Channeling Positivity

Channeling Positivity Riverside Way, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG2 1DP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 As a result of significant disruption to the efficient running of the school over the last academic year, too many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, did not make the progress they could have across a range of subjects, including in English and mathematics.  Some staff do not expect enough of pupils, and they plan work which is too easy.  Teaching requires improvement because it is inconsistent across the school. In some cases, teachers make insufficient use of information about pupils to plan learning effectively.  Pupils do not make the progress they could in their personal development because this part of the provision is too reliant on individual staff.  Leaders do not respond quickly enough to their monitoring of pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching. Improvements are not rapid enough.  Overall, pupils’ behaviour is not yet good enough. The management of pupils’ negative behaviour is inconsistent.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils do not benefit from a curriculum which is fully designed to meet their needs. Not enough consideration has been given by leaders to ensuring that pupils access a range of subjects which best prepares them for the future.  Leaders have not ensured that there are effective systems in place to check on the work that staff complete.  The use of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is not supporting their learning well enough.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The safety of pupils is a high priority for all staff. The new headteacher has brought a rigorous oversight to this part of the school’s work.  Relationships between pupils and staff are of a high quality.  During this academic year, pupils are beginning to make improved progress because teaching is starting to improve.  After completing their studies, most pupils go on to further education, training or apprenticeships. Considerable time is taken to support pupils to make good choices about the future.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the leadership and management of the school by ensuring that: – the quality of the checks made on the work of all staff is significantly improved – key staff respond rapidly to information which suggests pupils are not making the progress they could – trustees focus their efforts on challenging leaders to improve the quality of teaching – the curriculum provides sufficient opportunity for pupils to succeed in a wider range of subjects.  Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that: – all staff have the highest expectations of what pupils can achieve – all staff use information about the abilities of pupils to plan their learning – all staff respond consistently to instances of poor behaviour during lessons.  Focus on rapidly improving the attendance of pupils once they enter the school. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Over the period of time the school has been open, leaders have not ensured that all staff have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. The academic progress of pupils is not valued as highly as it should be.  The curriculum does not provide pupils with enough opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding across a range of subject areas. There are limited options available for pupils to gain relevant qualifications in different areas of learning.  Disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium do not have the benefit of this funding to promote their learning. There is a lack of clarity about how the pupil premium funding is accessed for eligible pupils who are dual registered with other schools. Leaders have not been tenacious enough in resolving this issue.  The checks leaders undertake on the work their colleagues do are insufficient to support them to improve pupils’ progress. The development of staff competence to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

help pupils make progress is hindered because the meetings staff have about their individual performance are not yet having a significant impact on their skills, knowledge and understanding related to their roles.  Leaders are not quick enough to respond to concerns about the lack of progress individual pupils are making. Also, they are slow in identifying the reasons for this and putting plans in place to stop this happening even more.  The new headteacher has high aspirations for the school. She has a clear vision as to how the school can improve and is well supported by the board of trustees. Leaders have the capacity to improve the school.  Systems to support pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/ or disabilities are sound.  Pupils’ understanding and development in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education are improving, due to the daily sessions targeting this work. Pupils benefit

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

from exposure to topics such as homelessness, pay-day loans and black history month.  During the last six months, leaders at all levels have developed a good understanding about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have moved swiftly to take advice from local authorities and a local multi-academy trust. Leaders have put in place clear plans to improve the school through effective partnership working.

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Governance of the school

 The work of the board of trustees requires improvement because they have not always had an accurate view about the quality of education provided to pupils.  The trustees do not ask enough detailed questions about the progress pupils are making, the quality of teaching or the curriculum offered to pupils.  Significant changes to the make-up of the board of trustees have slowed the rate at which improvements can be made.  In response to concerns previously raised, the board of trustees has rightly prioritised improvements in the area of pupils’ safety. This focus has secured the necessary improvement.  In order to ensure the long-term viability of the school, the trustees have undertaken to work in collaboration with the regional schools commissioner, local authorities, the Department for Education and a local multi-academy trust. They have put sensible plans in place to help to improve the school, including the temporary appointment of

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  After a period of turbulence, the leadership of safeguarding is now a strength of the school’s work. The headteacher acts as the designated safeguarding leader and brings a wealth of experience to the role. Rapid improvement in this area is supporting pupils to be safe at school and in their personal lives.  The school has effective relationships with the local authority social care safeguarding teams. Leaders have listened and acted upon detailed feedback from Nottingham city local authority about their processes to keep pupils safe. These links allow for good- quality discussion with a range of professionals about how best to ensure that the staff team helps pupils to make positive choices.  Staff are well trained in how to keep pupils safe. Should they need to, they are clear about how to raise concerns about pupils, parents, carers and colleagues.

