George Spencer Academy

George Spencer Academy and Technology College Arthur Mee Road, Stapleford, Nottingham, NG9 7EW

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Students attain results that are well above national averages in a wide range of GCSE subjects, including English, mathematics, humanities and science.  The percentage of students attaining five grade C or higher passes, including in English and mathematics, has been consistently above the national average. In 2014 it rose to 76%.  Students facing a range of challenges, including those who learn English as an additional language and those who are looked after, receive excellent support and make exceptional progress.  Teachers are experts in their subjects and are highly skilled in ensuring that learning is well planned to secure outstanding progress.  Marking gives students clear next steps to improve their work. Students told inspectors how much this is helping them to make good progress.  Not all teachers are equally skilled in using questioning to challenge the most-able students. Homework set for these students does not always

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

deepen and extend their learning.  An innovative and exciting curriculum ensures that students are exceptionally well prepared for their further lives. Students benefit from a rich variety of extra-curricular activities and visits that make a significant contribution to their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.  The Principal and Executive Principal are driven by a strong moral purpose to improve students’ life chances. They are relentless in their quest for continuous improvement, and provide outstanding leadership in this school, and to the schools they support.  Students’ behaviour around school and in lessons is exemplary. They attend well and work hard, and show their pride in their academy by their smart appearance and their courteous and welcoming attitudes.  Staff take their responsibility for students’ wellbeing and safety extremely seriously. Parents confirm that students feel safe, happy and well cared for.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Students relish the many opportunities to take on leadership roles that range from supporting others with their learning, to influencing the decisions that leaders make. They mature into confident and considerate young adults who are excellent ambassadors for their academy.  The sixth form is good and students make good progress on their post-16 courses. Students receive information, advice and guidance that help them to make well-informed choices about their future employment, education and training.  Students are very well prepared for life in modern Britain, because the promotion of British values underpins everything that the academy does.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 55 part lessons, several of which were jointly observed with academy leaders. Inspectors visited an assembly, the nurture group and the homework club, and observed students in form time. One inspector listened to younger students reading.  Meetings were held with the Principal, the Executive Principal, who is also Chief Executive Officer of The Spencer Academies Trust, senior and subject leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors. Inspectors held further meetings with leaders from other trust schools, and with five groups of students. They spoke informally with students at break and lunchtimes.  A range of documents was considered, including: the academy’s own evaluation of its work, the academy improvement plan, information about the progress and attainment of groups of students, and attendance and behaviour records. Inspectors also looked at policies and practices related to safeguarding, and

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Information about this inspection

looked at the safety of the school site.  A range of students’ work was scrutinised by inspectors.  Inspectors took into account 40 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. An additional parental survey undertaken by the academy was considered, and the lead inspector spoke to a few parents by telephone. Questionnaires completed by 67 members of staff were also looked at, as were letters from leaders of other schools who have received support from the academy.  The 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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Inspection team

Deirdre Duignan, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 George Spencer Academy is larger than the average-sized secondary school. It converted to become an academy in September 2010. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding.  The large majority of students are White British, with an average proportion from minority ethnic backgrounds. Of these, the majority come from other White backgrounds, with a handful from a variety of other ethnic groups. Few students speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of students supported by the pupil premium, which is additional funding for students in local authority care, and those known to be eligible for free school meals, is below average.  The proportion of students who are disabled, and those who have special educational needs, is also below average.  The academy meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for students’

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Information about this school

attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 11.  A very small number of students attend off-site alternative provision at Stone Soup and Real Education.  The academy provides support to other schools as the lead school in The Spencer Academies Trust, a multi-academy trust comprising six primary and three secondary schools, including this one.  The Principal is a local leader of education, and the Executive Principal is a national leader of education. The academy has seven specialist leaders of education in English, modern foreign languages, mathematics, science, special educational needs, behaviour and teaching gifted and talented students.  The academy is a link and partner school for the Institute of Physics and a lead school in the network of excellence in computer science teaching.  The academy is a National Teaching School, and the lead school in the George Spencer Teaching School

