Setting

Mr Kevin Unsworth Head of School (acting) Enterprise South Liverpool Academy Heath Road Campus Heath Road Liverpool L19 4TN

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Academy

Following my visit with Patrick Geraghty, Her Majesty’s Inspector and Alan Parkinson, Additional Inspector, to the academy on 9 and 10 March 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions which have been taken since the academy’s previous monitoring inspection.

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Academy

The inspection was the second monitoring inspection since the academy became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in September 2014. The full list of the areas for improvement which were identified during that inspection is set out in the annex to this letter. The monitoring inspection report is attached.

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Academy

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Academy

The academy is making reasonable progress towards the removal of special measures.

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Academy

The sponsor’s statement of action is fit for purpose.

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Academy

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that the academy may appoint newly qualified teachers if a thorough risk assessment is carried out and approval given by the governors. This letter and monitoring inspection report will be published on the Ofsted website. I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566863 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: jbennett@cfbt.com State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Liverpool and as below.

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Associate Inspector

‘Appointed as an Additional Inspector, under the powers relating to additional inspectors, in paragraph 11 of Part 2 of Schedule 12 to the Education and Inspections Act 2006’

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place in September 2014

 Improve teaching and thereby raise standards, particularly in English and

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able and those with special educational needs, by:

 ensuring all teachers adapt their teaching to suit the needs and abilities of their students  making sure all teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve  providing work that is appropriately challenging to the most able students  ensuring all students with special educational needs get the help they need to make good progress  establishing a clear and coherent policy that is followed by all teachers across all subjects to improve students’ basic skills of communication, literacy and numeracy.

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able and those with special educational needs, by:

 Improve students’ behaviour by:  eliminating low-level disruption by ensuring all lessons are suitably engaging  improving attendance and punctuality by working more effectively with parents so that they make sure their children attend regularly and on time.

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able and those with special educational needs, by:

 Improve the overall effectiveness of the sixth form by:  reducing variability across subjects by holding subject leaders more effectively to account for performance in their subject  making sure that all students who do re-sit examinations in English and mathematics at GCSE level achieve this qualification.

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able and those with special educational needs, by:

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by:  embedding procedures to manage the performance of teachers so that underperformance is eradicated  ensuring all heads of department set a good example by communicating high expectations for all students and are held to account more rigorously for teachers’ performance in their area of responsibility  embedding current initiatives to improve the quality of teaching so that all teachers get the help, support and guidance they need to teach all groups of students effectively and, in so doing, raise achievement  improving self-evaluation so that it more accurately reflects the strengths and weaknesses of the school  sharpening the school improvement plan so that it contains clear, measurable success criteria with timescales so that the school can, at regular intervals, see how well it is doing and what still needs to be improved  ensuring that funds available through the pupil premium and the Year 7 catch-up

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able and those with special educational needs, by:

funding are spent appropriately so that all students eligible for this support make better progress  ensuring the curriculum effectively supports the development of students’ basic skills.

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able and those with special educational needs, by:

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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able and those with special educational needs, by:

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the academy’s work, scrutinised documents including minutes of the challenge board meetings. Data pertaining to achievement, attendance and behaviour were scrutinised. Meetings were held with the acting head of school, the acting executive Principal, groups of students, senior and middle leaders, representatives of the governing body, the sponsors and the challenge board to discuss the progress since the last inspection. During the visit, the revised action plan was evaluated. Several learning walks took place and 12 lessons were observed, of which nine were joint observations.

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Context

The headteacher left the academy in December 2014. The vice-Principal was appointed as acting head of school in January 2015 as was the acting interim executive Principal who works in the academy two days each week. Further support is also provided by the headteacher of a local outstanding school; she is a designated Local Leader of Education (LLE)

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Achievement data show that current Year 11 students overall, are predicted to deliver results below the current national floor standards. However, there is compelling evidence that steps taken by the academy to raise achievement are already accelerating the progress of those students who are underperforming. This is due to the stronger emphasis the academy now gives to raising the quality of teaching and learning in lessons rather than putting on remedial catch-up lessons. Inspection evidence shows that the most effective learning takes place in those lessons where teachers draw on data about students’ progress to anticipate and meet their individual needs. Year 10 data also shows a much stronger position as does the information relating to Years 7, 8 and 9. The academy has invested in a new data system which all staff are being trained to use. There are early signs that this is helping teachers to monitor students’ progress

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Achievement of pupils at the school

more effectively and intervene when needed. It also allows leaders and the challenge board to hold teachers to account for their performance.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

The system for setting individual targets for students has also been reviewed. Targets are now more aspirational and teachers plan their lessons in a way that enables students to meet them. This was evident in some of the lessons that were observed and in the quality of marking seen in some students’ books. Students spoken with also felt they were being challenged more.

