Grammar school '˜requires improvement' says Ofsted

Boston Grammar School has been said to '˜require improvement' across the board, following its latest Ofsted inspection published today (Thursday).
Boston Grammar School. EMN-140403-122701001Boston Grammar School. EMN-140403-122701001
Boston Grammar School. EMN-140403-122701001

The grading is down from the school’s previous overall score of ‘good’ given following an inspection in 2013.

The grade was given to all judgement areas: Effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; outcomes for pupils; and 16-19 study programmes.

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The report states that ‘the quality of teaching is not good enough to ensure that all groups of pupils achieve as highly as they should, particularly the most able’.

Among other things it notes that the proportion of high grades at GCSE ‘is too low in the majority of subjects’ and that ‘leaders at all levels have an over-optimistic view of the school’s provision, particularly the quality of teaching’.

The report says sixth form outcomes, ‘although improving’ are not good as ‘too few learners achieve as highly as they should’.

The report does however praise the rapidly closing gaps between the achievements of ‘disadvantaged pupils and their peers at GCSE’ and says there is a wide variety of opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of British society.

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It says that pupils with special educational needs make good progress and pupils at an early stage of learning English as an additional language ‘receive effective support’ and make good progress across all years.

The report recommends, among other things, that the school needs to ensure ‘all aspects of the school’s self-evaluation and action planning are accurate’ and ‘subject leaders should closely monitor all aspects of the quality of teaching’.

It says that governors need to undertake activities which give them an ‘accurate view of the effectiveness of school provision,’ noting that they do not always check the school’s provision for themselves.

It says that by ensuring leaders and teachers have high expectations of, and are equipped with the skills necessary to stretch and challenge, ‘the most-able’ pupils the school could raise the achievement of those pupils.

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It also recommends the school’s sixth form senior leaders and the head of the department work more closely to check the quality of teaching, improve attendance, and ensure advise and guidance prior to starting sixth form is ‘effective’.

The Standard has approached Boston Grammar School for comment.

To view the report in full, click here.

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