Brayton Academy

Brayton Academy Doncaster Road, Selby, North Yorkshire YO8 9QS

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors provide outstanding leadership that is valued by staff, pupils, parents and carers.  Senior leaders have a realistic and highly accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for further development. Their self-evaluation is accurate and thorough.  Leaders and trustees have ensured that strong systems are in place for checking the school’s work and planning for improvement.  The school has a broad and balanced curriculum that develops pupils’ resilience and confidence as well as their academic development. Consequently, pupils are being well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use skilful questioning effectively and provide pupils with focused guidance. Pupils respond enthusiastically to this guidance and use it to improve their learning.  Teachers have high expectations and ensure that the work they set challenges all pupils. As

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

a result, pupils make substantial progress in their learning across subjects.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary across the school. Pupils show respect to each other and to staff. Around the school, the atmosphere is calm and welcoming.  Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They are positive about their experiences at the school and this has a positive impact on their progress.  Pupils receive a strong programme of careers information and guidance. They are well prepared for each stage of their education in the school and for the next stage in their education after they leave.  Pupils enjoy their learning at this school. The vast majority of pupils are rarely absent. Leaders ensure that the importance of good attendance remains high profile.  Pupils benefit from high-quality personal development programmes. However, pupils currently do not have a well-developed ‘student voice’ arrangement and, in addition, some

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

elements of the personal development programme are not as well developed as they could be.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop ‘student voice’ so that pupils feel they have a forum to represent their views and help shape the future development of their school.  Develop the personal development programme further so that there is greater coverage of national and local issues which are relevant to pupils as British citizens and members of the local community.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 Over time, leaders, trustees and governors have used their understanding of the school’s effectiveness to identify areas of weakness and have acted swiftly to make the necessary improvements. For example, where leadership has been weak in the past, it has been strengthened through programmes of professional development and recruitment. Consequently, pupils’ progress has significantly improved and is now outstanding.  Leaders have established a very well-developed programme of coaching and mentoring which supports the development of teaching, learning and assessment. Teachers and leaders agree a personalised development plan. Furthermore, the school works closely with the trust’s partner schools where staff attend courses and share best practice. Therefore, teaching, learning and assessment have improved quickly over time and are now considerable strengths of the school.  Leaders have established accurate and reliable systems which allow them to analyse

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

assessment and pupil progress information. Teachers are then able to design intervention actions which provide pupils with the help and guidance they need to improve their work and make outstanding progress.  Leaders have prioritised improvements in the teaching and learning of English, mathematics and science. Although pupils make outstanding progress in a wide range of subjects, in these core subjects, their progress is substantial and has been sustained over time.  Leaders keep the school’s curriculum under review to ensure that it meets pupils’ needs. Pupils follow a ‘resilience’ programme of study in key stage 3 which develops their ambition to benefit from their learning experiences and gain confidence. Pupils are encouraged to participate in several activities which further supports this approach, including a ‘resilience camp’ residential experience in France at the end of year 7.  Leaders use the additional funding the school receives for those pupils who are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively to remove barriers to learning. As a result, these pupils make strong progress and make substantial gains in their learning during their time at the school.  The careers advice pupils receive is outstanding. Pupils learn about their future options at an early stage. In Year 9, they are given an opportunity to study a range of option subjects, leading to a final choice of options in key stage 4. The independent advice and guidance they receive in key stage 4 allows them to make informed choices for their next steps in education after they leave the school.

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Governance of the school

 The governing body makes good use of the high-quality information leaders present to them at regular and timely intervals throughout the academic year. They share leaders’ passion and commitment to ensure that the school provides a quality of education which is outstanding.  Governors pay regular visits to the school and have frequent and focused discussions with leaders at all levels. As a result, they have a thorough understanding of the school’s strengths and its few weaknesses.  Governors take their legal responsibilities seriously. They hold leaders to account effectively for the school’s performance, and for the use leaders make of the additional funding the school receives for those pupils who are disadvantaged and for those with SEND.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders ensure that the school is inclusive and caring, with safeguarding at the heart of its work. Pupils’ safety and welfare are a priority and pupils report they feel safe in the school. Pupils have confidence in the school’s ability to provide any necessary support if they have any concerns for their own safety.  Appropriate checks are carried out on all adults working at the school to ensure that they are safe to work with children. Staff are appropriately trained and familiar with the policies and procedures which protect pupils.  School leaders work effectively with external agencies to support and provide the appropriate care for vulnerable pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 The teachers in this school thrive within a culture of research-based practice. They are encouraged, through the coaching and mentoring programme in place, to try out new ideas and approaches to teaching and learning. As a result, teaching has improved and is routinely outstanding, enabling pupils to make substantial progress in their learning.  Teachers have strong subject knowledge which they use skilfully to ask questions of pupils which prompt them to engage with the learning and deepen their understanding further. Pupils are complimentary about how much the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved over time.  Teachers plan tasks according to the prior learning and abilities of pupils. They provide pupils with the guidance they need to improve their learning and pupils respond by taking on, with enthusiasm, the additional challenges teachers have set them.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils. Pupils have developed a resilience to failure

