The Samuel Lister Academy

The Samuel Lister Academy Cottingley New Road, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16 1TZ

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate school

 Leaders lack the capacity to make rapid improvements to the school. Since the previous inspection, not enough progress has been made in improving leadership, teaching and behaviour.  Some middle leaders have an over-rosy view of how well they and their departments are doing. Consequently, they have an inaccurate view of the impact of their leadership.  Teaching is inadequate. It is not strong enough to help pupils make rapid progress. The considerable churn in staffing has further limited the school’s ability to improve rapidly.  Too many lessons are being spoilt by poor behaviour. Low-level disruptions occur on a daily basis.  Fixed-term exclusions remain very high and are nearly three times the national average.  Outcomes, especially in key subjects including mathematics and science, are inadequate. The progress pupils make, including the most able, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs or disability, is weak in too

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This is an inadequate school

many subjects.  The progress sixth form students make in their academic studies has been inadequate for the last two years and signs of rapid improvement are unconvincing.

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The school has the following strengths

 The principal has a clear understanding of what the key priorities are and is tackling underperformance. Staff feel well supported and morale is high.  Outcomes are improving in English and students achieve well on post-16 vocational courses.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is well delivered. Pupils have the opportunity to take part in drama productions, attend extra-curricular activities and benefit from visiting speakers during ‘theme days’.  Pupils are well cared for and feel safe in 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 special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, including governance, so that improving pupil outcomes is more rapid by: – ensuring that leaders’ judgements about the quality of teaching give higher regard to the standards of pupils’ and students’ work over time and published performance data on progress and attainment – ensuring that newly appointed leaders and teachers rapidly set about improving the quality of teaching and rates of progress, especially in mathematics and science – ensuring that sixth form students on academic pathways make at least expected progress – ensuring the progress of all sixth form students, including those who have special educational needs or disability, is checked regularly to ensure interventions can be timely and effective – governors providing greater levels of challenge regarding the impact leaders and managers are having and fulfilling their statutory duties, making sure all school policies are reviewed, amended and ratified

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

in a timely manner and these are reflected on the school website – making sure that successful strategies to improve teaching and pupils’ outcomes are more effectively shared and embedded to improve teaching and build capacity.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality and consistency of teaching, learning and assessment so it rapidly improves pupils’ outcomes by making sure that: – all teachers have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve – all teachers adhere to the school’s marking and feedback policy and make sure it has the desired impact on pupils’ progress – all teachers confidently use assessment information to deliver lessons that are sufficiently engaging and challenging for all pupils – all teachers set suitably challenging homework in line with school expectations – there are sufficient numbers of well-trained additional adults to support the growing number of pupils with English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs or disability.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the behaviour and attendance of pupils by: – making sure all teachers consistently follow the school’s behaviour policy and have high expectations of all pupils’ behaviour to eradicate low-level disruption affecting learning – continuing to develop strategies to improve attendance, especially for girls and those who are disadvantaged – reducing persistent absence rates and to reduce the numbers of fixed-term exclusions – accurately recording and analysing punctuality and developing strategies to ensure fewer pupils arrive to school or lessons late.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve careers information, advice and guidance so that pupils and sixth-form students are better informed and feel more confident about the choices available to them both at key stage 4 and after the sixth form.

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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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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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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Leaders and managers lack the capacity to improve the school. The school is a long way away from its vision of creating outstanding learning for all its pupils. Over time, pupils have made inadequate progress in a number of key subjects, including mathematics and science. Poor behaviour in many lessons hinders learning and sixth form students following academic pathways have made inadequate progress over a number of years.  There is a heavy reliance on temporary teachers filling these gaps. This is contributing to, but not entirely responsible for, the significant inconsistencies in the way lessons are taught and behaviour is managed. Teaching, learning, marking and feedback vary significantly from classroom to classroom, which is having a direct impact on pupils’ behaviour and their desire to learn.  Many middle leaders are not effective in improving the quality of teaching and learning. They are only

