Subject Reviews
As part of our monitoring of standards at Notre Dame we are conducting a series of subject reviews. The review takes into account how the subject leader evaluates the performance of the department across all key stages over a three year period, data that the school receives on the department performance, interviews with students representing all ages and abilities, student, parent and staff questionnaires and sampling of books and planners.
Student and parent feedback is very important to us and helps us in making our judgements. For this reason it is important that we feed back some of those judgements to you. Subject leaders will feedback to a committee of Governors.
Forthcoming Reviews
Design Technology
Questionnaires will be available here from 23/01/12 and closing on the 8th February
Art
Questionnaires will be available here from 23/01/12 and closing on the 8th February
Subject Reviews 2010-2011
Science Department
This review was conducted in May 2010. The judgement of the reviewing team was that the Science department is a good department.
Areas of strength were seen to be the subject leader’s analysis of the department’s performance, the pace and challenge in good and outstanding lessons, the support given at A Level and the positive attitude towards Science demonstrated by most students. 75% of students said they enjoyed Science and 90% said they learnt a lot in Science lessons.
The Science Department is working on improving the consistency of the feedback they give to students and developing more opportunities for students to feedback about their learning.
The Science department shows a good capacity to improve still further.
PE Department
This review was conducted in October 2010. The judgement of the reviewing team was that the PE Department is a good department with some outstanding features.
Areas of strength were seen to be the pace, challenge and variety in lessons, excellent organisation, and the extent to which students enjoyed their PE lessons. The department is highly regarded by students, with 89% of those completing the student questionnaire agreeing that the department do a good job. Collaboration with outside agencies was also seen as a strength, with the school benefiting from the School Sports Coordinator Partnership.
The PE Department is now working to develop consistent practice in terms of feedback to and from students as well as looking for ways to benchmark the PE skills students develop beyond school.
The PE Department demonstrates a good capacity to improve still further.
Geography Department
This review was conducted in October 2010. The judgement of the reviewing team was that the Geography Department is a satisfactory department.
Areas of strength were seen to be the student response where 75% students said that they enjoyed Geography and 82% felt that they learnt a lot in Geography lessons. A parent wrote – ‘Both my daughters enjoy Geography and are obviously inspired and encouraged by the enthusiastic teaching they receive.’ Another developing area has been the department’s willingness to take on new courses such as Leisure and Tourism.
The Geography Department is working to improve the feedback they give to students, on how they can raise their standards still higher, particularly at GCSE level and on introducing more fieldwork. The latter was a particular request from students.
The Geography department shows a good capacity to improve still further.
Mathematics Department
This review was conducted in November 2010. The judgement of the reviewing team was that the Mathematics Department is a good department which clearly makes a very positive contribution to whole school results. Their results at GCSE are consistently above the National Average.
Areas of strength are seen to be the positive upward trend in results at all key stages, the department’s willingness to put on additional times for students who are struggling, the excellent use of interactive and physical resources within most lessons.
The Department is working to improve the feedback it gives students and to address some of the issues raised by students themselves in the questionnaires.
The Mathematics department shows a good capacity to get even better.
Modern Foreign Languages Department
This review was conducted in November 2010. The judgement of the reviewing team was that the Languages Department is a good department.
Areas of strength were seen to be the relationship between staff and students, personal support for students, improving extra curricular activities, the range of learning styles and the good use of feedback in books and in lessons. Students particularly appreciated the gifted and talented days and a parent commented that her child had been 'enthused by her teachers'. Students, parents and staff felt that the team was a strong one.
Following questionnaire feedback, student interviews and lesson observations we have asked the department to focus on the following areas to help them become even better.
They will look at an even greater variety of activities in lessons to suit the different needs of students and now they know how much students value the opportunities for enrichment through trips abroad and special days they will plan for more of these experiences.
The Languages Department certainly shows the capacity to become outstanding.
History Department
This review was conducted in February 2011. The judgement of the reviewing team was that the History Department is a good department with some outstanding achievement.
