Dover Christ Church Academy

Dover Christ Church Academy Melbourne Avenue, Whitfield, Dover, CT16 2EG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Weak teaching in some lessons means that some students do not learn as well as they should and do not make good progress. A small number of students do not engage in lessons and so do not do their best.  Students’ reading, writing and comprehension skills are not improved routinely in subjects other than English. Teachers do not give enough emphasis to developing students’ ability to learn for themselves.  Attendance has improved but there are still too many students who do not attend regularly, and this prevents them from achieving as well as they should.  Leaders and managers have brought about improvement in the academy but governors do not challenge the academy’s senior leaders sufficiently. They do not ask searching questions about the progress that is being made in developing teaching and learning.  The sixth form requires improvement. Students in the sixth form do not make good progress in some subjects in relation to their starting

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

points and abilities. The small size of the sixth form limits the range of courses that can be offered.

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The school has the following strengths

 Senior leaders check carefully how well students are learning. They know whether the actions they are taking to improve teaching are helping students to reach higher standards.  Students feel safe and are cared for well.  Students know how to keep themselves and others safe and manage risks they might encounter. The academy is a welcoming community where students are encouraged to respect each other, regardless of their differences.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 31 lessons, looked at students’ work, listened to students reading and talked to them about their work.  They discussed professional development, performance management and the effectiveness of teaching and learning with teachers and other staff.  Inspectors reviewed documents relating to governance, school improvement and the monitoring of teaching. Inspectors also examined records relating to behaviour and attendance and analysed the school’s assessment data.  They held a conversation with the Chair of the Governing Body and held discussions with four different groups of students and school leaders and managers.  Inspectors also took account of 54 inspection questionnaires completed by school staff, recent questionaires used by the school to gather students’ and parents’ and carers’ views, and 13 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View).  Year 11 students were on work experience during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Robert Ellis, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Rosemarie McCarthy Additional inspector Sandra Teacher Additional inspector Jason Wye Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The academy is an average-sized secondary school with a small sixth form which opened in September 2010 with specialisms of music, mathematics and computing.  The academy has a specialist unit, known as Aspen 2, which caters for students who have profound, severe and complex educational needs.  The proportion of students who have disabilities and/or special educational needs is almost double the national average; these are predominantly behaviour, emotional and social difficulties.  Most pupils are White British and few speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium is high. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils entitled to free school meals, for children in local authority care and for pupils with a parent in the armed forces.  The academy’s recent GCSE results do not meet the government’s floor standard, which is the

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Information about this school

minimum level expected for students’ attainment and progress.  The school has recently had a new principal.  A few students attend some classes at the local grammar schools.  The academy has experienced difficulty in recruiting suitably qualified and experienced teachers of English and mathematics. Some posts in these subjects are filled on a temporary basis.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the leadership and managementof the academy by:  undertaking an external review of governance to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved  developing the skills of subject leaders so there is a more consistent approach to improving teaching and learning and sharing good practice.  Improve students’ results and their progress by:  planning lessons which inspire students to be active participants and motivated learners  challenging the most able students by giving them more demanding work which encourages them to think for themselves  using technology more effectively so that students can develop their information and communication technology skills and improve their ability to work independently  developing a consistent approach to improving students’ reading, writing and comprehension skills across all subjects  working with other schools to improve sixth form provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Using appropriate rewards and sanctions to challenge and support students who do not attend regularly so that their attendance improves.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Students enter the academy with knowledge, skills and understanding that are well below national expectations for their ages. Some students have cognitive difficulties which limit their attainment to levels below national expectations.  The proportion of students achieving five or more A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and mathematics, has improved but remains below the national average.  The academy has introduced a number of initiatives to support students who are at risk of not doing well, including those eligible for the pupil premium. Additional staff have been employed and the impact of their work has resulted in the rate of improvement at GCSE being higher for those students who received extra help compared with those who did not.  The gaps in average point scores, a measure used to compare overall GCSE attainment between all the different groups of students, including those who are eligible for free school meals, are

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

closing rapidly. The academy monitors these groups closely and has convincing evidence to demonstrate the positive impact of the action that has been taken to enable these groups to improve their attainment.  Some students achieve well in the sixth form but students’ progress is too uneven across subjects. Results in 2012 showed improvement compared with the previous year but are below the national average.  Students’ key skills are developed well through the ‘A+’ curriculum which is taught to the younger students. However, students other than those who have specific special educational needs do not have enough consistent support and guidance to develop their speaking, listening, writing and reading skills.  Most current students are making better-than-expected progress and are on track to achieve challenging targets. Despite their low starting points, many younger students are already working at the expected levels for their ages.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress of students who have disabilities and/or special educational needs, including those in the Aspen Unit, has improved and many students are now making good progress in relation to their starting points and abilities.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is too inconsistent and there are pockets of weaker teaching which prevent teaching overall from being good or better. Nevertheless, recent improvements to teaching mean that students now get good or outstanding teaching in the majority of their lessons, and they respond well to challenging and interesting work.  In the lessons that require improvement, teachers spend too long explaining and do not allow students enough time to do their individual work. Consequently, they do not practise their skills and develop their understanding, and this limits their learning. These lessons are often pedestrian and students sometimes become bored and restless.  Students are very positive about the feedback that they get from most teachers. The marking of students’ work is helpful in telling them how to improve. Most students have good opportunities to review their own work and that of others. This helps them to develop their independence and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

