Setting

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

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Mrs Nicola McIntyre Headteacher Jubilee L.E.A.D. Academy Highwood Avenue Bilborough Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG8 3AF

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Serious weaknesses first monitoring inspection of Jubilee L.E.A.D.

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Academy

Following my visit to your school on 11 December 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the outcome and inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken since the school’s most recent section 5 inspection.

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Academy

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to have serious weaknesses in October 2017. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with you, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher and leaders with responsibility for the early years, English, mathematics and the coordination of provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). I met with the chair and vice-chair of the interim academy advisory board and three other members of the board. I also met with two directors from the L.E.A.D. multi-academy trust. The trust’s statement of action and the school’s improvement plan were evaluated. Together with you, I observed learning in every class. I reviewed a range of pupils’ current workbooks and I held a discussion with a group of pupils from Years 5 and 6. I reviewed several documents, including the school’s assessment information. I reviewed the school’s safeguarding procedures, including an examination of the single central record.

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Context

Since the last inspection, there have been a number of staffing changes. The deputy headteacher has been absent since May 2018 and the post is being covered by an experienced senior leader. Seven new teachers have been appointed to key stage 2 within the past 12 months and there has been a restructuring of the support staff team, involving a number of new appointments. A full and stable staff team has been in place since September 2018. Following the last inspection, an interim academy advisory board has been appointed at local governance level. The school no longer runs its own nursery provision; the on-site nursery is now managed by a private provider. As a result of the change in responsibility for nursery provision, and other factors, pupil numbers have reduced and the school’s age range has changed from 3–11 to 4–11.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Ably supported by other senior leaders, you have wasted no time in addressing the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. You rightly made it your priority to ensure that an effective, stable staff team was established across the school. Historically, classes in many year groups had typically had a succession of short-term teachers. This had a negative impact on behaviour and standards over time. New roles and responsibilities have been put in place, including a full complement of middle and subject leaders. These new leaders have responded eagerly to the challenge of their new roles. They have been proactive in using the outcomes of the training provided for them, and of their monitoring, to ensure rapid improvements in their respective subjects. Your improvement plans note that the next steps will be to ensure that your plans to review and refresh the curriculum are fully completed.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

In discussion, members of staff confirmed that morale at the school is currently high. Staff appreciate the renewed sense of aspiration and direction for the school, emanating from senior leaders and those responsible for governance. They appreciate the opportunities which are available for their professional development and the support they receive from senior leaders who, they say, operate an ‘open door’ policy.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Evidence from pupils’ workbooks and from my observations of learning in lessons suggests that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved throughout the school. Senior leaders set clear expectations for teachers and have ensured that a consistent approach is embedded in all year groups. The work in pupils’ English and mathematics books is carefully presented and gives clear evidence that teachers set work that is well matched to pupils’ ability. This was confirmed by the improved outcomes for pupils in all key stages in 2018 and by your current internal assessment information. Your current plans for improvement are rightly focused on ensuring that pupils’ rates of progress accelerate throughout the year, especially in reading and mathematics. Pupils’ behaviour across the school has improved significantly. As a result of leaders’ and teachers’ high expectations, pupils in all classes display consistently positive

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

attitudes to learning. In discussion, pupils were eager to describe the impact of these improvements. Typical comments from pupils were: ‘the behaviour at school has really changed’ and ‘my behaviour has changed because of the teachers.’ Pupils stated, emphatically, that the school is safe. Leaders’ records show that rates of exclusion have reduced significantly.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Senior leaders have undertaken a review of the school’s provision for pupils with SEND. They have ensured that pupils’ needs are accurately identified and have put in place a range of effective measures to ensure that pupils with SEND receive appropriate support for their additional needs.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Leaders and staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. Pupils with whom I spoke showed good awareness of the fundamental British values. They could readily describe a number of activities by which they learn about, and value, a range of faiths and cultures. Evidence from pupils’ work around the school depicts how teaching about British values runs as a strand through the curriculum, ensuring that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Pupils’ attendance is improving and rates of persistent absence are decreasing so that both are currently closer to the national averages.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The trust’s support for the school is having a positive impact. Following the last inspection, the trust acted decisively and the academy advisory board, which was responsible for local governance, was disbanded. An interim academy advisory board of experienced and knowledgeable members has been appointed. This interim board is effectively fulfilling its remit to support the school and hold leaders to account, in accordance with the recommendations from the external review of governance which took place in April 2018. The intention is that this board will be replaced, in due course, by a permanent advisory board which is more representative of local stakeholders. The plans for this to happen are still in the early stages.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

An external review of the pupil premium took place in January 2018. Leaders have taken effective action to address the recommendations from that review. The provision for disadvantaged pupils is having an increasingly positive impact on pupils’ personal development, attainment and progress.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Following the monitoring inspection, the following judgements were made:

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Leaders and managers are taking effective actions towards the removal of the serious weaknesses designation.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The school’s academy improvement plan is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The trust’s statement of action is fit for purpose. I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees, the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Nottingham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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