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Information about this school

Alliance. It holds Leading Edge status and is the Mathematics Hub for the East Midlands West. The George Spencer SCITT leads a network of schools offering schools direct and provider-led routes for primary and secondary teacher training. The academy is a licence holder for leadership development programmes and collaborates internationally with the Department for Education in Victoria, Australia.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the achievement of the most-able students in particular, by ensuring that all teachers use questioning equally effectively to challenge these students in class, and set homework that deepens and extends their learning.  Embed the improvements made in the sixth form so that students’ achievement continues to rise.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The Principal provides inspiring and visionary leadership. He is driven by a strong moral imperative to improve the life chances of students not only in this academy, but in the schools that are supported by the trust. His relentless focus on high standards is coupled with deep and genuine compassion for the most vulnerable students, who thrive as a result of the excellent care and support they receive.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 He is well supported by the Executive Principal, and by senior leaders. They are a strong, committed and unified team. Leaders at all levels share a strong sense of purpose, and an unwavering determination to drive up standards and strive for continuous improvement. They have a strong track record in improving teaching and achievement both in this academy, and in the schools they support.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The academy’s development plans are far-reaching in their vision for the improvement of this and partner schools, yet rooted firmly in reality. Leaders recognise that striving for excellence means regular review and change, but manage this well by setting realistic, measurable targets for success.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders from partner schools who met with the lead inspector spoke of the critical support they had received in improving their schools. This has included targeted support for a school that had been subject to special measures, and helping another school to move, in a relatively short space of time, from requiring improvement to outstanding. One headteacher stated, ‘We feel we are at the centre of excellence here,’ while another wrote of the Principal’s ‘compassionate desire to improve the quality of education for pupils in Nottinghamshire and the surrounding area’.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leadership of teaching is strong. Teachers value greatly the opportunities to learn from each other and to reflect on and improve their practice. They benefit from high-quality development programmes both here and across the teaching school alliance. Many teachers have become outstanding practitioners in their fields, and now support the development of teaching in other schools. As one noted, ‘This is an inspiring place to work. We are constantly challenged to be our best, and to expect the best of everyone.’

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Subject and pastoral leaders are highly effective in their roles; they ensure that the academy’s key priorities are known and addressed by teachers in the areas they lead. Several are specialist leaders of education, and use their skills and expertise to contribute to system-wide improvement. Consequently, the academy has excellent capacity to improve further, and to ensure that improvements can be sustained.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders have an accurate view of the strengths and areas for further improvement, because effective systems are in place for leaders at all levels to monitor the quality of teaching and achievement in their areas, and to take action where improvement is needed. The academy’s judgements about the quality of teaching are quality assured and moderated by external partners. Pay awards for teachers are based firmly on their performance in the classroom, and leaders set challenging targets linked to students’ achievement for both teachers and teaching assistants.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 There are effective processes in place to check students’ progress, attendance and behaviour. Prompt and effective support is quickly put in place when any underachievement is identified. The attendance and achievement of students who attend off-site alternative provision is carefully monitored.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 An innovative and exciting curriculum ensures that students are very well prepared for the next stage of their lives. Students in Year 7 develop the skills they need to become successful learners, while the ‘graduation’ programme at the end of Year 8 encourages students to strive for their very best before beginning courses in Key Stage 4. Younger students who had taken part in the ‘Brilliant Club’ had enjoyed the challenge of working with doctoral students at Warwick University, telling inspectors, ‘This was the best thing that ever happened to me.’  Students’ academic learning is complemented by a wealth of opportunities to develop personally and socially. Appreciation of art and culture, a vast array of sporting clubs, and an impressive range of trips in Britain and abroad, promote their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development exceptionally well, and ensure that life at George Spencer Academy is a memorable experience. As one student said, ‘There is

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The leadership and management are outstanding

something for everyone at George Spencer. You grow as a person, not just academically.’

