Liberty Academy

Archbishop Sentamu Academy 1 Bilton Grove, Kingston upon Hull HU9 5YB

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

This is an inadequate school

 Over time, leaders and managers at all levels, including governors, have not ensured that pupils have continued to make good progress. This is because of poor teaching over time, particularly in the core subjects of mathematics and science.  In the sixth form the requirements of the study programme are not met. In particular, the majority of students are not able to participate in work experience.  Attendance in the sixth form is very low. The number of students who leave the sixth form before they complete their course is too high and above the national average.  The areas for improvement from the last inspection have not been addressed effectively.  The majority of most-able pupils are not challenged to achieve the highest grades they are capable of, especially in mathematics.  There is a lack of a strategic overview of pupils who attend alternative provision or off-site provision provided by the school. Achievement of

p.1

This is an inadequate school

many of the pupils attending the off-site Year 7 and Year 8 literacy and numeracy lessons is poor and their attendance is considerably lower than the national average.  Middle leaders are not consistently and effectively challenging areas of underperformance. As a result, pupils’ achievement in some subjects is in decline.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 In English, pupils make good progress. This is as a result of well-planned lessons with learning activities that are based on accurate assessment.  The achievement of students in the sixth form taking the GCSE English resit is above the national average.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong.

p.1

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.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, especially in mathematics and science, to enable all groups of pupils to make at least good progress, by: providing pupils, and especially the most able, with work that challenges them and enables them to achieve the high grades they are capable of ensuring that all marking and feedback provided to pupils adheres to the school’s marking policy.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management at all levels, by: increasing the quality of monitoring of teaching and learning and ensuring findings are used to bring about a positive impact on the progress pupils make taking prompt and effective action when monitoring indicates that teaching is not leading to at least good progress enabling middle leaders to challenge and eradicate areas of underachievement in their subjects ensuring that there is a strategic overview of attendance and monitoring the impact of strategies to improve attendance.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of provision in the sixth form to enable all students to make at least good progress, by: ensuring that the requirements of the study programme are met improving attendance ensuring that students are on the right courses and reducing the number of students leaving before completing their courses ensuring that the minimum standards are met for both academic and vocational qualifications.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the progress of all pupils learning at alternative provision or off-site provision provided by the school increases rapidly, by: rigorously monitoring their absence and taking swift action to improve their attendance ensuring pupils receive the right provision at the right provider.

p.2

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.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the governing body should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Since the last inspection in 2014, pupils’ outcomes, and the quality of teaching have declined considerably and both are now inadequate. The areas for improvement identified at the last inspection, which included mathematics and the quality of teaching, have not been addressed effectively.  There is a lack of strategic overview of pupils who attend either alternative provision or off-site provision provided by the school. Pupils’ attendance is monitored day-to-day, as with all pupils. However, no one checks on the overall attendance levels of pupils at alternative provision or off-site provision provided by the school. In some cases, their attendance is less than 60%. Catch-up literacy and numeracy classes for pupils in Years 7 and 8 are taught on one day a week at off-site provision. No check is made on the impact learning elsewhere for a day a week has on their progress in other subjects, nor on whether the pupils

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

manage to catch up on the work they miss.  Professional development for staff is scheduled on a regular basis. Flexible support is provided in response to needs identified from the monitoring of teaching. However, leaders’ checks on the quality of lessons are not sharply enough focused on the impact teaching has on pupils’ learning. Consequently, the impact of the professional development on the quality of teaching is limited and overall teaching is inadequate.  Too many pupils are removed from lessons for extra support in subjects where they are falling behind. This interrupts learning both for those who are removed for short periods and for those remaining in the class. Changes made to the curriculum had an adverse effect on the progress of pupils in Year 11 in 2015. The school replaced vocational qualifications with GCSEs. Pupils were not used to the rigors of GCSE courses, and not all staff were well prepared to teach GCSEs. This was particularly the case in science and, as a

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

result, in 2015 only 6% of pupils left with two GCSEs in science. The curriculum is now broad and balanced and offers a range of courses as well as extra-curricular activities.  Middle leaders are not rigorous enough in their monitoring of teaching and the progress made by pupils. Strategies put in place to improve standards in their subjects are not decisive enough and middle leaders do not effectively challenge members of their departments to improve their teaching and pupils’ progress.  Pupil premium funding is spent on a range of activities to support academic and social development. This approach is more successful in English than in mathematics. The progress made by pupils supported by the pupil premium has improved and they are now making the same good progress as their peers in English. However, in mathematics this group of pupils is underachieving.  The school supports pupils’ moral and social development well. This helps pupils understand the community

