City of Derby Academy

City of Derby Academy Farmhouse Road, Sinfin, Derby, Derbyshire DE24 3AR

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Previous leaders, including those responsible for governance, have failed the pupils and the community; pupils have consistently not gained the skills and qualifications that they should have by the end of key stage 4.  The most able pupils, disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have continued to make inadequate progress in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics.  The trustees responsible for governance have not carried out their statutory duties; they have not held leaders to account for continued poor performance, nor kept sound oversight of the school’s improvement and school finances.  Subject leaders have not consistently and effectively carried out their duties to monitor and develop the quality of teaching; teachers do not adhere to school policies.  The leadership of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

is inadequate.  Teachers have not been enabled to improve their practice; their performance has not been managed since the last inspection. Teaching in most subjects is inadequate.  The systems for tracking and analysing pupils’ progress and behaviour are not fit for purpose.  Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ work is inaccurate.  Teachers lack the skills to support the least able pupils, those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language; the most able pupils are not challenged to achieve their potential.  There is no coherent reading strategy across the school; pupils’ writing skills are underdeveloped.  Pupils’ attendance to school is too low. Too many disadvantaged pupils do not attend regularly; pupils’ punctuality to school and to lessons is poor.  Too many pupils are excluded from school and involved in behavioural incidents, although this

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

picture has improved since September.  Some pupils lack focus in class; many do not complete homework or classwork.  The school’s curriculum does not meet the needs of pupils, especially the least able.  The school’s careers guidance does not meet statutory requirements.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The new principal is accurate in his view of the school; staff and pupils have confidence in him.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is developed well.

p.1

Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of 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?

 Raise pupils’ attainment, accelerate the progress of all pupils and improve their behaviour, by ensuring that teachers: – understand pupils’ starting points and additional needs and use this information to plan effective learning – raise their expectations and understanding of what pupils, particularly the most able, can and should achieve – provide effective support for disadvantaged pupils, those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language – consistently develop pupils’ reading and writing skills in all subjects – assess pupils’ work accurately and consistently – develop pupils’ thinking skills, especially those of the most able, through effective questioning – provide effective feedback to pupils to help them know how to improve.  Improve the quality of leadership and management, by: – establishing clear roles, responsibilities and expectations for all leaders, including

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

those responsible for governance – developing robust tracking systems to monitor pupils’ progress and behaviour – developing a clear and coherent assessment system for Years 7 to 11 – ensuring that those responsible for governance on the trust board carry out their statutory duties – ensuring that the trust’s work makes a positive difference to the school and provides value for money – establishing a clear system and criteria to manage teachers’ performance – strengthening the leadership of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities – improving subject leaders’ skills to judge the quality of teaching accurately, and to develop good practice within their subjects – ensuring that teachers adhere to school policies consistently – monitoring and evaluating the school’s use of government funding, especially the pupil premium, in accordance with Department for Education guidance

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

– establishing a clear and effective policy for the management of pupils’ behaviour, which also reduces repeat offences – providing effective careers information, advice and guidance for all pupils in Years 8 to 11, in accordance with statutory guidance – developing the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils, particularly low- attaining pupils and those wishing to pursue work-related courses and beyond. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. 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

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leadership and management are inadequate because previous senior leaders and those responsible for governance, including the trust of the school, have been negligent in their duties to provide a good education for pupils; they have turned a blind eye to the persistent, systemic failures in the school, widespread poor quality of teaching and inadequate outcomes for pupils. None of the areas for improvement at the last inspection has been effectively acted upon by leaders.  Leaders have not ensured that teachers’ performance has been properly managed. Leaders have not checked teachers’ effectiveness or provided opportunities for teachers to develop their teaching practice. The quality of teaching has deteriorated since the last inspection.  The systems that exist to track pupils’ progress and behaviour are not fit for purpose and are poorly understood by their users. Leaders lack the skills to properly analyse

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

and act upon the information they collect. Intervention strategies, initiated to improve pupils’ behaviour and academic progress, therefore, remain poorly targeted and evaluated, leading to weaknesses in both.  Key pupil groups in the school continue to underachieve: disadvantaged pupils, including the most able of them, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, the most able and those who speak English as an additional language all fail to do as well as they should. Leaders of these groups have lacked the skills to improve pupils’ progress and develop other teachers’ skills to support their progress. The use of government funding, assigned for pupils’ improvement, including the pupil premium and catch-up funding, has not been properly evaluated by leaders and has had little impact in improving the achievement of those groups of pupils that they support.  The record of staff attendance to school has been poor since the last inspection. Long-

