The Nottingham Emmanuel School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

Mr Derek Hobbs Principal The Nottingham Emmanuel School Gresham Park Road West Bridgford Nottinghamshire NG2 7YF

p.1

Short inspection of The Nottingham Emmanuel School

Following my visit to the school on 15 March 2016 with Ellenor Beighton, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the predecessor school was judged to be good in October 2012.

p.1

Short inspection of The Nottingham Emmanuel School

You have maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last section 5 inspection. The priorities for improvement identified during the section 8 no formal designation monitoring inspection, conducted in September 2015, have also been effectively addressed. You are determined that the distinctive culture of this school is preserved. You are equally determined to ensure that all pupils make the progress of which they are capable. Members of staff, leaders and governors told inspectors that your leadership is making a difference. All are of the same view: ‘Our ethos empowers all pupils to achieve as they should.’

p.1

Short inspection of The Nottingham Emmanuel School

The governing body is a strength of the school. The chair of the governing body is, with determination and true commitment, working closely with you to ensure that the school is a solidly good school. A review of governance has taken place and the recommendations from this have been acted on. There is a clear committee structure and roles and responsibilities are well understood. Governors have a range of appropriate skills and experiences and are able to challenge leaders, particularly when monitoring the progress that pupils are making. The work of governors has had a positive impact. Their decisions and actions have made a difference. For example, they have supported your recruitment and retention strategy. As a result, good-quality teachers have been appointed to the school. It is clear that governors take their valuable roles seriously.

p.1

Short inspection of The Nottingham Emmanuel School

One of your first actions as principal was to restructure the senior leadership team. You have continued to distribute and develop leadership within the school and many creative decisions have been made. You have provided the opportunity for individuals to step up into new leadership roles and you are keen to develop the talent that is clearly evident among your staff. Subject leaders told inspectors that there had been ‘so much positive change’ and that this change is welcomed. They said that previously they had worked in isolation but that now they were galvanised to work as a team. All felt an increased level of accountability but all felt well supported. They said, ‘we now feel trusted’. Strengthening subject leadership is a key element of your improvement strategy and we discussed your plans to make sure that more time is allocated to enable these leaders to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

p.2

Short inspection of The Nottingham Emmanuel School

The progress that is made by all pupils and learners is taken extremely seriously. Regular and practical meetings take place between senior leaders and subject leaders to evaluate the progress that individuals and groups of pupils make. At department level there is high-quality information that is helping teachers and leaders to adapt their planning, teaching and assessment. Pupils told inspectors that ‘there is definitely more focus on how well we are doing’. Reliable school information predicts that GCSE and A level results will show considerable improvement in 2016 after the dip last year. Notably, more disadvantaged pupils and middle-ability pupils are set to make expected progress and more-than- expected progress within the subjects that they study than previously. The target- setting process is currently under review because you have identified weaknesses in assessment procedures.

p.2

Short inspection of The Nottingham Emmanuel School

Inspectors found it a joy to speak with the group of Year 11 and Year 13 pupils during the inspection. These pupils and learners were keen to tell inspectors about how ‘great’ their school is. They said they really appreciated learning in a school with such a diverse community. They relished the opportunity to learn with pupils of differing cultures and religions to their own. They said that this ‘added a richness’ to their learning.

p.2

Short inspection of The Nottingham Emmanuel School

The strong culture of care and support within the school is palpable and much hard work, effort and skill is employed to ensure that pupils are well supported and safe. Pupils want to come to school and the attendance of all groups of pupils is good. Work with other agencies outside of the school is timely and effective. Policies are up to date and reflect the most current government guidance. Bullying is rare but dealt with immediately if it occurs. Staff are well trained and aware of their responsibilities. Pupils clearly value the support they receive from their teachers. They told inspectors that they feel safe at the school and that there are a range of teachers they could speak with if they are in trouble or if they need advice.

p.2

Inspection findings

You are now firmly established as the principal of the Nottingham Emmanuel School and have achieved a great deal since you commenced this role in September 2015. You have been adeptly supported in this by the chair of the governing body and the leadership team. You have set the vision and accurately identified the actions required to improve the school further. Governors have engaged a national leader of education to work with you. This partnership work is assisting the improvement process. Governance is good. The chair of the governing body provides outstanding support to the school and to you in particular. Governors are skilled and able to challenge leaders. They request the evidence required to convince them that leaders are having a good impact. Governors are keen to establish partnership working and recognise the importance of being an outward-looking school. Governors have laid plans to secure further

p.3

Inspection findings

capacity for improvement and growth. You told me about the plans to address the issues within science. Creative solutions are being found to tackle the difficulties being faced. There are signs that improvement is happening but you recognise that more needs to be done. You have appointed a range of additional adults to work alongside teachers to support the learning of individual pupils. These adults are an excellent resource. We discussed how their roles could be developed further in order to provide effective support for more pupils. The achievement of disadvantaged pupils is improving. Governors are aware of the progress being made by this group of pupils and the impact that pupil premium funding is having. However, too few of these pupils make more-than-expected progress within English and mathematics. There is a new leader of special educational needs provision. This leader is having a positive impact. The identification of pupils who require specific

p.3

Inspection findings

support is now much more rigorous and the support that these pupils receive is better. However, teachers’ expectations of what these pupils can achieve are sometimes not high enough in some lessons and this is a priority for you to address. Sixth form leadership is having a positive impact. The recruitment of learners to the post-16 provision is more rigorous. The information, advice and guidance provided are good and more learners are staying on in the sixth form as a result. Leaders are monitoring the quality of teaching and making sure that learners are moving appropriately to the next stage in their education, employment or training. An assessment policy is in place. Inspectors saw examples of effective marking and feedback to pupils, particularly within English. The assessment policy is not always consistently applied in some subject areas, particularly in science. This means that some pupils do not get the feedback from their

p.3

Inspection findings

teachers that would help them move their learning on. Pupils behave well around the school and in the majority of their lessons. They are courteous and welcoming towards visitors. At break and lunchtimes, pupils enjoy the opportunity to socialise with their friends, attend clubs and activities or catch up with their work. Access to the building at the end of lunch and break is now well managed. Movement around the school is much improved. The fact that all teachers meet their class at the door and welcome them to their learning has had a positive impact. However, some pupils do not behave well in their science lessons where teaching is not consistently good enough.

p.3

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.4

Next steps for the school

the strategies to ensure rapid improvement in science are effective the assessment policy is applied in all subject areas so that pupils receive more consistent feedback on how to improve their work all teachers have high expectations of what pupils who have special educational needs or disability can achieve a greater proportion of disadvantaged pupils make more-than-expected progress in both English and mathematics.

p.4

Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the diocese of Southwell, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Nottingham City Council. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.4

Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met with you, the chair of the governing body and six other governors. Meetings were held with senior leaders, including the designated safeguarding lead. I met with the subject leaders of English, science, mathematics, humanities and modern foreign languages. Inspectors visited lessons across the school, including in English and mathematics. Some observations of teaching were jointly undertaken with senior leaders. Inspectors observed behaviour around the school. Inspectors spoke with a group of pupils, including learners within post-16 provision. Inspectors considered the views of 15 parents posted on Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. A range of documents and school policies were reviewed, including the school’s self-evaluation and information about pupils’ performance.

p.4