Bosworth Academy

Bosworth Academy Leicester Lane, Desford, Leicester, LE9 9JL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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 achieve well and the progress of different groups of learners is improving rapidly.  The proportion of students attaining five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, rose sharply in 2013 and is above average.  The sixth form is good. Standards in most programmes and courses are high and students make good progress.  Most teaching is good and some is outstanding. Teachers and senior leaders work very hard to improve skills and provide great learning opportunities for their students.  The behaviour of students both in and out of lessons is good. They have a positive attitude to learning and in almost all lessons show real determination to do well.  The academy provides a safe learning environment for its students. They say they feel safe and show a good understanding of how to remain safe.  The Principal and senior staff have a clear view about how the academy will continue to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improve. They are determined to keep improving the quality of teaching so that their students receive the best education possible.  The governing body is highly effective. It knows the academy well and shares the same high expectations for students’ performance as the senior leadership team.  Provision for the students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching is not yet good or better in all lessons.  Sometimes, teachers do not question students skilfully enough or provide them with sufficient guidance on how to improve their work.  Students' performance in a few subjects is not quite as good as in others. This is because some subject leaders are not as rigorous as others in checking student progress or the quality of teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed parts of 44 lessons, of which 29 were joint observations with senior leaders. The team also made a number of shorter visits to lessons in order gain evidence of the quality of support for disabled students and those who have special educational needs and how well tutor time is used.  They held discussions with students, senior leaders, teaching staff and representatives of the governing body.  The inspection team checked students’ books as well as a range of documents, including the academy’s self-evaluation and information about students’ progress. Inspectors also looked at documents relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  In planning and carrying out the inspection, the inspection team considered the 108 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as the academy’s own staff and student surveys.

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Inspection team

Keith Thomas, Lead inspector Additional Inspector David Stockwell Additional Inspector Helen Booth Additional Inspector Dorothy Martin Additional Inspector Rosemary Barnfield Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Bosworth Academy converted to become an academy school in April 2012. When its predecessor school, Bosworth Community College, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average secondary school.

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Information about this school

 Most students are from White British backgrounds with about 13% from a range of other ethnic groups.

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Information about this school

 The proportions of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are broadly average.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of students who speak, or are believed to speak, English as an additional language is below average.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of students who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for specific students, including those known to be eligible for free school meals and in the care of the local authority) is below average.

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Information about this school

 A small number of students attend off-site provision at Learnfit, Trans4m, YEP! and Burbage and Hinckley Independent Centre (BHILC) where they study courses to help with work related skills and to build confidence in numeracy and literacy.

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Information about this school

 Bosworth Academy is a member of the Leicester Teaching School Alliance (LeTs).

