Chantry Academy

Chantry Academy Mallard Way, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 9LR

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Outcomes are not yet good. Too many Year 11 pupils did not make the progress expected in English and mathematics in 2015.  The proportion of pupils in the school who are making more progress than is expected of them in a range of subjects is not high enough.  Boys who join the school with average prior attainment do not make enough progress.  The gap between the achievement of the most able disadvantaged pupils and other similar pupils is not closing quickly enough.  At key stage 3, some teachers do not use assessment information effectively to pitch work consistently at the right level for all pupils.  At key stage 4, not all teachers plan lessons that sufficiently develop important skills such as analysis, evaluation and problem solving.  Some teachers do not consistently set homework that effectively promotes learning.  Numeracy skills are not taught across the curriculum in subjects other than mathematics as

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The school has the following strengths

 The effective leadership of the principal and his senior team has brought about rapid improvement at the school.  Pupils behave very well and they develop positive attitudes to their learning. They are happy at the school and work hard.  Gaps between the overall achievement of disadvantaged pupils and others are narrowing rapidly.  Achievement is improving because school leaders and governors focus effectively upon challenging underperformance and strengthening the quality of teaching.  The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is highly effective.  The school’s strategies for improving pupils’ literacy have been very successful.

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Full report

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupil outcomes so they are at least in line with national averages in all subjects by: – increasing the proportion of pupils who make greater than expected progress – accelerating the progress of boys who join the school with average prior attainment – ensuring that the most able disadvantaged pupils make progress in line with other similar pupils at the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of teaching, learning and assessment by: – ensuring that all teachers use assessment information effectively to pitch work at the right level for all pupils – ensuring that all teachers plan lessons which sufficiently develop important skills such as analysis, evaluation and problem-solving – ensuring that all teachers use homework effectively to promote learning – teaching numeracy skills effectively across the curriculum in subjects other than mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The principal, supported by a committed and cohesive senior leadership team, has skilfully steered the school’s improvement. The strength of leadership is recognised overwhelmingly by pupils, staff and parents alike.  School leaders consistently articulate high expectations that pupils will behave well and work hard. This helps shape pupils’ positive attitudes to their learning and promotes constructive behaviour. This in turn ensures that effective teaching and learning can take place.  The quality of teaching is improving rapidly because any areas of underperformance have been identified and addressed. The school’s professional development programme is tailored to help improve the skills of individual teachers and encourages teachers to engage in relevant research, so they can learn from the best practice nationally. Performance management systems are used effectively to challenge staff and hold them to account for the progress pupils make.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Subject leaders and teachers in charge of year groups now routinely evaluate the effectiveness of their teams, analyse pupil performance information and plan how they can contribute to whole-school priorities. These middle leaders are supported effectively by senior leaders. This support is enhanced for new middle leaders and those who need additional support by targeted training.  School leaders are using pupil premium funding effectively to reduce the gap between the performance of disadvantaged pupils at the school and other pupils nationally. They are also successfully using the funding available to accelerate the progress of pupils who need to catch up with their peers when they first arrive at the school.  Self-evaluation at the school is thorough and accurate. Leaders have a perceptive understanding of what the school does well and what needs to be prioritised for further improvement. They have responded

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

swiftly to areas of underperformance in the 2015 examinations and the changes they have made as a result have successfully raised standards.  School leaders and governors meticulously plan and regularly evaluate the school curriculum. They ensure that it encourages coherent learning across both key stages and that it provides an appropriately broad and balanced range of pathways for pupils to move onto the next stage of their education or employment. Last year, the vast majority of pupils leaving the school secured a place on a course or in employment when they finished Year 11. This transition is well supported by well-focused impartial advice and guidance. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities that are well attended and these help enhance pupils’ positive attitudes.  Effective opportunities for developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural knowledge and understanding are threaded throughout lessons, assemblies, tutorial periods, religious education lessons

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

and the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme. Pupils learn to appreciate and respect the diversity of life in modern British society and democratic principles. For example, inspectors observed tutors leading discussions of the issues associated with the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union with pupils in preparation for a whole-school mock referendum.  The school has improved communication with parents in order to enhance the reputation of the school within the community. It has held a regular parents’ forum that has been well attended. The principal’s weekly online ‘blog’ has provided parents with regular updates on the life of the school. The school’s consultation on its change of name gave the local community an important opportunity to contribute to its future.  The school’s sponsoring trust provides effective support. The principal benefits from membership of a

