Derby Manufacturing UTC

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

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Mr R Wheatcroft Derby Manufacturing UTC Locomotive Way Pride Park Derby Derbyshire DE24 8PU

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Derby Manufacturing UTC

Following my visit with Victor Reid, Her Majesty’s Inspector, and Sally Wicken, Ofsted Inspector, to your school on 11–12 December 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the 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 recent section 5 inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Derby Manufacturing UTC

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection that took place in May 2018.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Derby Manufacturing UTC

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Derby Manufacturing UTC

Leaders and managers are not taking effective action towards the removal of special measures.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Derby Manufacturing UTC

The trust’s statement of action is fit for purpose.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Derby Manufacturing UTC

The school’s improvement plan is fit for purpose.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Derby Manufacturing UTC

I strongly recommend that the academy does not seek to appoint newly qualified teachers.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Derby Manufacturing UTC

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

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

 Rapidly improve the school’s procedures to keep pupils and students safe by ensuring that: – safeguarding leaders have the time and resources to fulfil their roles effectively – safeguarding leaders undertake timely and effective action when dealing with a concern about a pupil’s welfare – safeguarding leaders maintain comprehensive and accurate records of their actions – all staff understand the actions they must take when they have concerns, including any concerns about the actions of other adults towards pupils.  Rapidly improve the impact of leadership and management by ensuring that: – leaders and governors regularly check the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding procedures and undertake timely action when they find that the procedures are insufficiently robust – leaders at all levels, including governors, have an accurate understanding of the quality of the school’s provision and use this to plan the necessary

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

improvements – plans for school improvement and for the use of pupil premium funding contain measurable outcomes by which leaders can evaluate their effectiveness – subject leaders receive appropriate support so that they are effective in their role, particularly their whole-school leadership responsibilities – governors, in response to the recent external review of governance, continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of their leadership role, so that they provide effective challenge and support – leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching result in the necessary improvements that will bring about consistently good classroom practice across the whole school – leaders make sure that all teachers apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently so that pupils understand what constitutes appropriate behaviour – leaders ensure that all teachers provide pupils with feedback in line with the school’s assessment policy

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

– leadership of the sixth form secures the necessary improvements in the quality of teaching to promote better outcomes for students in both the academic and work-related subjects.  Improve the quality of teaching, to secure more rapid progress in pupils’ achievement, by ensuring that every teacher: – has high expectations of the quantity and quality of work that pupils complete in each lesson – ensures that pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and engage well in lessons – makes effective use of assessment information to plan activities that are at the right level, depending on pupils’ starting points, and that enable pupils to become secure in their knowledge, skills and understanding.  Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by ensuring that: – pupils’ attendance rapidly rises to be in line with the national level for all pupils – pupils receive independent careers advice and guidance

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

– pupils receive regular opportunities across the curriculum to become secure in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their understanding of fundamental British values.  Improve the quality of teaching and the advice and guidance for students in the sixth form, so that the proportion of those who move from Year 12 into Year 13 increases, and so that students prepare more effectively for their next steps at the end of Year 13. An external review of the academy’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved

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Evidence

Inspectors met with the principal, members of the senior leadership team, middle leaders and members of support and teaching staff. They also met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. Inspectors met formally with groups of pupils and spoke with others informally around the school. Inspectors visited parts of 27 lessons, many with senior leaders, and discussed the strengths and weaknesses observed. They looked at samples of pupils’ work and talked with pupils about their work in lessons. Inspectors considered a variety of documents, including improvement plans, records of monitoring activities, information about pupils’ progress and attainment, records relating to attendance and behaviour and information about safeguarding arrangements. They also read minutes of governing body meetings and looked at a range of policies and information published on the school website.

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Evidence

The inspection did not focus on all areas for improvement as detailed in the Annex. Aspects related to the curriculum, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, as well as pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values, were not considered as part of this monitoring visit.