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

in which they live and prepares them for issues they may face. Pupils have opportunities to engage in democratic processes: for example they vote for the head boy and girl. The school caters well for the pupils’ spiritual development and the pupils demonstrate care and concern for each other.  It is recommended that the school does not appoint newly qualified teachers.  The governance of the school The governing body is fully aware of the issues the pupils face outside the school. The governing body has aspirations for the pupils but has not acted with sufficient decisiveness to support and challenge leaders in addressing the decline in outcomes and the quality of teaching over the past two years. Recently, the governing body has been strengthened by the appointment of a new governor with educational expertise who has already brought additional scrutiny to the reliability of assessment in core subjects. Pay progression is monitored by the governors.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. At the beginning of the inspection the single central record had minor administrative issues: these were resolved by the end of the inspection. The school works with outside agencies to ensure a timely response to the vast majority of issues raised. Parents are informed about what is happening. Informal support is sought from the local authority designated officer when appropriate. Staff are trained appropriately to deal with safeguarding incidents should they occur.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 In too many lessons the most able pupils are not given sufficiently challenging work so they do not achieve the high grades they are capable of. When these pupils finish their work they are often given more tasks of the same standard, or they just sit and wait for their peers to complete their work. This is especially evident in mathematics and in science where most-able pupils have, over time, made considerably less progress than would be expected.  Marking is ineffective. Too many books are not marked in line with the school’s marking policy. This means teachers are not aware of what pupils know and can do and, as a result, lessons are not planned to ensure that pupils make progress.  Too many additional adults spend lesson time keeping pupils on task rather than developing learning.  In many lessons, and in particular in humanities, books are messy and poor handwriting is readily accepted.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Too often, misconceptions are not dealt with, hindering pupils’ progress.  When teaching has a more positive impact on learning and expectations are high, pupils are motivated and behave well in lessons. However, when teaching is poorly planned and resources are dull, some pupils engage in very low level disruptive behaviour.  The majority of English lessons are planned well, based on accurate assessment information. This means pupils are challenged and make good progress. In particular, lower ability pupils, including those who have special educational needs or disability, are challenged well in English lessons and make the same good progress as their peers.  Where relationships are strong, learning is more positive. For example, clear and well established routines observed in physical education and the creative arts meant pupils were engaged and time was not wasted. This allowed all groups of pupils to successfully develop their skills and understanding.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Overall, pupils feel safe and parents agree that their children are safe at school.  During the inspection pupils’ behaviour was silly and inattentive in a small number of lessons, slowing their learning.  The electronic system for logging behaviour and safeguarding issues and concerns works effectively when correctly used by staff so issues are dealt with swiftly. However, not all staff log issues in a timely manner and this has led to delays in the appropriate action being taken. This is reflected, in part, by the school’s staff survey in which a significant minority of staff highlighted concerns about pupils’ safety.  There is a strong programme of personal, social, health and economic education which is complemented with assemblies. The school has correctly identified local issues which the pupils might face outside school

p.4

Personal development and welfare

and is integrating lessons about these into the curriculum to provide time for pupils to learn how to deal with them.  There is very little bullying. Pupils are fully aware of the different types of bullying and have confidence that staff would deal swiftly with any bullying that takes place.  The school is highly inclusive and makes every effort not to exclude pupils. Fixed-term exclusions are low and there is a range of alternative sanctions used for poor behaviour.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  A small minority of pupils dawdle which means some lessons do not start on time and valuable learning time is wasted. When members of staff are present in the corridors, pupils move around much more swiftly.  Levels of attendance are below the national average. Levels of attendance at alternative provisions and off- site provision provided by the school vary considerably from 100% to below 60%. Levels of persistent absence are broadly in line with the national average. Day-to-day attendance is monitored rigorously and appropriate actions taken to inform parents when their children are not at school. However, leaders do not have a strategic overview of attendance which means it is difficult to spot trends and patterns, and monitoring of the impact of strategies to improve attendance does not occur.  In alternative provisions and off-site provision provided by the school some pupils behave well while in other

p.4

Behaviour

situations their behaviour is not as positive.  Around the school the vast majority of pupils are polite and considerate. Pupils wear their uniform correctly. The school building is immaculate, helped by a team of dedicated cleaners.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Over time, pupils, including those who have special educational needs or disability, have made inadequate progress in mathematics and science. This is because of poor teaching which does not challenge pupils and enable them to make better progress. In science, the curriculum decisions made by senior leaders meant Year 11 pupils were not effectively prepared for their examinations in 2015. This is because the school decided to change the syllabus in November 2014, giving the Year 11 pupils less than two terms to learn the course content, and develop the skills needed to complete the examination.  Pupils do not have secure skills in basic mathematics. For example, they are not confident in the use and manipulation of data. This lack of ability means pupils are unable to develop the higher level mathematical skills they need.  The progress made by pupils who attend Year 7 and Year 8 off-site provision for literacy and numeracy

