Setting

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

p.1

Miss Nia Salt Principal Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy King George Avenue Ilkeston Derbyshire DE7 5HS

p.1

Enterprise Academy

Following my visit to your school on 25 April 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

p.1

Enterprise Academy

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in June 2016. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Enterprise Academy

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the last section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.

p.1

Enterprise Academy

The school should take further action to:

p.1

Enterprise Academy

 develop strategies to improve pupils’ attendance further  increase rates of pupils’ progress by: – ensuring that teachers plan activities that challenge pupils, particularly the most able – supporting pupils to develop the independence to take greater responsibility for their learning.

p.1

Evidence

During the inspection, I met with you and other senior leaders, pupils, members of the governing body and representatives of the trust to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. I evaluated the school improvement and action plans. I visited 11 lessons, some jointly with senior leaders and looked at pupils’ work in a sample of their books. I examined various documents, including records relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.

p.2

Context

There have been a number of changes to staffing since the last inspection. You took up post as principal in September 2016 and appointed the previous assistant headteacher as vice-principal in November 2016. You have also appointed seven additional members of teaching staff across the school.

p.2

Main findings

When you took up post in September 2016, you quickly identified the school’s strengths and weaknesses and took swift and effective action to address areas of priority. You immediately shared your high expectations of professional standards. You identified the need to work with staff and pupils to support improvement in pupils’ behaviour. You introduced a new behaviour policy and a system for monitoring pupils’ behaviour. This has had a considerable impact on the consistency with which staff apply the behaviour policy. This, in turn, has significantly improved pupils’ behaviour. Pupils say that behaviour is much improved and that they are now able to concentrate on their lessons ‘without distraction’. During the monitoring visit, no examples of poor pupil behaviour were observed. However, leaders have rightly identified the need to further develop pupils’ learning behaviour, for example to develop their resilience further and to encourage greater independence in their

p.2

Main findings

The vice-principal has responsibility for improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. She undertakes a variety of monitoring activities which identify strengths to share among all staff. Her monitoring work clearly identifies those staff in need of additional support, which is provided through coaching and other professional development activities. The last inspection identified the need to improve the way in which teachers use assessment information to plan activities which challenge pupils. The ‘personalisation sheet’ which previously existed has been adapted to ensure that all staff maintain an awareness of individual pupils’ abilities and needs. Teachers are beginning to plan for individual abilities. However, in many classes, pupils all work on the same activities regardless of their ability. This means that some pupils are not sufficiently challenged, which limits their progress. Leaders are aware of the need to ensure that teachers plan activities

p.2

Main findings

which quickly challenge pupils to avoid the necessity for completing work which is too easy for them before they are supported to attempt more challenging work. This remains a priority and work to develop this further is planned.

p.2

Main findings

Staff have received training to develop their questioning skills. Where practice is stronger, for example in mathematics, teachers target questions at individual pupils and use follow-up questions to draw out their understanding and support pupils to develop their reasoning skills. However, this is inconsistent across the school and leaders are aware of the need to develop this across different subject areas and among all staff.

p.3

Main findings

Leaders have introduced a new approach to support pupils’ personal development and welfare. They have implemented a new strategy to teach the personal, social, health and economic curriculum. All pupils participate in a rolling programme, overseen by the subject coordinator and delivered by form tutors, covering topics such as internet safety, personal relationships and fundamental British values. Pupils are extremely positive about this approach and they value the opportunities they have to discuss pertinent topics. Pupils have a very clear understanding of diversity and demonstrate complete understanding and acceptance of differences, for example in sexuality, race and beliefs. The role of the tutor has also been developed and pupils are beginning to benefit from purposeful activities in morning tutor periods. For example, Year 10 pupils were observed practising writing formal business letters in relation to their work experience. In addition, leaders have

p.3

Main findings

introduced a programme of activities such as those to develop pupils’ literacy skills, for example the ‘wow word of the week’ initiative and opportunities to practise independent reading. However, there are inconsistencies in the quality of provision in tutor periods and you are taking action to tackle these.

p.3

Main findings

The last inspection identified the need to improve pupils’ attendance. You have shared your expectation that pupils attend regularly with pupils and their parents. Whole-school attendance has been considerably below the national average in recent years. Although it remains below the national average for current pupils, it is improving. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school has decreased considerably this year. Pupils’ attendance remains a priority for further improvement.

p.3

Main findings

Leaders have ensured that strategies to support disadvantaged pupils have been monitored more robustly than in recent years. The allocation of funding is closely aligned to improvement plans and governors are kept informed of its spending so that they can question how it is used. You are aware of the need to evaluate the impact of this spending more sharply and plans are in place to develop the rigour by which this is achieved.

p.3

Main findings

You have undertaken considerable work to develop positive relationships with parents and the community. Parents are welcomed into the school, for example during coffee mornings, and efforts are made to accommodate parents who are unable to attend parents’ evenings. You are keen to develop this work further.

p.3

Main findings

Leaders have introduced a new approach to homework, investing in an online tool for the setting and completion of homework tasks. Your monitoring activities indicate that teachers are now applying the homework policy more consistently and pupils report that they find this methodology effective and helpful. Pupils also appreciate the efforts that you have made to secure permanent staff. You currently have no vacancies in teaching posts, which means that pupils are taught by specialist, permanent teachers.

p.4

Main findings

Your drive and vision for school improvement is clear. You are very ably supported by your deputy headteacher and other senior leaders who share your passion to support all pupils to achieve their best and to succeed.

p.4

External support

The trust has provided extremely effective support. Staff are appreciative of the training and the professional development that the trust has facilitated. For example, coaching and supporting leaders at all levels. Members of the governing body and the trust have a secure knowledge and understanding of the school’s strengths and areas in need of further improvement and are supportive of the principal in effecting improvements. There are very positive relationships between the governing body and the trust, which means that all work together to promote school improvement.

p.4

External support

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

p.4