SchoolsCompany North Devon Academy

SchoolsCompany North Devon Academy Springfield Court, Fishleigh Road, Roundswell Business Park, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 3TD

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Safeguarding is ineffective. Trustees, governors and school leaders have failed to ensure that safeguarding procedures and practice keep pupils safe.  Leaders, including the trustees of the multi- academy trust, have an overgenerous view of the school’s effectiveness. They do not have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.  Leaders do not have robust plans in place for improvement. The school development plan is not fit for purpose. It does not provide a clear direction for the rapid improvements required.  Subject leadership is ineffective; leaders do not receive the training or adequate time to check and evaluate the progress of pupils to ensure that they are making as much progress as possible.  Teaching is inadequate. Teachers do not have sufficient training in order to improve their practice. Their expectation of what pupils can achieve is too low.  Therapeutic provision for pupils is inadequate,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and thus has a negative impact on behaviour and learning.  Behaviour is inadequate. Leaders do not analyse patterns in pupils’ behaviour well enough. Consequently, the incidence of using physical restraint and exclusions has risen.  Pupils’ achievement is poor. Pupils are not developing the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need. Therefore, they are not prepared for the next stage of their education effectively.  Teachers’ questioning is not used to check pupils’ learning or deepen their understanding. Pupils are unclear how to improve their work.  The curriculum is not fit for purpose. There are inconsistencies in the planning and teaching of subjects. As a result, pupils do not make good progress across a wide range of subjects.  Staff morale is extremely low. Staff feel that they have insufficient support and resources from the wider leadership of the trust to improve their practice.  Recent changes in the monitoring of pupils’

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

progress are not embedded. Therefore, the reliability of this information is not yet secure.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The newly appointed leaders of the school have the support of the school staff. Together, they want to rapidly improve this school.  Relationships between staff and pupils are strong.

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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.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Rapidly improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that: – robust systems and procedures are securely in place to safeguard pupils – clear priorities for improvement are set which are regularly checked by leaders, including governors, to determine what is or is not working well, and why – a structure of training and support is put in place to equip staff, including subject leaders, with the skills to be highly effective – a programme of therapeutic provision is available to pupils that supports their personal development, behaviour and welfare – the school’s strategy for behaviour management improves and leads to a significant reduction in physical restraints and exclusions – the curriculum and its delivery meets pupils’ needs and prepares them well for the next stage of their education, training or employment – the finances of the school are carefully monitored to ensure that appropriate

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

resources are readily available to secure pupils’ ability to make good progress.  Rapidly improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that teachers: – have secure subject knowledge – accurately assess what pupils know, can do and understand to inform planning so that learning is well matched to the needs of pupils – have high expectations of the quality of work that pupils produce and their engagement in learning – question pupils effectively in order to assess, probe and deepen their understanding – provide pupils with information as to how they can improve their learning. 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.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The principal has not received the necessary support from the multi-academy trust to make the rapid improvements required to ensure that pupils receive an effective standard of education. Too often, systems are introduced by the trust without sufficient consideration of the needs of this school.  The trust is overgenerous in its evaluation of the school’s effectiveness. Therefore, due to the shortcomings in knowledge and understanding of the most important key aspects of this school, the trust fails to demonstrate the capacity to rectify this situation.  Trustees have implemented too many initiatives with little support and guidance to those who are required to implement them. Consequently, there is significant confusion among the staff and a lack of understanding of the future direction of the school. The frequent changes and lack of clear direction result in low staff morale across the school.  The school’s current plan for improvement is weak and not fit for purpose. It does not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

identify precisely the priorities leaders need to take in order to improve pupils’ achievement rapidly. It does not demonstrate well enough how and when leaders will monitor and evaluate the impact of actions to determine what is working well and why.  Subject leaders, while they demonstrate a strong commitment to raising standards, do not receive the recognition for the work they do. Indeed, many undertake the role without an agreed job description. They also do not receive sufficient training or time to carry out their roles. Consequently, they have little impact in raising standards in their subjects to secure the best possible progress for pupils.  The curriculum is weak. Pupils do not experience sufficient opportunities to learn across a wide range of subjects. Topics are not used well enough to support other areas of learning such as their use of English, mathematical and scientific skills. This

