Dunottar is a small, but growing, co-educational independent secondary day school in Reigate, Surrey. The school became part of United Learning in March 2014 and since September 2014 has been undergoing the transition from a single-sex girls’ school to a fully co-educational establishment. As a non-selective independent school, the ability range at the school is wide. In the first Quality Mark assessment the department was awarded a ‘Silver’ Award. It was recognised in the final report that the Department had made rapid progress and had the potential to achieve a ‘Gold’ Award.
At re-assessment the department submitted further evidence to the HA and the Assessor visited the department for a half day. At this point the school was awarded a gold Quality Mark, which was then renewed in 2020.
‘No Regrets…’
I am Julie Boden, Head of History at Dunottar School in Reigate in Surrey. Until 2014, we were a small independent girls’ school but in that year joined United Learning and became a co-educational school and since then have been on an exciting journey. We have always been a mixed ability school, so teach a range of abilities at both GCSE and A Level. We are a small department but we all share a passion for our subject and want to ensure that our students have the best experience they can in the time they spend in our history class rooms. It was this that was the main driver for us to become involved the HA Quality Mark process.
Initially, we were awarded a silver QM in February 2016 but were so impressed by the process and especially the supportive comments from our assessor with regard to further improvements that could be implemented, that we decided to ‘Go for Gold.’ This was achieved in March 2017 and were fortunate enough to be able to renew this in October 2020.
Here are some comments regarding the different areas required for the portfolio of evidence:
Teaching and learning
We implemented enquiry-based questions in our KS3 schemes of work and also used some of these to guide our assessment tasks. A key area for development was improving our feedback and we introduced MAD (making a difference) tasks alongside a more rigorous tracking of our GCSE students exam skills.
One of the best additions to our curriculum resulted directly from our conversations with our assessor which was the introduction of a Year 9 cross-curricular World War One day. This has now become an integral part of the school calendar and allows students to learn more about the First World War but also to see how other subjects can be interwoven and history is not just something done in isolation.
Here is what the assessor had to say... Read more
During the visit a number of lessons were observed across all Key Stages. The lessons were wide ranging including; a Year 7 lesson about the role of medieval priests, a Year 8 lesson about child labour in England during industrialisation, a Year 11 lesson about Martin Luther King, and a Year 12 lesson focussing on religious changes across the Tudor period. The teaching was good in all of the lessons observed, enabling students to make good progress. This matched the school’s progress data (Midyis) and results in external examinations. Teachers harnessed their extensive and detailed subject knowledge to ensure that students were not only engaged, but very much enjoyed their history lessons. In Year 7 students learned about the wide range of roles performed by priests and inferred from this the qualities a good priest needed. This formed the basis for their homework; producing a job description for a medieval priest. Year 8 students were genuinely shocked by the accounts of child labour and were able to differentiate between the interpretations of child workers and factory owners. Here students’ progress would have been further enhanced by moving from developing ‘source handling skills’, to a more sophisticated ‘evidential thinking’ approach that encourages students to go beyond ‘bias’, and develop more nuanced reasoning. This was difficult to achieve within 40 minutes. Students made most progress where the learning deepened historical understanding within the context of an enquiry. In Year 12 students had to produce a SWOT analysis for Edward’s accession to the throne. They were able to successfully marshal their historical knowledge of religious changes up to and beyond 1547, to explore the significance of historical change and evaluate the religious and political landscape Edward inherited. The teacher’s excellent planning; taking into account substantive knowledge, second order concepts/knowledge, and an in depth understanding of their students, enabled them to handle complex substantive knowledge confidently, use it to support reasoned arguments about the complex changes that occurred during the English Reformation, and evaluate the political and religious strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by a strong minded, intellectually able, but very young king! In fact it was only lack of time that curtailed a very impressive debate that engaged students and was skilfully directed by their teacher.
In the lessons observed, all students were very much engaged and enjoyed learning. They responded enthusiastically to questions posed by teachers, who used a range of techniques to enable students to deepen their understanding. In all lessons teachers introduced students to a range of information and encouraged students to use this as evidence in their responses.
