The Streetly Academy

The Streetly Academy Queslett Road East, Sutton Coldfield, B74 2EX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Students’ achievement is outstanding, particularly in English and mathematics. By the end of Key Stage 4 students have achieved above-average standards.  The quality of teaching is outstanding. This results in students making exceptional progress, particularly in the main academy.  Students’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary. Students show high levels of maturity and engagement both in lessons and in the additional curriculum activities. Pupils feel safe and treat one another well. The great majority of parents agree.  The academy is exceptionally well led and managed. The headteacher and staff share a commitment to outstanding outcomes for all students including those who are disabled and those who have special educational needs.  The governing body is highly effective. Governors ask difficult questions, know the school’s strengths and very successfully support further improvements.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The sixth form is good and improving rapidly. Students make good progress in the sixth form and the school is working hard to ensure they do even better.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 48 lessons and were accompanied by senior leaders in some observations.  Meetings were held with groups of students, representatives of the governing body and school staff including senior and middle leaders. A telephone conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 41 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning and undertaking the inspection. They also consulted the school’s own survey of parents’ views completed in 2012 and took account of the responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information on students’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors looked at samples of students’ work across age and ability groups.

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Inspection team

Mary Myatt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Angela Cook Additional Inspector Noureddin Khassal Additional Inspector David King Additional Inspector Robert Ridout Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The academy is much larger than the average secondary school.  The predecessor Streetly School converted to academy status in December 2011. The school was judged to be satisfactory at its last inspection in November 2009.  The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is below the national average. Most students are of White British heritage.  The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority and for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is below average.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average.  The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The academy has a resource for students with physical disabilities.  The academy is a national lead-partner school with the Youth Sport Trust.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher supports other schools in Walsall and shares the academy’s data management system.  The school meets the government’s current floor targets which set the minimum expections for students’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve students’ already very good attitudes to learning by:  increasing opportunities for independent learning across the school curriculum  providing further opportunities for the most-able students to take the lead in their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The progress made by all students, including disabled students and those with special educational needs, by the end of Key Stage 4 is exceptional. Students enter the school with the expected levels of attainment. The proportion of students leaving Year 11 with at least five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and mathematics, is significantly above the national average. There has been rapid improvement in the last three years and the upward trend continued in 2012.  The progress of students in many other subjects exceeds national expectations by the end of Year 11. Students make consistently outstanding progress across year groups and in a wide range of subjects. This is due to the intelligent use of information, careful monitoring and successful intervention across the school.  Students are entered early for mathematics in Year 11 and some students are entered early for English. This does not limit the potential of the most-able students, who make significantly

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

greater rates of progress.  Students eligible for free school meals do not achieve as well at GCSE as students who are not eligible for free school meals. However, these students still achieve better-than-average GCSE results and the academy is working hard to ensure they reach their potential.  A focus on literacy across the academy has had an impact. Students are confident and enjoy speaking, listening, reading and writing both in lessons and in additional activities. Students practise their numeracy in subjects other than mathematics. For example, in an art lesson, students were discussing proportion and scale as they sketched portraits.  Students’ achievement in lessons is enhanced by a wide range of additional opportunities. Project Streetly, for example, creates opportunities for students to consolidate their communication skills, independence and creativity by encouraging them to engage in projects

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

relating to school life. The school newspaper and all parents’ evenings, reward evenings, sports and charity events and promotional videos for the school are managed by students. An example of this was seen during the inspection, when students organised a lunch, including musical entertainment, for senior citizens. This event was carried out to the highest standards.  The academy has high expectations of all its students, including those at risk of underachievement. For example, an imaginative tutorial and curriculum programme has supported a number of young people to make significant progress. The school’s PRIDE code, based on the Olympic and Paralympic values, is having a significant impact on the social and moral development of all students.  Students’ progress in the sixth form is good, and improving. In a very small minority of subjects students’ achievement requires improvement. The academy has responded to this by

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

strengthening the monitoring of students’ progress in the sixth form to ensure that their progress matches that of the rest of the academy.  The achievement of disabled students is outstanding. This is due to outstanding provision, a strong and effective inclusion policy and high expectations.  The overwhelming majority of parents and carers who responded to Parent View believe that their children are making good progress. Evidence from the inspection endorses a particularly positive view of students’ achievement.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The rapid and sustained progress of all groups of students, including disabled students, those who have special educational needs and those eligible for the pupil premium, is a result of the consistently outstanding quality of the teaching.  Teachers plan lessons carefully and use their knowledge of the students to adapt their plans to meet the different needs of all groups. This was seen, for example, when students in an English lesson were expected to give extended responses and to challenge one another. Careful, targeted questioning by the teacher ensured that all the students were engaged and were able to deepen their understanding.  A very small amount of teaching requires improvement. In these lessons, teachers talk for too long and do not plan for students to ask questions about what they are learning. Nevertheless, even in these lessons teaching is effective in helping students to make at least good progress.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 A very detailed analysis of the strengths and relative weaknesses of teaching, combined with a focus on raising standards, is having an impact on all students’ learning, progress and achievement. The minutes of department meetings, in geography for instance, show that the main focus is on high-level questions, extending the most-able students, support for those with special educational needs and ensuring that the spiritual, social, moral and cultural aspects of the subject are covered.  Teaching in the centre for the physically disabled is outstanding as it is carefully matched to students’ needs. Students using the centre are supported with expert teachers and teaching assistants. Students with physical disabilities are fully integrated into the school and take part in sport. During the inspection, they were competing in wheelchair basketball.  The use of teaching assistants is good overall and sometimes outstanding. Many teaching