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

means that pupils do not make good progress across a range of subjects.  Therapeutic provision is inadequate. Pupils do not receive the therapy they need to improve their emotional and personal development. Consequently, many pupils remain at heightened anxiety levels, which has a negative impact on their behaviour and ability to engage positively in their learning.  Additional funding received is not spent wisely. The monitoring of pupil premium, Year 7 catch-up and sports funding is weak. Consequently, leaders are unsure of the impact that this funding has on pupils’ achievement and progress.  Only one response was received from parents and so their views of the quality and care that their children receive are not known.  It is recommended that the school should not seek to appoint newly qualified teachers.  Staff speak highly of the leadership of the principal and other senior staff in the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

They recognise the work leaders are undertaking to overturn the legacy of underachievement. For example, they support leaders’ work to develop a new approach to track learning and put in place learning activities that more precisely meet the needs of pupils. However, many initiatives are new and it is too early to measure their impact.

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Governance of the school

 The board of trustees and the local board of governors have not ensured that pupils are provided with an effective standard of education and care. Turbulence within both the trust board and the governing body is hampering the rapid improvements required to tackle the school’s underperformance. There have been significant and frequent changes in the local governing body. Currently one of the directors is acting as the chair of governors and there remain a number of vacancies which are yet to be filled successfully. Those responsible for the school do not ensure that the strategic vision is suitably focused on pupil outcomes or adequately shared with staff. Currently, staff do not receive appropriate training and development to improve their skills. Finances of the school are not well managed. As a result, pupils do not have access to high-quality resources to support their learning.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The procedures and practice are inadequate and do not keep pupils safe from harm. Inspection evidence confirms that the trust, local board of governors and school leaders do not demonstrate a secure understanding of effective safeguarding practice. For example, during the inspection, pupils were able to walk out of the building unsupervised and leave the school premises to smoke. There is no strategic overview in place to ensure that the risks pupils face are minimised. Staff receive safeguarding training in line with government legislation and guidance. However, the culture of safeguarding within the school is poor. Leaders do not adequately safeguard pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Teaching is inadequate. It does not ensure that pupils develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required to progress successfully to the next stage of their education. This is true across all key stages.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is not secure. They do not have the guidance, training or support needed in order to improve their practice. Recent changes to performance management systems have not yet successfully tackled this.  Teachers have not received clear guidance on how to check accurately the learning and progress of pupils. Consequently, lessons planned do not precisely meet the needs of pupils.  Teachers’ questioning is weak. It fails to check pupils’ understanding or probe them to think deeply enough to enhance their knowledge and understanding. This is hampering pupils’ achievement and progress.  Pupils do not receive the guidance they need to make the necessary next steps in their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

learning. As a result, pupils do not know what it is they need to do and their progress stalls.  Teachers do not reinforce high enough expectations of behaviour and engagement by pupils in the classrooms. Too often, pupils continue to talk over the teacher, ignore their instructions and disrupting the learning of others. Often this goes unchecked by teachers. In turn, some pupils do not develop and embed the behaviours required to become successful learners, such as resilience, determination and pride.  Through careful reflection, teachers can accurately identify what professional development they require to improve their practice. These needs are discussed with the school’s leaders but inspection evidence found that teachers’ professional development needs are not being met successfully.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Weaknesses in the school’s safeguarding systems, procedures and practice mean that pupils are at unnecessary risk. For example, they leave the school site without appropriate supervision.  Pupils do not receive the therapy they need. As a result, they are unable to regulate their anxious behaviours and manage stress. Subsequently, there are too many incidents of angry outbursts by pupils, which can lead to physical harm to themselves, staff and property. This hinders pupils’ personal development.  Due to their vulnerability and behaviours, too many pupils have not developed the attributes of a successful learner. Levels of engagement in learning and pride in their work are too variable. Work viewed is often incomplete, scrappy or poorly presented.  Attendance is monitored by leaders and overall attendance is in line with similar