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

network of local trust headteachers which shares good practice. The trust is enhancing teaching, learning and assessment through facilitating the school’s collaboration with a partner secondary school, particularly in confirming standards at key stage 4 through the moderation of pupils’ work.  The governance of the school – The new governing body has strengthened the leadership of the school considerably. Governors have set about the task of providing the necessary support and challenge to senior leaders with energy, enthusiasm and expertise. They have analysed the findings of a recent external review of their work and applied its conclusions intelligently. They actively seek out and undertake relevant training opportunities where these will strengthen governance. – Governors are familiar with available sources of information about the school’s performance. They use these to help monitor the performance of pupil groups, such as those for whom the school receives

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

pupil premium funding and those who have special educational needs or disability. – Governors play an important part in the school’s self-evaluation processes and in constructing a strategic vision for the school’s future.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school responds quickly and rigorously to any concerns raised by parents or carers. The school communicates clearly with parents and working relationships with other agencies to keep children safe are effective. The school successfully coordinates the care and welfare of children looked after.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching is not sufficiently effective to secure good achievement for pupils in every subject. The overall quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection, but these improvements have been too uneven between, and within, different subject departments.  In key stage 3, some teachers do not always make enough use of accurate assessment information to pitch work at the right level. As a result, teaching does not always provide sufficient challenge to ensure that pupils make the accelerated progress of which they are capable.  Some teachers have taken advantage of the improved learning environment to extend the variety of approaches to learning that they use, and this has helped to motivate pupils. However, at key stage 4 some teachers have continued to rely too heavily on highly structured tasks, which do not give pupils the opportunity to develop a full range of important higher-level learning skills such as analysis, evaluation

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

and problem-solving.  The school has not developed effective procedures for ensuring that homework contributes successfully to learning. The school’s policy is for homework to focus on learning rather than the production of written work. As some teachers do not routinely check whether this learning has taken place, many pupils do not complete it as conscientiously as they should.  The curriculum approach adopted by the school, in which pupils across the whole school learn through tasks that match the style and standard of GCSE assessments, is raising most teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in their lessons. The range of GCSE-style questions selected encourages pupils to write in a variety of styles, including at length, and this is helping to develop pupils’ literacy skills across all subjects.  Initiatives for improving pupils’ literacy are also successfully promoting a culture of reading in the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The library is popular and busy. All pupils benefit through their regular reading sessions and well-targeted support helps accelerate the progress of those pupils who need additional help. The teaching of numeracy skills across the curriculum in subjects other than mathematics has not been developed effectively enough.  Pupils experience effective teaching in a range of subjects. Teaching in English is increasingly strong, and the progress pupils make is accelerating as a result. Pupils experience highly effective teaching in a variety of subjects including music, history and PE.  Support staff or additional adults are well used in many lessons to help particular pupils or groups of pupils. Consequently, the progress made by pupils who have special educational needs or disability is now improving.  School leaders have established a thorough programme of training for staff that is contributing to the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

improvement in the overall standard of teaching. A significant number of teachers have been involved in undertaking classroom-based action research projects and teachers are encouraged to share good practice in weekly breakfast sessions. Structured support plans are in place to improve the practice of those staff whose teaching is not yet consistently effective.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupil’s personal development and welfare is good.  Leaders succinctly articulate the school’s ethos through the acronym ‘VALUED’, which summarises the characteristics of the learners they aim to create: versatile, aspirational, learned, understanding, engaged, determined. This is prominently displayed throughout the school and pupils work towards an award if they exhibit these characteristics in their own learning.  School leaders have adopted a range of other strategies to encourage positive pupil attitudes. These include extending pupils’ leadership opportunities, appointing pupil US (‘understanding students’) mentors and instigating year parliaments. As result, pupils’ attitudes towards their learning are becoming increasingly constructive, and they are developing an increasingly mature understanding of how they can take responsibility for their own learning. On occasion, these attitudes are not maintained as consistently

