pastoral team. Particularly strong is our primary transition, support from the school nurse and school counselor and the work of our Special Educational needs team. Our work with visually impaired girls has been highly praised.
We continue to run an anti Bullying week with assemblies and lots of activities. We have pupils fully trained as peer mediators to support those affected by bullying.
How are we working with parents and the community?
Parent partnership is encouraged through regular reporting on pupil progress and achievement, positive parenting sessions, parents’ evenings, headteacher’s surgeries, information evenings, regular surveys to gain parents’ views on how well we are working with them and their daughters, the Student Planner, letters home to praise and to highlight concerns, the involvement of parent governors in school decision making and telephone contact. Parents are also involved in Annual Reviews for students with Statements, Individual Education Plans, Behaviour Support Plans and Pastoral Support Plans. Regular newsletters inform parents of what is happening in school. Parents and community guests attend concerts, shows, events and exhibitions to see aspects of the School in action. Through Technology College Extended Schools, and Training School Status and the Schools’ Sports Co-coordinator Scheme, our family of schools, community partners and local business have access to specialist facilities and training opportunities.
What activities are available to pupils?
Pupils at Newlands have a wealth of extra curricular activities to choose from. There are many sporting teams and musical groups and choirs to be involved with across all ages. Clubs include Drama Club, Newlands Records, Maths Club, Sustainable Schools Group, Science Club, Reading Club, Gym and Dance, Spanish Club, IT Club and Art Club. Pupils take part in local and national competitions. Pupils have a voice in the running of the school through the School Council, the Sixth Form Committee, and groups set up to consult about issues including uniform, Sixth Form accommodation and catering. Foreign visits including World Challenge Expeditions, field trips and theatre and gallery study visits are very popular. Every form adopts a charity and plans fund raising events. Pupils take part in Work Experience, Enterprise Learning Days and Higher Education conferences. All pupils have access to lunchtime and after school study support in the library and ICT suites and many subjects offer small-group support outside lessons. The school is currently working towards Quality in Study Support accreditation.
What have pupils told us about the school, and what have we done as a result?
Pupil surveys tell us that pupils have a confident and positive approach to school life and that most enjoy coming to school. Surveys told us that pupils are confident to approach staff, particularly about serious issues, but that they sometimes prefer to talk about their experiences to other girls. As a result, we trained students from years 10 and 12 to act as peer mediators and created opportunities for girls to meet with them.
We changed the school uniform because pupils asked us to and pupils were involved in designing and choosing it. Sixth Form students were involved in deciding on their dress code.
The introduction of Spanish GCSE and Btec Retail have followed interest put forward by students. We have a very active School Council led by the Head Girls. The School has acted on views of the student body as presented by members of the School Council to improve emotional and physical well being and to promote a safer, healthier and greener lifestyle. The school toilets have been refurbished; there are water dispensers in the corridors, every classroom has a paper recycling bin for which students take responsibility and a salad bar and a pasta bar have been introduced in the Cafeteria.
How do we make sure all pupils attend their lessons and behave well?
Tutors meet with their forms twice a day. They move through the school with their forms, so understand and monitor girls better. The school monitors morning and afternoon attendance and punctuality and has a policy of first day calling to parents when girls are absent from school. Teachers register pupils each lesson.
The Golden Rules are clear, concise and positive. We have a clear system of rewards and sanctions and we aim to be consistent.
Exclusions have halved. This year fixed term exclusions are very low due to early intervention work through the Student Focus Centre. The Centre is having an impact on improving pupil behaviour, working in particular on anger management and self esteem. We have very few girls on behaviour plans and no girls in danger of permanent exclusion. Any girl misbehaving may be put onto a support plan. They will have firm targets and deadlines set that will then be reviewed. We have two behaviour support assistants that work closely with these girls.
Attendance is above average and improving due to the support given by our attendance officer. Any amount of absence causes concern.
What do our pupils do after year 11?