The students that the Assessor met were highly articulate. They enjoyed history and consistently pointed to the additional support their teachers provided. Many were able to favourably compare this with experiences in their previous schools, many of them stating that this had transformed their attainment in, and enjoyment of history. In particular, younger students were better at articulating the purpose of history.
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Leadership
We have grown in size as a department since the start of the QM process and one of my personal highlights has been supporting and mentoring 2 students at the start of their teaching careers; one undertaking her training with United Teach and the second undertaking her NQT year.
Introducing new ideas and initiatives within the department has also encouraged me to delegate more and allow other department members to have greater responsibilities. It has also made me appreciate the different skill sets and strengths of the department members and using them to best advantage, such as managing the History Department twitter feed.
Here is what the assessor had to say... Read more
The head of department provides effective leadership. Standards in history are accurately identified through self-evaluation and development plans accurately highlight areas for improvement to provision and practice. The development plan for history links in to the school’s wider priorities. The department has made huge strides recently, and this is a testimony to the leadership provided by the Head of Department. History enjoys a good status within the school and the head of department works hard to promote this. This can be seen in classrooms and corridors, in student’s books, through the school’s regular newsletter, in communications with parents and their positive responses, and through the comments made by students in discussion. The department’s ‘Twitter’ innovation is relatively new and reflects the Head of Department’s desire to harness technology to ensure the work of the department is communicated to a wide audience. The Headteacher is very supportive of the role that history plays in the school. She recognises that, like the school, the department is on a journey, and whilst the destination has not yet been reached, the direction of travel set by the head of department is already delivering positive results and there is clearly a strong commitment to driving improvement. The school and United Learning operate an effective programme of CPD in which history is included and the department is a member of history CPD networks, including the HA. The HoD regularly makes use of HA CPD and the department has made extensive use of the CPD offered by Examination Boards and the Head of Department is a leading contributor to TES resources. The assessor was struck by the strong focus that the Head of Department has on meeting the needs of all students regardless of ability. The relationships between staff and students are extremely positive. Teachers take a real interest in students learning and progress, providing exceptional support outside of the classroom.
The leadership of the department, always a strength, has been sustained at renewal. Links with the Historical Association have become stronger, and whilst continuing to provide strong leadership within the department, Julie is increasingly contributing at a senior level within school. Comments from senior leaders indicate that this is in no small measure due to the department’s success in ensuring excellent outcomes for their students.
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Curriculum
The history curriculum at Dunottar never stands still and we are always looking to improve our existing content and introduce new themes within our curriculum. (This is the area we are currently working on developing further). Part of this journey has been fostered by QM.
Here is what the assessor had to say... Read more
The history curriculum is well planned and resourced and is adaptable to new demands, particularly to changes at GCSE and A’ Level. The department has an accurate knowledge of the needs of students. Teachers are very aware of students’ prior attainment, and the specific needs of students in specific groups (SEND, EAL, MEG etc). The planned curriculum reflects the needs of the students in the school and there is a broad range of chronological periods, geographical scales, areas and perspectives of history, the content is inclusive. The time set aside to do good history is sufficient with 2x40 minute lessons at KS3, 4x40 minutes at KS4, and 7 x 40 minutes at KS5. This allocation is in line with other humanities subjects in the school. However, within the context of the ability range and increasing numbers in the future, this time allocation needs to be reviewed. Already the department is finding it a challenge to deepen student’s historical thinking within this time constraint. The school makes effective use of the local context to support students’ historical understanding of the relationship between local and national historical contexts and knowledge. An example of this is the local WWI graves and remembrance project. Students have been engaged in this through visits, assemblies and within the taught curriculum. In addition the curriculum contains Local Studies in KS3 and KS4. The department are continually reviewing the curriculum offer and design. The curriculum provides enquiries and examples of independent learning, the ‘Warrior’ learners tasks are examples of this.
