The Charter School North Dulwich

School report University Academy Keighley Green Head Road, Utley, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD20 6EB

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate school

 Achievement is inadequate, despite the recent improvements. Too few pupils, given their starting points, make the progress they should, especially in mathematics and science.  Leadership and management, including governance, require improvement. The school’s overall performance has declined since the last inspection and leaders did not act promptly enough to improve achievement.  Recently improved systems to monitor the performance of teachers and pupils have not had the time to impact fully on pupils’ achievement.  Governors have not always been given accurate and comprehensive information about pupils’ progress and the performance of staff.  Some of the new middle leaders need further support to carry out their roles effectively.  Pupils’ behaviour requires improvement. In some lessons, off-task behaviour prevents pupils from making good progress.  Teaching requires further improvement. Teachers’ expectations are not always high

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This is an inadequate school

enough and pupils are not provided with enough challenge in a number of lessons.  Teachers do not always follow the school’s marking policy. Feedback on pupils’ work, while improved, does not focus closely enough on the steps pupils need to take to improve their learning.  The sixth form requires improvement because not enough learners make good or better progress in some subjects. Attendance and retention rates also need to be improved.

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The school has the following strengths

 Decisive action, taken since September 2015, has strengthened the school’s leadership. The interim principal has a clear and ambitious vision, and has already taken effective steps to get the school on track. She is being well supported by recently appointed senior and middle leaders.  Governors now have a better understanding of the school’s weaknesses.  Care and support for pupils are strengths of the school. Leaders have developed a culture of tolerance and respect that is valued by pupils.  Pupils say they feel safe, and they are safe. They behave well around the school site and respond positively to expectations.  Achievement in the sixth form is improving in some subjects.  Rates of attendance are above average in the main school.

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Urgently improve the progress of all pupils and raise attainment, especially in mathematics and science, by:  ensuring high aspirations for pupils’ achievement, through the rigorous implementation of the recently introduced tracking system to monitor pupils’ progress and by setting challenging targets  taking action to close the gap in performance between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that it is good or better across all subjects, including in the sixth form, and leads to improved outcomes by:  raising teachers’ expectations of the quality of work produced by pupils of all abilities and ensuring that learning proceeds at a good pace  ensuring that teachers use assessment information effectively to plan for pupils’ different starting points, and that planning is adjusted appropriately if they are not making at least good progress  improving the effectiveness of teachers’ feedback across all subjects, so that all pupils know how to improve their work  eradicating pupils’ off-task behaviour by providing them with more challenging work  sharing more effectively the best practice in teaching that exists in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leaders and governors so that they can secure rapid and sustained improvement to teaching and outcomes for pupils by:  using the information gathered from rigorous monitoring to identify where staff need extra training to improve their knowledge and skills, so that pupils make better progress  continuing to develop the skills of middle leaders, so that they are consistently using the information from monitoring to improve teaching, learning and assessment in their subjects  ensuring that performance management processes are rigorous  ensuring that members of the governing body receive accurate and comprehensive information about the performance of pupil groups across the school, so that they can act on that information quickly and effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

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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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Since the last inspection, leaders and governors have not focused sufficiently on securing the good progress of pupils. As a result, standards have declined. There has been some turbulence generated by the school’s need to secure a new sponsor and this has impacted negatively on the pace of change.  Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are tackling the identified weaknesses more systematically, including making a number of staffing changes and introducing more effective systems for monitoring the quality of teaching. As a result, there has been rapid improvement in English, and some improvement in mathematics but not at the pace required to tackle previous weaknesses fully. Leaders are also fully aware of the weaknesses in science and are taking action to address them.  Behaviour and attendance have improved as a result of the successful implementation of strong systems

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

and the way in which leaders are raising the expectations of teachers, parents and pupils.  Leaders have introduced a more rigorous range of measures to check the accuracy of assessment at key stage 4. These include more regular testing of pupils and external moderation of their work. This approach is still developing but is already making a difference. Staff give willingly of their time to support pupils who need extra help, but leaders are aware that more needs to be done in lessons to support pupils who are underachieving.  The new interim principal has a clear and ambitious vision for the school’s rapid and successful improvement. She is well supported by new senior leaders. She is already introducing more rigour into performance management processes so that targets that are set for staff are appropriately challenging. Staff comment positively about the changes and they value the training that has been offered.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 This year, leaders have begun to make effective use of external support to improve the quality of teaching and leadership. As a result, there have been some improvements in weaker subjects such as mathematics, and support is now being provided in science. A new marking policy has been implemented and this is beginning to support pupils’ learning.  The recently appointed middle and senior leaders are developing their skills in monitoring achievement and the quality of teaching more effectively. There is still a lack of consistency in some of the approaches used to tackle weaknesses and in the provision of targeted coaching for their colleagues.  Leaders’ use of the additional government funding to support disadvantaged pupils has not been effective enough. Pupils in need of support are identified and provided with extra help. However, leaders do not check the impact of their actions robustly enough and gaps between disadvantaged pupils and others