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

beginning to make judgements about how well their departments are doing. These evaluations are sometimes inaccurate and confusing. Some middle leaders believe that they are providing good levels of leadership and that teaching is improving, while at the same time acknowledging that pupil outcomes are inadequate. Senior leaders have not supported middle leaders well enough in seeing the link between the quality of teaching and the progress pupils are making.  Performance management procedures have improved and there is a closer link between teacher performance and salary progression. Targets set for teachers are more measurable and focused on the progress pupils make over time. It is too early to say whether this approach will have a significant impact on raising standards quickly.  Staff morale is high and survey findings show that staff value the professional development and training they receive. However, with such high staff turnover, the impact of this training is reduced. Newly and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

recently qualified teachers feel generally well supported despite the lack of a permanent subject leader at times to help and guide them. There is insufficient training and development for post-16 teaching, especially in the light of inadequate academic outcomes over the last two years.  Although a small number of parents responded, parental feedback confirms that they too have deep concerns about the progress their children are making and have well-founded concerns about the quality of teaching and behaviour. Older pupils in particular are critical of the quality of teaching and the progress they are making. These pupils comment on the poor-quality lessons, particularly in mathematics and science, and the lack of challenge from some of their teachers. Pupils also comment on how their lessons are regularly disrupted by poor behaviour from others in their class or from other pupils sent to their classroom for behaving poorly elsewhere.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 The curriculum does offer a range of pathways and options for pupils. However, the quality of teaching means that the curriculum is not delivered well and is not effective enough in preparing pupils for the next stages of their education, employment or training. Too many post-16 students have been allowed to take academic pathways that are unsuitable for them. Coupled with poor teaching, the progress students make on academic courses is inadequate. Leaders have now tightened up course requirements for pupils wishing to pursue academic pathways, but it is too soon to say whether this will improve outcomes significantly.  The principal has a clear vision and ambition for the school and knows what needs to improve. She has rightly challenged underperformance. School staffing is currently in a state of churn as leaders and teachers have left and newly appointed leaders have either only recently started or have yet to begin. It

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

is too soon to judge whether these appointments will actually increase the capacity of leadership and management.  The curriculum is more effective in developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. A number of pupils have benefited from being involved in theatrical productions such as the Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. The ‘well-being centre’ is helping some pupils understand and manage their emotional and behavioural challenges. ‘Theme days’ see external speakers invited into school. These are helping pupils better understand issues regarding sex and relationships, conflict resolution, radicalisation and extremism. After-school interventions are welcomed by older pupils as a way of helping them try and be better prepared for their examinations. However, these pupils feel that it is too little too late. Pupils told inspectors they felt they have had a poor deal and that the constant

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

change of teachers has had a negative impact on their chances of success.  Pupils have some understanding of democracy. Pupils vote for those pupils who will represent them on the school council. However, a number of pupils say they do not value the right to vote in school as the school council has little or no impact. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons observed show that pupils, when taught well, can work well together and have a good understanding of issues related to enterprise, the law and forced marriages, for example.  Since the time of the last inspection, the trust has accurately identified the key issues facing the school but has had mixed success in helping to tackle them quickly. There are signs that trust support is having a stronger impact in English as pupils’ progress in English is stronger and is improving year on year. Where the trust has been less successful is in helping to improve the outcomes for pupils in mathematics

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

and science. This is despite the use of the trust’s assistant directors for school improvement currently working in the school.  It is recommended that newly qualified teachers are not appointed to the school.  The governance of the school – Governors and members of the trust accept that the school has a number of significant weaknesses which are being exacerbated by the ongoing changes in staffing. Governors come from a range of backgrounds and at times use this experience to ask relevant and challenging questions of leaders. However, they are not challenging enough. Governors are aware of how additional funding is being spent, including the pupil premium. They are not clear which strategies are having the most impact on pupil progress. Governors do not always challenge leaders effectively enough regarding sixth-form provision either. – Governors are not fulfilling their statutory duties. Important policies on the school website, including

