Headteachers' Reports to Governing Bodies (Selected Schools)

Summary

The request sought Headteachers' Reports for Island Secondary and Executive Primary Schools for the 2023-24 academic year, and the response partially upheld the request by disclosing the January 2024 report for Castle Rushen High School.

Key Facts

• Castle Rushen High School had a total roll of 919 students in January 2024, an increase of 28 from the previous year.
• School attendance averaged 87.0% during the October to December 2023 reporting period.
• There were 20 students on modified timetables not receiving full-time education.
• Significant maintenance works were completed including storm damage repairs, kitchen extractor remedial works, and vandalism repairs to toilets.
• The school anticipates a large Year 7 cohort of over 150 pupils starting in September 2024.

Data Disclosed

• 919 students
• increase of 28
• 170 Year 7 students
• 87.0% attendance
• 20 students on modified timetables
• 25 hours/week
• January 2024
• October 2023 – December 2023
• September 2024
• 150 pupils

Original Request

For each Island Secondary School and those Primary Schools which come under the direction of an Executive Headteacher I request such information (Reports by the Headteacher) presented to each respective Governing Body as required by the school's Articles of Government Section 7(1) and 7(2) and such other directive(s) as may have necessitated the submission of a report. The information requested is that presented during the academic year 2023-24.

Data Tables (8)

Full Response Text

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Castle Rushen High School Headteacher’s Report – January 2024 Reporting period October 2023 – December 2023

School Roll & impacts At the time of writing, there are 919 students on the school roll (an increase of 28 on the same time last year).

Our Year 7 curriculum was designed to reflect a year group of approx. 170 students, with a 7-class split for most subjects. CRHS School Roll – January 2024 Year 7 170 Year 8 144 Year 9 141 Year 10 172 Year 11 169 Year 12 + 13 212

Year 6 Transition At the time of writing Primary school transition events visits have just begun with Y6 parents and pupils invited into CRHS on an individual school basis. As with previous years

(Assistant Headteacher) and host these separate evenings. As with previous years we co-present, utilising a presentation that introduces CRHS to the audience, focusing on our ethos, expectations, curriculum, and opportunities available. Audience members are then split into groups and given a tour of the school. Each evening finishes with refreshments and a chance to speak informally to the parents and youngsters. Although the numbers are still indicative at this early stage, it looks likely that we will have another comparatively large Year 7 cohort of over 150 pupils starting at CRHS in September 2024. Unusually this year we have only had transition forms from parents of children currently enrolled in the 5 southern primary schools. Based on our recent experience, there will most likely be further net gains both in the remainder of this academic year, and as each year group moves through KS3.

These visits represent the first formal contact we have with Y6 parents and pupils and once again I am grateful that these colleagues are willing to give their time to co-host these visits. I will update the governors on necessary changes to this arrangement due to forthcoming changes in staffing. The attendance of pupils Attendance figures across the school were at an average of 87.0%, which is lower than we would like but very similar to the year before. We have included a focus on attendance in our School Improvement and Development Plan (SIDP), it will be interesting to see if any of the initiatives we

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Pupils not receiving full-time education A report will be provided at the meeting. There are currently 20 students on modified timetables. The circumstances of each pupil are subject to governor scrutiny each month.
Like many decisions in the school, timetable alterations and reductions are made in consultation and in the best interests of each child. However, we do have to be aware that the legal requirement is for education to be provided equating to the 25 hours/week, while the IOM curriculum order allows for ‘specifically designed programmes of study’, providing students still have access to external accreditation, courses that best allow them to achieve and their programme is relevant to the world of work. Repair and maintenance of the fabric of the school 1. Facia boarding around the Staff room and towards SC3 entrance was replaced following storm damage. 2. Kitchen extractor has had remedial works completed but most air handling units on the roof (above hall, dining room and kitchen) need replacing and are in a poor state. 3. Minor electrical works have been completed around school e.g. repairing or replacing old lights, repairs to cookers, replacement of Still in science prep room.
4. General maintenance around the school following heavy rainfall, particularly in F block, Music, Maths & English windows, D&T tech office. 5. Repeated works to toilets replacing cubicle panels, doors, toilet seats, locks, flush controls, taps, etc. following vandalism 6. Repairs to fire doors, particularly door closers and hinges following excessive or heavy use and replacement of intumescent (fire door) strips. 7. SC4 had repairs to leaks from windows and doors. 8. A new path was installed outside the D&T area. 9. Windows latches and handles have been repaired in various locations. 10. Skylights in dining room repaired following high winds in November. 11. Work has been completed on the drains around the Quad and languages block. 12. A door access was installed between the library and large annexe. Although this reporting period is October to December it is worth mentioning that following the work to the roof over Art and D&T last summer, we are due to have new windows fitted in this area.
If stock arrives in time a couple of windows (and facia) could be completed during February half term, although the main works are planned for Easter and the Summer. As always my thanks goes to , Assistant School Business Manager, for efforts requesting, preparing for and overseeing this work.