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

term and regular absences have meant that the school has had to employ many temporary staff. This has impacted upon the quality and continuity of teaching that pupils have received. The school has struggled to secure good-quality permanent staff.  The curriculum has not been reviewed for a long time. Low-attaining pupils wishing to pursue work-related courses have no options at Year 9. Those pupils at risk of exclusion are supported well in an on-site unit. The staff are well trained and sensitive to these pupils’ needs. The small numbers of pupils following alternative courses off site are also making progress.  The school has not ensured that pupils receive adequate careers guidance from Years 8 to 11, in accordance with statutory requirements.  The school has been successful in developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Pupils showed heightened awareness of social and moral issues. Their

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

understanding of the range of faiths and cultures in Britain is secure.  The sponsors have recently provided support for the new principal by employing a part-time deputy headteacher from another school in the trust. The trust is looking to employ another senior leader to support leadership as soon as possible. Subject leaders are currently being supported by five advisers with subject specialisms. The new chair of the governing body provides helpful professional advice and support to the principal. A recent external quality assurance review, commissioned by the trust, reported accurately the school’s strengths and weaknesses.  The new principal has injected a new lease of life into the school by providing much- needed clarity about the school’s position. He has an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and has written a viable ‘rapid action plan’ to improve the school over the next two years. The principal has quickly gained the confidence of both

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

staff and pupils. However, the support provided for him by the trust so far is still insufficient to enable him to make the necessary improvements quickly.

p.5

Governance of the school

 The trust has assumed full legal responsibility for the governance of the school; there is no delegated responsibility to local governance. In this role it has not carried out all its statutory duties, which, by its own admission, has contributed to the school’s continued underperformance.

p.5

Governance of the school

 The school’s finances have been poorly managed by leaders and governors since the last inspection. A deficit budget at the end of last year and a failure to ensure that government spending (especially in relation to pupil premium and catch-up funding) was spent effectively, represent significant failings of the duties of governance. The trust, under new leadership since January, has made contributions to balance the budget for this academic year.  The system of governance, provided by the trust, is complex and confused. All leaders’ roles and responsibilities remain unclear. The methods of holding leaders to account were not fit for purpose in previous years. The support now provided for the school is very recent and in the early stages of implementation. The current principal faces a huge challenge to improve the school, but he has insufficient good-quality support at senior level to help him to do so. The responsibility for this situation lies at the door of

p.5

Governance of the school

the trust.  Governors have not ensured that teachers’ performance and pay awards have been managed effectively. No teacher has undergone a performance management process since the last inspection. Governors did not know whether the quality of teaching was good enough because they did not check.  No records of governance exist for the school.  The local governing group, known as the academy advisory council, which has no legal powers and has responsibility for community matters, disintegrated because it hardly met. The new principal has constructed a new advisory council with skilled and professional members from the local community.  Governors have not carried out their statutory duty to provide impartial careers information, advice and guidance for pupils in Years 8 to 11.

p.5

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school keeps comprehensive records of all safeguarding concerns. The trust’s representative in charge of safeguarding monitors this information, and the actions taken by the school, well. The designated safeguarding leader refers all concerns appropriately and in a timely manner.  The school ensures that the most vulnerable pupils are supported and early help is in place for their emotional and mental well-being.  Staff are vigilant and trained regularly to improve their skills in keeping pupils safe. The staff know and understand their responsibilities and the requirements in school policies, including the whistleblowing policy. Leaders acted quickly to update the school’s safeguarding policy on the website, as a result of the inspection.  The curriculum effectively helps pupils to keep safe. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe online and how to report concerns. They are warned about the

p.6

Safeguarding

dangers of radicalisation and extremism through first-hand witness talks organised by the police. British values are promoted well. Pupils understand their responsibilities as citizens and they respect other cultures and ways of life other than their own.  Pupils feel safe. This view is confirmed by both staff and parents.

