Each term we spotlight the work that our trainers are doing and the impact it is having in schools. This term we hear from Broad Oak Sports College who have gone up an Ofsted level after working with Osiris

Carmel Bones and Chris Owen, Deputy Head at Broad Oak Sports College (BOSC) in Bury, discuss their use of an Outstanding Teaching Intervention (OTI) on the journey to a thoroughly deserved “Good” Ofsted judgement in July 2014.

Broad Oak Sports College is a very special place. Teachers have high expectations and aspirations. The “raised standards” and “rapid improvement… in the quality of teaching” were noted in the recent Ofsted report.

The smaller than average 11–16 secondary school faces a particular set of challenges: the school has a fluid population, annually experiences a large turnover of students, and the proportion of pupils eligible for Pupil Premium is double the national average. However, the warm welcome means everyone is quickly made to feel at home at BOSC.

All staff are ambitious for their learners and Ofsted noted that “students [who are] exceptionally courteous, keen to learn and highly engaged in their studies” also “speak very highly of teachers’ skills”.

In order to further promote maximum progress and optimum outcomes, Chris Owen decided to embark on an OTI after being inspired at a launch day.

He commented that: “the excitement generated by our discussions about teaching and learning was exactly the kind of experience that I wanted all of my colleagues to share. The discussions created an infectious enthusiasm for experimentation and sharing which should underpin the development of a school’s teachers.”

Successes were shared widely among colleagues and in the daily morning briefing, where Headteacher Neil O’Connor raised the profile of the programme and commended and celebrated the work of those who took part.

In order to further the momentum, Cohort 2 followed in autumn 2013, with staff drawn to the programme from across the school. Ofsted commented: “The headteacher and senior leaders have driven improvements across all areas well, so that achievement is now good and sustainable.”

Chris feels that all aspects of the programme made a difference. “The supportive coaching following lesson observations gave colleagues the confidence to ‘have a go’ at tweaking their practice and evaluating the impact on student outcomes.

The group energy following training sessions was inspiring, and the sharing of best practice across the school was a natural outcome of this. The staffroom was buzzing with conversations about things people had tried and the impact on their classes and learning.”

Attainment in examinations has risen markedly, attendance has risen and exclusions have reduced dramatically: this is the culmination of much hard work. Staff and senior leaders knew that improvements were spreading, and their internal judgements were validated by Ofsted, which awarded the school a “Good” judgement in every category.

Chris is rightly very proud of what BOSC has achieved due to the growth mindsets of its staff and their willingness to engage with powerful new ideas. SR