Outwood Academy Brumby

Outwood Academy Brumby Cemetery Road, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, DN16 1NT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The Chief Executive of the Academies Trust, Academy Executive Principal and Principal, are highly ambitious for all students in this rapidly improving school.  Attainment and overall progress across the academy have improved significantly in a very short time.  Most students make overall good progress across Years 7 to 11, especially in English and mathematics. The proportion of Year 11 students attaining five or more good GCSE grades is increasing rapidly. In 2014, it was just above average, and is projected to rise steeply again in 2015.  Leaders concentrate relentlessly on improving teaching. They provide high-quality professional development. As a result, teaching is good.  The vast majority of teachers plan activities that encourage students increasingly to find things out, and think for themselves.  Students with disabilities and those who have special educational needs achieve well. This is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

because adults are fully aware of these students’ needs and provide timely and bespoke support.  Pupil premium is used very successfully to promote achievement of disadvantaged students.  The most able students are challenged appropriately overall, and the proportion attaining the highest GCSE grades is increasing.  Students enjoy coming to school and most behave well. They say how much school life has changed for the better, in recent times, and how exceptionally well cared for and safe they feel.  The school promotes students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. It is enhanced through the many visits and wide range of extra- curricular experiences that help build students’ confidence and self-esteem.  Parents and staff are positive about the school’s work. They say how high students’ aspirations have grown since the inception of the academy.  The school is expertly led by the Principal and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

leaders at all levels. They demonstrate an uncompromising drive to raise achievement even higher.  Trust board members and governors systematically check the performance of the school, through the detailed information they receive.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportions of students making more-than- expected progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 11, albeit rising strongly, are still not high enough.  Occasionally, teaching does not check that all students understand fully, before moving on to other activities.  Occasionally, activities are not modified sufficiently to meet some students’ changing needs, particularly the most able.  A small minority of students are insufficiently motivated to give of their best and respond to teachers’ comments about how to improve further their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 32 different lessons, of which two were joint observations with senior leaders. In addition, inspectors visited five tutor group sessions and one assembly during the school day.  Students’ work was sampled informally in lessons in a wide range of subjects.  Inspectors also reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s own data on current students’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation, minutes of local governing council and academy trust board meetings, records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents pertaining to safeguarding.  Meetings were held with students across Years 7 to 11, governors and school staff, including those with management responsibilities. A discussion also took place with the Chief Executive of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors evaluated the 55 responses of parents to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View) as well

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Information about this inspection

as responses from parents, students and staff to the school’s own questionnaires. Inspectors also took account of the views of 14 members of the school’s staff through the inspection questionnaires they returned.

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Inspection team

Andrew Swallow, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized secondary school.  Most students are of White British heritage. A small minority speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disadvantaged students supported through the pupil premium funding is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding to support those students known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs is above the national average.  In 2014, the school met the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for students’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 11.  A small minority of Key Stage 3 and 4 students are educated off-site, some for part, and some for all, of the school week. They follow courses to help develop their self-esteem, personal and social skills, at the

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Information about this school

Coritani Academy, 7KS and the Darley Centre.  The school converted to academy status in April 2013.  The school receives support from the local authority and from the Outwood Grange Academies Trust.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and student’s progress even further by:  ensuring that all teachers systematically check students’ understanding before moving on to other planned activities  ensuring that all teachers are sufficiently flexible to adjust the planned activities in lessons to meet students’ changing needs  ensuring lessons are sufficiently inspiring to ensure all students always give of their best and respond to teachers’ comments about how to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase further the proportion of students making more-than-expected progress by the end of Year 11 in English and mathematics by:  ensuring that the most able students are always sufficiently stretched to reach challenging outcomes  providing more challenging problem-solving work in mathematics, and developing further the confidence of a minority of students to tackle unfamiliar mathematical questions and to fully explain the reasoning that lies behind their answers  sharpening students’ writing skills in English, especially their use of a wider range of specialist language and punctuation and their sequencing of ideas into more complex sentences and paragraphs.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The Chief Executive of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust, Executive Principal and Principal of the academy are relentless in their pursuit of excellence in all of the school’s work. They convey the highest expectations to parents, students and staff. To date, their ambitions have resulted in a highly successful drive to raise achievement rapidly, and significant improvements in the quality of teaching.  Senior leaders are equally inspired and lead by example. They generate strong commitment from leaders and managers, at all levels, to ensure that students come first in everything that the school does. They have strengthened arrangements for gathering information about students’ progress, and trained teachers to use this information to pinpoint early, and address with increasing success, any underachievement.  The roles and expectations of subject leaders and learning managers have been heightened through high-

