Setting

Mr Jonathan Sherwin Executive Principal Belvoir High School and Melton Vale Post 16 Centre Barkestone Lane Bottesford Nottingham NG13 0AX

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and Melton Vale Post 16 Centre

Following my visit to your academy on 1 July 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the findings of my visit. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the academy since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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and Melton Vale Post 16 Centre

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the academy was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in May 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During the visit I met with you, the head of school, members of the senior leadership team and members of the Governing Body. I evaluated the academy improvement plan and a range of documentation. This included the academy self- evaluation form, data relating to students’ attainment and progress as well as minutes of recent governing body meetings. The head of school took me on a tour of the academy and we made brief visits to a range of classes.

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Context

Since the previous inspection in May 2013, there have been no significant changes in academy leadership or staffing. Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0121 679 9168 Direct email :beverley.joyner@serco.com

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Main findings

Leaders and managers, including governors, and staff have accepted the findings from the recent inspection. They understand that there are two important things to accomplish: ensuring that teaching in almost all lessons is good or better, and ensuring that students make good progress in every lesson. You and your head of school have a strong sense of purpose and all staff are committed to making this academy a good school.

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Main findings

Following the inspection, an action plan was promptly compiled in order to achieve these two main aims. The priorities in this plan lacked clear summary targets. These were added during the monitoring visit, including numerical targets for teaching and learning, and for students’ progress. This will enable you and your governors to monitor progress more effectively.

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Main findings

We looked at the tracking of students’ progress across the academy and how it is measured. We adapted the current system to measure gains in national curriculum levels (a national measure of attainment) over time to ensure the promotion of good progress across the academy. Therefore, in future, targets will be based on most students gaining at least four national curriculum levels from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4 in each subject. Evaluations of the quality of learning require improvement because the observation process does not take enough account of the students’ progress in lessons. This makes it difficult for you to know if there is sufficient learning happening in each lesson to generate the good progress that is required.

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Main findings

Many actions required for improvement are already underway. These include:  training to improve the quality of teaching  the introduction of a ‘five minute lesson plan’ which sets out the expected learning gains in progressive steps  the introduction of a better system for tracking students’ progress that gives a clear overview of progress across all year groups in the academy  tightening up line management arrangements so that heads of subject are more involved in checking the quality of provision in their area.

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Main findings

Progress in moving forward is impeded by unclear arrangements at governance and senior leadership levels. The roles of the executive principal and head of school are not clear, and the current governance arrangements do not enable a clear overview and accountability of provision across the academy and post 16 centre. At the recent inspection it was recommended that an external review of governance be undertaken. This review has not yet taken place because you have had difficulty in finding the right contact.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. However, the academy should take further action to:  publish summary targets in the action plan so that expectations are clear to all staff and governors  maintain a tight focus on evaluating learning in lessons and student’s progress over time  clarify the roles, responsibilities and management structures for heads of subject, senior leaders, the head of school, executive principal and the governing body  gain an objective view, on a termly basis, of the extent to which the teaching and students’ progress have improved from an external and suitably qualified school improvement adviser  carry out an external review of governance.

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Main findings

Ofsted may carry out further visits and, where necessary, provide further support and challenge to the academy until its next section 5 inspection. I therefore intend to return in the autumn term to meet governors and senior leaders and to check on the progress that the academy is making in relation to the five actions outlined above and their impact on school improvement.

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External support

There is limited external support and the academy does not have a dedicated school improvement partner. This means that the academy does not receive an external view on the quality of its provision and outcomes.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and The Education Funding Agency.

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