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

nationally are not narrowing quickly enough.  The school’s curriculum has been reviewed to ensure that pupils now have appropriate opportunities to gain qualifications that will lead them on to the next stage in their education more successfully. It provides a broad and balanced range of courses. Most pupils are now following an appropriate science programme and more pupils are studying for GCSE examinations in humanities and a modern foreign language. Programmes of learning at key stage 3 are being reviewed to ensure that pupils have the basic skills, the knowledge and the understanding to be successful at key stage 4.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is a real strength of the school with the provision of a wide range of activities across subject areas that enable pupils to respect other faiths, cultures and experiences. Pupils speak highly of organised events such as Black History Month,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

‘identity challenge’, ‘ARTiculation day’ and ‘culture day’. There is a wide range of examples in pupils’ books of pupils researching and debating topics such as ‘What it is to be British’ and ‘Should we eat animals?’. Although there is a range of extra-curricular activities on offer, pupils say that they would welcome a wider choice of activities at lunchtimes.  The governance of the school Governors have not been diligent enough over time in holding leaders to account for the underachievement of pupils and the performance of staff. Since September, they have challenged leaders more effectively to address weaknesses in outcomes, leadership and teaching, but they are still not provided with enough information about the progress of different pupil groups across the school. The support from the current sponsor has not been effective in securing improvement over time and governors are in the process of transferring to a new sponsor.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

Governors are now clear about the quality of teaching across subjects because they have been involved in reviewing the work of the school. They have ensured that appropriate policies are in place for behaviour and special educational needs, and that safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. Governors have taken decisive action to make staffing changes and to strengthen the leadership at all levels. They have provided effective support for the new acting principal and have confidence in her ability to move the school forward at a rapid pace. Governors know how the pupil premium funding is being used but they have failed to scrutinise whether it is making enough difference to the progress of disadvantaged pupils across subjects and year groups.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Procedures are well understood by staff because they have regular training and they look out for pupils who may be at risk. Leaders work with local agencies to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

support vulnerable pupils and their families. Appropriate checks are made on adults working at the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is improving but remains variable across and within subjects. Recent approaches to improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are in their early stages. Leaders recognise that a more structured approach to training and the sharing of best practice will drive improvement in teaching further.  Teaching in English and mathematics for Years 10 and 11 is improving because new subject leaders are monitoring the progress of pupils more effectively. In English, teaching is strengthening as a result of effective medium-term planning, the use of high-quality resources and teachers’ effective feedback that enables pupils to develop the skills they need in writing and reading. Nevertheless, the pace of learning is still too slow in some lessons at key stage 3. In mathematics, recent improvements in the way checks are made on pupils’ learning are helping teachers to plan appropriately challenging work but this is not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

consistent in all lessons. In science, pupils show a limited understanding of some basic concepts and the teaching is not always structured well enough to enable pupils to make sufficient progress.  In a number of lessons across subjects, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. Planning does not always take account of pupils’ starting points and, as a result, some of the work is not challenging enough for some pupils and not well understood by others. The most-able pupils are not always given enough activities to stretch them.  Where teaching is most effective, teachers have high expectations and explain clearly what they want pupils to learn. For example, in a religious studies lesson on ‘matters of life and death’, pupils showed strong subject knowledge and a depth of understanding in response to a series of innovative resources, and they contributed enthusiastically to discussion. In an English lesson on ‘The Tempest’, pupils were

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

provided with support to engage in a challenging task. Teachers’ questioning is sometimes used effectively to check pupils’ understanding and to develop their speaking skills successfully.  In a number of subjects, where teachers choose to provide opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively, there are varying degrees of success. When the task is not structured sufficiently, the pace of learning is slow because pupils have no sense of urgency.  The leaders’ focus on improving the quality of marking and feedback has ensured that the marking of books has improved in most subjects. However, the quality of the feedback remains variable and is not always in line with the school’s policy. Where it is most effective in supporting the school’s policy, pupils are clear about the next steps to take in their learning and they are given time to improve their work or respond to their teachers’ questions. Pupils’ standards of presentation of their work are also variable, with