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

those related to child protection, safeguarding and for pupils who have special educational needs or disability, are either out of date or missing. – The quality of information governors receive is mixed. Reports from school leaders are clear as are those from some external reviews. However, some external reviews have not had written reports for the governors to review and consider. This has meant that governors are over-reliant on feedback from school leaders on what the outcomes and recommendations of these reviews were.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective despite the out-of-date policies on the school website. There are effective procedures in place to corroborate that individuals are safe to work with pupils. Regular training is in place to ensure staff are kept up to date on the latest safeguarding practice, including on issues related to radicalisation and extremism.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teaching is not good enough to help pupils make progress, particularly in mathematics and science and for students in the sixth form following some academic subjects. Teachers’ expectations vary markedly from classroom to classroom.  Too often, teachers do not expect enough of pupils and accept work that is scruffy and lacks any pride or care. Pupils’ work can often go unmarked for long periods of time and does not follow the school policy for marking and feedback. Too often when pupils do receive feedback, it has little impact on their progress. There is a lack of consistency in how well teachers address and improve pupils’ grammar, punctuation and spelling. As a result, basic spelling mistakes made months ago are still being made now by many pupils.  There are pockets of better practice across the school. In a small number of classrooms, teachers have high expectations of pupils, provide helpful feedback, expect them to work well for the entire lesson and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

present their work with pride.  In these lessons, teachers use questioning skilfully to check that pupils fully understand what they are being taught. This leads pupils to grow in confidence and show positive attitudes to learning, as was the case in a Year 13 religious studies lesson. However, in many other lessons, teachers fail to engage pupils in learning. This is due to work being not challenging enough and inconsistent, and to ineffective use of the behaviour management policy and teachers not knowing how well their pupils are doing due to a lack of marking and feedback.  Over time, the most able pupils in particular are not making the progress that they should be across a wide range of subjects. The setting of suitably challenging homework is hit and miss. Some pupils say that they are set homework regularly and others say that they never have homework set. Attitudes to learning are generally poor and a significant number of detentions are given for poor behaviour.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teachers do not make good enough use of the other adults in classrooms. These other adults often lack direction and a clear focus. Other adults are often ill equipped to support pupils who are at the early stages of learning English. As a result, pupils with little or no English can be left to flounder in classrooms without any effective support.  Given the fact that there are three times as many pupils who have special educational needs or disability in school than the national average, there is insufficient capacity to support these pupils.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Older pupils have valued some of the careers information, advice and guidance they have received. The number of pupils who do not enter education, employment or training has improved and is now better than the national average. However, there is insufficient individual support to help some pupils make the right choices. As a result, older pupils say they are unclear about which pathway to follow after their GCSEs and students in the sixth form are unclear about what options, other than university, are available to them once they leave school.  Pupils have a better understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy, both emotionally and physically. The ‘well-being centre’ provides effective support for vulnerable pupils. As a result, these pupils are being helped to better understand and manage their feelings.

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Personal development and welfare

 Leaders ensure that effective checks are made on those pupils who attend alternative provision. Regular contact is made with these registered providers to check that pupils are safe, attending regularly and that they are making progress.  Leaders have made improving attendance and wearing the correct uniform high priorities. Pupils are generally smart in their appearance and follow the school dress code. As a result of a range of strategies, including assemblies, ‘attendance Wednesday’ and the growing use of rewards and certificates, overall attendance is improving, but still has some way to go before it is near the national average, especially the attendance of girls. The attendance of disadvantaged pupils is improving but needs to improve further.  Pupils say they feel safe in and around the school. They are confident that if they or their friends have any concerns then there is always someone in school that will listen and help. Pupils have a good