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The promotion of British values is threaded through all aspects of the academy’s work. An emphasis on courtesy and respect, coupled with opportunities to learn about the wider world prepares students to become responsible citizens. Assemblies, philosophy and ‘active citizenship’ lessons provide opportunities for students to discuss and reflect on important issues, and to develop their political literacy. During the inspection, students were eagerly discussing the general election and displayed a keen interest in different political systems and parties.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Many students take on leadership positions, helping other students with reading and mathematics, becoming sports leaders, prefects and representing the academy at local, national and even international events. Such experiences are highly effective in encouraging them to play a full and active role in society, and provide an excellent foundation for life in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 A comprehensive programme of information, advice and guidance begins in Year 7, and ensures that students are equipped to make informed choices about their further education, employment and training. In 2014, 100% of students in Key Stage 4 continued into education or some form of training. There is particular emphasis on ensuring that disadvantaged students receive the support and guidance they need to progress to high-quality education and training programmes. At the end of Key Stage 5, students go on to a wide range of university and training placements.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed and to take full part in the opportunities on offer. This is particularly evident in the academy’s success in ensuring that different groups of students achieve equally well. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated, and is dealt with severely on the rare occasions that it does occur.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Gaps in achievement between disadvantaged and other students are narrowing rapidly, because leaders have reviewed how well pupil premium was being used to accelerate this group’s progress. In English, these gaps have been all but eradicated, while in mathematics, leaders have taken effective action to ensure that disadvantaged students are back on track to make good progress this year.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The funding for Year 7 literacy and mathematics catch-up has been used effectively, particularly to improve students’ confidence in reading. This has enabled eligible students to make accelerated progress.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The sixth form is improving strongly, as a result of leaders’ determination and commitment to drive up standards. Leaders are excellent role models for students, because they inspire students to be leaders themselves, to take a full and active role in the life of the academy, and to strive for the top.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The Spencer Academies Trust provides highly effective support to the school by regularly reviewing its performance and setting challenging targets for leaders. Trust representatives ensure that leaders keep a close focus on the achievement of different groups, and are working to ensure that all partner schools in the trust assume a collective responsibility for the achievement of all students. A training programme for governors ensures that governors are able to question leaders effectively and hold them to account. The Chief Executive Officer of the Trust is highly ambitious for the success of this and partner schools, and determined to ensure that students benefit from a high-quality, aspirational education.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The academy’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils and checks on staff meet statutory requirements. The academy works well with other agencies to ensure that students remain safe.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to Parent View agree that the academy is led and managed well, and would recommend it to another parent. This was a view echoed by students, who told inspectors, ‘We are extremely lucky to come to this school. We feel like we’ve won the golden ticket!’  The governance of the school:  Governors strengthen the leadership of the academy, because they are highly skilled and strategic in their outlook. They play an important role in evaluating the academy’s work and setting the direction for the future.  Governors are highly knowledgeable about the academy’s performance and use their considerable range of skills effectively to challenge leaders and drive further improvements.  Following the dip in the achievement of some of the disadvantaged students in 2014, they have ensured that they have received more regular updates on the performance of this group to ensure that

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The leadership and management are outstanding

pupil premium funding is being well used to support their learning.  They keep up to date with legislative changes and have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities to ensure the safety of students.  Through their involvement with ‘Challenge Partners’, governors ensure that they have an external view of their effectiveness. They work with external consultants to improve their effectiveness and hold leaders to account more stringently.  Governors have an accurate view of the strengths of teaching in the academy. They ensure that any pay awards for teachers are firmly linked to classroom performance and the achievement of students.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Students behave impeccably around school. They are smart, courteous and helpful, and took great pride in welcoming inspectors to their academy.

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Behaviour

 In lessons, they are industrious and keen to succeed. They are punctual and come ready to ask questions and further their learning. They respond well to their teachers’ high expectations and are eager to make the most of all the opportunities open to them.

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Behaviour

 Leaders and teachers are excellent role models for young people, because they value students as individuals and treat them with courtesy and respect. Students soon learn to replicate these values, and as a result, relationships are typically warm and trusting.