The finance of the school will provide an update on the financial position of the school at the meeting.

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Curriculum

Staffing had the potential to impact on some curriculum provision, during this reporting period colleagues left from both core areas of Maths and Science, and I am content that we have bridged most of the gaps with suitable replacements. My thanks to , and who all spent considerable time re-jigging timetables and considering the best fit for January.
We are continually reviewing the 2024/25 curriculum provision considering further known staffing changes and less certain resource levels. Academic results and exams Autumn Early Entry/Re-sits 42 students sat GCSE early entry/re-sit exams (depending on their age) in Maths in November 2023.

We had 32 early entries for WJEC Maths, the results of which were released on 11th January.

was entered for the Higher tier (graded A* - B) and 31 were entered for the Intermediate tier (graded B – E)

The results were as follows:
A –

B – 14 students
C – 11 students
D – students
E –

10 re-sit students from KS5 were entered for the Edexcel IGCSE Maths, the results for which will be released on Thursday 25th January.

We also received some re-sit A/S level results for the Geography course:
A –

D – students

And our Year 13 students sat their AS exams for the first time and did very well: A –
B –

We are expecting the Cambridge GCSE re-sit results (including English Language) on Thursday 18th January.

Mocks Year 11 Mock exams ran as ‘normal’ this year, students were in school throughout their 2-week mock period. Last year we tried home study leave for Year 11 students during the first week of

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mocks, this gave students more independent revision time and the potential for staff to gain some marking time, but also means that there is an impact on teaching time.

The size of the year group did cause some logistical difficulties and forced us to use some classrooms as exam venues which we wouldn’t normally (as the main 133 capacity Gym was full). Additionally, as we have lost a computer room to be the ‘Reset room’, we have had to use the Library Annexe for students using computers, which is on a busy corridor. We are working to find solutions to this going forward, including choosing a suitable classroom to host a printer and exam laptops.

Exam calendar Our first external exam will be IGCSE Geography on Friday 3rd May. As last year, JCQ have allocated three contingency days, when historically there had only been one. These are days that can be used by exam boards as contingency in the event of widespread national disruption. The dates of these are 6th, 13th and 26th June. Therefore, there will be no external exams from 27th June onwards.
This schedule means that leavers arrangements for both Year 11 and 13 can now be considered. Our current planning is that that the last day in school for Year 11 will be Friday 26th April, with larger GCSE exams scheduled for the week after. Year 13 will leave us on Friday 10th May.

School development and improvement The reporting period coincided with the first full term operating the new SIDP. Governors will remember that we elected to focus on 5 main areas of school

We also wanted to build on the success we had enjoyed during the last academic year in implementing the

I will update governors on SIDP progress during the meeting.

The health and safety of pupils, staff and visitors This term’s Health & Safety Committee Meeting has been postponed until membership of the committee could be discussed at this meeting. We had to cover 1,637 lessons over the reporting period. This total equates to 9.81% of all lessons. The largest proportion of these, 773 teaching periods (47.22%) was due to self-certified sickness. We have utilised CRHS staff to cover 990 lessons (60.48%) and external supply teachers to cover the remaining 647 lessons (39.52 %).
Of the 990 lessons covered by CRHS staff, 817 lessons (82.52%) were covered by our SESO Cover Supervisors, 127 lessons (12.83%) by members of LT, and 46 (4.65%) by other teachers who provide cover.