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Personal development and welfare

awareness of the different types of bullying, including verbal, physical and online bullying, and believe that, while these incidents are relatively rare, they are dealt with effectively.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate because of the high levels of disruptive behaviour over time.  In many lessons, particularly but not exclusively with teachers who are new to the school, pupils show poor behaviour and attitudes to learning. On many occasions, pupils are slumped over their tables, still wearing their bags or with their feet on chairs. Sixth-form students told inspectors that, on occasion, poorly behaved pupils are sent to their lessons, which disrupts their learning and progress.  Poor attitudes to learning are not tackled well enough. Work is often poorly presented, diagrams are scruffily drawn in pen rather than pencil and often work is not neatly underlined. Too many teachers do not effectively tackle these basic expectations and this sets a tone for low expectations.  Teachers sometimes struggle to teach as lessons are disrupted by pupils’ low-level chatting, shouting out

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Behaviour

and answering back. In a number of lessons, pupils can be seen quietly doing very little and this goes unchallenged too often. Punctuality to school and to lessons remains an issue and greater impact is needed in making sure this is successfully tackled.  Fixed-term exclusions are reducing slowly but remain too high. Despite the ‘Golden Rules’ for behaviour, these are inconsistently used by both temporary and permanent teachers. As a result, much depends on which teacher pupils have, as to whether behaviour is managed effectively or not. A number of pupils say they do not enjoy coming to school due to poor behaviour and poor teaching.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Despite the improvements in 2014, the proportion of pupils achieving five good GCSE grades, including English and mathematics, fell in 2015. Over time, too many pupils, including the most able, those with special educational needs or disability, disadvantaged pupils, pupils of Pakistani heritage and those with English as an additional language, failed to make the progress they should have. The key factor for this is weak teaching over time, especially in mathematics and science. Leaders believe that current Year 11 pupils will achieve more this year. The evidence for this is unconvincing.  In-school assessment information shows that significant weaknesses remain in a number of subjects. Little improvements are expected in mathematics or science, for example. The current progress information, coupled with inspection evidence, shows that the most able, disabled pupils, those with special educational needs or disability and Pakistani pupils are not making rapid enough progress in many

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

subjects.  Over time, leaders have been more effective in improving the progress pupils are making in English. Over the last two years, pupils have made better progress and attained higher outcomes as a result. Disadvantaged pupils have also made better progress in English and are close to national averages.  Leaders have been ineffective in improving the progress pupils make in mathematics. Pupils make much weaker progress in this subject and gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers remain wide and show little signs of improving.  Despite significant amounts of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils, there has been mixed success in closing gaps. There has been greater impact in English and little or no impact in mathematics. Year 7 catch-up funding is having more of an impact. Effective work with pupils in Year 7 has seen both their reading and their mathematics skills improve.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 As with other pupils, the most able pupils underachieve across a wide range of subjects. In 2015, the number of A* to A grades was extremely low across a range of subjects, including art and design, French, physical education (PE), mathematics and science.  The achievement of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is significantly below that of other pupils nationally with similar starting points. Current assessment information, alongside inspection evidence, including lesson observations and work scrutiny, suggests that leaders are not successful enough in improving the progress of this group of pupils.  Sixth-form leaders do not currently track the progress being made by students who have special educational needs or disability. At key stage 3, current assessment information suggests that progress is continuing to improve for pupils in English and inspection evidence confirms this. However, there is still

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

widespread underachievement particularly in Years 7 and 8 in a range of subjects and there is still some way to go before pupils are on track to achieve their targets.  Those pupils attending alternative provision are following suitable courses and are likely to achieve a range of qualifications, including functional English and mathematics.