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum levels expected for students’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Use the examples of outstanding practice in the academy to make sure that all teaching is good or better by:  improving the quality of teachers’ marking so that students are clearer about what they need to do to improve their work  ensuring all teachers use questions effectively to test students' understanding and to challenge students of all abilities to think more deeply about their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement further by:  making sure that all subject leaders use information from monitoring activities to identify any issues in students' progress, teaching and learning, and ensure these are tackled swiftly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students begin Year 10 with skills and knowledge which are broadly average for their age. Due to a relentless focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning and careful checking of students’ progress, the percentage of students’ achieving five or more higher grades at GCSE, including English and mathematics, rose sharply in 2013 and is above average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Higher proportions of students than nationally make expected progress, or better than expected progress, in English. These proportions are improving strongly in mathematics. Most students, irrespective of their ethnic group, or whether English is an additional language, are making good progress. More able students do well in English. Evidence from lesson observation and students’ work, indicates that this is increasingly the case in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In a number of subjects, achievement in 2013 was not as strong as in others. Senior leaders have been quick to respond and current data shows that this situation is improving. Lesson observations and scrutiny of students’ work also indicate that gaps in the performance of different subjects are narrowing. However, some differences remain.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The academy promotes reading strongly and students say that are encouraged to read widely. The library is a well-used resource and has innovative features such as the Year 11 book group. In tutor time, students are encouraged to discuss books they are currently reading or have read which encourages lively debate.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There are very good systems in place to monitor the progress of all year groups and in all subjects. This enables teachers to use this information in their planning and ensures that, where students are in danger of under-achieving, they are given timely support with their learning which is having a positive impact on the progress they make.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled students and those with special educational needs are quickly identified and well supported resulting in improvements in their learning. Visits to lessons by an inspector and the special educational needs co-ordinator, showed that these students are well supported in class, play a full part in lessons and make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Additional funding to support the achievement of students eligible for the pupil premium is used effectively. There are some innovative uses of funds which includes a social mobility task force made up of teaching and support staff to develop opportunities for the most disadvantaged students across the academy. In 2012, eligible students were about one and a half GCSE grades behind their peers in English and one and two thirds of a grade in mathematics. This was reduced to one grade in 2013. Current progress data shows that the school is on track to halve this gap in this year’s GCSE examinations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A small group of students were entered for GCSE mathematics in November 2013. These were more able students who received the highest grades and have begun A-level studies early.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The achievement of the few students who attend off-site provision is good. Their progress is checked carefully and shows that their achievement at their off-site provision also has a positive effect on their performance at the academy.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in the sixth form is good. Pass rates are improving steadily and current information suggest that this trend will continue this year. Staff monitor the progress of students very carefully and tutors are swift to intervene when necessary. Students say they value this support and are confident of achieving their expected grades. They also say they would recommend the sixth form to others.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most teaching is good and some is outstanding which results in students making good progress in lessons and over time. It is also responsible for a significant rise in attainment.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Assessment data is used well in teachers’ planning to make sure that students are working at the correct level and are encouraged to push themselves.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of their students and targets are demanding. Students know this, they say that are challenged to achieve the targets and are given the correct support to do so. Students also benefit from good quality feedback. They say their work is always marked quickly and generally helps them in their learning although, in a few cases, teachers’ comments do not contain enough specific information about how students might improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In most lessons, questions are skilfully constructed so that teachers can accurately assess how well students have understood. Questioning also makes students think for themselves and arrive at their own solutions and conclusions. For instance in a Year 10 religious studies lesson, students were asked to consider why people believe in God. The teacher’s questioning was carefully designed to check that all students had a clear grasp of the issues involved and were able to contribute to a mature and high level discussion. In a few lessons however, questions were not well enough constructed to properly test students’ understanding or promote better thinking and, therefore, learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers provide students with ample opportunity to work successfully individually, in pairs and in groups depending on which is most suited to the lesson content. For example, in a Year 13 art lesson students showed good personal research skills in preparation for an examination, they were also able to collaborate with a partner to share ideas and extend each other’s thinking.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are well deployed in lessons. They are skilled at judging when students need individual help or when to support the class generally. As a result students who need extra help benefit from support which balances the need for one-to-one support and promoting their ability to work on their own.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make sure that they provide interesting and challenging activities so that there is always a high level of engagement. Good relationships are evident in lessons and a positive climate for learning is a key feature of the academy.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the sixth form is at least good and some is outstanding. Teachers have good subject knowledge and are well prepared to support students to manage the demands of post-16 courses. They promote a learning environment in which students flourish and become confident in facing the challenges posed by sixth form study.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The behaviour of students is good. Their attitudes to learning are positive in almost all lessons. Students say that disruption in lessons is rare.  Students arrive to lessons on time, properly equipped and ready to learn. They understand the dress code and, with few exceptions, adhere to it. When staff point out the exceptions, students respond quickly and make the necessary adjustments.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The academy is an orderly environment in which students get on well with each other, are respectful to staff and welcoming to visitors. Relationships across the school are strong.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Rates of exclusion are low. This is the result of the academy’s good systems to promote and manage good behaviour. There are clear examples of the academy working successfully with students who experience difficulties in managing their behaviour, so that they are able to continue to achieve in line with their potential.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The majority of parents who completed the Parent View questionnaire agreed that the school makes sure that its students are well behaved.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The academy’s work to keep its students safe and secure is good. Students say that their school is safe. They also say that bullying is rare and that staff deal with it quickly when it does occur. They are aware of the different types of bullying which might take place including cyber and homophobic bullying and how to use the internet safely.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The academy’s records show that bullying is infrequent and is always resolved. Parents agree that the academy deals effectively with bullying.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Attendance has been low in the past but the academy has worked hard to reduce absence for instance, by appointing an attendance improvement officer and raising the profile of attendance in tutor time. As a result, attendance rates are improving strongly. The attendance of the small group of students who attend off-site provision is good and is monitored closely.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Sixth form students have a positive approach to their learning and how they conduct themselves around the academy. They are encouraged to be involved in the development of the academy by joining groups such as the Student Forum and the Student Learning Group.