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Context

The leadership structure has largely remained unchanged since the previous inspection. The principal has clarified senior- and middle-leadership responsibilities. A number of support staff and teachers, including supply teachers, left the school at the end of the summer term. There is now an almost full complement of teaching and support staff. Leaders and governors are currently exploring the option of becoming part of a multi-academy trust.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Governors and leaders have taken swift and effective action to address serious weaknesses related to safeguarding arrangements. There is currently a strong and effective culture of keeping pupils safe and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Governors have systematically monitored leaders’ actions by working with external consultants to bring about significant improvement. Senior leaders have reviewed the responsibilities of those who lead safeguarding and have ensured that they are suitably trained. As a result, safeguarding leaders are knowledgeable and understand their responsibilities. Leaders have also increased the capacity of the safeguarding team by employing safeguarding officers. Those with specific responsibilities for safeguarding work effectively as a team and keep detailed records relating to the welfare of pupils. They also engage effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils receive appropriate support when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Leaders have successfully worked to develop and implement effective policies and systems. All staff are trained in various aspects of safeguarding and understand their responsibilities well. Staff also understand the school’s system for dealing with any concerns they may have regarding pupils’ welfare and well-being. Pupils and staff who met with inspectors commented that the school is safe. Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe and consider the risks involved in various situations, including online activity and radicalisation, knife crime and gang culture. Leaders ensure that safer recruitment processes are implemented and undertake all of the required pre-employment checks before appointing adults to work with pupils.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Senior leaders and governors now have an accurate view of the school’s many weaknesses and strengths. They have a comprehensive improvement plan but are not taking effective steps to implement planned actions in a timely manner. Neither have governors systematically monitored all actions to bring about improvement.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Governors are well meaning and are committed to the values of the school. However, they have not yet secured the leadership capacity required to bring about sustained improvement. Neither have they provided the appropriate support or strategic direction for middle leaders to bring about whole-school improvements in the areas they lead. As a result, the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and attendance have not improved sufficiently to enable pupils to make the progress of which they are capable.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Governors have not implemented many of the recommendations made through the review of governance undertaken in March 2018. Governors readily accept information presented by leaders, which is at times inaccurate. There is little evidence that governors regularly challenge senior leaders. However, governors were instrumental in driving improvements related to safeguarding arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The governing body has failed to effectively monitor the use of the pupil premium funding, both in its impact on overcoming barriers to learning, and in provision and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Neither have the governors ensured that a review of the 2017/18 and the 2018/19 pupil premium plans has been published on the school’s website. Governors and leaders cannot account for the underspend of this funding but are aware of the very limited impact the funding had in supporting disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have commissioned an external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding. The first stage of this review identifies clear steps to address the weaknesses in this area, and the second part of the review is planned for January 2019. Leaders have not addressed this area for improvement in a timely way and disadvantaged pupils continue to underachieve.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The school’s leadership is not currently demonstrating sustainable improvement in key areas, such as teaching, learning and assessment, and pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare. Planned actions to bring about improvements have not been swift enough and the planned timeline for improvements has slipped. Senior leaders have not consistently shared strategic thinking with all of those who are leading whole-school improvements, which has resulted in a lack of clarity and direction.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Following the last inspection, leaders have established a basic set of expectations for teachers to use when planning their lessons and they have provided some training. However, improvements in the quality of teaching are minimal and the variability in its quality means that most pupils’ needs are not being met and pupils do not make sufficient progress. The principal now recognises the need to focus more strategically on improving the quality of teaching across the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Too often, teachers’ expectation of what pupils can do and achieve are too low. When work is not challenging and does not meet pupils’ needs, they do not learn and make the progress they should. There is inconsistency in the use of the school’s feedback policy. Too often, pupils are unaware of how to improve their work and when they are given some direction, they are not regularly encouraged to respond to the feedback.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Despite these weaknesses, there are pockets of stronger practice. When teaching is more effective, teachers plan work at the right level to challenge pupils to gain knowledge, deepen their understanding or broaden and refine their skills. Teachers check pupils’ understanding and provide valuable feedback. Pupils also take greater pride in their work, and this was seen during the inspection in the engineering workshop and some English literature lessons. Relationships between sixth-form students and teachers are positive and respectful.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils’ overall attendance in key stage 4 has improved slightly, with attendance in the sixth form declining. However, attendance in both key stages is still below the national average. The proportions of pupils who are persistently absent in both key stages have increased and are still well above the national averages. Too many pupils and students do not attend regularly enough.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Leaders commissioned an external review of the school’s systems to ensure pupils’ regular attendance in February 2018, but they have not effectively implemented many of the recommendations. Actions taken to address poor attendance are not proving to be effective in improving the attendance of different groups of pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils. Leaders are unclear as to how to improve attendance in the long term.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils and staff who spoke with inspectors say that behaviour around the school has improved and is less boisterous than it used to be. Pupils’ conduct at breaktimes and lunchtimes was sociable during the inspection. However, derogatory language and swearing were heard by inspectors. The school’s records of behaviour show increased fixed-term exclusions in Years 10, 11 and 12, as well as increased proportions of low-level and more serious incidents. Improving students’ behaviour remains an improvement priority for the school.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils’ attitudes to learning are variable. When teaching is better, pupils engage more positively, show respect for each other and take greater pride in their work. However, when teaching does not meet their needs and work is too easy, some pupils’ attitudes are indifferent, and others engage in low-level disruption. Similarly, many pupils are slow to move from one lesson to another, even when encouraged by staff to be punctual. Pupils do not consistently take pride in the presentation of their work and there are incidents of inappropriate graffiti in books and work files.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Leaders have secured the provision of independent careers advice and are developing a careers programme to meet pupils’ career interests and further broaden their aspirations. Links with industry are positive and reflect the engineering and manufacturing distinctiveness of the school. Opportunities for work-related learning are valued by pupils. However, take-up of work experience in the sixth form is low. The proportions of pupils who move into employment, training or education are positive, especially at the end of Year 13. Leaders are working to ensure that all pupils and students move on to aspirational further education, training or employment when they leave the school.