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Behaviour

 Older students who spoke with inspectors said that behaviour is rarely an issue in the academy, because expectations are made clear at the start of Year 7, and consistently adhered to. An effective reward system encourages students to work towards or exceed the academy’s expectations.

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Behaviour

 The academy places great value on the learning environment. Displays in classrooms, corridors and outside reinforce the academy’s values, and inspire learning and reflection. As a result, the academy is a calm, orderly place in which to learn. Students respond well by taking good care of the buildings and outdoor spaces.

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Behaviour

 Students who have experienced behavioural difficulties are given every opportunity to make amends and start again; they are never written off. Case study evidence shows the impact of this work in helping students who face considerable challenges to attend regularly, achieve well and have high aspirations for their future. One young man who met with inspectors spoke with considerable and justified pride about the progress he had made because of the support he had received, saying, ‘They always believed in me.’

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Behaviour

 Attendance is just above the national average, while the persistent absence of some students is in line with the national average. Leaders are taking effective action to ensure that attendance is improving and that those students who face challenges in coming to school receive all the help and support they need to attend more often.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.

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Safety

 The Principal sets the lead in ensuring that the safety and well-being of students are of the highest importance to all staff. Regular training and briefing sessions ensure that safeguarding remains at the top of the agenda, and a culture of openness means that staff are encouraged to share any concerns they have. There are efficient systems in place to ensure that issues are picked up and dealt with quickly.

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Safety

 Leaders do not shy away from discussing difficult issues, including child sexual exploitation, so that staff are fully briefed in all the potential risks to which young people are vulnerable and, as a result, are vigilant in looking out for signs of any possible distress.

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Safety

 Students are fully aware of the different forms that bullying can take, and told inspectors that there was very little bullying in their school; some insisted there was none. They were resoundingly confident that, should it occur, teachers would deal with it instantly.

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Safety

 The academy takes effective preventative action to ensure that students understand why homophobic and other discriminatory language is not acceptable. There are visual reminders around school of the importance of respectful language, and this is reinforced through assemblies, tutor time and citizenship sessions. As a result, there are very few incidents of such language.

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Safety

 Students have a good understanding of how to stay safe during lessons. For example, in a design and technology lesson, they used a range of equipment safely, and could confidently discuss the risks associated with each, and how to avoid them. Regular sessions on e-safety serve as useful reminders on how to stay safe when using the internet.

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Safety

 The academy comprises several buildings spread over two sites. Leaders and staff manage the risks this poses extremely well by maintaining high levels of supervision and ensuring that students know how to keep themselves safe. This includes training all new students in crossing the bridge that joins the two sites. Well-established routines mean that students move around the school buildings sensibly and safely.

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Safety

 All students spoken with told inspectors that they feel very safe at school. This was a view supported by parents and carers.

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Safety

 Checks on the suitability of staff are carried out with due diligence. Additional checks are in place for staff who deliver sessions at the partner primary schools.

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Safety

 Academy staff work effectively with other agencies to provide additional support for students who need it. Good multi-agency working ensures that any concerns are followed up in a timely manner. Staff who work with vulnerable students receive good support to ensure that they are able to carry out their roles effectively.

