Sir Robert Pattinson Academy

Sir Robert Pattinson Academy Moor Lane, North Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 9AF

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 Leaders have improved all aspects of the school since the last inspection. They have a good understanding of what is working well, and where further improvement is needed.  School leaders have worked hard to develop thorough systems for checking how well pupils are doing.  Governors have checked regularly how well the school is doing.  The systems for managing behaviour and rewarding success have been improved and developed well. The school is calm and orderly.  Teaching has improved since the last inspection and staff have benefited from helpful and supportive training.  Much of the teaching is planned well and pupils benefit from helpful feedback on how to improve their work.  Pupils spoken to say they receive good information about careers, feel safe and know how to stay healthy.  Pupils have the opportunity to study a good range of subjects. Many participate in additional clubs, activities and trips.

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This is a good school

 Pupils have achieved GCSE results that match national results. Across different year groups, their achievement is improving in the large majority of subjects.  The sixth form provides a good range of courses which enable students to make sufficient progress towards the next stage of their education or training.  Sixth form students have achieved consistently good results in vocational subjects and performance in A level subjects has improved strongly.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some pupils have fallen behind in science because of changes in staffing. They are only just catching up.  Some disadvantaged pupils, in different year groups, are still not doing well enough across a range of subjects. A few are also regularly absent and this stops them making enough progress.  The most-able pupils are not always achieving high enough grades in GCSE and A level subjects. They do not always try hard enough and teachers do not routinely insist that they work to their best ability.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching further so that some pupils who have fallen behind their peers catch up, by: continuing to provide additional support and intervention for those who have experienced significant changes of staff in science lessons improving further the attendance of the small proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are regularly absent ensuring that the use of pupil premium funding increases the progress of the small group of pupils who have fallen behind their peers across a wider range of subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management so that the proportion of most-able pupils who achieve the highest grades in GCSE and A level subjects increases, by: continuing to improve the expectations teachers have for the quality of work that these pupils can achieve ensuring that staff routinely encourage the most-able pupils to try their hardest and tackle more challenging work when it is provided.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has reorganised the roles of staff with leadership roles in a determined and effective way since the last inspection. New leaders are providing a strong drive for further improvement, often within the relatively short time they have held their role. The school has received strong support from local schools. Staff recognise and appreciate the changes that have been made.  Leaders have a good understanding of the areas that still need to be better. Many aspects of the school have improved since the last inspection. Areas that have not improved enough, such as achievement in science and the progress made by the most-able pupils, are a top priority. Leaders are very aware that, although improvements have been made, there is more to do.  Systems for managing behaviour, providing rewards and promoting a strong ethos of respect are effective and there has been robust improvement. This contributes to the sense of safety that pupils spoken to say

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

they feel.  Staff with responsibility for subjects have a good understanding of what still needs to be improved and they have identified how they intend to do this. As a result, the progress made by pupils in English has improved significantly since the last inspection and mathematics staff have reviewed why achievement was not as strong in 2015. Languages and humanities are also improving.  Subjects where further improvements are needed have a clear plan for how to achieve this. This includes a programme of catch-up activities for pupils who have fallen behind because of staff changes.  The pupils have opportunities to take a good range of courses and subjects. They are supplemented by additional trips and extra sporting and artistic activities. Pupils have good opportunities to consider a wide range of topics and issues about their personal, moral and social development through the ASPIRE programme, which is run across all year groups. These topics help to ensure that pupils understand the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

importance of democracy, law and equality within British society.  The governance of the school Governors have a good range of skills and experience. They check the work of school leaders and provide a good level of scrutiny. Governors have updated their training regularly and have a good understanding of their statutory responsibilities. Arrangements for checking the performance of staff are planned well and this has led to some changes in staffing. Governors receive regular information about a wide range of indicators that show how well the school is doing. Governors have received regular information about the use of pupil premium funding and have made checks on how well this funding is used. They have not checked regularly the use of catch-up funding, although school leaders have ensured that these pupils make sufficient progress.  The arrangements for safeguarding pupils are effective. Routine checks are made to ensure that staff are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

