8.127      The standards of attainment increase as pupils progress through the school.  Pupils achieve good standards in relation to their abilities up to Year 9, and high standards thereafter.

8.128      Over the past three years, GCSE results have been well above the national average for all maintained schools and in line with the average for maintained selective schools.  They have been above the average for comparable moderately selective schools (see ‘Characteristics’ section).  At A level, results have been well above those for similar schools.

8.129      By Year 9, standards are good, and they are high by Years 11 and 13.  For example, in a Year 8 class, the pupils produced some sophisticated judgements on the funding and placement of a Japanese factory in the UK.  In Year 12 lessons, the students produced very good work during an exercise in ‘nearest neighbour’ analysis and in answers to AS-level questions.  Across the age range, pupils contribute good ideas in discussion.

8.130      Pupils’ progress overall in Years 7, 8 and 9 is good.  In Years 10 and 11 and in the Sixth Form, it is rapid.  Knowledge is well consolidated from year to year.  The pupils have a developing understanding and a growing confidence in using geographical ideas and concepts.  For example, in a Year 11 lesson dealing with the lot of women in the third world, the pupils constructed and wrote sensitive answers.  Differences between boys and girls are not an issue.

8.131      The overall quality of teaching across all age groups is very good and never less than good.  All the teaching observed in Years 11, 12 and 13 was very good.  In almost all lessons, the content was clearly established and the objectives were well defined.  Lessons were well constructed and the transition between activities was smooth.  Teachers made good use of humour and praise, and their relationships with their classes were friendly and outgoing.  Questioning techniques were good and included the pupils who were reluctant to take part or uncertain of the answers.  Lessons were well paced.  Written work and assignments are clearly linked to lessons and teachers’ planning is regularly revised.  Pupils’ work is regularly scrutinised and discussed with the pupils.  Mark books are kept reliably and teachers mark examination work clearly, with comments closely focused on the assessment criteria.

8.132      The department enjoys excellent facilities and resources, including modern textbooks, computers and a dedicated fieldwork equipment store.  The two teaching rooms are spacious and storage space is ample for the departmental reference library, which is well stocked with books, videos, past papers, records and so on.  Much is added to the departmental atmosphere by displays such as those for geological samples and school fieldwork.  Adjacent is the school meteorological station, which is administered by Sixth Form volunteers.  Forecasts are produced daily for the Meteorological Office and about a hundred businesses, including farms.

8.133      The department is very well led and sensitively managed.  Staff responsibilities are clear and awareness of health and safety requirements is good.  Effective styles of classroom management are promoted and some monitoring of teaching is arranged.  Slides and videos are widely used, although the blackout is not fully effective.  Staff are encouraged to attend relevant lectures and conferences.