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

and, as such, they are not fazed by challenges which are difficult and demand a deeper understanding of the subject matter.  There is a common respect between pupils and teachers which promotes learning well. The classroom environment encourages pupils to be confident enough to admit if they are having difficulty with a topic of learning and seek help and support from the teacher. This also helps pupils to share ideas, admit to mistakes and work with each other to make progress in their studies.  Teachers’ planning ensures that those pupils who are most able are provided with tasks which provide the stretch and challenge they need to deepen their learning and understanding. Consequently, they make strong progress.  Those pupils who are disadvantaged and those pupils with SEND make strong progress which is in line with the progress of others in the school. Teachers have detailed knowledge of individual pupils’ learning needs and ensure that any interventions are in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

place if their learning falls behind that of others.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. Any low-level disruption is rare, and where there is a possibility of any off-task behaviour, teachers are quick and effective in using the school’s behaviour policy to discourage it. Pupils, in turn, respond quickly and positively to the behaviour policy.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils wear their uniform with pride. They are friendly, respectful and courteous to each other, staff and visitors. They talk proudly of their school and treat their learning environment with respect. Consequently, the school buildings are free from litter and graffiti.  Pupils speak highly of the pastoral support the school provides. The use of restorative practice to resolve tensions and issues between pupils and peer groups is a strong feature of the school’s work. Pupils are confident that staff are there to help them and they know who to go to if they have a problem.  Pupils report that bullying is rare. They are confident that when it does occur, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively by staff.  Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. When talking to inspectors, pupils showed an excellent understanding of the importance of online safety, tolerance of others and

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Personal development and welfare

the importance of working together in their school community. However, pupils are not fully aware of some potential risks to themselves, including local risks. There are a very small number of pupils who attend an alternative provision. Leaders routinely check on the behaviour, attendance and progress of these pupils through regular contact with the provision’s managers.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils are friendly, articulate and confident. They are enthusiastic about talking to inspectors and are very proud of the improvements they have seen in their time at the school. Their behaviour as they move around the building is calm and orderly.  Leaders have introduced new systems to encourage outstanding behaviour. These systems have worked and, after an initial period where exclusions rose, exclusions are now reducing considerably and are low compared with the national average. Pupils report that at times the rules seem strict, but now learning comes first and there is little or no disruption which hinders their progress.  Pupils value their education and they rarely miss a day at school. As a result, absence, including persistent absence, is low compared with the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Overall, pupils’ outcomes have been above the national average for the past two years in a range of subjects. The proportion of pupils who achieved GCSEs at the higher grades in English and mathematics in 2018 was above the national average.  The overall progress pupils made in 2017 and 2018 was above average. School leaders have acted swiftly and effectively to strengthen current pupils’ progress in the very few subjects where progress has not, in the past, been as strong as it should have been.  Leaders’ analysis of current school assessment information suggests that pupils in key stages 3 and 4 are making sustained and substantial progress in the vast majority of subjects. Evidence in pupils’ books seen by inspectors supports this.  Through effective staff recruitment, strengthened leadership and improvements in teaching and learning, current pupils make outstanding progress in a wide range of

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

subjects, particularly in English, mathematics and science.  Pupils with SEND are well supported in the school. Teachers ensure that they receive the guidance they need and any interventions they require if they begin to fall behind others. As a result, they make outstanding progress.  The school prepares pupils well for the next stages of their lives. They leave the school after Year 11 with high academic standards, strong personal development and strong and positive attitudes to learning.

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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

Executive Headteacher/Head of School Mr Andy Goulty/Mr Al Moon

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School details

Email address info@braytonacademy.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is lower than average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average. The proportion who have an education, health and care plan is below average.  The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The majority of pupils speak English as a first language.  A very small number of pupils attend Southway alternative provision, which offers vocational and applied curriculum subjects.  The school is a member of the Rodillian Multi Academy Trust.  The school receives support from leaders and partner schools within the trust.  Responsibility for the school rests with trustees, who delegate some powers to the local governing board. The academy trust website and scheme of delegation can be found at www.rodillianacademytrust.co.uk .

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 36 lessons and two form tutor sessions, some jointly with senior leaders.  Discussions were held with senior and middle leaders, other staff and representatives from the trust.  The lead inspector met with the executive headteacher of the Rodillian Multi Academy Trust as well as with the chair and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in lessons and a sample of pupils’ workbooks.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour before school, during lessons, around school, during form tutor sessions, at breaktime and at lunchtime.  Inspectors spoke with pupils in discussion groups and informally around school.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation, its improvement plans, information about the attainment and progress of all pupils, records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding and information on

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Information about this inspection

the school’s website.  Inspectors considered the 45 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including the 39 free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the 34 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and the 50 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Barry Found, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lyndsey Brown 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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