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The leadership and management of the school I am pleased to report that the new member of the school’s LT, Assistant Headteacher

has settled in well and together with the other comparatively new member of the team,

, have brought considerable skill, energy and commitment to their respective Job Descriptions. is leading on KS4 Care Guidance and Support together with line managing

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• Executive Office in Finance –

. Other & More recent updates We continue to receive FOI requests. During this reporting period we have been asked to supply data connected with: • Baseline and other assessments conducted on Year 7 pupils in the autumn term of each of the last 3 academic years commencing September 2021, 2022 and 2023. • The number of Teachers currently employed in the Isle of Man Secondary Schools who are currently undertaking professional qualifications which lead to Qualified Teachers Status. • Number of students who were suspended for violating school uniform policies and reason the uniform policy was violated, broken down by year group/ school/month How many parents complained about school uniform policies and specific reason for each complaint. How many students in each school were given behaviour points/detention/isolation/suspension for not wearing top button? broken down by year group/ school/month. If any students were expelled for violating dress code. • The average number of UCAS points per student. The average number of UCAS points per Level 3 entry. • Contextual data (excluding pupil individual circumstance data) as was prepared for University entry applications in 2023 and such as has been prepared to date for the current Year 13 cohort seeking admission in 2024. • Any reports or analysis conducted by schools in relation to the 2022-23 Key Stage 4 or Key Stage 5 results (these include but are not limited to information presented to respective Governing Bodies, comparisons with previous years etc.) • Our stance on equal access to sports in school and on gender discrimination that occurs dependent on sport. I.E. Girls can do yoga/cheerleading ect., boys cannot ect. and vice versa, boys can do rugby and girls can not. • Please can I have the 2023 A level results for all of the secondary schools on the Isle of Man along with the percentage of students who:
a) attained their predicted A level grades;
b) achieved the minimum requirements for their firm university choice; and,
c) will go onto higher education (university/college) in the academic year 2023/4.

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Castle Rushen High School Headteacher’s Report – May 2024 Reporting period January 2024 to April 2024

School Roll & Impacts At the time of writing, there are 924 students on the school roll (an increase of 50 on the same time last year). Given our current curriculum and level of resource this size of school roll means that we continue to have larger than desirable class sizes in several KS3 classes, continue to have to use

for both alternative provision and other teaching, and are still having to carefully consider management of student social time.

Although it is difficult to be definitive about the school roll in 2024/25, we now appear to have reached a point where the school’s student population will stabilise at approx. 930+. We have 2 year groups with 170+ (Years 10 & 7), our outgoing Year 11 has 169, and our ‘smaller’ year groups are at 145 (Years 8 & 9) This will present some significant resourcing challenges in the existing building.

We have been in discussion with colleagues in DOI re. The ongoing need for additional learning space on our site. The new double mobile is being fully utilised and we continue to look for potential additional learning space in school. We have been able to secure support from DOI to redevelop an unused small toilet/storage space near the library. We hope to join this with one of the existing library annexes to create a large enough space for smaller classes and one we could also utilise as an exam room to support the ever-growing need for exam access arrangements in separate spaces during Exam seasons.

Year 6 Transition Our transition arrangements have settled into a pattern whereby each primary school is invited to an evening event at CRHS during January and February where

delivered a presentation to Year 6 students and their parents, gave them a short tour around the building and answered any questions.

Once again informal parental feedback indicated that each respective smaller group from each school valued the opportunity to meet with us here at CRHS and some expressed a preference for the opportunity to look round in relative quiet as part of a smaller familiar Y6 class setting.

Although the numbers are still indicative at this stage, it looks likely that we will have a large Year 7 cohort of approximately 155 pupils starting at CRHS in September 2024. As well as the Year 6’s we can predict from the 5 southern primary schools, there are a small number of students coming from the Douglas schools and the Buchan. We also have several students coming from pupils who can choose CRHS 5

A growing number of students have been suspended during this period for repeated ‘internal truancy’ with associated risks to themselves and the learning of others.
For students with identified special education needs that come under the equality act protected characteristics, or those with particular health or family background issues, ‘reasonable adjustment’ is applied.

Unfortunately for some suspended students,

which makes the likelihood of a repetition more likely. Despite this, we are increasingly trying to avoid putting some of our most at risk of suspension students into the same situation

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