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Safeguarding

 Leaders undertake appropriate checks on the adults employed to work at the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because much of what the pupils experience in classrooms is not sufficiently engaging. Teaching does not inspire pupils to want to learn more. Where teaching is weakest, pupils’ progress is not good because they can already do the activities planned for them.  The expectations of staff are not high enough to promote pupils’ learning. Too many pupils believe that it is acceptable to leave lessons early.  Pupils often start at the school after a disrupted period of education in other establishments. Teachers and leaders undertake work with new pupils to establish their skills, knowledge and understanding in key areas of the curriculum. However, the teaching of English and mathematics has not been good enough to secure good progress for pupils.  Pupils do not always receive good-quality information about the progress they are making and how to improve their learning.  Pupils state that they like coming to the school and that it is better than their previous

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

experiences. Many pupils state that this is because of their strong relationships with the staff team at Channeling Positivity.  The quality of teaching is starting to improve. Where teaching is stronger, the teachers’ subject knowledge is good and work is pitched at an appropriate level for each pupil in the class. Parents spoken with during the inspection are delighted with the positive experiences their children are having at the school.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. The promotion of pupils’ personal development is currently too reliant on the work of individual staff. Most pupils are starting to develop their understanding of what it means to be a successful learner. However, when the needs of some pupils are not met closely enough, they become disruptive or lose concentration.  Pupils have a developing understanding of how to stay safe when not at school. The daily ‘team time’ sessions and Friday’s ‘big question debate’ enable pupils to understand more about the wider world and the risks they may face.  Pupils report that they feel safe at the school and they know if they have any concerns they can talk to a caring member of staff. Pupils report that they trust the staff with whom they work.  Risk assessments are in place for off-site visits and these are checked by senior leaders

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Personal development and welfare

before pupils are permitted to leave the school site.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Members of the staff team do not always apply consistently the school’s behaviour policy, resulting in unnecessary disruptions throughout the day.  The behaviour policy does not meet the needs of pupils or staff. Consequently, pupils do not have consistent responses to their actions and staff are attempting to manage situations in a variety of ways.  The overall attendance of pupils is a concern. However, nearly all pupils who remain on the school’s roll do improve their attendance significantly, due to the positive work of staff.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are mixed. Where pupils are engaged in their learning, staff have enthusiasm for what they are teaching and pupils can see a purpose to their learning.  Since Easter 2017, there has been an increase in the number of exclusions of pupils for significantly poor behaviour. Due to the high expectations of the new headteacher,

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Behaviour

pupils’ understanding about acceptable behaviour at Channeling Positivity is improving.  Bullying is extremely rare and, due to the high levels of staff supervision, if this occurs, it is addressed by staff.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 The progress of pupils who left the school in summer 2017 was weak across a range of subjects, including English and mathematics.  The curriculum does not allow pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/ or disabilities, to make good progress across a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics.  Leaders and inspectors agree that the work that pupils produce in their books and work folders does not demonstrate that they are yet making the good progress they could.  There are no significant differences in the progress different groups of pupils make. Girls, boys, disadvantaged pupils, pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who have SEN and/or disabilities all make similar progress. Very few pupils have previously attained standards in English and mathematics higher than most other pupils in the country.  Pupils and parents are positive about the work of the school. One parent commented

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

that the school is ‘amazing and has done wonderful work with our daughter’. This comment was typical of parental feedback and some of the views of pupils.  The school enables most pupils to make positive choices about their futures. The courses pupils go on to complete at college, or through apprenticeships, build upon their skills and knowledge gained at Channeling Positivity. This work is testament to the dedication of the staff team in enabling pupils to access positive opportunities after they leave the school.

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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

Email address hello@channelingpositivity.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Channeling Positivity is an alternative provision free school catering for 13- to 16-year- olds. The school opened on 1 September 2015.  The school has approximately one third of its pupils solely registered at Channeling Positivity. All other pupils are dual registered with other schools across Nottingham city and Nottinghamshire.  The school caters for boys and girls; however, most pupils have been White British boys. All pupils have experienced significant disruption to their education prior to joining the school.  Approximately one third of the pupils currently on roll are girls.  The school is managed by a board of 10 trustees.  The school has had two headteachers since it opened. The most recent headteacher took up post on 22 March 2017.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school does not have any formal links with any other schools. However, school leaders, including trustees, are starting to work more closely with a multi-academy

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Information about this school

trust.  The school complies with the Department for Education guidance on what free schools should publish.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out following a complaint made to Ofsted which raised serious concerns. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector decided that an inspection of the school should take place to follow up the whole-school issues that were raised. Inspectors sought to establish whether arrangements to safeguard pupils were effective.  During the initial inspection regarding pupils’ safety, inspectors became concerned about the overall quality of education offered to pupils. A full inspection was then completed.  Inspectors observed learning in lessons. The majority of these observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders. During observations, inspectors sampled pupils’ books and talked with pupils to evaluate the standard of their work and the progress they have been making.  Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors held a number of meetings with senior leaders, other teachers, support staff

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Information about this inspection

and representatives of the trustees, including the chairperson.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of pupils’ work in books and files across a range of subjects.  The inspection team looked at a wide range of the school’s documentation, including safeguarding records, records showing how leaders check the quality of teaching, policies, information on pupils’ progress towards their targets, behaviour and attendance information, and the school’s own evaluation of its performance.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors spoke with a selection of parents via the telephone.

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Inspection team

Phil Harrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Robert Roalfe 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

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 .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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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 .

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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 .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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