ability to judge their own performance accurately.  Teachers can measure the progress that students make and swiftly address any potential underperformance because they carry out regular and well-organised checks. Most teachers use searching questions that test students’ understanding and support their learning.  In some lessons, the most able students are not given enough opportunity to tackle realistic problems which require them to think for themselves. Students often rely on adults for help and teachers have only recently begun to enable them to work by themselves.  Teachers use a wide range of resources to support students’ learning but some students, for example, those with disabilities or learning difficulties, sometimes miss out because specialist equipment that would allow them to be more involved in lessons is not used. Most classrooms have access to information and communication technology but teachers do not routinely make

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

 Behaviour around the academy is often good and students feel that behaviour has improved a lot over the last year. This view is supported by a significant drop in exclusions and recorded incidents of poor behaviour.  Students say that they feel safe and cared for well. Those who spoke with inspectors are confident that any concerns they raise will be taken seriously and will be dealt with.  Students are clear about what is expected of them and how they should treat others. There is a calm and relaxed atmosphere throughout the academy most of the time. Students told inspectors that discrimination and bullying are not tolerated. Disabled students and other groups socialise and work together well.  Attendance has risen from well below to close to the national average. The academy has been particularly successful in improving the attendance of students for whom it was previously very poor. Despite these successes, improving attendance remains a priority.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

 The positive and caring ethos being developed supports students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. A good range of after-school activities enables students to explore their potential and there are opportunities for them to take responsibility as ‘buddies’, helping other students, or as prefects.  Students demonstrate that they understand the risks that they might encounter and how to deal with them. They told inspectors that they know how to stay safe on the internet and what they should do if they are subjected to social networking, telephone or email abuse.  A small minority of students do not give lessons their full attention and do not behave in a way that supports their learning. Teachers and parents and carers raised some concerns about how behaviour is managed. Inspectors found that inappropriate behaviour did not happen often and was often linked to weaker teaching. Most teachers demonstrate that they have effective ways

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The principal and senior leaders have worked hard to tackle weaker teaching. As a result, the standards achieved by current students are rising. Teaching has improved and most teachers are helping students catch up quickly.  The majority of staff who responded to the inspection questionnaire felt that the leaders and managers are doing all they can to improve teaching and learning, but a few felt that more could be done to help their professional development.  Senior leaders rigorously check and evaluate the academy’s work and use the information to plan the next stages of its improvement. The leaders scrutinise teaching particularly thoroughly. There is a clear link between the management of teachers’ performance and improvements in students’ results.  The range of subjects taught and other activities have been designed around what current students need and what they say they are interested in. Subjects are grouped together and, at

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The leadership and management require improvement

the group level, are led and managed well. Individual subjects are not all led well; some leaders are new in post and not yet able to bring about rapid improvement in their subjects.  A small number of students are able to have their choice of subjects by attending lessons at other local schools. This use of alternative teaching is effective and enables students to pursue their particular interests.  The small size of the sixth form limits the range of subjects that can be offered cost-effectively. The academy is exploring partnerships to see whether it can offer a broader range of qualifications. However, the current sixth form curriculum meets the needs of most of the students.  The academy has developed good and productive partnerships with other schools, local businesses and education, care and health professionals to support pupils’ learning and personal development. External providers have been used well to develop leadership and management

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The leadership and management require improvement

skills in the academy and to improve teaching.  The views of students, parents and carers are sought regularly. Academy and inspection evidence shows that most have few, if any, complaints. The academy is working closely with parents and carers to keep them informed and help them to support their children’s learning.  The academy’s safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements and adults who work with the students receive regular and appropriate training in safeguarding.  Improvement since the monitoring inspection in November 2011 demonstrates that the academy has the capacity for continuing improvement.  The governance of the school Governors ensure that students are kept safe and finances are managed effectively. They provide suitable strategic direction and have been closely involved in planning new accommodation for the academy. However, governors are not asking enough searching questions of the academy’s leaders about how students are taught and how well they are doing.

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The leadership and management require improvement

The governing body does not demonstrate enough capacity to interpret and judge the performance data provided by academy staff. Governors are not sufficiently involved in judging the academy’s performance and keeping a close check on how teachers’ performance is managed.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 36175 Local authority Kent Inspection number 399792

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Academy sponsor-led School category Non-maintained Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 682 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 127 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Moss Principal Sam Williamson Date of previous school inspection N/A Telephone number 01304 820126 Fax number 01304 821915 Email address principal @dccacademy.org.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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