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Personal development and welfare

when pupils are taught by staff who are not their regular teachers.  Pupils feel safe and are well looked after in the school. They are confident that staff will help and support them should they experience any problems, for example if bullying were to occur. They are taught how to keep themselves safe, including with regard to risks associated with computers.  The school develops the physical and emotional well-being of pupils through a range of subjects, including physical education, drama and PSHE. A large number of pupils benefit from the range of extra- curricular activities available, including sport, music and the arts.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  There has been a significant improvement in behaviour since the previous inspection. Teachers use the school’s ‘consequences’ behaviour policy effectively. As a result, it is rare for the behaviour of pupils in lessons to impede learning.  The move to the new school buildings has greatly enhanced pupil conduct. Pupils appreciate their new environment and treat it with care. This contributes to the positive atmosphere around the site. The design and layout of the new building has improved the effectiveness of staff supervision throughout the school day.  Pupils move around the school in a consistently calm and orderly fashion and are almost always polite and courteous to adults and each other. They are proud of their school and wear their uniforms smartly.  The school has worked effectively to improve attendance. Absence has declined and this year is in line with the national average. Persistent absence has also declined and is now close to the national average.

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Behaviour

 Carefully maintained records show that the number of behaviour-related sanctions has reduced significantly. The number of bullying incidents, including any of a prejudice-based nature, has also fallen. The school has dealt effectively with the bullying incidents that have occurred and pupils express confidence in the systems that have been put in place.  The school effectively monitors the behaviour and attendance of pupils who are taught off-site. Records show that the impact of educating some pupils in this way is generally positive in terms of improving their attitudes, punctuality and attendance.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 The attainment of pupils at key stage 4 improved notably in 2015, and the proportion of pupils achieving five GCSE passes at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, increased substantially. However, the amount of progress made by pupils in key subject areas such as English and mathematics remained below the national average.  The school’s current performance information indicates that standards of attainment and progress will continue to improve at key stage 4 this year. While evidence from this inspection suggests these projected outcomes are likely to be secured, they would still not represent good progress for pupils.  In a range of subjects across the school, including in English and mathematics, the proportion of pupils who are making the progress expected of them is broadly in line with the national average. However, in many of these subjects the proportion of pupils who make accelerated progress that exceeds these

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

expectations is not high enough.  The school has successfully narrowed the overall gap between the performance of boys and girls. However, boys who join the school with attainment, which is in line with the national average, do not consistently make the progress they should. The achievement of this group is a particular factor in hindering the overall achievement of pupils in the current Year 10.  School leaders are successfully narrowing the overall gap between the performance of disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers. However, the disadvantaged pupils who join the school with high prior attainment are not catching up as rapidly as they should.  The provision for pupils who have special educational needs or disability is improving and they are now well supported in lessons. Their progress is improving as a result.  The school’s focus on literacy across the curriculum is having a positive impact on developing pupils’ skills

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

in reading, writing, speaking and listening. They are therefore well prepared for the next stage of their education or employment.  The school closely monitors the progress of those pupils who are educated off-site. The school ensures that they attend regularly and are following appropriate courses. Consequently, the progress of these pupils has been accelerated by this alternative provision.

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School details

Unique reference number 138373 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10012877

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Secondary School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 693 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Robert Dool Principal Craig D’Cunha Telephone number 01473 687181 Website www.chantryacademy.org Email address admin@chantryacademy.org Date of previous inspection 3–4 December 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than an average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding (additional government funding to support pupils who are looked after by the local authority, or who are known to be eligible for free school meals) is above average.  The proportions of minority ethnic pupils and of pupils who speak English as an additional language are below average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is higher than the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at key stage 4.  In 2015, the school changed its name from Suffolk New Academy. It also changed sponsor; it is now part of the Active Learning Trust.  A number of pupils undertake off-site provision at Push Forward Education, Lapwing Education,

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Information about this school

Westbridge School and Parkside School, which are all situated in Ipswich, and at The Rise School, Colchester.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 30 lessons in order to contribute to their evaluation of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Some of these observations were conducted jointly with members of the school’s leadership team. Inspectors also observed tutorial periods and assemblies.  Inspectors held meetings with the principal and the school’s senior and middle leaders, teachers, a representative of sponsoring trust, members of the governing body and groups of pupils.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of school documentation, including policies, the minutes of governing body meetings, the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s improvement plan and information about pupils’ achievement, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors considered the views expressed in 53 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Paul Lawrence, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Rowena Simmons 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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