William Lovell Church of England Academy

School report William Lovell Church of England Academy Main Road, Stickney, Boston, PE22 8AA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Students' achievement is good. They enter the academy with standards which are below and often well-below average. Current standards in Year 11 indicate attainment is average, which represents good progress. The development of students' literacy and numeracy skills is especially good.  Disabled students and those who have special educational needs achieve well because of the effective support they receive.  Teaching is mainly good and there is some outstanding practice. Teachers are patient, knowledgeable and encouraging, and set clear goals for students’ achievement. As a result, students understand their work and respond well in lessons.  The pupil premium has been used effectively to help students who are eligible for it. The gap between their attainment and that of their classmates has narrowed.  Students' behaviour is good both in lessons and around the academy. All staff promote

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

positive relationships. Consequently, students feel safe, display positive attitudes and show commitment to their learning. They are respectful to one another, their teachers and other adults.  Students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The academy provides well for this and is particularly successful in developing their social confidence.  Leaders and governors have secured key improvements in teaching and achievement in the period since the academy opened. They have an accurate view of the quality of education provided and remaining areas for development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a few lessons, time is not used well. Teachers talk for too long which prevents students from taking a lead in their learning.  Homework is not always set consistently, so some students miss an opportunity to learn as well as they can.  Sometimes, teaching does not challenge all students, especially the more able, to work and learn at the highest levels of which they are capable, or at a more appropriate pace.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 26 lessons taught by 21 teachers. Ten lessons were jointly observed with senior leaders.  Inspectors carried out shorter observations when they visited an assembly and tutorial periods.  Meetings were held with students, subject leaders, members of the governing body, an education adviser and senior leaders.  Students’ work was scrutinised during lesson observations.  Inspectors studied several documents including the academy's improvement plans, policies, department reviews, minutes of the governing body, assessment information and a self- evaluation form.  Inspectors took account of 29 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), the academy's parent-and-student surveys and further considered 40 responses to questionnaires completed by staff. Inspectors received correspondence from one parent during the inspection.

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Inspection team

David Turner, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Christopher Teal Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 William Lovell Church of England Academy is a smaller-than-average secondary school.  The school converted to become an academy school in September 2012. When its predecessor school, William Lovell Church of England School was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good.  There have been no published sets of examination results for the academy since it opened.  The vast majority of students are of White British heritage while a very small number come from several minority ethnic groups. The number of students who speak English as an additional language is low but increasing, especially for those who are from the European Union.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is slightly below average. The pupil premium is additional funding provided by the government for students looked after by the local authority, those known to be eligible for free school meals and

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Information about this school

those whose parents are serving in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs receiving support through school action is above average. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well-above average.  A very few students are taught in alternative provision outside the academy, at Boston College and Pilgrim's Hospital, Boston.  The academy offers a breakfast club which is the responsibility of the governing body.  The academy meets current government floor standards, which are the minimum expected for students' attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise students’ achievement by making more teaching outstanding by :  ensuring time is managed well in all lessons, by teachers avoiding talking for too long and allowing students more opportunities to take their learning further for themselves  ensuring that improvements for the setting of homework are continued.  increasing the level of demand in lessons, so that students, particularly those of higher-ability, are always provided with opportunities to extend their knowledge and skills at a pace which is suitable for them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students are achieving well at this academy. As William Lovell is a new academy, there are no published examination results at this point. Inspectors found students start at the academy with standards that are below and often well-below average. Strong evidence from the inspection shows that students in Year 11 are likely to achieve results that are in line with those achieved nationally last year and this represents good progress from their starting points.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Information about students’ progress is regularly collected and studied. This helps leaders and teachers plan how to support those students who may be at risk of falling behind by providing extra help in lessons and through revision sessions.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students' achievement in English is good because they are well supported to improve their literacy skills from the time they enter the academy. Reading is actively encouraged and students read well given their different starting points. As a result, they become more skilled and confident when speaking, reading, writing and spelling.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students’ achievement in mathematics is good because of the careful attention paid to the development of their numeracy skills. They gain confidence in mathematics because they are taught how to apply rules and knowledge in a sensible order. They are given interesting opportunities to use their numeracy skills in real-life situations. They are also supported to apply these skills in subjects which include science, design and technology, history and geography.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The academy makes use of early entry for GCSE mathematics. There are no published results at this stage, but robust evidence gathered during the inspection confirms this policy has been of benefit to all students, including the more able, who have been entered early.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled students and those who have special educational needs achieve well and their progress is similar to that of other students. They achieve well because they are carefully assessed when they join the academy and receive effective support to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. In some lessons, inspectors observed exceptional progress among these students.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress is good and, sometimes, exceptional among those Year 7 students who are eligible for additional help with reading as part of the government's catch-up premium for readers. Teaching is helping them make accurate use of the sounds that letters and words make (phonics).