Areas of strength were seen to be outstanding results, especially at GCSE and A Level; the capacity to present highly interactive activities that engaged students and sustained involvement in lessons; outstanding questioning, especially in terms of higher order approaches; and thorough assessment.
The History Department is working to improve cross curricular links and partnerships with other agencies to provide varied enrichment activities that impact on developing pupils’ enjoyment and achievement. It is also ensuring that its skills in designing and delivering outstanding lessons are more widely shared with other subject areas.
The History Department demonstrates a good capacity to improve still further.
Subject Reviews 2011-2012
For the subject reviews this academic year we are writing to students and parents regarding the outcome of each review. The text of the letters for each review is below.
Drama Department
Thank you so much to the 300+ of you who responded to this review either online, through group interviews or through being observed in lessons. You have been a great source of information.
After a very intensive week of observations, interviews and scrutiny of the levels of progress you make in Drama we have reached our decision, that Drama at Notre Dame is an outstanding department. This is completely endorsed by the 97% of you who tell us that you enjoy the subject
Strengths you identified include the standard of teaching and learning, the enjoyment of Drama classes, the outstanding results at GCSE and A level and the support you receive from Drama teachers.
We have asked the department to work on publicising its clubs and activities more forcefully and on embedding the ways in which it assesses you in Key Stage 3. We also want you to know that the Department is keen to promote Performing Arts as well as Drama at Key Stage 5 but it needs the numbers; so think about it!
Please take the time to thank the department for what they do for you.
Music Review
Thank you to the 200+ of you who responded to this review online; through group interviews or through being observed in lessons. You have been a really valuable source of information and have helped us reach our decision that Music is an outstanding department.
Strengths you helped us identify were the variety of activities in lessons, the excellent knowledge of the subject teachers and the way in which they use very clear learning objectives. It was also clear that the staff know their students very well, that they really do personalise learning and that this leads to outstanding results, especially for those students who take music at examination level. The department also makes a huge contribution to the wider life of our school.
We have asked the department to continue to research and develop a wider range of music-related options for you to choose from in Key Stage 4 and 5. We have also asked them to review the new Key Stage 3 Scheme of Work to make sure it offers the best experience for you. When that takes place, please do get involved.
Thank you.
ICT Review
Thank you so much to the 300+ of you who responded to this review either online, through group interviews or through being observed in lessons. You have been a great source of information.
After a very intensive week of observations, interviews and scrutiny of the levels of progress you make in ICT we have reached our decision that ICT at Notre Dame is a good department. This is supported by the 90% of you who tell us that you enjoy the subject.
Strengths you identified include well-structured lessons, good support materials available on the VLE, flexibility ensuring all students make progress, good support available in terms of paperwork and a stimulating learning environment.
We have asked the department to continue to work on ensuring lessons are more innovative and active more of the time and to provide more varied enrichment activities. We would like ICT to have a higher profile around the school to celebrate more the work that you do and to promote the department.
Please take the time to thank the department for what they do for you.
Mrs Clancy and the review team
RS Review
Thank you to the 100+ of you who contributed to the subject review for Religious Studies either online, through lesson observations or at interview. Your thoughts and feedback were really valued by the team. We judge the Religious Studies department to be a good department with some outstanding features.
You told us that in the best lessons you felt that you could share your views without being judged, you enjoy the discussions and that you get good feedback. Many students and parents talked supportively about the level of praise you get in Religious Studies and the positive relationships with teachers. 70% of you students felt you learnt a lot in lessons.
100% of Sixth Form students interviewed or responding on line said that A Level Philosophy and Ethics was a strong subject where they felt very confident of success. They also felt it was a very useful subject for their future careers something that some of you at Key Stage 4 did not seem to appreciate.
We have asked the department to concentrate on showing you how essential the skills you learn in Religious Studies, at all key stages, are to life and future work prospects. We have also asked them to include more variety in their lessons so that they are even more enjoyable for you.
Please take the time to thank your Religious Studies teachers for what they do for you.
Miss Hutchings and the review team