The majority, around 75%, stay at Newlands. Most 6th Form students follow AS/A2 courses, of which 24 are taught on site. Some also study AS/A2 courses at other local schools. Most study 4 subjects to AS and carry 3 on to A2. Around a dozen students each year follow a Level 2 Btec course. Of those who leave, most study full-time, usually at Henley, Reading or Langley College or the BCA. A few cross into Bucks to follow AS/A2 courses. A small minority of our students go into work-based learning or employment with or without training, usually hairdressing or sales.
What have we done in response to Ofsted?
We have changed the way pupils’ targets are produced, using Fischer Family Trust data for Key Stages 3 and 4 and ALIS targets at Key Stage 5, so that teachers and parents can help them to achieve as well as they can and so that pupils know how well they are doing and what they can achieve. We have made more use of the results of pupil, parent and staff surveys in order to improve our work, for example by developing communication with parents further.
We have increased opportunities for Sixth Form students to develop independent learning skills by extending provision and timetabling independent study skills sessions for each Sixth Form subject in order to promote greater individual responsibility and even higher aspirations. We now use Sixth Form students as subject mentors for younger pupils. We have reviewed the rewards we give pupils to make them suitable for pupils in each Key Stage and are now using a successful system of ‘Rainbow Tickets’ and rewards visits.
Information about our sixth form
Our results this year
We are pleased with our pupils’ attainment in the sixth form in 2008. At A Level, 26.5% of grades were A and 56.6% A or B. The average points per pupil in 2008 was 309.6 and was 90.7 (better than a C) per exam entry. In 14 subjects, two thirds or more of the pupils achieved A or B.
Our pupils’ progress from Key Stage 4 to 5, measured by our ALPS ‘T’ score for value added, excellent for the third year in a row.
How have our results changed over time?
We are very pleased that our Year 13 leavers achieved A Level results still better than the excellent standard of the previous two years’ leavers. 26.6% of grades were A (24% in 2007 and 25% in 2006). The % of A/B grades was 56.6% (from 51% and 54%).The average points score per pupil in 2008 was 309.6% (286 in 2007 and 287 in 2006).
The number of students entered for A2 examinations is on an upward trend. It has increased from 73 in 2002 to 95 in 2008.
Music, ICT, Media Studies and PE (all for the third year in a row) had ALPS grades of 3 or higher indicating excellent or outstanding value added.
What have been the successes of the sixth form this year?
We are delighted that more students than ever before have chosen to study with us in the Sixth Form. In January 2009 the figures are 142 students in Year 12 and 92 in Year 13. We have changed the Sixth Form induction process so that Year 11 students are able to be a “Sixth Former for a Day” and experience Sixth Form lessons before they choose what to do after GCSEs.
We were pleased with the success of our introduction of A-level Photography, which entered its second year in September.
We are keener than ever to help girls to use their independent study time effectively. We have increased the number of laptops for students to use and have made more areas of the school available to them to study in. We are very pleased with how well they use the study spaces.
We have worked with a group of our Year 12 to plan the refurbishment of their common room, which was ready for September, and all Sixth Form tutor groups have representation on a group developing longer-term plans for a new Sixth Form block.
What are we trying to improve in our sixth form?
We want the value added by all our departments to be excellent.
We want to improve the enrichment provision for our Sixth Form students to meet their needs better.
We want to improve facilities for our large and growing Sixth Form.
We will increase opportunities for sixth form students to comment on the teaching they receive. Staff will use this feedback to inform future course and lesson planning and delivery.
What do our students do after leaving the sixth form?
Most students leave to pursue university courses. Others, around 10%, go to college, mostly to follow an Art and Design Foundation Course. Students gain university places on courses including Medicine and Biochemistry, Psychology, Philosophy and RE, History, Primary Teaching, Business Management, Accountancy and Finance, English, Physics, Maths, Aviation, Sports Science and International relations and Politics. Some undertake a gap year. They typically combine opportunities to gain maturity and experience through helping others with employment. A further small percentage, typically less than 10%, goes on to employment, mostly in financial or clerical occupations.