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The achievement of students who are educated off-site in alternative provision is good in relation to their circumstances. The academy closely monitors their attendance, progress and welfare and works effectively with off-site providers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The impact of pupil premium is good. Those students supported by pupil premium funding are making good progress because of effective targeting of resources and additional teaching. In September 2012, the gap between their attainment and that of other students was around six terms behind in both English and mathematics but these gaps have narrowed across the year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of students of minority ethnic heritage who speak English as an additional language is good because they are assessed correctly at the point that they join the academy and provided with teaching that is well suited to their abilities as learners.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most teaching is good and there is a small proportion which is outstanding. This is why students’ achievement is good. There are a few examples of teaching which requires improvement, but these have reduced since the academy opened. No inadequate teaching was seen during the inspection.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Inspectors were joined by senior leaders in over a third of the lessons they observed. They agreed about the quality of teaching and inspectors believe the academy is accurate in the way it judges teaching.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Relationships are usually very good, time is used well and all students are challenged and supported by the use of effective questioning techniques. Teachers are knowledgeable about their subjects and use assessment information to plan activities which are demanding for all students. For example, expert subject knowledge and very thoughtful planning in a Year 8 mathematics lesson meant all students could develop their own convincing definitions for mathematical concepts and apply them to real-life questions about manufacturing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make use of good questioning to challenge, promote learning and check how well students understand their work before moving on to new activities. In a Year 9 mathematics lesson about bearings and navigation, the teacher's questioning cleared up some misunderstandings so students were ready to tackle the next task with confidence.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Literacy skills are taught well in English and other subjects, including mathematics, geography, history and design and technology. Activities keep students interested and encourage them to be creative. One good example was a Year 7 geography lesson, where students were asked to imagine they were a river and explain their story as they made the journey from source to sea, using personification techniques and good connective words.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In a small number of lessons seen, teachers talk for too long and activities do not always challenge the more-able students. In these situations, the ineffective use of time and planning of learning reduce opportunities for students to take their learning on as far and as deeply as they are capable of doing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Homework has not always been set consistently well during the current year and this reduces the achievement of some students. However, at the time of the inspection, there is firm evidence that use of homework is improving. However, what students are set is not always checked carefully enough by leaders and managers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is taught effectively. Additional support is put in place for low-ability readers in Year 7 and all students are encouraged to read across different subjects. Inspectors saw good reading in design and technology, geography and history, as well as in English. One outstanding example was a Year 7 geography lesson where students demonstrated highly effective comprehension skills when studying the effects of flooding on the town of Cockermouth.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching for disabled students and those who have special educational needs is consistently good. Work is well matched to their abilities and challenging. Teaching assistants support them but encourage them to be self-reliant.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The assessment of students' learning helps them achieve well. Marking is effective in helping students know how to improve and students are expected to respond to teachers’ comments. There are a few instances where this does not happen as well as it could. Students have also been taught to compare each other’s work, which helps them learn new ways in which they can improve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students' behaviour is good. All staff pay considerable attention to building students' confidence and promote very high expectations. The academy's key message of Believe, Achieve, Succeed and Enjoy (BASE), unites staff and students and brings the community together to work and learn.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students behave well in lessons and around the academy. They are polite and respectful to one another and their teachers. They arrive for lessons on time and ready to learn. Students respond particularly well in those lessons where they are required to tackle challenging work by themselves or in groups. In a few lessons, they do not have the chance to show their best learning behaviour because teaching does not give them the opportunity.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students feel safe at the academy and have full confidence in asking for help from staff in the event of personal difficulty. Bullying of any type is rare and students strongly believe it is tackled swiftly when it happens.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The academy is a calm and orderly environment. Students take responsibility for their behaviour and require little supervision from teachers. A good example is the way in which mobile telephones and other personal devices are not used in lessons or around the site.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Teachers encourage students to take up leadership positions and give to the community. Students show pride by their contributions. Older students show responsibility as prefects, set a good example and help younger students when they have problems. Students serve on the academy council and support local environmental causes and British soldiers who are currently based abroad.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The vast majority of parents are right to agree that behaviour is well managed at the academy. Likewise, the same proportion believes students are safe.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is below average but is improving owing to quick and effective follow-up work when absence occurs. The effects of adverse winter weather, decisions to remain open and widespread seasonal sickness have had a disproportionate effect on attendance figures. Students’ attendance and punctuality during the inspection were good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The academy has worked extremely hard with students and their families to avoid exclusions, and these occasions are reducing. Effective steps are being taken to support students who struggle to behave well in mainstream classes and help them to improve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students who attend alternative off-site provision attend as well as they possibly can and achieve well.