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The leadership and management are outstanding

quality professional development. Middle leaders are effective because they check regularly the quality of teaching and its impact on students’ learning and progress over time. They are instrumental in sharing best practice, and in improving aspects of teaching that still require attention.  Middle leaders adopt similarly rigorous approaches to checking regularly the progress, attendance and behaviour of students educated off the school’s site.  An exceptional range of high-quality coaching and training, provided by colleagues across the Outwood Grange Family of Schools, as well as astute support from the local education authority, has significantly improved the quality of teaching, in a short period of time. This has, in turn, resulted in rapid gains in students’ knowledge, skills and understanding.  Searching performance management arrangements underpin all of this work. The Principal has the right

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The leadership and management are outstanding

systems in place to make accurate decisions about teachers’ movement up the salary scale. Robust appraisal procedures ensure that the precise training needs of all teachers are constantly met, and support ongoing improvements in students’ achievement.  The school has a very accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development. Leaders and managers produce detailed plans to improve further the school’s work. For example, they have identified the work still to be done to improve the proportion of students making more-than-expected progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 11, and to improve further the quality of teachers’ assessments in lessons, and the impact of their marking.  Teachers know their students very well. As a result, the school makes sure all have an equal opportunity to achieve success. Gaps in the performance between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students are

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The leadership and management are outstanding

closing substantially across all years. This is evidence of very effective use of pupil premium funding.  The outstanding curriculum meets effectively all students’ needs. A wide range of GCSE courses is delivered across three years, with appropriate vocational and practical learning experiences. As a consequence, the vast majority of students have good literacy and numeracy levels by the time they leave school, and almost all continue into education, training and/or employment.  Regular ‘life’ lessons and religious education experiences, together with well-planned assemblies and an array of visits and visitors, prepare students very well for life in modern Britain. They promote very effectively the importance of democracy, freedom and respect for all individuals, especially for those from different faiths and cultures.  Careers education and advice has a positive impact on choices made by individual students. School leaders

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The leadership and management are outstanding

ensure that all students are afforded impartial and bespoke interviews, which support intrinsically the choices that students make about what they will do when they leave school.  Mixed tutor groups comprising students from all years, opportunities to become students ‘ambassadors,’ peer-mentors and academy councillors, as well an exceptional range of daily enrichment and extra- curricular activities, support very well indeed students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school’s records show that large numbers of students attend regularly the many sporting, musical, drama and dance activities. Overseas visits and outwood bound residentials contribute well to students’ understanding of the importance of equality of opportunity, together with the lifestyles and beliefs of people from different backgrounds. In providing these experiences, the school emphasises the importance of good relations and ensures any discrimination that may arise is tackled decisively.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Safeguarding arrangements are highly effective and meet requirements. School leaders are adept in identifying any students at risk of harm, and engaging with the local children’s safeguarding board and other partners, to respond appropriately.  Parents are supportive of the school. The vast majority believe that their children are well taught, make good progress and achieve well.  The local authority knows the school well. It provides good advice that underpins the school’s highly effective safeguarding arrangements, and encourages school leaders to support improvements across other local schools.  The governance of the school:  Members of the Academy Trust Board and the local governing council carry out their responsibilities most effectively. They receive, and understand, detailed information about students’ progress, attendance and behaviour, as well as the quality of teaching and impact of arrangements to keep

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The leadership and management are outstanding

students safe. This information is used effectively to ask searching questions of school leaders, and to hold leaders to account for improving further the school’s work, and students’ outcomes.  Members of the Academy Trust Board and governors have detailed discussions about major spending decisions, in particular the allocation of pupil premium and Year 7 ‘catch-up’ funding. For example, they have authorised additional staffing and resources to support students’ literacy and numeracy skills development in small groups, and have appointed attendance and educational welfare officers to ensure regular attendance at school. Academy Trust Board members and governors are acutely aware of the impact that these measures have on students’ achievement.  The Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Principal are rigorous in annually reviewing the performance of the Principal, receiving information about the performance targets set for teachers,

