SM Disadvantaged pupils are not routinely getting the extra help they need in lessons to accelerate their progress. Wide variations remain in the levels of challenge teachers offer pupils in lessons. Pupils do not experience a diet of routinely challenging tasks because teachers’ expectations are not consistently high enough over time. Too often, teachers set pupils work which is not demanding enough but which is peppered intermittently with harder work. As a result, pupils’ understanding is not deepened and their skills are not extended as much as they should be. This is typified by the most-able pupils as when they are stretched they often excel, but this level of challenge is not yet frequent enough.

G There is still a minority of teaching that lacks challenge and is typified by mundane tasks and, for example, too many worksheets. This teaching does not do enough to engage or stretch the most-able pupils. Most teachers now provide effective feedback to pupils. In some subjects, such as English and French, teachers have developed effective systems to ensure that pupils respond to the feedback and make improvements to their work, in accordance with the school’s policy. Most teachers use questioning effectively to assess pupils’ level of understanding. In the strongest lessons, persistent and probing questioning ensures that pupils are required to think deeply and justify their answers. However, occasionally, teachers still do not check pupils’ grasp of new content thoroughly enough before moving on.

RI Strengths in English teaching include teachers’ enthusiasm for their subject and the positive relationships they form with pupils. Most English teaching, notably questioning, engages pupils in appropriately challenging work. Areas requiring improvement include a stronger focus on the accurate use of subject specific terms and on improving the presentation of pupils’ work.

I Teachers frequently have difficulty settling pupils at the beginning of lessons, and some pupils’ poor attitudes to learning disrupt lessons and prevent others from making progress Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. The individual needs of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability are not met effectively in lessons. Not all teachers know who these pupils are or what is needed to help them make progress. where teachers know their pupils well, individual needs are met much more effectively, When high-quality feedback is provided, it is valued by pupils who say they have a regular dialogue with teachers and that this helps them make better progress because they know how to improve and what to do next.

SM In some cases, teachers do not make their expectations clear enough about basic things such as how long pupils have to complete an activity and whether this should be done in silence or talked about with peers. Some teaching does not give pupils a clear enough picture of what success looks like. This leads to them not knowing how to produce work of the highest possible standard. There is some highly effective marking in English where pupils have clearly thought about the feedback they have received and improved their writing in response. The responses that pupils make to their teachers’ feedback, however, are not always helpful in moving their learning on in other subjects. Pupils’ books contain the school’s literacy marking code and a set of basic expectations about the presentation of pupils’ work. Neither of these is followed consistently. Significant numbers of pupils do not follow the presentation code and few teachers apply the marking code. This results in too much poorly presented work with basic errors that are not addressed. Some teachers do not identify when pupils misspell key words that they need to understand and use in particular subjects. Consequently, these errors persist.

G In most lessons, teachers plan activities that stimulate and engage the pupils. There were many examples of teachers using subject-specific and technical vocabulary and expecting pupils to use these terms correctly. Expectations are high and, in the majority of cases, the most-able pupils are being challenged to achieve high standards; they are now making good progress. Some pupils said: ‘Our teachers push us to do well.’ While much feedback provided to pupils helps them to make improvements or extend their work, teachers do not always make sure that pupils act on the guidance they receive. In some lessons, teachers move on before checking that all pupils understand what they have been learning.

I In too many lessons, pupils are unclear what they are expected to understand or be able to do. As a result, they find it difficult to use what they know already to build further learning. They are more concerned about keeping up with instructions that teachers give rather than extending their knowledge and skills.  Too many teachers do not assess pupils accurately. This is particularly true at key stage 3. They are generous in their assessments in many subjects including English, Teachers do not adjust their teaching to help those pupils who are at risk of falling behind, such as pupils who have special educational needs or disability, pupils who speak English as an additional language, disadvantaged pupils and those who are ready for more challenging learning. As a result, most groups of pupils do not make enough progress.

I Too many teachers have low expectations and accept pupils’ work without checking whether it is good enough. Many pupils’ books are poorly presented and contain incomplete work, and pupils often do not express themselves accurately or in sufficient detail. Teachers’ feedback is not helpful enough in pupils’ work and in lessons. Teachers do not implement the school’s marking policy consistently. Teachers’ comments do not help pupils understand strengths and weaknesses in their work. Consequently, most pupils do not know how well they have learned important ideas and skills, and how to deepen their learning.