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

assistants have developed specialist expertise, for example in strategies to support students with dyslexia. They share their knowledge both informally and in training sessions. On rare occasions, some teaching assistants are not used effectively in the classroom to support learning.  Students receive helpful feedback on their work. In science and psychology, for example, students are given very clear guidance about what counts as success. They are expected to act on the teachers’ suggestions for improvement. Excellent use is made of a flexible tutor time at the end of the school day, when form tutors work with small groups of students and discuss how they are getting on.  The quality of teaching in the sixth form is good overall. In a very small number of lessons, teachers do not provide opportunities for students to talk and challenge one another about their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students’ attitudes to learning are exemplary, both in and out of lessons. The students know what constitutes good behaviour and show high levels of cooperation. For example, during the organisation of a lunch for senior citizens, a number of students were expected to work independently and they did so thoughtfully and responsibly. The event meant a change to lunch routines for the rest of the students, who waited patiently and with good humour.  The academy has developed a sophisticated, online, behaviour-tracking system which is clearly understood by all staff and students. Students value highly the conversations they have with staff, based on the information captured by this system. The programme is underpinned by the values of the academy’s PRIDE code, and this is evident across the school. The academy’s work in this area is recognised nationally as outstanding practice.  The academy’s records show that exclusions are below national levels. The outstanding practice

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

developed through the school’s sports specialism has had an impact on a number of students who might otherwise have been excluded. Imaginative and inclusive programmes mean that this group is engaged and makes significant progress.  Good use is made of the school’s respite centre and students say that the support they receive there helps them to remain on track.  Students know how to keep safe and are aware of different forms of bullying, such as racist and homophobic name calling. They are clear that this is not acceptable. Students say that there are few instances of bullying and that they are very clear about whom to turn to if this happens.  The overwhelming majority of parents and carers agree that their children are safe and that behaviour is managed effectively.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher provides outstanding leadership and his vision and energy are shared with the wider leadership team. The headteacher’s leadership has been a significant factor in the outstanding progress of students since the last inspection.  The headteacher is exceptionally well supported by other senior staff and the governors. He has created the conditions for staff to thrive, giving significant responsibility for developing the academy to a range of staff, including middle managers, advanced-skills teachers and teaching assistants. This is resulting in high-quality mechanisms for ensuring the outstanding progress of students.  The academy’s own electronic monitoring system provides timely and appropriate information about the progress of students and helps the school to identify strengths and weaknesses. The information is used intelligently by all staff and has been a significant factor in the rapid progress

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The leadership and management are outstanding

of students. The programme is being shared with other schools across the country.  The academy has very rigorous systems for identifying outstanding practice. It ensures that best practice within the school and fresh ideas from external providers are widely shared.  The curriculum meets the needs of students, all of whom have plenty of chances, both in lessons and activities outside school hours, to develop social skills and independence.  The impact and legacy of the sports specialism are considerable. The academy has been highly commended in the Youth Sport Trust’s sporting innovation awards. Sport strongly supports school improvement, raising achievement for a group of students who used the fitness suite as an incentive to prepare for examinations. The academy allocates one physical education teacher per day to its feeder primary schools to develop their physical education provision. The academy

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The leadership and management are outstanding

took 660 students and staff to the Paralympic Games, the largest school group in the world.  The academy provides high-quality opportunities for students’ spiritual, social, cultural and moral development. This is evident in all aspects of school life and is underpinned by planning at all levels. The academy’s aspirational values are encapsulated in its PRIDE code. Students have opportunities to develop self-confidence, both in lessons and elsewhere, and credit is given to them for working together effectively and for showing evidence of equality.  The academy has strengthened the leadership of the sixth form. There is now a sharper focus on the quality of the provision and on planning to ensure greater challenge. More regular monitoring, followed up by targeted support, means that students’ progress in the sixth form is improving.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is highly effective. Governors use their wide-ranging skills to provide

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The leadership and management are outstanding

outstanding support. They challenge senior leaders regularly about the academy’s performance and make extensive use of the information provided through the academy’s data system. Governors know about the quality of teaching and are clear how this is linked to performance management, promotion and salary progression. They are very well aware of how extra finance of the pupil premium is spent and evaluate the impact of extra staff and resources on the progress students make. Governors contribute knowledgeably to discussions about students’ progress. The governing body ensures that all its statutory obligations are met.

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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 137707 Local authority Not applicable Inspection number 402767

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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 converter 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 1,348 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 131 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Roland Roberts Headteacher Billy Downie Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 0121 353 2709 Fax number 0121 353 0212 Email address postbox@thestreetlyacademy.co.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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