Ofsted Report 2000 (Summary)
Information about the School
Redhills Combined School, Exeter - 3INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Type of school: First and Middle
School category: Community
Age range of pupils: 4 ? 12
Gender of pupils: Mixed
School address: The Redhills Combined School
Landhayes Road
EXETER
Devon
Postcode: EX4 2BY
Telephone number: 01392 255555
Fax number: 01392 211605
Email address: admin@redhills.devon.sch.uk
Appropriate authority: The governing body
Name of chair of governors: Mr P Thompson
Date of previous inspection: 26th October 1996 Back to top
Summary of the Report
SUMMARY OF THE REPORTINFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Redhills is a large combined school for 420 boys and girls between the ages of four and twelve. It is situated in
a western suburb of the city of Exeter in a closely built-up area. The socio-economic background of the pupils
is generally below average. The school?s catchment area contains a mixture of owner-occupied, local authority
and housing association properties, with an increasing number of pupils coming from homes where there are
social problems. The school is over-subscribed in some year groups. A very small percentage of pupils come
from ethnic minority backgrounds or from homes where English is not the main spoken language. This is below
the national average. Almost one quarter of the pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is
just above the national average. Around one third of the pupils have been identified as having special
educational needs, and seven pupils have statements of special educational need. These figures are above
average. Children are admitted to the Reception classes in September and January. Many have attended
privately run playgroups before they join the school. At the time of the inspection, there were 24 children under
the age of five in the school. The attainment of children when they start school varies widely, but is generally
well below average. A major building project to improve the school?s facilities is shortly to be started.
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
Redhills Combined School is an effective school which provides a good quality of education. Although
standards overall are below average in English and mathematics, the starting point of many pupils is very low
and their progress throughout the school is good. The school provides very effective help for the large number of
pupils with special educational needs. The pupils? attitudes to work, their behaviour and relationships are good.
The overall quality of the teaching is good, particularly for the youngest children. The school is well led and
managed by the headteacher and a supportive governing body. There has been a good range of improvements
since the last inspection. The school provides good value for money.
What the school does well
· The school provides a particularly stimulating and well-planned education for the youngest children, who
receive very good teaching and support from the staff in the Reception classes.
· There is very good, well planned and well co-ordinated support for the large number of pupils with special
educational needs.
· Although overall standards are below average, the pupils achieve well in relation to what they already
know, and many of them overcome severe obstacles to their learning.
· The pupils? attitudes to work, standards of behaviour and the quality of relationships throughout the
school are good. The emphasis given to the pupils? personal development and the care provided by the
staff are important contributory factors.
· The attention given to improving the teaching of religious education since the last inspection has resulted
in standards which are above average.
· The overall quality of the teaching is good. One-fifth of the lessons observed during the inspection were
very good.
· The headteacher?s good leadership and the dedication and commitment of the staff have created an
environment in which pupils can feel secure and which is conducive to learning.
What could be improved
· Standards in, and the use of, information and communication technology
· The role of subject co-ordinators in leading and managing their subjects
· The way subjects other than English are used to develop pupils? literacy skills
· The structure of the timetable and the balance of time devoted to each subject
The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors? action plan, which will be sent to
all parents and carers of pupils in the school
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
There has been a good degree of improvement since the last inspection, which took place in October 1996.
Standards have risen in English, mathematics and science at both key stages and are now significantly higher
than they were at the time of the last inspection. These improvements have resulted from the school?s
response to national initiatives to improve literacy and numeracy. The overall quality of the teaching has
improved and is now much more consistent across the school than it was.
The school responded effectively to the previous key issues, although more work still needs to be done in some
of the areas which were previously identified. The school is now much more consistent in its approach, both to
what is taught and to the standards expected of teachers. Much effort has been expended on raising levels of
attainment in reading and writing. Curricular planning has improved, and co-ordinators have provided staff with
much clearer guidance from which to plan their lessons. The school has improved the way it assesses pupils?
work in English and mathematics and now has a clearer picture of pupils? progress through the school. Some
aspects of the marking of pupils? books have improved considerably and, in some classes, there are examples
of very good practice. The quality of marking is, however, inconsistent and there are weaknesses in the
marking of pupils? written work in subjects other than English. Although there has been some effective
monitoring of teaching and pupils? work by senior managers, most subject co-ordinators do not yet monitor
standards and teaching within their subject areas effectively.