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The leadership and management are good

 School self-evaluation is accurate. Led by a strong and determined headteacher, senior leaders ensure improvement planning and activities are focused on the correct priorities of even better teaching and students’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders' understanding of the area served by the academy is a considerable strength. Teaching, pastoral systems and the curriculum are organised to build students’ confidence and ensure they make good progress from their starting points when they enter the academy.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching has improved since the academy opened. Most teaching is good but there is a small proportion that still requires improvement, which is why leadership is not yet outstanding. Accurate evaluation of teaching and findings from observations are used to plan effective professional development for all staff. Teachers receive support and coaching from colleagues and teachers based in other schools with whom the academy shares expertise.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders are effective. They have been supported and challenged to improve the quality of education. Heads of subjects offer intelligent evaluations of key strengths and areas which remain in need of development. They are firmly held to account for the progress of students.

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The leadership and management are good

 Systems for managing and improving the performance of staff are thorough. Teachers know they are responsible for the progress of the students they teach. Promotion and additional pay are not automatic and leaders monitor the review system carefully, where rewards are linked to how well students’ achieve.

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The leadership and management are good

 Provision for students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Students are offered a good variety of experiences but it is the development of their confidence which is a significant feature of their growth into well-adjusted young people. Their growing confidence in what they can achieve gives them better prospects for their future working lives and role as citizens.

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The leadership and management are good

 The range of subjects on offer is broad and balanced and supports good achievement, especially for students' literacy and numeracy. Vocational pathways organised for students provide good learning opportunities for all. Learning is enriched by the range of activities offered at lunchtime and after school. The academy is actively tackling areas of inconsistency in the setting of homework, but arrangements are not yet fully secure.

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The leadership and management are good

 The academy commissions an external school-improvement service which offers regular and effective support whenever it is needed.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding procedures are well managed and meet all statutory requirements. All staff are trained appropriately in safeguarding, safer recruitment and child protection.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors show dedication to their work and are closely involved in the life of the academy. They visit regularly and have an accurate view of students' achievement because they understand student-performance data and know the quality of teaching. Governors are well informed about how the academy manages staff performance and make sure that pay is linked to students’ achievement and progress. They also check that additional funding from the pupil premium improves the achievement of those students for whom it is intended. As a result of their work, they are able to hold leaders to account for the academy’s performance. Governors ensure all legal requirements 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 138756 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 413426

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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 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 483 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Monica Everard Headteacher Andrew Fulbrook Date of previous school inspection 22 September 2009 Telephone number 01205 480352 Fax number 01205 480398 Email address William.lovell@stickney.lincs.sch.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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