Setting

Mr W. Henry CUL Academy 69 Aston Road Birmingham B6 4EA

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Special measures monitoring inspection of CUL Academy

Following my visit to your school on 9 and 10 March 2016, 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 that have been taken since the school’s recent section 5 inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of CUL Academy

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection that took place in September 2016.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of CUL Academy

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

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Special measures monitoring inspection of CUL Academy

Leaders and managers are taking effective action towards the removal of special measures.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of CUL Academy

The trust’s statement of action is not fit for purpose.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of CUL Academy

The school’s action plan is fit for purpose.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of CUL Academy

I strongly recommend that the school does not seek to appoint newly qualified teachers (NQTs).

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Special measures monitoring inspection of CUL Academy

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the Regional Schools Commissioner and the Director of Children’s Services for Birmingham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took place

 As a matter of urgency, leaders, managers and governors must put right the weaknesses in the academy’s safeguarding procedures. They should: ― make sure that a disclosure and barring service check is carried out for everyone who does not already have one, including temporary staff and members of the governing body, and that the required information is recorded on the academy’s single central record ― amend the policy for safer recruitment to include the following requirements: every interview panel must include one person who has been trained in safer recruitment; the names of all members of the interview panel are recorded; and any person on an interview panel may not supply a reference for any applicant for the post in question ― make sure that those members of staff who have not completed training in the use of restraint do so as soon as possible ― make sure that instances of the use of restraint are recorded in a bound book

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took place

 Strengthen the impact that leadership, management and governance have on all aspects of the academy’s work by: ― making sure that all of the policies and other documents that guide the academy’s work are based on accurate information that is specific to the academy, and that governors discuss and agree their content before they are published ― analysing information about students’ attainment, their personal development and the quality of teaching ― presenting the information to governors so that they can hold leaders to account and decide, with senior leaders, where improvements are needed ― amending the academy’s improvement plan to include these priorities ― checking that targets for improvement are challenging yet attainable ― making sure that self-evaluation is accurate and based on robust evidence ― reviewing the roles and responsibilities of staff, in particular those of senior leaders, to make sure that workloads are manageable

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took place

― recruiting additional governors with suitable experience and the expertise to help drive the academy forwards ― making sure that the website includes the information specified in the academy’s funding agreement.

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took place

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that students’ progress improves by: ― developing teachers’ accuracy in assessing the levels students are working at and in making predictions about the grades they are likely to reach in external examinations, for example by checking their assessments with teachers at other schools ― making sure that all lessons start promptly ― insisting that teachers check that students are reading with understanding when they are reading by themselves ― increasing the quantity and range of reading materials available to students.

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took place

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

The inspector observed the school’s work, scrutinised documents and met with the headteacher, the chair of the governing body and another governor, groups of staff and a representative from the local authority. Informal conversations were held with pupils throughout the inspection. The majority of activities during this inspection focused on safeguarding, although a few lessons were visited for short periods of time.

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Context

Since the section 5 inspection, the five members of the governing body have resigned. A new substantive chair has replaced the interim chair, and one other new governor has joined. Two teachers and one member of support staff have left the school. One teacher has joined.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Leaders and managers have taken a range of appropriate actions to move the school forward since the section 5 inspection. They are being well supported by staff, who are keen for the school to succeed in all aspects of its work.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

As required, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks have now been completed for all staff, governors and proprietors. The single central record of staff meets requirements. The member of staff in charge of checking agency staff has a good knowledge of what evidence is needed when they arrive at the school and puts this into practice. The ‘safer recruitment’ policy has been appropriately amended in line with the recommendations from the section 5 inspection report.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The local authority’s review of safeguarding recommended a number of actions, many of which the school has taken. Priority was rightly given to staff training. Staff spoken to during the inspection showed a good understanding of the possible indicators of abuse, how to deal with a disclosure from a pupil and what they should do next. Importantly, staff were aware of what to do should none of the designated safeguarding leads be available. Staff commented that communication from senior leaders about safeguarding and related issues was better than it had been in the past, and that safeguarding now had a higher profile at the school.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Staff have completed online ‘Prevent’ training, about radicalisation and extremism, and are starting to have a better understanding of these issues. One of the senior leaders has received training on this aspect at a higher level and intends to work with staff further to develop their understanding. He has also introduced these important topics into lessons for pupils. Leaders have identified what other safeguarding training is required, but there is no clear plan for when and how this training will be carried out.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The safeguarding policy has been reviewed. The school has adopted the local authority’s policy, so it meets basic requirements. However, leaders have not adapted the policy to suit the needs of the school. For example, there is no information about gangs or weapons, which are pertinent issues for some of the pupils. Although staff know the school’s referral process for child protection issues, this process is not accurately reflected in the policy document.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