suitably qualified and experienced. The school ensures that pupils who are facing particular risks or challenges are supported and checks are made on their well-being. Staff make sure that the site is well managed and safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Much of the teaching, across a wide range of subjects, is effective. There has been significant improvement since the last inspection and staff have benefited from a good range of support and training.  Teachers often have a good understanding of their subject. They use this to ensure that pupils are typically interested in their work and make good progress. Expectations are strong across the large majority of subjects and consistently high in English and the arts.  Planning is thorough across the large majority of subjects. Teachers have a good awareness of how well pupils are doing and if they are meeting the targets they have been set.  Homework is set regularly. Work is marked using an agreed system that has been developed since the last inspection. The large majority of teachers use the system well. This helps the pupils to have a good understanding of how well they are doing, and how to improve their work.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The teaching of reading and writing is effective, especially in English. Many teachers are also ensuring that they communicate high expectations across other subject areas as well. Pupils develop good mathematical skills and use these confidently.  Parents receive regular information about how well pupils are doing. Arrangements for reporting to parents have been reviewed and improved in order to ensure that they are helpful and informative.  The management of behaviour is well organised. This means there is little disruption to lessons. Pupils spoken to, staff and most parents who completed the survey all recognise and appreciate the improvements that have been made in promoting positive behaviour, especially since September 2015.  A few pupils do not always try as hard as they could, although they comply with the school's expectations for behaviour. This is especially the case for some of the most-able pupils and means they do not make as

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

much progress as they should. This is because a few teachers do not always insist they aim to achieve their best.  A few subjects, such as science, have experienced changes in staffing. New staff have been appointed and the school will have more settled staffing arrangements from September 2016. Some pupils have fallen behind where there has been a regular change of teachers.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils have good opportunities to consider issues about society and how to contribute positively. The older pupils spoken to said they valued the guidance they had received about careers education.  Pupils say that the school gives them helpful information about how to stay safe. This includes using the internet in a responsible way, as well as road safety and substance misuse.  The pupils say they feel safe at the school. They also felt that if they encountered problems, such as bullying, the school had good systems in place to deal with them. Most felt they were unlikely to encounter these issues and this view was supported by the majority of parents and staff who completed surveys for this inspection.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils move around the school in a calm way and show respect for the different age groups. They are punctual to lessons and have the right equipment that enables them to get on with learning.  Pupils understand and appreciate the school's systems for managing poor behaviour and rewarding good behaviour. Older pupils spoken to, staff who completed a survey and most parents who completed the online questionnaire for this inspection were clear that behaviour had improved since the last inspection. A few parents were not yet convinced that behaviour was good.  Attendance has improved since the previous inspection. It is now average and the school has clear procedures in place to check on absence and follow up those who are not attending regularly. In most cases this is leading to improvement. A few pupils, especially a minority of disadvantaged pupils, are still absent

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Behaviour

too often and this has a negative effect on their learning.  School leaders have set out high expectations for behaviour. As a result, the proportion of pupils who have been excluded has been slightly above average. However, exclusion levels have now fallen and are similar to other schools with this age range.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 In 2015, the proportion of pupils achieving five or more higher GCSE grades, including English and mathematics, was at the national average. The school’s results improved at a faster rate than other schools.  Pupils achieved well across a wide range of subjects. In 2015, GCSE results in English were above average. Achievement in English has improved significantly since the last inspection.  Current school data and work seen during the inspection show that pupils are continuing to improve across many subject areas. In 2015, achievement in mathematics fell, following previous years when performance had been strong. This was mainly caused by a previous policy of early entry for examinations, which has now been changed.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are making consistently good progress across different year groups and subjects.  The school has continued to improve across all year groups and current information and work seen during

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Outcomes for pupils are good

the inspection show that the outcomes for pupils in 2016 are likely to improve further, including in mathematics, science, languages and humanities where there was some underachievement in the 2015 GCSE results.  In years 7, 8 and 9 pupils are making consistently good progress across different subjects. Some are doing less well, especially in science, because they have received less effective teaching over time and experienced changes in teaching staff. Additional support is helping them to catch up.  Although pupils have achieved science results which are close to average, they have not always made sufficient progress across all science subjects. Pupils taking core and additional science have not achieved as well as those taking separate science subjects. Actions to improve outcomes have resulted in some pupils having significant changes of teacher, or supply teachers. Leaders have sought to ensure that pupils make