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

lessons varies considerably. A significant proportion of these pupils made little or no progress between Christmas and Easter 2016. The progress made by pupils who attend other alternative provisions or off-site provision provided by the school varies greatly, with many pupils making inadequate progress.  In English, pupils have made good progress over time. The school operated a policy of early entry in 2015. Based on the final results in English, in 2015, the school did reach floor targets, the government’s minimum expectations for achievement and attainment.  In 2015, the proportion of pupils at the end of Year 11 not in education, employment or training was very low.

p.5

16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

 Too many sixth form students do not attend school regularly enough. A high proportion of students leave the school before the end of their courses.  The minimum standards set for sixth forms for academic qualifications were not met in 2015. The requirements of the sixth form study programme are also not met because students are unable to participate in work experience.  Students’ achievement in academic subjects was in a three year decline up to 2015. New leadership in September 2015 quickly identified this trend and new policies and procedures are in place to secure a turnaround. For example, teachers are held to account more rigorously through progress meetings and there is a much greater emphasis on making sure students are on the right courses. Up-to-date external data shows improvements are happening with the largest in art, photography and history.  Students who are supported by the bursary scheme are outperforming their peers at AS level and in

p.5

16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

vocational qualifications in Year 13.  The proportion of students who achieve a grade C when they resit GCSE English in the sixth form is high. The proportion who achieve a grade C in GCSE mathematics is lower but in line with that found nationally.  The minimum standards for vocational qualifications have been met for the past three years.  The advice and guidance given to students during their time in the sixth form is bespoke to the individual. As a result, the proportion of students not in education, employment or training at the end of their sixth form courses is low. All students who left before the end of their course were tracked by the school to ensure they went on to other education or employment.  Sixth form students are encouraged to participate in the life of the school. Some students help and support in younger year groups. Sixth form students, as with pupils in the rest of the school, feel safe and said there

p.5

16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

was someone they trusted in school to help should they have any concerns. Sixth form students were confident the school would help if they were experiencing difficulties.  Governors were fully informed about the decline of performance in the sixth form. They are informed about the actions being taken and are regularly updated with changes being made.

p.5

School details

Unique reference number 135598 Local authority Kingston upon Hull Inspection number 10017572

p.6

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.

p.6

School details

Type of school Secondary School category Academy sponsored Age range of pupils 11–19 Gender of pupils Mixed

p.6

programmes

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,473

p.6

programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Peter Duffield Principal Mr Andrew Chubb Telephone number 01482 781912 Website www.sentamu.com Email address info@sentamuacademy.org Date of previous inspection 5–6 February 2014

p.6

Information about this school

 The school became part of the Sentamu Academy Learning Trust in February 2015. This is a multi- academy trust with three primary schools and Archbishop Sentamu Academy. The school is a sponsor academy with the Diocese of York.  The school uses the following alternative providers and off-site provision, some of which is delivered by staff from the school: Aspire, Elvin, Taboo and BEST for part time and full time placements.  Based on the school’s published results in 2015 it did not meet the floor standards, the government’s minimum expectations for pupils’ achievement and attainment by the end of Year 11.  At the start of the inspection the school’s website did not meet the requirements as set down in the school’s funding agreement.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 This inspection was initially conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for inspecting schools with no formal designation. The monitoring inspection was carried out because Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements, the effectiveness of leadership and management, the quality of education provided and the well-being of pupils. The monitoring visit was subsequently converted into a full section 5 inspection under the same Act.  Inspectors observed lessons, scrutinised pupils’ work and assessed information presented by the school to consider the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and progress. Joint observations of learning took place with senior leaders and external consultants working with the school.  Inspectors met with groups of staff, members of the senior leadership team, groups of pupils and

p.7

Information about this inspection

students, and a telephone call was made to the school’s improvement partner. Members of the governing body were spoken to either face to face or by telephone.  Pupils and students were also spoken to at break, lunchtimes and after school.  There were not enough responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, to allow this to be taken into account. The inspection team took into account the school’s recent survey of parents’ views.  The inspection team also considered the school’s own survey of its staff.

p.7

Inspection team

Tanya Stuart, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Malcolm Kirtley Her Majesty’s Inspector Mary Lanovy-Taylor Ofsted Inspector David Pridding Ofsted Inspector Wendy Bradford Ofsted Inspector Jennifer Cave 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 .

p.7

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.

p.8

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

p.8

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,

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8