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

some particularly untidy presentation in science and humanities books. There are also some examples of unfinished work in a number of subjects.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders have worked hard to establish an ethos of respect, trust and tolerance. This culture is evident in classrooms and around the school where pupils socialise readily and collaborate willingly. Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and adults, are very positive.  Staff are rigorous in their efforts to identify any pupil at risk and have received up-to-date training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. This means that there are secure processes in place to make referrals when concerns are identified and that these referrals are then followed up in a timely way. Leaders work well with local agencies such as Families First and Project 6, and there are regular ‘team around the child’ meetings to enable support for children and their families in times of great need.  Pupils say that there is always an adult they can talk to if they need support. They show a good awareness

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Personal development and welfare

of how to keep themselves safe online and in the community because of the wide range of work the school does to help them understand and respond to risks to their safety. For example, there is a comprehensive programme in place to cover issues such as health, fitness, radicalisation and knife crime.  Bullying and the use of derogatory language is very rare. Pupils say that they trust staff to deal with any incidents effectively. They are encouraged to challenge stereotypes.  Pupils receive good careers education, information and guidance. They value the support of an impartial careers officer and say that they receive good-quality support for choosing their options and further education and training.  Leaders have invested in new technology with the intention of developing pupils’ self-confidence and understanding of how to be a successful learner. Some teachers and pupils are making good use of this

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement because there is some off-task behaviour in lessons, especially by boys.  Conduct in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils move around the school calmly. They are sociable and friendly. They respond quickly to correction and follow the school’s expectations. Pupils wear their uniform with pride and show respect for the school environment.  Leaders have implemented a well-considered programme to encourage self-discipline, called ‘Great Place to Learn’ and pupils respond well to this. Analysis of behaviour records, for those who attend the Behaviour Support Unit, provides useful information for leaders and governors. However, further analysis by groups is needed to ensure that intervention is always targeted effectively and to check the impact of actions to address reoccurrence of incidents more successfully.  The number of fixed-term exclusions has reduced. Leaders work successfully within a local partnership of

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Behaviour

schools and there have been no permanent exclusions in the last three years. Pupils say that behaviour has improved and it is generally good. Some pupils say that there is some inconsistency in the way in which teachers follow the behaviour policy. Most staff also report that behaviour is generally good.  Attitudes to learning in the classroom, however, are not consistently good. There is some regular off-task behaviour when the work is not challenging enough and when teachers do not follow the school’s behaviour policy quickly enough. As a result, some pupils do not make rapid enough progress in lessons, particularly at key stage 3.  Boys demonstrate more self-confidence than girls in the classroom, and many contribute regularly to discussion but, occasionally, their calling out disrupts learning. Leaders are aware of this and their improvement priorities are focused on reducing off-task behaviour.

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Behaviour

 Pupils who attend alternative education behave well and show positive attitudes to their learning.  Pupils are punctual to school and to lessons. Attendance is above the national average and improving. This is because leaders use a range of strategies to tackle absence swiftly. The number of pupils who are absent for long periods of time is below the national average but persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils remains slightly above that of all pupils nationally. Leaders continue to work with relatively small numbers of pupils to improve their attendance, and are making marginal gains.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 In 2014 and 2015, too many pupils did not make the progress that they should have. The attainment and progress of pupils at the end of key stage 4 were well below the floor standard set by the government and represented a significant decline in outcomes since the last inspection. The progress made by pupils in mathematics has been well below the national average for some time. Pupils underachieved considerably in science.  Disadvantaged pupils made less progress in English and mathematics compared with other pupils nationally and attainment gaps widened, especially in mathematics. The standards reached by disadvantaged pupils were also significantly lower than those of other pupils nationally. In the current Year 11, disadvantaged pupils are making better progress in English but progress remains slow in mathematics and science.  Evidence from pupils’ books, lessons and the school’s tracking information shows some improvement since

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

September 2015. Pupils are making better progress in English, in their lessons and assessments. In mathematics, there are signs of improvement but rates of progress are inconsistent across groups.  In 2015, only a few pupils were entered for core and additional science. In the current Years 10 and 11, there is a much higher proportion of pupils following these programmes. The school’s tracking suggests that pupils’ progress continues to be weak in science, history and geography. This is evidenced by the poor quality of work in some pupils’ books.  New systems for tracking pupils’ progress are becoming more reliable, but the much stronger progress predicted by leaders across all subjects for 2016 is not fully supported by the progress seen during the inspection. New approaches to providing support for those who are not making good progress are beginning to make a difference, from a very low starting point. Progress is too variable at key stage 3.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Pupils are making better progress in religious studies, business studies, and physical education and sport.  The most-able pupils have not made good progress over the last two years, with very few attaining A* or A grades. There are signs of improving progress in Years 9 and 10 in English and mathematics.  Progress for pupils who have special educational needs or disability also remain variable, and gaps between their achievements and those of other pupils have not narrowed in a sustained and consistent way across subjects. The school is developing a range of strategies to provide learning support more effectively for these pupils.  In recent years, boys have performed significantly less well than girls. In the current Year 11, the gaps are narrowing effectively in mathematics but remain too wide in English. Boys’ performance at key stage 3 and in other subjects is a mixed picture.  Pupils are not fully prepared for the next stage of their education, employment or training because pupils

