Setting

Mr Rob Hoddle The Principal Ryde Academy Pell Lane Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 3LN

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Serious weaknesses first monitoring inspection of Ryde Academy

Following my visit to your school on 17 July 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. I am grateful for the time that the academy’s staff made available to discuss the actions which have been taken since the recent section 5 inspection.

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Serious weaknesses first monitoring inspection of Ryde Academy

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the academy was judged to have serious weaknesses following the inspection which took place in April 2013.

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Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with the Executive Principal, the senior leadership team and the Chair of the Governing Body. A telephone conversation was held with a representative from the academy’s sponsor, Academies Enterprise Trust. The lead inspector accompanied the Executive Principal and Vice Principal on a tour of the academy, visiting seven lessons briefly. The sponsor’s statement of action was evaluated. This single plan incorporates the academy’s amended improvement plan.

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Context

The Principal was absent at the time of the monitoring inspection. An Executive Principal has been supporting the academy for two days each week since June. He will continue to provide support during the new academic year. Leadership structures have been revised and some senior leaders are leaving at the end of the term. There is on-going building repair work around the academy site. This work is due to be completed by September. Tribal 1–4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0117 311 5323 Direct email : suzy.smith@tribalgroup.com

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Initially, progress in addressing the key issues identified at the time of the last inspection was too slow. Recent progress has been more rapid and support from the academy’s sponsor has been more decisive. The Executive Principal has helped senior leaders to focus on those areas of the academy’s work that need to improve most urgently. Staff, students and parents and carers have been consulted appropriately when revising policies and planning actions for improvement.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Senior leaders understand their revised responsibilities and the role that they play in driving academy-wide improvements. The governing body is also restructuring for September. Its members will have better defined responsibilities and stronger links to specific senior leaders. This will help them to check the work of the academy more rigorously and hold senior leaders to account. The actions that leaders have taken to ensure that students feel safer and know what to do when problems arise, such as bullying, have begun to have a positive impact on outcomes. Younger students report that they feel safer and there has been a reduction in incidents of poor behaviour. New systems are in place for September. These focus on both rewards and sanctions but will need time to embed before their full impact can be seen.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The sponsor’s statement for action, which incorporates the academy’s amended improvement plan, is fit for purpose and strong in several respects. It is a practical document that leaders and members of the governing body can use to evaluate the impact of their actions. Minor changes to the published success measures are needed so that they include clearer reference to the performance of different groups of students and to the quality of provision across different subjects.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Following the monitoring inspection the following judgement was made.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The sponsor’s statement of action, which incorporates the academy’s improvement plan, is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State and the Chair of the Governing Body. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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