In the Year 9 class I visited, the students were well behaved and engaged in completing a written task based on a previous practical from which they had test results. They were clear on what they needed to complete in the lesson and were asking questions to check their understanding. All students appeared to be making progress with their task.
As I had noted a student in the classroom with a TA to support them, I asked Mrs Fisher and Miss Park about provision for SEN students. From the discussion, it was apparent that the Science department staff were clear about the specific needs of the students in their classes, with information easily accessible and up to date. There is a focus on making adjustments to allow these students to access as much of the lesson as possible, and the mainly mixed ability classes helps support this. I also observed 2 students on report, where this was having a positive impact on their behaviour and focus, as they wanted to achieve good marks and were able to reflect on any less good marks with a view to improving their own behaviour.
The Self Evaluation Form (SEF) graded the Science Department as outstanding across all areas. GCSE results for 2023 were the best ever, with 79% of students taking two or more science GCSEs achieving a Grade 4 or above. These results are significantly above the national average.
Staffing in the department was stable and there were no vacancies (one upcoming maternity leave was being interviewed for), with all teachers having a science based degree, which I understand from Mrs Fisher is not always the case in other schools. It can be difficult to recruit teachers with a Physics degree however; those with a Chemistry degree in particular are able to teach Physics. Mrs Fisher was keen to promote a positive working environment for her staff, and those that I met were very positive about the department and were happy to talk to me. With the general difficulty in teacher recruitment, it was even more important to retain and grow our own staff.
The department had benefitted recently from investment in materials, especially in Physics, which Miss Park was very enthusiastic about and explained how it was improving learning where students were able to have their own equipment to carry out experiments rather than observation only. The refurbishment of the whole department a few years ago continues to provide a positive environment for both staff and students.
Mrs Fisher explained that one area of focus for academic year 2023 – 2024 was to stretch the more able students with a view to improving the number of the higher grades, especially at Alevel. Since Covid, the department was now back to being able to provide a full programme of visits and extra-curricular STEM based activities, which is one aspect of this. Miss Park was keen to find an appropriate visit to CERN to support Physics students – I am sure she will need governor attendance to support this!
Visiting this department is always enjoyable. The positivity of the staff shines through, as does their commitment to their students.
Mrs Ginny Getting