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Outcomes for pupils are good

better progress, but in some cases pupils are still behind where they should be.  Disadvantaged pupils did not achieve as well as their peers in school, and nationally, in 2015. In English, their attainment was close to average. In mathematics and several other subjects they underachieved. Current school data and work seen during the inspection shows that they are doing better across most year groups and subjects because of specific interventions. Some have still not caught up with their peers and this remains a priority for the school.  The most-able pupils are not always achieving the higher grades they are capable of. This has been a school priority and as a result, improvements are being made. However, where pupils have experienced a succession of different teachers, or where expectations for what these pupils should achieve are not high enough, some are still behind where they should be.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 Leadership of the sixth form has been effective and high expectations have been set. This has resulted in clear improvements being made since the last inspection, especially in the teaching of A level subjects.  Most students are making good progress from their different starting points. They have made consistently good progress in vocational subjects over time.  Teaching is good in the sixth form. Over time, vocational subjects have been taught especially effectively. The teaching of A levels has improved because it has been a school priority. Teachers have a good level of subject knowledge, often plan lessons well and give helpful feedback to students.  Results in A level subjects have, on average, been less secure. However, in 2015, the results improved and current work seen and school data show that most students are now doing better.  Students have the opportunity to take a good range of subjects and courses. The sixth form partnership with

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

another local secondary school enables students to take up courses that would otherwise be too expensive to provide. Students access courses that enable them to progress on to a higher level and which prepare them for future education, employment, or training.  Students behave well in the sixth form. They attend regularly and are punctual to lessons. They are positive about learning and many are prepared to try hard and do their best.  Students who have not achieved a grade C in GCSE English or mathematics are provided with good opportunities to study these subjects further and retake examinations.  Students have good opportunities to talk to qualified staff about careers, higher education and employment options. The proportion going on to the highest rated universities has been below average. This has been a priority for improvement.  The proportion of students who carry on with courses is about average. Vocational students have good

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

opportunities for work experience. This aspect of the curriculum is improving for students taking academic subjects.  The most-able students have not always achieved the highest grades in academic subjects. This has been a school priority and there are some signs of improvement for students currently in the sixth form. However, this is still a priority for development because staff do not always ensure that these students work at a level that will enable them to achieve the highest grade they can. This also means that fewer than average have gone on to study at the highest rated universities.

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School details

Unique reference number 137135 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10001826

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,140

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Dr Neil Appleby Headteacher Helen Renard Telephone number 01522 882020 Website www.srpa.co.uk Email address enquiries@srpa.co.uk Date of previous inspection 20–21 November 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger than average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of pupils identified as those who have special educational needs or disability is close to the national average. The proportion with an education, health and care plan is also average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is below the national average. This additional funding is given to schools for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in local authority care, and some other groups. These pupils are referred to as disadvantaged in this report.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school works in partnership with North Kesteven School to provide sixth form courses. This partnership is known as the North Hykeham Joint Sixth Form.  The school has received additional support from Carre’s Grammar School, Trent Valley Teaching Alliance

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Information about this school

and Maiden Erlegh Teaching School Alliance.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 54 lessons or parts of lessons. Five of the lessons were observed together with senior leaders. Inspectors also visited an assembly, registration time and observed pupils at lunch and breaktimes.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, subject leaders and two governors including the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors met with three groups of pupils. These groups were selected by school leaders.  The inspection team considered the views gathered from parents by the school and the 78 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View. Two parents made direct contact with the inspection team because they found it difficult to access Parent View.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s information about pupils’ progress and attainment, the improvement plan and leaders’ review of how well it is doing.  Inspectors looked at systems for checking the performance of staff, minutes of governing body

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Information about this inspection

meetings and a range of policy documents.

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Inspection team

David Bray, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Susan Vasey Ofsted Inspector Julie Robinson Ofsted Inspector Russell Barr Ofsted Inspector Matthew Sammy Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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