STANDARDS
The table shows the standards achieved by eleven-year-olds based on average point scores in National
Curriculum tests.
compared with Key
all schools
similar
schools Performance in:
1997 1998 1999 1999
English C D D C
Mathematics D C D C
Science D D D C
Very high A*
Well above average A
Above average B
Average C
Below average D
Well below average E
Very low E*
Because of the large number of pupils with special educational needs, the overall level of attainment when
children enter the school is well below average. The local education authority?s policy on admitting children
under the age of five to school has a marked effect on the progress of the year group. Compared to those who
start in January, a significantly higher proportion of children who start school in September achieve the Early
Learning Goals by the end of the Reception year. Despite the very good progress made by all children,
standards by the end of the Reception year are below average.
The school?s results in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999 were below the
national average, but close to the average for similar schools. There has been a steady improvement in the
school?s results in reading and writing over the last four years, and a recent improvement in mathematics.
Results in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1999 show a similar picture; they
were below the national average, but close to the average for similar schools. The improvement in standards
has been more marked at Key Stage 2, particularly in science. In all areas, standards are higher now than they
were at the time of the last inspection.
The range of attainment throughout the school and within each year group is very wide. The school caters
adequately for the more able pupils; a satisfactory proportion achieve the higher Level 3 by the age of seven
and, similarly, Level 5 by the age of eleven. The school devotes much attention and considerable skill to
meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs. As a result, these pupils make very good progress
towards their individual targets. Considering their prior attainment, most pupils achieve well, many of them
overcoming considerable obstacles to their learning, and some receiving very little help at home. Pupils in Year
7 continue to make good progress in preparation for their transfer to high school. Although some pupils still struggle with their reading, and a higher proportion find it hard to express themselves in writing, most pupils
have sufficient literacy and numeracy skills to cope adequately with their work in other subjects.
The work seen during the inspection confirms that the National Curriculum test results give an accurate
reflection of the standards achieved at both key stages, although standards in science are now similar to the
national average at the end of Key Stage 2. The pupils do well in practical subjects, such as physical
education and design and technology, where standards are above average. They also achieve above average
standards in religious education, which has improved significantly since the last inspection. In contrast,
standards in information and communication technology are below average. The school sets itself appropriate
targets and, in most areas, has been successful in meeting them.
PUPILS? ATTITUDES AND VALUES
Aspect Comment
Attitudes to the school
The pupils? attitudes to school are consistently good. They concentrate well in
lessons, enjoy their learning and show a positive response to their work.
Pupils are keen to come to school.
Behaviour, in and out of
classrooms
Behaviour is generally good throughout the school. Pupils move around the
school sensibly and behave responsibly when moving to off-site locations. A
small number of pupils have severe emotional and behavioural difficulties, but
the school has very good procedures for dealing with these.
Personal development and
relationships
Relationships throughout the school are good. A good approach to conflict
resolution encourages pupils to become mature in their response to conflict
and to reflect on right and wrong actions. Older pupils read with younger pupils
and carry out duties in a mature and responsible manner.
Attendance
The level of attendance is satisfactory. It is broadly in line with the national
average. The number of holidays taken during term-time presents an
increasing problem, which affects pupils? progress.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-12 years
104 lessons seen overall Very Good Good Good
Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory;
poor; very poor. ?Satisfactory? means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.
The teaching was satisfactory or better in 97 per cent of the lessons seen. It was very good or better in 19 per
cent of lessons and good in a further 43 per cent. Three per cent of lessons were unsatisfactory. The quality of
the teaching in English and in mathematics is good. Most of the teachers have good subject knowledge, are
enthusiastic and relate very well to the pupils. The skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught, although not
enough emphasis is given to teaching literacy skills through work undertaken in other subjects. The teaching of
information and communication technology is unsatisfactory. The teachers plan appropriate work for pupils with
special educational needs, and effective support from classroom assistants helps these pupils to make good
progress. The teachers have high expectations of pupils? behaviour; they achieve good standards of discipline
which result in an efficient use of lesson time The teaching of children in the Reception classes is particularly
good. In general, pupils concentrate well in lessons and the quality of learning is good.
