Coppice Performing Arts School told to improve in all areas
A struggling city school has been handed a damning Ofsted report that says teachers do not ask questions to make pupils think hard enough.
In a report published earlier this month, Coppice Performing Arts School's rating stated it 'requires improvement' in every single category.
Schools are rated for their effectiveness of leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, personal development, behaviour and welfare and outcomes for pupils. The school was also marked on its 16 to 19 study programmes.
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Inspectors went into the school in Ecclestone Road, Wednesfield on May 4 and 5, and their findings were that teaching and achievement are not consistently good, particularly for the most able pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability, and that sometimes teachers do not set work that is at the right level for pupils.
It said: "Some pupils lose concentration and do not produce enough work. Teachers do not ask enough questions that require pupils to think hard. The sixth form requires improvement because students do not achieve as well in academic courses as they do in vocational subjects. Too few achieve the highest grades in academic courses."
It also said students who re-take GCSE mathematics in the sixth form do not achieve good enough grades and leaders do not check the impact of teaching on the progress of different groups of pupils in sufficient detail and the strategies to improve the progress of disadvantaged pupils are not checked robustly.
The report also said: "Leaders have not ensured that teachers apply the school's marking policy consistently. The governing body does not hold school leaders to account well enough for closing the gaps that exist between the progress of different groups of pupils."
However, the school was praised for the way pupils conducted themselves, for its performing arts department and students' personal development in sixth form.
It said: "Teaching, achievement and leadership are all improving. The headteacher is creating a culture where staff and pupils are developing high expectations of themselves. Disadvantaged pupils in Key Stage Four are catching up with others in the school. Safeguarding is effective."
The school was unavailable for comment at the time the Express & Star went to print.
