Setting

Mr David Hooker Principal Djanogly City Academy Sherwood Rise Nottingham Road Nottingham NG7 7AR

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Djanogly City Academy

Following my visit with David Wolfson and Andrew Vind, Additional Inspectors, to your school on 17–18 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 school’s previous monitoring inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Djanogly City Academy

The inspection was the fourth monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in November 2013. 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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Special measures monitoring inspection of Djanogly City Academy

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

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Djanogly City Academy

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

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Djanogly City Academy

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that the academy may appoint newly qualified teachers.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Djanogly City Academy

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 State, the Chair of the Local Governing Body, the DfE Academies Advisers Unit, the Education Funding Agency and the Director of Children’s Services for Nottingham. 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 9169 Direct email : mathew.mitchell@serco.com Yours sincerely

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place in November 2013

 Make teaching consistently good or better by ensuring that: − teachers show consistently high expectations of what all students can achieve in lessons through always insisting on the highest standards of work and behaviour − lessons proceed at a suitably brisk pace so that students can learn quickly − assessment data are used consistently across all year groups, including in the sixth form, to match work to the learning needs of all students, including the most able and those who find learning difficult − questioning is used to provide challenge to students, to that they are able to think deeply and make more rapid gains in their knowledge and understanding − teachers mark students’ work regularly to give clear advice about how to improve it, and provide enough time for students to respond.

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place in November 2013

 Raise achievement throughout the academy, and particularly in English, mathematics and science, so that standards are at least in line with national averages by: − rigorously checking in lessons that all students are making accelerated progress, especially students supported through pupil premium funding, disabled students and those who have special educational needs − ensuring that all sixth-form students are placed on courses that match their levels of ability.

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place in November 2013

 Improve behaviour and attendance by: − setting clear and consistent expectations for students’ behaviour and conduct − ensuring that all students engage fully in learning in lessons − providing more effective support for students at risk of exclusion − reducing rates of absence and particularly the number of students who are persistently absent by working closely with their families to raise awareness of the importance of full attendance

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place in November 2013

 Strengthen the effectiveness and impact of leadership, by ensuring that: − a permanent headteacher is appointed as soon as possible to lead the development of the academy − the progress teachers make towards the individual targets set to improve their skills is checked rigorously − all those responsible for leading and managing subjects are appropriately skilled and have a good impact on improving achievement, teaching and behaviour − the progress made by different groups of students is checked accurately across all subjects so that teachers can use this information to help speed up their learning − academy policies in relation to managing students’ behaviour are put into practice consistently.

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place in November 2013

Ofsted will make recommendations for action on governance to the authority responsible for the school. 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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Evidence

Inspectors observed 26 lessons, some of which were jointly observed with senior leaders. They met with a range of academy staff including: the Principal and Vice- Principal, subject leaders, pastoral leaders, the coordinator for special educational needs, the coordinator for English as an additional language, six teachers with no responsibility positions, the head of sixth form and the Chair of the Djanogly Learning Trust. The lead inspector interviewed the Chair of the Governing Body by telephone. Inspectors interviewed groups of students from across the main school. They spoke informally with students and observed their behaviour during lunch and break times and between lessons. Inspectors also carried out a scrutiny of students’ work. Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including: the latest students’ assessment data, departmental action plans, minutes of governing body meetings, behaviour and attendance logs, and records in relation to safety and child protection.

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Evidence

The lead inspector considered the progress made in addressing the key recommendations that were identified in the previous inspection report, with the exception of the recruitment of a substantive Principal, as this was addressed at the previous monitoring visit.

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Context

Since the last monitoring visit, the academy has recruited two mathematics teachers and three English teachers; some will commence their employment next term and others at the start of the new academic year. A director of literacy has been appointed, and she will take up her post in September. An inclusion manager was recruited and commenced employment at the academy at the start of February.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Leaders have carried out a range of careful and well thought-out moderation activities to validate teachers’ assessments of students’ work. As a result, teachers’ current assessments of students’ progress, and predictions for attainment in English and mathematics, are much more reliable than in the past. Forecast data suggest that there will be an upward trend in attainment for both English and mathematics. The rate of students’ progress in mathematics is rapid. However, recent very poor mock examination results indicate that students are not doing as well in science. In order to improve the outcomes for students in their option subjects, academy leaders have provided extra time for teachers to deliver intensive learning sessions. Early indications suggest that this has made a difference. Revision classes after school, including Saturday sessions, are well attended, and students report that these sessions are helping their learning a lot.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Academy leaders have worked to ensure that funding to support vulnerable groups is spent effectively. The attainment gap between students eligible for the pupil premium and their peers is closing rapidly. The number of students identified as having special educational needs is small; all are making good progress.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

The academy’s students’ progress data at Key Stage 3 is not as reliable as Key Stage 4. This is because a significant proportion of students have no prior attainment information and therefore no validated starting points. This is because many students on roll are new to the country. Many are also at the early stages of learning English. In addition, moderation exercises are not as robust at Key Stage 3. Academy leaders are reviewing the way that they establish the attainment levels of students entering the school mid-year from other countries. A data checking exercise comparing students’ attainment from one term to the next shows that most students are making steady progress, although the most able are not always reaching the standards of which they are capable.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

In the sixth form, most students studying vocational courses are on track to achieve their target grade and are making steady progress. As a result of good progress, those studying A levels have all secured offers from higher and further education institutions, although a small number have not yet secured the required GCSE grade C in mathematics or English. Monitoring and tracking systems of students’ attainment and progress are more robust than last year. The academy has ensured that students’ course choices are now made carefully, based on an appropriate range of assessment information.

