Derby Pride Academy

Derby Pride Academy 20 Orient Way, Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8BY

p.1

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 Good 2 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  In the short time that students attend the academy, their academic achievement improves from poor to outstanding.  Students gain qualifications and work-related skills that prepare them well for the future. Last year, all students who left the academy went into education, employment or training.  Students make very rapid progress in improving their behaviour. Many students are re-integrated into their mainstream (commissioning) school after one or two terms in the academy.  The quality of teaching, care and guidance for the students is exceptional. It is very well matched to their individual needs.  Students enjoy coming to the academy and are keen to learn. Most try very hard in lessons.  Attendance is below the average for all schools but improving rapidly.  There is very little disruption to lessons or to the academy’s calm atmosphere as there is little poor behaviour.  Relationships amongst students and between

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

students and staff are excellent.  The safety of students is checked frequently and thoroughly. Action is taken immediately if there is any concern.  Partnership with parents is outstanding. The academy keeps them fully up-to-date on the progress of their children and how they can best provide support.  A well-planned, stimulating curriculum meets both the academic and work-related ambitions of the students.  The academy’s partner organisations, especially a local championship league football club, contribute significantly to a curriculum that highly motivates the students.  The driving force for the academy’s success is the shared vision of the leadership team, governors and key partners who, together, want to improve the life chances of the city’s most challenging young people.  The staff fully support this vision and they work very hard to improve students’ outcomes.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 14 lessons, three of which were taught by staff from the partner football club. In five of the lesson observations, the inspector was accompanied by the executive principal, the associate principal or the assistant vice-principal.  The inspector observed a group of students taking part in an environmental conservation project in a nearby wetland area as part of their citizenship development curriculum.  During lesson observations, the inspector talked to students about their work, heard them reading and looked at their exercise books.  The inspector held discussions with the Executive Principal, the Associate Principal, the Assistant Vice-Principal, the Chair of the Governing Body and a governor representing the partner football club’s Community Trust. The inspector also talked to a parent, a group of students currently attending the academy and a former student.  The inspector read management documents relating to school evaluation, pupils’ progress, the

p.2

Information about this inspection

monitoring of teaching, improvement planning and students’ behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  The inspector took account of 11 inspection questionnaires returned by staff. The online survey, Parent View, was not available to parents for this inspection. The inspector, however, took account of 15 Ofsted questionnaires completed by parents as part of a recent survey conducted by the school.

p.2

Inspection team

John Rutherford, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This is an academy free school. It provides a curriculum specifically designed for students aged 11 to 16 years who have been permanently excluded from their mainstream school or who are at risk of permanent exclusion because of their behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. This is known as an ‘alternative provision’.  The school provides places for 50 students. There are currently 47 students on roll in Years 8 to 11. Students start and leave at all times of the school year. Many return to their commissioning school because their behaviour has sufficiently improved. Over half of the students attend for less than a year. During this academic year, 67 students have attended the academy for a period of time with 20 starting since January 2014.  Students start at the academy following a period of significant disruption to their education.  The majority of students come from Derby City. A small number come from the neighbouring

p.3

Information about this school

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire local authorities. Most students live a considerable distance from the school.  Currently two fifths of the students are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The academy does not receive pupil premium funding for these students. (The pupil premium is extra money provided by the government for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in local authority care and those with a parent in the armed forces).  A quarter of the pupils are from a minority ethnic background, which is broadly in line with the national average for all schools.  Almost all students are supported at school action plus, which may involve support from agencies other than the school itself, because of their behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. A small minority of students are supported with a statement of special educational needs because their behavioural, emotional and social difficulties are combined with significant

p.3

Information about this school

learning difficulties.  The academy opened in September 2012. It is a joint venture between Derby Pride Trust and a local championship league football club’s Community Trust. Derby Pride Trust was established some years ago by Derby Moor Community Sports College as a partnership to raise standards at the college and at a number of nearby primary schools. As well as the schools, the partnership included Derby City National Health Service, Derby City Council, the University of Derby and the football club.  The principal of Derby Moor College (the parent college) is the Executive Principal of the academy. The day-to-day leadership and management of the academy is the responsibility of an Associate Principal who has been seconded from the college and two Assistant Vice Principals.  The academy’s curriculum is taught mostly by teachers who are allocated on a part or full-time basis from the college and by staff from Derby County’s Community Trust.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 To increase the amount of outstanding teaching; all lessons should be planned with a clear and sharp objective for the learning of new skills. All activities in the lesson should be closely focused on this objective.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 When students enter the academy, their achievement is low. Within a term, most are making progress at a rate that is above the average for all schools in reading, writing, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and a wide range of other subjects. They sustain this accelerated progress during their time in the academy and rapidly get closer to the academic levels they should be attaining.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 As a result, over a third of the students gain five GCSEs graded A* to C and this includes English and mathematics for around half of them. This is considerably better than almost all alternative provision settings nationally.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students achieve particularly well in sports-related subjects such as sports leadership and exercise theory, which are taught by specialist staff from the football club. Students are well motivated in these subjects, which contributes to their achievement.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students’ literacy and numeracy skills are extended in a number of subjects, for example when they write about different views on gay marriage, when they analyse graphs about speed or when they evaluate the play, ‘An Inspector Calls’.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Although teachers plan individual learning programmes for each student, they check carefully that no group is falling behind. They can, therefore, show that those students who are eligible for pupil premium and those from minority ethnic backgrounds are benefiting from their programmes as much as all other students.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students with significant learning difficulties make progress at the same rate as other students. This is because the academy meets their needs so effectively by drawing on expertise from the parent college or the student’s commissioning school.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 More-able students are stretched to achieve as much as they can. For example, last year, one student with a very disrupted education up to Year 11, was helped to gain 13 GCSE A*-C qualifications.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 All of the parents who returned an academy questionnaire agree that their children make good progress