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The quality of teaching

The improvement in the quality of leadership of teaching and learning is impressive. There is a developing programme of continuing professional development which has a sharper focus on raising achievement. This is accompanied by an increasing focus on analysing and evaluating data, monitoring the performance of different groups of students and closing gaps in achievement. There is good external support in developing training for teachers and there is greater collaboration between teachers and leaders within the school to promote effective teaching and learning. Teaching and learning non-negotiables have been agreed and bought into by all staff. They form the cornerstone of the current training programme for teachers. The 15 minute teaching and learning briefings are well received and teachers are implementing the new strategies, for example, the use of higher-order questioning to deepen students’ subject knowledge, which was seen in many classrooms.

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The quality of teaching

In order to gauge a more accurate view of the overall quality of teaching, leaders have rightly focussed on evaluating the impact of teaching on students’ learning over time. They have drawn effectively on a broader range of evidence to assess where teaching is making a difference and where it needs to be improved more quickly. However, there remains too much variability in the quality of teaching and learning across the academy. Similarly, there remains too much variability in the quality of marking and feedback seen in the students’ books.

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The quality of teaching

Leadership of English is much improved. Data are now used well to plan learning activities for all students. External support has been welcomed and good advice offered has been acted on. As a result, students are making better progress, which is clear when looking at the current data and their work.

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The quality of teaching

This, however, is not the same for mathematics, which remains fragile. Academy leaders are aware of the issues facing the department and are putting in place swift and appropriate support. However, good practice was seen where students, including the most able and those in receipt of pupil premium funding (additional funding provided for those disadvantaged students who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children looked after by the local authority), were challenged and supported to make good progress.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The behaviour of the students has improved since the last monitoring inspection. There is a more purposeful atmosphere in the building. The new behaviour policy is embedding quickly. Students and staff speak positively about the increased focus on behaviour. Students in particular state that there is less disruption to their learning and those students who do interrupt are dealt with quickly dealt. However, the students say that this is not always the case with supply teachers. The academy’s data shows a significant reduction in the number of recorded incidents. The data also highlight hotspots where there are currently unexplained, relatively high levels of requests for senior leader support. This information is not interrogated closely enough to identify the reasons for this. The academy is proposing to close the Dove Centre, where students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties are currently educated. Strategies are

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

not yet in place to ensure that the teachers of these students are aware of their individual needs and are equipped with the skills to support them on their reintegration to the main academy.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Attendance is a concern. It is significantly below the level recorded at the same time last year. Academy leaders need to keep a careful watch on this. The current level of students’ absence presents a significant risk to the success of the academy’s plans for further improvement. This risk was clearly illustrated in a Year 11 lesson where important examination preparation was taking place; five students were absent out of a class of 19.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The post-Ofsted action plan is now fit for purpose. It allows academy leaders, sponsors and governors to judge accurately the progress being made towards the removal of special measures.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Minutes of the senior leadership team and challenge board meetings demonstrate the plan is reviewed regularly and there is clear and appropriate ownership of all areas of the plan.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

A review of the use of the pupil premium funding has taken place. Strategies are being put in place to close the gap in achievement between disadvantaged students and their peers. Lesson observations and data show that these strategies are already having impact on students’ progress and attainment.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

An external review of governance has also taken place. Feedback is expected shortly.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The capacity of leadership to drive improvement has been significantly increased by the appointment of the executive Principal, the new role of the head of school, and the redefining of roles and responsibilities of the wider leadership team. This gives clarity to everyone about who is responsible for what and also means that the level of accountability has increased.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Academy leaders challenge underperformance robustly with the aim to ensure that all students make expected or better progress. Appropriate support plans are in place for those members of staff who need to improve their effectiveness. There is clear evidence that the support plans are bringing about improvement in teaching and learning. The academy-wide development of students’ skills in literacy and numeracy remains a concern. Whilst steps taken to improve literacy are at a more advanced stage than those for numeracy, weak literacy remains a barrier to learning for many students. Not enough has been done to encourage students to read more broadly and for pleasure; the lack of a library or alternative only serves to exacerbate this situation.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The work to develop students’ numeracy has not yet started and this is a worry. A lack of numerical skills prevented Year 11 science students and Year 9 geographers making good progress in two lessons observed.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Academy leaders need to think carefully about the strategic leadership of these two critical areas if they want to make sure the academy moves forward quickly.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Academy self-evaluation is at an early stage of development. School Improvement Liverpool (SIL) is giving strong support in developing the skills of leaders so that, going forward, they will be able to undertake robust and rigorous evaluation of all aspects of the school’s effectiveness.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The reviews and reports that have taken place cover many aspects of provision and, on the whole they are evaluative and identify clear areas for development. The findings are being acted on very quickly and appropriately.

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External support

The support offered by SIL continues to be effective. There is evidence that staff training offered by St John Bosco Teaching School is having a positive impact, particularly on the development of more effective teaching.

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