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

who left in 2014 and 2015 did not have the qualifications to progress on to appropriate routes.

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

 Leadership and the quality of teaching require improvement because the achievement of learners, although improving, remains variable. Leaders have not ensured that all learners leave with the highest qualifications possible. A recent school review identified underachievement by some learners with average starting points, those with weak literacy skills and the most able. Actions are now being taken to intervene earlier to support learners who are underachieving.  Progress in academic subjects overall is in line with the progress expected nationally, and the progress in vocational courses is improving. However, overall learners’ progress across a range of subjects remains inconsistent. There is a legacy of weak progress in mathematics and chemistry which is being addressed. Progress is better in information technology, business studies, psychology, religious studies, and health and social care than elsewhere.

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

 Boys’ progress improved in 2015 and the progress of disadvantaged learners is in line with the national average for both academic and vocational courses.  In subjects where learners are achieving more success, effective planning ensures that they are challenged, and questioning enables learners to think more deeply about the subject. Learners say that they enjoy having opportunities to work with others to develop their ideas.  A relatively large number of learners are resitting GCSE English and mathematics in order to attain a grade C in these subjects. This is because of their previous weak achievement in the main school. Records made available show that very few are currently working at the required level.  The range of courses on offer is limited due to the relatively small sixth form. Learners’ awareness of higher education opportunities has historically been restricted to local universities. Leaders know that

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

learners may benefit from the opportunity to broaden their horizons and are taking action to raise learners’ expectations. Learners spoke very enthusiastically about the Leeds Beckett Progression module designed to raise their aspirations. They also value the enrichment programme and the student leadership programme provided.  Learners display positive attitudes to their learning. They speak highly of their experiences in the sixth form and the support they receive. Learners talk confidently about the work they have done to explore the ‘Prevent’ duty, and their engagement with local services and charities. They appreciate the quality of careers guidance available and most learners have the opportunity to carry out work experience. They are well supported to apply for higher education, training and apprenticeships.  Attendance has declined this year and leaders are unclear of the reasons for this. Retention rates from

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School details

Unique reference number 136298 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 10012069

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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 School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ms Nadira Mirza Principal Bernie Addison Telephone number 01535 210333 Website http://uak.org.uk Email address office@uak.email Date of previous inspection 20-21 May 2014

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Information about this school

 Since 2012, the executive principal, who is the principal of a local school, Bradford Academy, and a national leader of education, have been supporting the school. The substantive principal and two senior leaders left at Easter 2016 and an interim principal has been appointed for four terms. The interim principal was the vice-principal in the school.  A number of senior leaders and middle leaders are new in post.  A new sponsor, Wakefield City Academies Trust, is due to take over from Bradford University in June 2016.  The school is smaller than the average secondary school with a sixth form. The percentage of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is well above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability is well above the national average.

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Information about this school

 The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those with English as an additional language are very high.  The school makes use of two placements for alternative education, Pipeline Productions and Keighley College, for a small number of pupils.  For the last two years, the school has not met current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed parts of 34 lessons, some jointly with school leaders. They attended an assembly and visited a number of ‘community time’ sessions.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, the executive principal, the interim principal, senior leaders, middle leaders, three governors, including the vice-chair of the governing body, and a representative of the academy sponsor, Bradford University.  Inspectors looked at a range of pupils’ work, heard pupils read, observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and at lunchtime, and talked informally with staff and pupils.  Inspectors considered 47 responses to questionnaires completed by staff and 184 questionnaires completed by pupils. There were no responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including those to do with safeguarding, behaviour and attendance, progress information on current pupils, curriculum plans, monitoring records, minutes of

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Information about this inspection

governors’ meetings and the executive board, the school’s evaluation of its own performance, and improvement plans.

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Inspection team

Lynn Kenworthy, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Malcolm Kirtley Her Majesty’s Inspector Jeremy Haigh Ofsted Inspector Lesley Powell 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

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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