Maltby Academy

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Rachel Nash Principal Maltby Academy Braithwell Road Maltby Rotherham South Yorkshire S66 8AB

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Short inspection of Maltby Academy

Following my visit to the school on 14 March 2017 with Kate Lounds, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in May 2012. Thank you for allowing Geoff Brookes, Ofsted Inspector, to shadow the inspection.

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Short inspection of Maltby Academy

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have a clear vision for the pupils of Maltby Academy. You want them to achieve as well as they can academically and also develop emotionally. The trust has supported you in this aim by providing a multi-agency support team (MAST). This team of qualified professionals, including mental health professionals, enables the school to respond quickly and effectively to concerns raised about pupils’ well-being.

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Short inspection of Maltby Academy

Your vision is shared by senior and middle leaders and the staff. You set ambitious targets for pupils and your focus is on continuous improvement through regular review and evaluation of the actions you take and their impact. Senior and middle leaders are supporting and challenging colleagues to ensure that teaching improves. As a result, pupils are able to develop both academically and emotionally. Pupils are courteous and polite and wear their school uniform with pride.

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Short inspection of Maltby Academy

Since the last inspection, you have ensured that inconsistencies identified in the progress made by sixth formers have reduced. As a result, learners in the sixth form are now making much better progress overall and in individual subjects. You have also reviewed the science department and put in place strategies for improvement. As a result, the progress made by pupils in all sciences has improved but especially so in physics and chemistry.

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Short inspection of Maltby Academy

Governors are kept up to date through comprehensive reports and regular meetings with senior and middle leaders. Governors ask challenging questions and require full and evidence-based answers. Governors are also involved in gathering evidence themselves through their visits to the school to look at what departments are doing.

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Short inspection of Maltby Academy

You work tirelessly to ensure that pupils are kept safe. This is exemplified by your strong commitment to working in partnership with other professionals. Records are highly detailed; appropriate referrals are made and these are followed through in a timely and effective manner. Staff are aware of their responsibilities and know what they have to do if they have a concern because they receive high-quality training and support. Governors are also well trained and regular meetings ensure that they are kept up to date. As a result, pupils are safe. Pupils report that there are no ‘no go areas’ in the school and say that staff are vigilant.

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Inspection findings

 Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities did not attend as well as their peers in 2015/16. As a result of a concerted effort, and much work with parents and pupils themselves, their attendance has improved. When pupils are absent, they are provided with work which is then marked and returned. This means that when pupils return to school they are able to resume lessons with little disruption to their learning. However, overall attendance is just below the national average. No one is complacent about this and you have put in place a range of strategies to improve attendance. These include changing the school day, taking very prompt action when pupils are absent, regularly updating staff and ensuring that all tutors regularly review their pupils’ attendance.  Before September 2016, the proportion of pupils who were excluded was high. New strategies to manage behaviour have resulted in a significant reduction in

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Inspection findings

the proportion of pupils who are excluded.  The progress of different groups of pupils is tracked and reviewed rigorously and regularly from Year 7 to Year 11. From these reviews you, and all the staff, know where the strengths and weaknesses are and provide bespoke support to pupils, parents and staff to improve the progress made by pupils. As a result, the groups of pupils who in 2016 did not achieve as well as their peers are making much better progress. However, in lessons the most able pupils are often given the same work as their peers, which means they are not always challenged to make the progress they could.  One of the biggest strengths of the school is the progress made by pupils in English. You have carefully used this expertise to develop collaborative working between departments to support middle leaders. As a result of this way of working, and the bespoke support packages in place for individual members of

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Inspection findings

staff, the progress that pupils are making across the school is continuing to improve. Staff appreciate the training opportunities they are given, which include weekly meetings to share good practice.  Improving the literacy levels of pupils is a constant focus. The ‘step up programme’ which focuses on improving the literacy levels of pupils who need help to catch up provides them with a positive experience of literacy. It ensures that pupils are able to access the rest of the curriculum more effectively. Pupils are also provided with opportunities to develop their literacy skills in tutor time.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 the most able pupils are challenged in all lessons to make the progress they are capable of  strategies to improve attendance are maintained and attendance rises to the national average

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Rotherham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, inspectors met with senior leaders, middle leaders and a range of staff. An inspector met with a group of pupils and listened to a number of pupils read. Pupils were spoken to informally at social times. Lessons were visited with members of the senior leadership team to see the impact of the strategies introduced. An inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. Documentation was scrutinised including: minutes from governing body meetings, information about pupils’ progress, documents about teaching and learning, details of attendance and exclusions and information about safeguarding. Inspectors also reviewed the 63 parent responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 44 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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