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 The quality of teaching is inconsistent across most subjects, including English and mathematics; in most cases teaching is inadequate. Teaching has not been developed across the school for a number of years.  Most teachers do not use their knowledge about pupils’ prior attainment and their additional needs to plan effective lessons. The most able pupils are rarely required to think deeply about the subject taught or undertake complex tasks. In most cases, teachers require everyone to do the same, regardless of pupils’ previous knowledge and ability.  Teachers have not received sufficient training to enable them to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teaching assistants are now improving their support for pupils with more complex needs.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language are often required to complete the same work as everyone else, with little or no support. This is because teachers lack the

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

skills to develop these pupils’ language skills well. These pupils do not make the progress they should. Pupils joining the school who are in the early stages of acquiring English are now supported well. The newly recruited support teachers in the ‘Hub’ provide an effective induction programme for these pupils.  Teachers’ use of resources tends to be unimaginative and, as a result, pupils lose interest easily and become distracted. Even when pupils show a great deal of interest in a topic, teachers rarely capitalise on this to generate good discussions or deepen understanding. Teachers’ questioning tends to be too shallow and limiting.  Teachers do not develop pupils’ writing skills well across the curriculum. There is little evidence in pupils’ workbooks, for example in science and humanities, of pupils practising extended and structured writing. While teachers do correct spelling and punctuation errors, this is not done consistently, so pupils continue to make the same

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

errors over and over.  Teachers do not provide consistent feedback to pupils in accordance with the school’s policy. Pupils, when asked, were vague in their understanding of how to improve their work or the targets they were expected to achieve.  Where teachers are more successful, such as in art, pupils remain fully engaged and interested in their work because the teacher sets high expectations about what pupils are expected to achieve. Teachers demonstrate their expectations well and, in turn, pupils work hard to emulate these high standards.  Most teachers create a cooperative and calm atmosphere in lessons. While many teachers do not challenge non-completion of work and low-level disruption as promptly as they should, they model kind and respectful behaviours well. Pupils feel safe in lessons as a result.

p.7

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Pupils in Years 8 to 10 do not receive a programme of careers advice and guidance; however, a little information is provided in Year 11. Pupils do not show a good understanding of the options available to them in terms of work or study. Younger pupils do not regularly discuss their aspirations and ambitions with teachers; both low- attaining pupils and the most able have a narrow view of what is possible for their future.  Some pupils do not always show good attitudes towards their studies; they become distracted easily in class, and they leave their classwork and homework unfinished on a regular basis. This behaviour contributes to their slow progress.  Pupils do, however, show good social skills. Most are cooperative with one another in lessons and accepting of pupils who are different from themselves. Those newly

p.7

Personal development and welfare

arrived to the school from other countries report that pupils are friendly and welcoming. Pupils learn about and respect other cultures and faiths. Those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are treated respectfully and sensitively by others. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe on the internet and know the risks involved when using social media. They learn about other risks as they grow up through a varied programme of personal and social education. During the inspection, visiting speakers spoke to older pupils about a wide range of dangers, including gang violence, drug use, homophobia and the risks of radicalisation and extremism. Pupils dealt with these issues maturely and showed a sound understanding of how to prevent these risks.  Bullying incidents are infrequent. When they do occur, the perpetrator is dealt with

p.7

Personal development and welfare

promptly and the victim is supported well. Repeat offences of this kind are rare.  Pupils are very loyal to the school. They value the support they receive from all staff in the school and they feel safe.  Pupils attending the off-site alternative provision are making progress and their behaviour and achievement are rigorously monitored. Previous poor attendance at this venue by a small minority of pupils is being addressed effectively by the provision’s managers.

p.8

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  Since the last inspection, attendance rates have remained below the national average. Too many disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are regularly absent from school.  Since the last inspection, the proportion of pupils excluded from school has been consistently above the national average. The new principal has strongly supported the on-site behavioural unit to support those pupils at risk of exclusion. The unit is managed by very experienced staff. They are attuned to these pupils’ emotional and behavioural needs and, as a result, pupils are making progress.  Too many pupils are late to lessons and school on a regular basis. A small minority disrupt the learning of others regularly through chatting and distracting behaviours.  While school leaders do not keep accurate records of all the behavioural incidents, both

p.8

Behaviour

in and out of the classroom, the records that do exist show a high number of incidents, including repeated misbehaviour, since the last inspection. These figures show a significant decrease this academic year, as result of recent work to support pupils’ behaviour.