On the last assessment, the department had spent a great deal of effort improving the quality of the curriculum, developing enquiries that provided coherence thus allowing learning to build cumulatively. The evidence submitted for renewal illustrates that this has continued and the department’s aim of developing student’s historical thinking further and across the curriculum with increasing challenge.
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Achievement
The mixed ability intake of the school is mirrored in the students taking GCSE and our focus is for each student to achieve their potential. We are always trying to find ways of facilitating support for our students such as differentiated revision classes. We also have been making a more concerted effort to reward our students throughout the school with things like half-termly electronic postcards and historians of the month.
Here's what the assessor had to say... Read more
Teachers demonstrate a thorough awareness of progression in history and work is sharply focused upon this. Students learning history are challenged and inspired to achieve their best and monitoring evidence shows that they are consistently making outstanding progress relative to starting points. The department has a highly personalised system of providing feedback for learners. The department has established tracking systems which are used across the school to assess, record and analyse progress and identify needs. Information from monitoring is acted upon to provide individual interventions that have a profound impact on students’ progress. Students placed great value upon this personalised learning. One Post 16 student pointed to this process as being instrumental in her being able to achieve a grade C at GCSE and go onto study A’ Level where she is achieving B-C grades currently. The ethos of supporting and maximising individual student’s personal achievement at all levels is evident in all the department does and is highly valued by students and teachers. Teachers are able to evidence the use of specific strategies that support the progression made by students. In particular the individualised additional support provided by teachers has a profound impact on progress, and is undoubtedly important in enabling many students to exceed their academic targets.
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Enrichment
We have been keen to support local angles in what we do and are really pleased ot have introduced our students to the Surrey History Centre. One developmental aim from our report was to reach out beyond the history department both to other curriculum subjects and into the community. We have been working hard at this.
Here's what the assessor had to say... Read more
During observations it was clear that the history curriculum is enjoyed by students and enriches the life of the school in general. Students discussed their learning in history with enthusiasm. Students involvement with projects such as; ‘A Time to Remember’, Lessons from Auschwitz, and the WWI War Graves Project, provide clear evidence of history enriching students’ learning far beyond the classroom and of their active links with the local community. Students also celebrate and extend their learning through assemblies and events such as the ‘Christmas Truce’ football match! The Learning on the Doorstep Project introduced students to the Surrey History Centre. The History staff visited the Centre in Woking in April 2015 and this inspired the development of the Local History Unit into the Year Seven Scheme of work. This is an on-going link with the local community with plans take Year 7 students for a visit to the Centre in late spring or early summer term.
The evidence submitted to support Renewal shows a department whose confidence has grown immensely. Whilst maintaining their record of excellent examination results, they are now increasingly reaching out beyond the school, and thus further enriching young people’s experience and raising their profile within and beyond Dunottar.
One of the areas for development in the last report was around enrichment and impact across and beyond the school. The history department recently led a World War I cross curricular day that incorporated subjects across the entire school. The programme was well organised, far reaching, and innovative. The positive comments from parents about the evening with Tracy Borman organised by the department are also a testament to the efforts being made to enrich the curriculum and further raise the profile of history within and beyond the school as was the organisation of Holocaust Remembrance Day. The feedback from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s Education Officer stated ‘the flame is beautiful, and your programme of activities is fantastic. I’m sure your students really appreciate your hard work and so do we.’ Once again this shows a department that is successfully reaching out.
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Evaluation
I entitled this ‘No Regrets…’ and I would certainly say that as a department we have had no regrets about engaging with the whole QM process. It is a really positive and supportive process from start to finish. It enables you to see what you already do well (and there will be lots of things) but it also allows you to think about new ideas. The meeting with the assessor was one of the highlights because having an outsider provide you with such constructive feedback about ways to further improve your department, was invaluable. It was this, without doubt, that made us ‘Go for Gold.’ Having achieved the QM, also means you are continually focused on making further improvements. As a department, we are constantly thinking about ways to move forward with new ideas and initiatives.
I would not hesitate to recommend this process to other schools but you have to go into it knowing that it will be hard work and not just a way of gaining an accolade for your department.