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Inspection evidence, school records and students’ achievement indicate that teaching is consistently at least good with much that is outstanding. All parents who returned an academy questionnaire strongly agree that teaching is high quality.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers have high expectations for what the students will achieve. Their lessons are interesting, and often promote learning through challenging problem-solving tasks. Students, therefore, concentrate and work hard. Occasionally, some teaching is not relevant to what the students are intended to learn and this slows their progress.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers plan their lessons using detailed information about each student’s needs and this helps them to adapt their approach so that students rarely fail to learn.  Students say that the main reason for their good progress is the teacher taking time to explain new ideas clearly and without being critical. As a result, they feel confident to ask questions about work they do not understand.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers constantly check students’ work and give them useful feedback on how they can achieve more.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers challenge students to develop skills in solving problems on their own and they do this very effectively. For example, in an out-of-school conservation project, they showed considerable initiative when repairing a wooden path.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers use class discussion very effectively to extend learning, especially in personal development lessons, for example when exploring views on euthanasia, on the impact of racism and on ‘trust’ in the context of current news about violence in schools. Students’ carefully considered opinions show that this work is contributing to rapid progress in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students’ behaviour in lessons and break times is good. Responses to the parent and staff questionnaires indicate that this is generally the case.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 On the few occasions when a student is disruptive in a lesson, the situation is managed very skilfully. Unacceptable behaviour is challenged in a way that does not significantly disrupt the lesson. Most students do not allow one individual’s outbursts to distract them from their work.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 When students meet socially during break times, often with staff, there is a relaxed, calm atmosphere and constructive conversation, for example about the news on television.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 On the inspection questionnaire, staff say that they value the academy’s clear policy for improving students’ behaviour and the way it is consistently applied. The policy has been strengthened by consulting students on which rewards and sanctions mean the most to them. As a result tokens are awarded for good behaviour which students can use to buy extra snacks and they try very hard to earn these.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Compared to all schools, the number of temporary exclusions is high; however, they are only used when poor behaviour poses a risk to safety and they are for a very short period. They are combined with guidance to the student and family, after which the student is given a fresh start. As a result, the incidence of repeat exclusions is reduced.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe is outstanding. Each week, leaders from the academy and the parent college, some of whom have considerable expertise in child protection, review recent information about the students most at risk. Their records show that they immediately take action or involve support services when any potential problem is detected.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students say they feel safe from all forms of bullying. The academy’s record of bullying and racism has very few entries. As a result of guidance from staff, students have a clear understanding of how to stay safe when using the internet or mobile phone. Some students, on their own initiative, have sought advice from a member of staff when they have received a message that has caused them concern.

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The Executive Principal, fully supported by the Associate Principal and Assistant Vice-Principals, set a very clear direction for how the academy will improve the lives of the students. All staff who returned the inspection questionnaire strongly support their leaders. This has contributed significantly to how quickly the academy has reached outstanding overall effectiveness.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The close relationship between the academy and the parent college provides excellent arrangements for the leadership of teaching and the curriculum. It makes available a wide range of expertise to meet the learning needs and aspirations of the ever-changing group of students.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The staff benefit from the training provided by the college as well as that in the academy. Teachers make good use of this, which contributes significantly to the consistency of very effective classroom practice.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Governors representing the college and the partner football club collaborate effectively to ensure consistency in the way that the performance of all adults working with students is appraised and improved where necessary.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Academy leaders use a very well-designed, rigorous approach to monitoring the quality of teaching and students’ progress. They use the information from this very effectively to guide teachers on how they can improve students’ achievement further.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Although staffing in the academy is flexible, the Principal and Assistant Vice-Principals are there permanently and ensure consistency in provision. In their own work with students they set a very good example to other members of staff.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The collaboration between Derby Pride Trust and the partner football club’s Community Trust has made available to the academy a range of partnerships that help it to provide an exceptional curriculum. The increased access to sports-related activities, work-based experiences, community projects, mentors and experts enables staff to design a curriculum for each student that is highly motivational and directly relevant to their ambitions for future education and work. It also brings students into contact with a range of services which provide them with good guidance about their health and well-being.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Parents who responded to the academy questionnaire are strongly supportive of the academy’s leaders and they particularly appreciate the open communication they have with staff. As one parent said, summarising the comments of many; ‘There is regular talk between the academy and myself on ways to help my child’.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is very keen that the academy succeeds in improving the lives of young people in vulnerable circumstances. They, therefore, have good systems in place to assure themselves that the quality of teaching and students’ outcomes are as good as they can be. They are helped in this by clear and accurate information from the academy. This enables them to plan effectively and provide resources for improving students’ outcomes further. Performance management is used effectively to reward good teaching and tackle any performance which is less than good.  The governing body includes members who have the necessary skills to keep the academy on a sound business footing with effective financial arrangements.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 138277 Local authority Derby Inspection number 424932

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

School details

Type of school Secondary School category Academy free school Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 47 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Will Ingleby Principal Wendy Whelan Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01332 349616 Fax number 01332 224611 Email address w.whelan@derbymoor.derby.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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 and 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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9