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Personal development and welfare

schools nationally. However, as a result of inappropriate behaviour a significant amount of learning time is regularly lost and hampers pupils’ progress. Staff are not always aware of the location of pupils, or if they are safe.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate. Leaders are not taking decisive action to ensure that there is a positive learning environment. Pupils do not receive the guidance or support to provide them with the skills required to modify and regulate their behaviour.  Leaders record behaviour incidents and incidents of physical intervention. However, leaders do not analyse these occurrences well enough to identify patterns and possible triggers for challenging behaviour. Consequently, leaders do not ensure that there is a systematic approach to managing behaviour. As a result, the number of exclusions and use of physical restraint continue to rise. Staff are united in a desire for a consistent approach and less tolerance of poor behaviour.  Pupils describe that while staff tackle some incidents of poor behaviour this does not always happen. This was confirmed during the inspection. There were a number of

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Behaviour

incidents that were not appropriately tackled by staff, for example pupils throwing equipment around during lunchtime.  Pupils who spoke to inspectors have mixed views about their experiences in school. Many form good relationships with staff. Nevertheless, they describe how there are incidences of bullying in school and while they are confident that staff will always try to support them, the bullying does not always stop.  Inspectors spoke with some pupils who were well-mannered, polite and eager to talk. For example, key stage 4 pupils were keen to discuss their future aspirations and dreams. Nevertheless, the vulnerability of these pupils makes their behaviour volatile.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Outcomes are inadequate because pupils across key stages do not make the progress of which they are capable. Work in a range of subjects and across all age groups shows a pattern of underachievement across the school. As a result, pupils are not well prepared for the next stages of their education, training or employment.  In key stage 2, pupils do not make good progress in reading, writing or mathematics. As a result, they are not able to catch up with their peers rapidly in readiness for their return to mainstream school. For example, pupils are unable to use their phonic knowledge successfully in order to read with fluency and accuracy or to apply it to their writing.  In key stage 3, teaching is not helping pupils to acquire the essential knowledge, skills and understanding which are the foundations of future success. Work in mathematics shows that pupils are not acquiring the necessary skills in order to solve number

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

problems or apply mathematical reasoning. This is because the activities set are not meeting their needs; work is either too difficult or too easy. This has a negative impact on the progress that pupils make.  The progress made by pupils in key stage 4 is too variable. While there are some examples of pupils being successful in GCSE examinations and other qualifications in recent years, this is not the case for a significant number of pupils.  The picture of weak progress is replicated in the performance of groups such as disadvantaged pupils and children in care at some sites. There is a significant difference between genders, where girls outperform boys.  Those pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities do make better progress given their very low starting points.

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School details

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

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School details

School category Academy alternative provision sponsor-led

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School details

Email address admin.north@schoolscompany.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 North Devon Academy opened in March 2015 as part of the SchoolsCompany Academy Trust.  The trust board consists of 10 directors, including the chief executive officer and six interim trustees. In addition, there is a local board of governors.  The academy works with pupils who have been excluded or who have additional needs that prevent them from attending school regularly. The expectation of the academy is that pupils will successfully reintegrate into mainstream school or progress on to college or further training. Therefore, placements are intended to be short-term.  North Devon Academy operates across a number of sites: Springfield House and Leisure Line House in Barnstaple; Clearwater House and Torridge Academy in Bideford; and Torridge Outreach in Tiverton. Torridge Outreach is due to close in December 2017.  The school uses six alternative providers: Futures Farm Ltd, Hakeford Woods Forest

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Information about this school

School, 121 Turnaround Ltd, Horwood Coombe Community Forest School, Wings South West and SchoolsCompany Trust complementary services.  There are currently no pupils in the early years provision.  The principal started in post in March 2016 and the vice-principal in September 2017.  The school does not meet the requirements on the publication of information or comply with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish about the curriculum, pupil premium, sports funding and Year 7 catch-up funding.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning across all sites in the academy. Most observations were undertaken with the school’s leaders. The quality of pupils’ work was scrutinised alongside leaders.  Meetings were held with the principal, senior leaders, staff and directors of the multi- academy trust, including the chief executive officer. A telephone conversation was held with a member of the local governing body.  Inspectors met with individual pupils to listen to their views about the school.  A wide range of documentation was examined, including the school’s evaluation of its own performance, the school’s development plan, and information relating to pupils’ achievement and progress. Records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding were also scrutinised.  Inspectors took into account the 16 responses received from the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors considered the one response to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and

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Information about this inspection

one text message was also taken into account. The inspectors also considered information via phone calls to Ofsted.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Penman 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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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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