Free download of:Excellence in English - Department for Education

CVA three-year average School Significance
English 1,002.2 Sig.+
English (boys) 1,002.1 Sig.+
English (girls) 1,002.1 Sig.+
35. Free school meals and social deprivation data are broadly average at The
Duston School. However, the school spent a period of seven years in an Ofsted
category and was given a notice to improve as recently as 2007. When it was
last inspected in 2010, it was judged to be a good school and improving rapidly.
36. The school was in special measures when a new subject leader was appointed
a few years ago. Achievement was low with standards below 30% A* to C in
GCSE English. Staff say that there was no real sense of identity within the
department or process of sharing across the team. As a result, teachers tended
to work in isolation. Encouraged by senior leaders and managers, and wholeschool
systems to improve teaching and raise standards, the subject leader
quickly identified three elements that needed urgent attention. These were:
the lack of any common systems or structures in English teaching
the absence of any effective teamwork or collaboration, especially in
relation to teaching and learning
low morale and patchy subject knowledge across the team.
37. The leader rapidly put in place three key elements:
a clear vision for the subject
a common entitlement for all students, strongly based on getting them to
enjoy English
a range of simple and effective schemes of work, backed by resources,
and a common approach to assessment.
38. The rapid development of these three elements, combined with the subject
leader’s infectious passion for the subject, brought about immediate
improvement. Over three years, GCSE A* to C results improved from 27% to
35%, then 48% and 60%. The subject leader’s view is that the real key to this
improvement was an unwavering focus on improving the quality of teaching
and learning. While the vision and systems were essential in shaping the
change, the significant shift in the quality of what happened in classrooms
made the real difference.
39. The subject leader described her view of English as ‘getting out the plasticine
and paint’. This is not to be taken literally but encapsulates the need to make
English an active and discursive experience for students, one which engages
their interest and gives them a voice. Teachers were given the scope and
confidence to do this while making learning interesting. Teachers who were in
Excellence in English: what we can learn from 12 outstanding schools
May 2011, No. 100229
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