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and reviewing potential links with salary progression. The Chief Executive ensures that teachers only receive financial reward if their students reach their progress and attainment targets.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good. Most relate well to one another, and to the many adults who support their work and encourage their personal development.  Students are proud of their school. They show pleasure in wearing their uniform, and are excited about the many positive changes to their daily routines that the academy has brought about. From lesson to lesson, they demonstrate respect and care for the new accommodation and equipment. As a result, there is no graffiti, and little litter.  Students conduct themselves in a mature way at breaks and lunchtimes, in the dining room and when moving between lessons. They are welcoming of visitors and of other students who join the school during the school year, particularly the small minority who speak English as an additional language.  The behaviour of a small minority of students, following courses off the school’s main site, is also good. The school’s information shows that these students attend well, establish positive relationships with their

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Behaviour

teachers and peers, and sustain positive attitudes to their work.  The school’s information indicates that racist incidents are rare, and that incidents of bullying are rapidly falling. Most students feel that any misdemeanours are addressed swiftly and successfully by staff.  Students’ attendance has improved significantly in a short period of time, and the vast majority now attend well.  In a minority of lessons, often where teaching does not meet specifically all students’ needs, a small minority do not persevere fully with their work. Not always do all students respond sufficiently to teachers’ written feedback in their books, and fully stretch themselves.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good.  A team of well trained and dedicated staff are always at hand to offer support to individual students, as well as their families. Links with external agencies are wide-ranging, and provide additional specialist advice when needed.  The school’s ‘life’ lessons are complemented by a well-conceived assembly roster, visits by the police, fire fighters and paramedics, so that students are aware of how to keep themselves and others safe, at all times. Students use the internet confidently and are fully conscious of potential risks posed by emails from unknown people, by conversations using social media, and by the surfing of extreme websites.  Students say that all of the adults look after them well, and that they feel safe in school. Students feel confident in sharing their concerns and problems, because they know that adults and peers will listen

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Safety

carefully, and provide appropriate support.  Governors are regular visitors to the school. They are particularly vigilant in checking that students feel well cared for and safe in their learning. Governors receive appropriate information about the regular checks that school leaders make on the arrangements to ensure the well-being of the small minority of students educated off-site. This information indicates that all health and safety requirements are stringently followed by external providers, and that all students have a named adult to whom they can turn, should they need bespoke support.  The overall responses by parents to Parent View, and to the school’s questionnaires, indicate that parents are satisfied with the levels of care and supervision provided by school leaders for their children.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is improving rapidly. Staff have access to high-quality professional development opportunities from the Outwood Grange Family of Schools, and are enthusiastic about sharing ideas about further improving their work. As a result, students’ achievement has risen rapidly, and they now learn well in almost all subjects.  The vast majority of teachers plan stimulating experiences to motivate students, and foster enjoyment in learning. For example, in mathematics in Year 10, students were engrossed in exploring different shapes to discover which ones would tessellate. They were equally enthused by linking the mathematical concept of tessellation with mosaic patterns in art, tiles and everyday home furnishings. Similarly, Year 8 students were fascinated in analysing the reaction of given metals, in a science lesson, and applying their knowledge to ‘real world’ problems.  The teaching of writing, reading and mathematical skills across all subjects is good.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of reading is good. The vast majority of students read fluently, locating key information accurately, and showing competent inference skills to ‘read between the lines’ and deduce hidden meanings.  The teaching of writing is, in the main, good. Most students write fluently and express themselves clearly and accurately. At times, opportunities are missed by some teachers to promote a greater use of specialist language and punctuation to enhance students’ writing further, and support the development of more complex sentences and paragraphs.  The teaching of mathematics is good, overall. Students’ increasingly well-honed general mathematical skills enable them to measure accurately, and interpret confidently, a range of charts and graphs in different subjects. Teachers do not always develop students’ specific mathematical skills enough by providing opportunities to tackle everyday problems and drawing out from them the reasoning behind

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The quality of teaching is good

their answers.  Relationships in most lessons are very supportive. The positive climate created by teachers encourages students to persevere in finding things out for themselves, and to make choices and take decisions, with increasing independence.  Most teachers know their students well. In a high proportion of lessons, teachers plan carefully to meet particular students’ needs. As a result, the most able learners, for the most part, as well as disadvantaged students, and those with disabilities, or special educational needs, achieve well.  Increasing opportunities are provided, by many teachers, for students to respond to marking that invites them to improve their initial written work. Not all teachers yet insist that students take full advantage of these opportunities, in particular the most able, to fully stretch themselves.  In a minority of lessons, teaching does not check carefully whether all students understand sufficiently