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The quality of teaching

There are too many temporary or short-term teachers in the academy. This makes it difficult to achieve consistent, high-quality teaching. In those departments where there has been greater continuity of staffing, the quality of teaching is much better than elsewhere. For example, teaching and learning are consistently good in the mathematics and physical education departments. The quality of teaching in English is improving; it is strong at Key Stage 4. Outcomes for some vocational courses, like hairdressing and barbering, are consistently good, as a result of high-quality teaching and expectations.

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The quality of teaching

Across the academy, teachers are developing their expertise in questioning. Many are now taking into account the different ability groups in their classes and targeting their questions carefully. Where this is successful, students are learning more quickly as a result. However, across the academy, teachers are not yet good at challenging the most-able students to help these students develop their understanding. For example, the whole-academy approach to settling students at the starts of lessons (called the ‘do now’ activities) sometimes hinders progress because these starter activities go on too long. This slows learning, especially for the most-able students. Inspectors noted improved quality and consistency in teachers’ marking and feedback. Teachers mostly adhere to the academy’s marking policy and students value the opportunity to reflect on their mistakes. Where feedback is least successful, students are not provided with specific areas to improve. Some teachers

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The quality of teaching

are still not demanding that students present their work well and keep their books tidily. As a result, their students are turning in sloppy work.

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The quality of teaching

The last monitoring visit identified an urgent need to implement a whole-school literacy strategy due to the poor literacy skills among students. Academy leaders recognise that there is still much work to be done to improve literacy skills across the academy. Teachers are beginning to plan more effectively to improve these skills but at a very basic level; for example, key words are highlighted at the start of the lesson but opportunities are not taken to support students to understand how to structure their work and write using different genres.

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The quality of teaching

The large number of students for whom English is an additional language face particular challenges in accessing the curriculum effectively. For many of these students, the language and cultural references in the texts teachers use in their lessons pose a significant barrier to learning. When teachers consider these issues carefully prior to the lessons, learning is accelerated and students’ confidence is boosted. For example, in GCSE law lessons, students are regularly required to consider and unpick the meaning of the language and phrases in the texts used, especially when words have specific English cultural references which may be alien to many students in the class. As a result, students make rapid progress.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The conduct of students in and around the academy is sensible and orderly. Students overwhelmingly say that behaviour has improved over the last year. Incidents of bullying remain low. While the behaviour policy is well understood by both staff and students, not all staff follow the procedures consistently. This presents a challenge to academy leaders in maintaining high standards of behaviour.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

While most lessons are characterised by students’ high-level engagement and motivation, inspectors also witnessed low-level disruption to some lessons. Students’ poor engagement in these lessons and lack of respect for the academy codes of conduct are closely related to poorer quality teaching. Attitudes to learning by students in Year 11 are consistently exemplary.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Attendance is improving and moving quickly towards national averages. A range of sanctions and incentives is used by the academy, which is making a difference. The high level of exclusions last term has adversely affected overall attendance. Incidents of poor behaviour and exclusions have reduced greatly this term, indicating that leaders are adopting an effective approach to inclusion.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The Principal and Vice-Principal in charge of teaching make a strong team. They continue to drive forward change at a brisk pace, while ensuring sustainable improvements. Work to improve teaching and behaviour is making a difference. Monitoring and evaluation activities by senior leaders are accurate and effective. Senior leaders understand the features of good and outstanding teaching and have identified teachers’ strengths and weaknesses accurately. Staff appreciate the range and quality of professional development activities provided by academy leaders and partners. The Principal is working to recruit high-quality teachers and leaders to fill the high number of vacancies.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Middle leaders, including subject and pastoral leaders, are improving their effectiveness under the close guidance of senior leaders. The mathematics department’s joint leadership is proving most effective because there is a clear vision and robust monitoring and tracking of their students’ progress. Other departments are rightly adopting the successful systems used in mathematics. English teachers are now using prior assessment data more effectively to plan their lessons. Departmental question-level analysis after each test has proved very effective in plugging gaps in students’ knowledge and understanding at Key Stage 4. The coordinator for English as an additional language is growing in confidence and is providing effective support to individual teachers.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Governors and sponsors continue to hold the academy’s leaders to account effectively. During the last monitoring visit, governors were advised to ensure that adequate support of vulnerable students is undertaken to reduce the risk of exclusions. Governors have acted quickly to recruit an inclusion manager; her work with students so far is helping to reduce exclusions. Governors have a good grasp of the key issues facing the academy and have full confidence in the current senior leadership. Governors’ unannounced visits to the academy provide excellent first- hand opportunities for them to check on the work of the school. The Chair of the Governing Body, who also has responsibility for safeguarding, recognises the need for further work in the academy to develop the safety dimension of the curriculum. The academy’s work to prevent possible risks to students, such as extremism and child sexual exploitation, is still at an early stage of development.

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External support

The Torch Academy Gateway Trust (TAGT) continues to support the academy well by providing a range of specialist guidance. This includes supporting the quality assurance of teaching through paired observations and regular monitoring visits. The trust’s links with the Teaching School Alliance has supported the training for newly qualified teachers and literacy leaders. TAGT is developing common assessment frameworks and schemes of work at Key Stage 3. These have proved beneficial for the academy in curriculum development and in standardising its assessments of students’ work. Subject leaders and identified teachers have also benefited from learning from outstanding practitioners. The partnership with TAGT is a huge asset to the academy’s improvement plans. The director of the trust provides weekly mentoring support to the Principal.

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