On the recommendation of the local authority, the school has adopted a new electronic recording system for child protection issues. Staff know how to use this and record incidents as necessary. However, a scrutiny of the system during the inspection showed that the follow-up actions are not being recorded alongside the original incident. The same issue was identified in the previous paper-based system. Actions are being taken, yet are being recorded in different places. This makes it very difficult for senior leaders to keep a clear overview of what has happened and when, and to challenge each other if action has not been taken when it should have been. The Principal is aware of the need to remedy this problem as a matter of urgency, so that he can be sure that everyone is acting in a timely way and can follow up any outstanding actions.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

All staff have now received training for physical intervention. Incidents of physical intervention are recorded in a bound book. These are carefully logged to enable leaders to ask questions about the incident, as needed. The record book suggests that incidents that require physical intervention are uncommon.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The policy for physical intervention, called ‘care and control’, is not a useful document. It is unclear, parts of it are not relevant to a school setting and some of the advice given to staff is inappropriate. The Principal understands the need to re- write this to ensure that it reflects the school’s practice and relevant government guidance.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Attendance is monitored well and non-attendance is followed up robustly. If pupils do not attend and parents or carers do not respond to a telephone call, a home visit is carried out that morning and daily from then on, as necessary. Supportive formal proceedings or legal actions are instigated, as appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

A new and improved system of assessing pupils’ attainment on entry and setting them targets for the end of Year 11 has been introduced. Importantly, the target setting process takes account of their Key Stage 2 attainment, where this is available. As pupils have usually had some serious disruption to their education before joining the school, this method invariably leads to more aspirational targets than would be set using just the baseline data. The leader of this aspect uses the assessment information well to challenge and support staff, for example where a subject’s assessment information suggests general underperformance. The new chair of the governing body has increased the number of meetings that governors have in order to provide a higher level of support and challenge to the school. However, the governing body is greatly hampered by its very small size. The three members are dedicated and are asking many of the right questions of leaders,

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

but there are not enough of them to do all the tasks that need to be done. The chair and other governors are actively seeking new, suitably skilled members to join them.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The trust’s statement of action is not fit for purpose, because it does not state how parents and carers will be kept informed of the actions being taken and the effectiveness of these actions. The school’s action plan has been revised and is now broadly fit for purpose. A further amendment is required because the plan states who will do the monitoring and evaluation of different actions, but not how this will be done.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

In the lessons visited, pupils were largely well focused on their learning. Several spoke clearly about the need to gain five GCSEs at the best possible grades. Classrooms are bright, with relevant subject information about the subject being studied and some pupils’ work on display.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Insufficient attention is paid to improving pupils’ reading skills. Reading takes place in tutor times. However, pupils often do not bring books in and the school does not have appropriate books for them to borrow. During the inspection, pupils were observed reading books that a teacher had brought in from home. They were cooperating with the session, but expressed the desire to have books that they would like to read, such as ones about football or with more illustrations.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

The school has well-established procedures for the start and end of the school day. Careful attention is paid to pupils’ safety. At the start of the day, staff check that pupils have not brought any inappropriate items into the school before they are allowed to go to their classrooms. At the end of the day, staff are stationed along the road, as well as at the gate, to ensure that pupils do not congregate, and to see them safely onto buses. Pupils understand these routines and cooperate well with them.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils’ behaviour during the inspection was largely calm and sensible. Pupils were in classrooms when they were meant to be. Most were working and many showed good attitudes to learning. Pupils dress smartly in their uniforms, and staff provide good role models by dressing smartly themselves. Staff are firm, calm and positive when speaking to pupils. Humour is used well to diffuse tension.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

The building is neat and tidy, and is kept this way by staff and pupils. Displays in corridors are largely undamaged. Overall attendance, at just over 80%, is low. However, around half the pupils attend 90% of the time or more. The attendance of a small but significant number of pupils is very low indeed, and others attend sporadically.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

No pupils have been excluded from the school for a fixed term since the previous inspection.

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Outcomes for pupils

The school’s assessment information indicates that attainment in 2016 is likely to be higher than in 2015. The vast majority of pupils are predicted to gain five GCSEs at grades A* to G. Assessment information also indicates that the majority of pupils are making at least reasonable progress over time. Where individual pupils are not making enough progress they are given a range of support and interventions to enable them to catch up. Some pupils’ progress is adversely affected by their very low attendance.

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External support

Good support has been provided by the local authority to help the school to improve safeguarding. The school has sought suitable support to improve the achievement of individual pupils. Links with a local mainstream secondary school are enabling teachers to see mainstream colleagues at work in the same subject. Further support is being sought for school leaders.

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