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The quality of teaching is good

what they are learning, before moving on to new activities. Some teachers are not yet flexible enough to adapt the planned experiences to meet students’ changing needs, in some lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students begin Year 7 with below-average standards. The vast majority make good rates of progress, so that the proportion attaining five or more good GCSE grades is securely average, and increasingly above average. This represents rapid improvement, in a short period of time, since the inception of the academy. The school’s information, and work in students’ books, indicates that this momentum is sustained throughout the school.  The proportions of students making expected progress in English are now above national expectations. In particular, boys’ achievement is strong. Increasingly, students show confidence in expressing orally their opinions and ideas, benefiting from the many opportunities to share their thoughts with their peers. Students’ books show opportunities for students to write formally and informally, for different audiences, for different purposes, and in different scenarios.  The proportions of students making expected progress in mathematics are rising fast, and also currently

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The achievement of pupils is good

above national expectations. Students show increasing confidence, in many lessons, to calculate mentally, successfully solve algebraic equations, and interpret information from an array of charts, tables and graphs.  While the proportions of students making more-than-expected progress in English and mathematics are rising strongly, they are still not high enough by the end of Year 11. In both subjects, there is scope to stretch further some of the most able students, by introducing more demanding work, sooner. In mathematics, students, in general, do not apply their skills regularly enough to everyday problems. Some are not yet fully confident in addressing unfamiliar mathematical questions, and fully explaining the reasoning that lies behind their answers. In English, some students fall short in using a wider range of specialist language, and punctuation for effect, in their writing, and sequencing their ideas in more

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The achievement of pupils is good

complex sentences, and paragraphs.  Students make good progress and achieve well in many subjects, notably science, history, sport studies and information and communication technology.  Disabled students and those who have special educational needs achieve well. Their needs are met and they are supported well in lessons, and in small groups, by adults who understand precisely their specific skills that require further development.  The most able students also achieve well, overall. While school leaders recognise that, at times, the needs of a minority of the most able students are not fully met, especially in English and mathematics, an increasing number are stretched appropriately, to reach their challenging targets, in most subjects.  The small minority of students from minority ethnic backgrounds, including the very few who speak English as an additional language, make good progress. Their specific needs are well catered for by

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The achievement of pupils is good

specialist practitioners who support effectively their developing use of the English language, and ensure that work is tailored well to meet their precise needs.  The small minority of students, who are educated off the school’s site, achieve well. They gain qualifications that hone their basic literacy and numeracy skills, help raise their self-esteem, and support the development of personal qualities such as patience, tolerance and cooperation.  The progress made by disadvantaged students is improving significantly, and is at least good. Any gaps from their starting points in Year 7, in English and mathematics, with their non-disadvantaged peers, both in school, and nationally, are rapidly closing. In school, they have closed completely in some years.  In 2014, the overall progress made by disadvantaged students in English was almost in line with that made by non-disadvantaged students nationally. The school’s information, and current work in Year 11

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The achievement of pupils is good

students’ books, indicates that the progress made by disadvantaged students in English in summer 2015 is likely to be above that seen nationally by non-disadvantaged students, and in line with their non- disadvantaged peers in school.  In 2014, the overall progress made by disadvantaged students in mathematics, although rising, was well below that made by non-disadvantaged students nationally, and in school. The school’s information, and current work in Year 11 students’ books, indicates that the progress made by disadvantaged students in mathematics in summer 2015 is likely to be within 10% of that seen nationally by non-disadvantaged students, and those in school.  Gaps in attainment of the disadvantaged students are also closing rapidly. In 2014, end-of-Year 11 disadvantaged students’ attainment in English, was just below one full GCSE grade behind non- disadvantaged students nationally, and just over half a GCSE grade behind their peers in school. In

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics, gaps were just above one full GCSE grade in both instances. Inspection information indicates that there will be no in-school gap in English in 2015, and less than half a GCSE grade gap in mathematics. Similar information indicates that gaps with non-disadvantaged students nationally will have reduced to less than one third of a GCSE grade in both subjects.  The school makes judicious and successful decisions about the small minority of students entered early for GCSE examinations. As a result, their attainment is not limited in any way. This is particularly the case for the most able students who are always encouraged to attain the highest outcomes.  Good support is made available for students at risk of falling behind. For example, Year 7 ‘catch-up’ funding is used to provide specialist resources and teaching. The school’s information on the impact of these measures shows good gains to date, especially in reading, spelling and basic numeracy skills, for a

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 139277 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 449829

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Secondary School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 644 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Andy Talliss Principal Martyn Oliver (Executive Principal) Pam Buckingham (Principal) Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 01724 860237 Email address enquiries@brumby.outwood.com 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 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

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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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