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Safety

 Extra care is taken to ensure that vulnerable students feel safe and secure at school. Homework and breakfast clubs and the nurture group provide much-valued safe havens for such youngsters. Staff who care for the most vulnerable students are well trained and highly regarded by staff and students, many of whom have written heartfelt and moving letters to thank them for the outstanding support they have received.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers’ excellent subject knowledge contributes to the outstanding progress that students make in a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Students embrace challenging topics readily, because their teachers enthuse them with an interest in and passion for their subjects. For example, in an English lesson in Year 8, students were eagerly discussing examples of stichomythic arguments as a result of lively, engaging and challenging teaching.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Students described their teachers as ‘passionate and committed’, a view confirmed by inspectors.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers and teaching assistants work together effectively to ensure that students receive the help they need. Students who learn English as an additional language receive well-targeted and effective support; they are quick to settle and make excellent progress, because staff have high expectations of what they can achieve.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The least-able students thrive, because staff work together effectively to boost their confidence and skills. In a music lesson in Year 7, a positive and relaxed atmosphere enabled students to take risks and use their voices to create different sounds. The teaching assistant used skilful questioning to support and challenge them, and they made excellent progress.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching frequently encourages reflection and develops students’ resilience. For example, in a drama lesson in Year 8, students produced compelling and confident pieces based on the story of Antigone, and the teacher skilfully encouraged students to reflect on their performances and evaluate their learning. As one student said, ‘We love drama because we can get totally involved.’

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Students value the feedback they receive from their teachers, and say that this helps them to make good progress. The ‘yellow box’ is used well to encourage students to reflect on their work, and as a useful prompt for next steps.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers’ assessments of students’ work are highly accurate, because they make the most of opportunities to compare how work is marked with each other. In class, they check how well students are learning and are confident in adapting their teaching when they need to.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Progress towards target grades is carefully monitored, and students confidently discuss which aspects of their work they need to improve in order to reach their target grades. Teachers are skilled in using information about students to plan their lessons, so that there are different outcomes for different levels of ability.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 There are many opportunities for students to practise their literacy skills across the curriculum. They are confident and fluent readers, because teachers regularly ask them to read in class. They are challenged to write at length in a range of subjects other than English, and teachers of all subjects regularly correct their spelling, grammar and punctuation. Literacy teaching ensures that students develop the skills they need to become fluent writers, because they have a good understanding of the rules of grammar and syntax. There are plans in place to increase the opportunities for students to develop their numeracy skills in different subjects, but it is too soon to judge the impact of these.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 In the best examples seen, questioning was used highly effectively to elicit sophisticated responses from students, including the most-able. Not all teachers use questioning consistently well to challenge the most- able students effectively.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Homework is often used well to support students’ learning. Occasionally, it is not challenging enough for the most-able students.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students enter the academy with levels of attainment that are typically above those found nationally. They make at least good, and often outstanding, progress and achieve success in examinations that has been consistently above national averages. The proportion of students gaining five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, rose in 2014, and students’ attainment was above average in a wide range of subjects. Information provided by the academy, based on accurate assessments of how well students are doing, suggests that students are on track to achieve even better results in 2015.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The proportions of students making expected and more than expected progress in both English and mathematics were well above the national averages in 2014. Current tracking data show that these figures are set to increase further this year.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 In 2014, the gap in attainment between disadvantaged students and their classmates narrowed to two thirds of a grade in both English and mathematics, while they were a grade and a third behind other students nationally in both subjects. While the proportion making expected progress in English was close to that found nationally, less than half of eligible students made the progress of which they were capable in mathematics. This was particularly true of most-able disadvantaged students. Inspectors’ careful scrutiny of current data shows a rapid improvement in their achievement this year. They are now on track to make similar rates of progress to their peers in English, and are quickly catching up in mathematics. The proportion on track to make good progress in both subjects is set to exceed the proportions that did so nationally in 2014. These predictions were confirmed by inspectors’ observations