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Since the last inspection, the school has consistently failed to meet the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum requirements for achievement for pupils at the end of Year 11 in English and mathematics. Provisional information about pupils’ examination results for summer 2016 suggests that pupils’ progress is well below average, compared with national averages, and is below the floor standard. Pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is consistently below expectations.  Attainment in most subjects is well below the national average, with the exception of a few, such as art and modern foreign languages, in which pupils’ attainment is in line with or above average.  Disadvantaged pupils continue to make very little progress from their different starting points. Their attainment is poor compared with that of other pupils nationally. This picture has not changed for some time. The lack of strategy at all levels of leadership

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

to support these pupils, and the ineffective use of government funding, have contributed to this failure.  The most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, consistently make poor progress. Teachers rarely challenge them to achieve their potential. These pupils do not have a clear understanding of what is possible for them to achieve in relation to national expectations.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities continue to underachieve. Leaders do not monitor the progress of these pupils well and, therefore, support is poorly targeted. Teaching assistants, who have recently been trained to support pupils who have more complex needs, are improving these pupils’ progress this year.  Low-attaining pupils lose interest in lessons easily and make slow progress. The recent introduction of a catch-up programme for younger pupils is proving effective. A primary-trained teacher provides lower attaining younger pupils with regular, focused

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

sessions to accelerate their acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language do not make the progress they should. Teachers do not know how to sufficiently support these pupils at their different stages of acquiring English. Those at the first stage of learning English are acquiring basic skills well because there is an effective induction programme this year.  Pupils in key stage 3 are not provided with a challenging enough curriculum to prepare them sufficiently for the demands of the new curriculum at GCSE level. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are underdeveloped by the time they enter key stage 4. Too little attention is paid to ensuring that pupils’ basic writing and numeracy skills are developed well.  The school lacks a coherent reading strategy. Pupils enjoy reading, but report that there is a lack of regular opportunity to read and share books. A reading programme

p.9

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

introduced last year, which showed promising evidence of improving pupils’ reading ages quickly, has not continued this year.  Pupils are not prepared well for the next stage of their learning. Most have not achieved the qualifications and skills they should have, especially in English and mathematics. Although there are no pupils who are not in education, employment or training since leaving school, many of these pupils would have been precluded from pursuing higher level courses because they did not achieve high enough grades.

p.9

School details

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

p.10

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.10

School details

Email address mturner@cityofderbyacademy.org

p.10

School details

Date of previous inspection 29 January 2015

p.10

Information about this school

 The school does not comply with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish about the pupils’ performance in their most recent examinations and an evaluation of the impact of the school’s use of the pupil premium and catch-up funding.  The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about pupil premium and catch-up government funding on its website.  The school has been sponsored by Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust since it converted to become an academy in 2013.  The principal at the previous inspection left his post in August of this year. The new principal took up his position in September 2016.  The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is almost twice the national average.  Almost half of the pupils speak English as an additional language and just less than half are from ethnic minorities, which is well above the national average.

p.10

Information about this school

 A higher proportion of pupils than average have special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are fewer pupils than the average in receipt of an education, health and care plan.  The school supports a specific on-site behavioural unit to serve a very small number of pupils from the school who are at serious risk of permanent exclusion.  A small number of pupils attend off-site provision at Kingsmead School in Derby.  The school did not meet the government’s current floor standards in 2015, which are the minimum requirements for pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics at the end of key stage 4.

p.11

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 41 parts of lessons across all faculty areas, including tutor sessions and an assembly. Many observations were carried out jointly with senior and middle leaders. Inspectors also observed a presentation to pupils by external visitors, sponsored by the Derby Police Service.  Inspectors visited the special on-site behaviour unit and The Bridge, an inclusion support area for pupils who have moderate behavioural difficulties. Learning in the new ‘Hub’, a facility for new arrivals to the school who are at the early stages of learning English, was observed by inspectors.  Pupils were interviewed by inspectors across four year groups and inspectors spoke with pupils informally at breaktime, lunchtimes and during lessons.  Inspectors held meetings with pastoral and subject leaders, the leaders of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs, and safeguarding leaders.  Pupils’ work books were scrutinised with subject and senior leaders.

p.12

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation document, the rapid action plan, external reviews and school policies on the website, and pupils’ performance information from 2016 examinations.

p.12

Inspection team

Zarina Connolly, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.12

Inspection team

Gee Kader 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.12

Inspection team

In the report, ’disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.13

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.13

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.13

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.13

Inspection team

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 .

p.13

Inspection team

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

p.13

Inspection team

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

p.13

Inspection team

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

p.13