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The leadership and management is good

 The Principal has developed a strong leadership team which has a clear understanding of challenges the academy must take on to continue to be successful. This is also true of most middle leaders who play an important part in ensuring that leadership is effective at all levels.

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The leadership and management is good

 The roles of subject leaders are developed well through a coaching model which they say begins with the Principal modelling best practice and which spreads down. They describe a good balance between being monitored by senior leaders and being autonomous. Subject leaders speak with pride about their school and their departments and, importantly, they say that the motto, ‘be better than you thought you could be’, applies to staff as well as students.

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The leadership and management is good

 In the strongest subjects, regular meetings are held where the information gained from lesson observation and data collection about student performance is used to identify the improvements needed to ensure all students achieve well. In some cases, subject leaders are still developing their roles and not making enough use of data analysis, and checking of lessons and books to help raise achievement further.

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The leadership and management is good

 Senior leaders are well regarded by parents who agree that the academy is well led and managed. Self-evaluation is rigorous and accurate. It displays a clear understanding of the academy’s strengths and where improvement is needed. The academy promotes equality of opportunity effectively and discrimination is not tolerated in any form.

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The leadership and management is good

 The academy provides a range of courses that are broad and balanced and include opportunities both in and out of class and across a range of subject and activities. There are opportunities for the most and least able to thrive and care is taken to celebrate the achievement of all.

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The leadership and management is good

 The academy’s values and principles are strongly promoted through tutor time where students are encouraged to reflect in some of life’s deeper issues through activities such as the 'word of the week' and the 'question of the week'. A carefully planned programme of assemblies is linked to these activities so that students may consider them in both small and larger groups.

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The leadership and management is good

 Helpful advice is provided for students relating to careers and courses available to them upon leaving the academy. They say that they feel well prepared to move to the next stage of their education or training.

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The leadership and management is good

 The appraisal system for teachers is rigorous and any underperformance is tackled quickly and effectively. A good programme of professional development and training ensures that teachers have good opportunities to address weakness and develop new skills. Teachers actively seek these opportunities and are keen to benefit from the good quality feedback provided by senior leaders.

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The leadership and management is good

 The academy has had little recent contact with the local authority, however, it is an active member of the Leicester Teaching School Alliance (LeTs). This offers access to a rigorous school improvement network which, for instance, provides external validation of the academy’s self- evaluation.

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The leadership and management is good

 The good leadership and management of the sixth form display the determination to develop the quality of provision needed by its students. This has resulted in improvement in the range and quality of courses and programmes provided and to the progress students make.

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The leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school:  Governors know the academy well. They are highly ambitious for their students’ achievement and determined that students will become 'fit and proper' members of society. Committees are well structured and efforts are made to make sure members with appropriate knowledge and skills are placed where they can be most effective. This ensures that governors question and challenge leaders well. The impact can be seen in the improvements that are being made in many aspects of the academy’s work.  The training governors undertake means that they ably support the work of the academy in important areas such as safeguarding and analysing data on students’ achievement. They know where the academy needs to improve and can explain how this is to be achieved. For instance, they understand how pupil premium funding is used, by how quickly the gap between eligible students and others is closing and how what further work needs to be done.

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The leadership and management is good

 Governors scrutinise all pay progression information and, with the Principal, make sure that increases in pay for teachers are approved, only when objectives set against improved outcomes for students have been met.  Governors have personal performance objectives and are well placed to continue playing their effective role in setting, as they do, the academy’s strategic direction in collaboration with the Principal, staff and students.

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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 137969 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 440686

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Academy converter School category Non-maintained Age range of pupils 14–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1311 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 420 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Iain Kinnis Principal Chris Parkinson Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01455 822841 Fax number 01455 828194 Email address office@bosworthacademy.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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