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

of these students in lessons, where they were found to be making good and often outstanding progress.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The most-able students achieve highly in a range of subjects. The proportions gaining A* to A grades in 2014 were well above the national averages in English, geography, history, chemistry, additional science, Spanish, food technology and resistant materials, while just over a fifth of students achieved the highest grades in mathematics. Not all teachers use high-level questioning to challenge the most-able, and homework does not always deepen and extend these pupils’ learning. This sometimes limits the progress they make in class.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Year 7 catch-up funding (funding for students who begin secondary school having achieved less than level 4 in either English or mathematics), is used effectively to accelerate the progress that these students make. During the inspection, they were heard reading fluently and with confidence, as a result of successful strategies to improve their reading skills.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students from minority ethnic groups achieve in line with their peers, and often above others nationally. They benefit from a well-ingrained culture of aspiration that places the same expectations on their success as it does on others.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disabled students, and those who have special educational needs, achieve well as a result of the personalised support they receive, and because academy leaders monitor their achievement carefully. They achieve particularly well in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students who learn English as an additional language make exceptional progress. This is because they are quickly helped to settle and receive very effective, well-coordinated support from teachers and teaching assistants. Teachers set high aspirations for them and these students respond positively to these high expectations. As a result, they make rapid progress in English and mathematics and achieve an impressive range of academic qualifications.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The academy’s ‘Spencer Time’ curriculum sees students from Year 10 and Year 11 taught together for some subjects at Key Stage 4. At the end of Year 10, all students are entered for technology subjects. In 2014, the proportions of students gaining A*-C grades in all technology subjects were well above national averages. The proportions gaining A*-A grades in food technology and resistant materials were also well above national averages.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Achievement in the sixth form is good, and strongly improving. Students’ achievement on academic courses at A level is above the national average, and the few taking vocational courses achieve well.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 A very small number of students attend off-site alternative provision. They achieve well on their chosen courses, and receive additional help with English and mathematics.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Good leadership is ensuring that the sixth form is improving strongly. Students’ attainment is above average in a range of subjects. The sixth form is not outstanding, because students do not achieve as well at AS level as they do at A2. In particular, too few of them achieve the top grades at AS level.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Students’ achievement in academic subjects at A level is above the national average. A few students take vocational courses in a range of subjects. While there is some variation between these courses, students achieve well on the whole.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Leaders monitor the quality of teaching in different subjects closely and ensure that teaching is consistently good or better. Teachers have received specific training in teaching their subjects to A level and meeting the needs of sixth form students effectively, and this has had impact in reducing the variation between different subjects.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Teaching in the sixth form ensures that students make good progress and thrive as a result of excellent relationships, challenging lessons, and effective advice and guidance. Personal learning mentors monitor students’ progress carefully, and ensure that any students at risk of not making progress receive the help they need to catch up.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Students’ attitudes to learning are consistently positive at Key Stage 5. They are highly focused and keen to discuss their ideas and challenge each other. For example, in a history lesson in Year 12, students spoke with confidence and clarity about the importance of interpreting source material correctly. The lively and high-level discussion that ensued saw their ideas challenged not only by their teacher, but also by their peers.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Students are reflective and astute, and can relate their learning to real life. In a psychology lesson, students could articulate implications of attachment theory coherently, and one reflected, ‘I now know why my parents have acted as they have, and they were always right!’

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The sixth form provision is good

 Many sixth formers take on leadership roles in the academy. They help younger students with reading and mathematics, run book and film clubs, take part in the student council and use their influence to drive the further improvement of the academy. They were keen to tell inspectors how much these opportunities had helped them to develop personally, and how the positive ethos of the academy had inspired their success and encouraged them to ’give something back’.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Students are fully aware of how to stay safe in a range of situations, and of the different forms that bullying can take. They told inspectors that teachers would be very quick to react to any reported incidents of bullying.

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The sixth form provision is good

 The curriculum has been carefully planned to meet students’ needs, and offers a range of high-quality academic and vocational courses. It fully meets the needs of the 16-19 study programme. In addition, students develop key life skills through a range of enrichment opportunities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, the debating society, international challenges such as Kilimanjaro and the Pan-America cycle ride and the Christian Union, to name but a few.

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The sixth form provision is good

 The quality of information, advice and guidance is very high and, as a result, students are well supported to the next stage of their employment, education and training. A number of them go on to study at Russell Group universities, including Oxbridge, while others are supported into high-quality apprenticeships.

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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 136291 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 461553

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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 Secondary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1437 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 270 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jill Wilkinson Executive Principal & Principal Susan Jowett & Fraser Mitchell Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 0115 9170100 Fax number 0115 9170101 Email address info@george-spencer.notts.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . 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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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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

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