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

 Over time, the leadership of the sixth form has been inadequate. Actions taken to improve the sixth form have not had sufficient impact. Leaders are aware of where there are weaknesses in teaching and learning, such as marking and feedback in some subjects, but they have not tackled them quickly or effectively enough.  Leaders have not been effective enough in checking how well all students are achieving and helping those who were underperforming. As a result, a significant proportion of students failed to achieve a pass grade in their AS level courses. The failure rates were particularly high in biology, chemistry, mathematics and psychology.  Sixth-form leaders still do not have a full picture of the progress different groups of students are making. Despite new ways of checking students’ progress, these checks are not sufficiently strong enough to catch students who may be underperforming and to do something quickly to improve their progress. Not

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

enough attention is currently being given to the progress of key groups of students, including students who have special educational needs or disability and disadvantaged students.  Outcomes for students following academic pathways in 2014 and 2015 were inadequate overall because students failed to meet the government’s interim minimum standards for academic qualifications in both of these years. In-school evidence that significant improvements will be seen in academic subjects in 2016 is unconvincing especially given the high numbers of Year 12 students, currently in Year 13, with a high number of unclassified grades.  The progress current students make is at times being impeded by weak teaching and poor behaviour of younger pupils.  Over time, students who failed to achieve a GCSE grade C in English and/or mathematics in Year 11 make unimpressive progress in the sixth form towards achieving at least a grade C. During the 2015 autumn

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

term, no students were successful in achieving a grade C in their mathematics resit.  Students’ achievement in vocational courses is generally stronger. In 2014 and 2015, the government’s minimum standards for vocational qualifications were met. Students’ achievement in vocational qualifications is higher and inspection evidence indicates that this is likely to be the case again this year.  Careers information, advice and guidance has up until recently been weak and led to some students being placed on inappropriate courses. Retention rates have not been good enough. Leaders have improved the entry requirements needed to pursue academic qualifications now. Guidance now ensures students are on courses that are well matched to their future aspirations and career goals. However, students are still not fully informed about their possible next steps in education, employment and training once they leave the sixth form.

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

 The programme of study for the sixth form incorporates work experience, which students say they are using to test out their career choices. Students also have helpful opportunities to develop their communication skills through activities in personal, social, health and economic education and through volunteering and peer mentoring in the school.  Attendance is improving in the sixth form and is now only slightly below the national average.

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School details

Unique reference number 137576 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 10012018

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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 11–19 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Eve Gregory Principal Bec Osborne Telephone number 01274 567281 Website www.samuellister.co.uk Email address info@samuellister.co.uk Date of previous inspection 19–20 February 2014

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Information about this school

 The academy is sponsored by Bradford College Educational Trust (BCET).  It is smaller than the average school, with a below-average number of girls.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well above the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after.  The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic heritages, with the majority of pupils of Pakistani heritage. There are a growing number of pupils from Eastern Europe, including those of Gypsy/Roma heritage.  The academy meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this school

 There are a small number of pupils who attend education and/or training at places away from school. The providers are Bradford College, the James Project, Keighley College and the Hanson Academy.  There have been numerous staffing changes since the previous inspection, including changes to senior and middle leadership and a number of teachers leaving the school.  The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about child protection, safeguarding and for pupils who have special educational needs or disability on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors gathered a wide range of evidence during the inspection, including observations of teaching, some of which were undertaken with senior leaders and through learning walks.  Inspectors carefully scrutinised pupils’ work over time including in English, mathematics, science, history, geography and creative skills.  Inspectors held meetings with school staff, including the principal, other senior leaders and staff in charge of aspects of the school’s work. Inspectors met with a group of teachers, including newly and recently qualified teachers. They also met with two governors and the director of school improvement from BCET.  Inspectors spoke with pupils and sixth-form students during formal interview, during lessons and informally.  Inspectors considered a wide range of documentation related to the school’s work, gaining the school’s view of its performance, and information concerning pupils’ attainment, progress, attendance and

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Information about this inspection

behaviour.  Inspectors scrutinised records concerning safeguarding, pupils’ behaviour over time and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  Inspectors analysed seven parental responses submitted during the inspection to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View. The 21 staff and 77 pupil surveys submitted to Ofsted were also considered. Inspectors also took into account school parental surveys.

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Inspection team

Philip Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Debbie Redshaw Her Majesty’s Inspector Melanie Williams Ofsted Inspector Jeremy Haigh 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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