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Aspect Comment
The quality and range of
the curriculum
Satisfactory, apart from information and communication technology. Not
enough time is devoted to some subjects: too much is given to different
aspects of English and not enough to developing literacy skills through other
subjects. The curriculum is enriched through visitors to the school, visits for
each year group, residential visits and trips abroad. The school provides a
satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities for older pupils, but very little for
the younger pupils.
Provision for pupils with
special educational needs
Very good. Specialist staff meet the needs of pupils with special educational
needs very well. Individual support and lessons for small groups of pupils are
well planned and of high quality. Pupils make very good progress towards their
targets as a result. Assessment is used very effectively.
Provision for pupils?
personal, including
spiritual, moral, social and
cultural, development
Good. Religious education, residential visits, fund-raising activities and visitors
to the school, including performing artists, all contribute to the good provision
for the pupils? spiritual, social and cultural development. The provision for their
moral development is very good. Children are taught from an early age about
sharing, telling the truth and issues of right and wrong.
How well the school cares
for its pupils
Good. The school provides a supportive and caring environment, which
promotes the welfare, academic progress, personal development and selfworth
of all pupils. Much thought has been given to lunchtime arrangements to
overcome the problems imposed by the school?s site and to ensure pupils?
health and safety.
How well the school works
in partnership with parents
Satisfactory. There are very good links between parents and staff in the
Reception classes, but links are not actively fostered by the school and
become more remote as pupils move through the school. A committed core of
parents support the work of the school, but there are also some parents who
are unsupportive. The school provides informative reports about pupils?
progress and targets, and a good range of additional information.
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
Aspect Comment
Leadership and
management by the
headteacher and other key
staff
Good. The headteacher has provided strong leadership for many years and
has done much to create a good working ethos and positive relationships
amongst staff and pupils. She works effectively with the deputy headteacher
and members of the senior management team. There are good systems of
communication, and tasks and responsibilities are delegated appropriately.
How well the governors fulfil
their responsibilities
Good. The governors fulfil their responsibilities well. They have a good
understanding of the school and its priorities for development. Many governors
give a great deal of support, time and help to the school. They have been
actively involved in drawing up plans for the development of the school site.
The school?s evaluation of
its performance
Satisfactory. Senior staff have taken a greater role in monitoring and evaluating
the work of the school. This has led to specific action which has helped to
raise standards. However, subject co-ordinators do not yet play a great
enough role in monitoring and evaluating their own subject areas.
The strategic use of
resources
Good. The school makes good use of its teaching resources, and support staff
are well deployed. The staff work very hard to overcome the restrictions of the
school?s accommodation. Financial management and administration are very
efficient. Principles of best value are applied well.
Adequacy of staffing,
accommodation and
learning resources
Satisfactory overall. The school is well staffed. The level of resources is
satisfactory. The school?s accommodation has significant shortcomings which
make supervision of pupils difficult, and affect pupils? progress in physical
education and other practical subjects. Some of these shortcomings will be
addressed when the new building project is completed.
PARENTS? AND CARERS? VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
· The school is approachable and helpful and has
effective ways of dealing with problems.
· Their children enjoy going to school.
· The teaching is good and their children are
making good progress.
· The good links with the high school, fostered by
specialist teaching.
· They are well informed about their children?s
progress.
· The way teachers help children starting school
to gain confidence and feel accepted.
· Provision for more extra-curricular activities,
especially for younger children.
· Better facilities and opportunities for sports and
physical education.
· The amount of work children have to do at home.
· The time children have to eat their lunch.
· A few parents feel the school does not work
closely enough with them, and is not responsive
to their needs.
Inspectors endorse all of the positive views of the parents. They concur with parents? concerns about the
school?s facilities for sports and physical education, but not entirely with their other concerns. The school offers
a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities for older pupils, although there is very little at present for the
younger pupils. In most classes, teachers strike an appropriate balance in the amount of work given to pupils
to complete at home. The school is open and receptive to parents? views and concerns and there are
appropriate procedures for parents to consult their children?s teachers both formally and informally. Inspectors
do not share parents? concerns about the time available for children to eat their lunch. The new lunchtime
arrangements have been carefully thought through and have been designed to provide safer and more secure
arrangements for all pupils given the restrictions of the school site. Back to top