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Outcomes for pupils

A history of low expectations and poor teaching has limited pupils’ attainment and progress. In the Year 11 2018 external examinations, provisional data indicates that pupils made improved overall progress compared with 2017. However, when set against average national performance, their progress still remains weak in a range of subjects. The disadvantaged pupils and the most able pupils made even less progress than other pupils. The proportions of pupils gaining good GCSE grades in English and mathematics also declined and were well below the national averages.

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Outcomes for pupils

The variable standards of teaching and learning are reflected in the poor A-level outcomes achieved in the sixth form in 2018, which were well below national averages. The proportions of pupils attaining grade 4 and 5 and above when they resat GCSE English and mathematics were also below national averages. However, better outcomes were reflected in vocational learning. This is a strength of the school.

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Outcomes for pupils

Leaders have introduced systems to assess, monitor, predict and evaluate the outcomes of current pupils. However, they are not assured that assessment information is accurate across all subject areas. Leaders are, therefore, unable to correctly analyse the information.

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Outcomes for pupils

Standards of work seen in pupils’ books largely reflect low expectations, inconsistent challenge and weak progress over time, especially in mathematics and science.

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External support

Since the last inspection, leaders commissioned external reviews of safeguarding, which were undertaken by the local authority and Department for Education (DfE) officers, and they responded swiftly to recommendations to bring about improvements. The University of Derby continues to support the school through the secondment of the school’s vice-principal. The school is also supported by the Baker Dearing Trust and is provided with support through the DfE school-to-school support programme. Audits and reviews have been effective in enabling leaders to have an accurate view of provision.

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External support

Leaders have commissioned an external review of the use of the pupil premium funding and have received the recommendations following the first visit. The second part of the review is planned for January 2019.

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