Glenmoor Academy

Glenmoor Academy Beswick Avenue, Ensbury Park, Bournemouth, Dorset BH10 4EX

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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 Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have created a school community where staff and pupils work together to reach very high standards. They have high expectations of both pupils and teachers and everyone is well supported in reaching them.  The executive principal and principal, working together, have an unrelenting focus on continual improvement. They are excellent motivators who have captured the imagination of teachers and harnessed the collective effort of the staff across the school. Leaders make sure that teachers have the time to focus on making their teaching as effective as possible by cutting out unnecessary additional workload.  The quality of teaching is consistently high across all subjects and for all groups of pupils. Teachers are very skilful in making sure they understand what pupils can do and what their next steps should be. This ensures that pupils are given work that challenges them and helps to move their understanding forward.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders encourage teachers to innovate and try new approaches. This is leading to continual improvements. Currently, teachers are grappling with ensuring that pupils know how to improve their work. This is not yet quite as effective as they want it to be.  Pupils make more progress than in the vast majority of schools. They reach high standards in virtually every subject. The school’s outcomes have risen each year for the last three years as a direct result of improvements in the quality of teaching.  The quality of relationships between teachers and pupils is very high. Leaders make their expectations of pupils very clear, and there are significant consequences if pupils misbehave. But pupils know they are cared for, and there is a genuine warmth in relationships across the school. As a result, behaviour is exemplary. There is a harmonious buzz as pupils move around the school. Few pupils are excluded or

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

removed from lessons for misbehaviour.  The multi-academy trust provides very effective challenge and support to school leaders. Trust officers know the school very well and make sure it gets the resources it needs to improve. Local governors hold leaders to account effectively. They ensure that leaders continue to focus on meeting the needs of the community’s children.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by embedding recent changes to the school’s feedback policy to ensure that pupils know how to improve their work.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The executive principal and principal work together to set high expectations of everybody across the school. Over a period of years, they have modelled what they expect, and the school community has followed. They make it abundantly clear to pupils and teachers what they want, but they do it with warmth and humanity. As a result, the school willingly follows their lead.  Leaders and governors are highly principled and are keen to serve the interests of the community in which the school sits.  Senior leaders understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses extremely well and are unrelenting in their passion to improve it further. They are very skilled at focusing on the areas that will bring the greatest improvements. They do not get bogged down in trying to juggle too many priorities.  School leaders continually emphasise the importance of making sure the quality of teaching is as high as it can be. They have established a set of principles for effective

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

teaching and classroom research. Leaders encourage teachers to share their successes and failures with each other. The result is that teachers are enthused and curious about the process of teaching and are becoming increasingly skilled. Leaders make sure that teachers are not distracted by unnecessary paperwork and so can concentrate on teaching and learning.  Middle leaders are skilled and committed. They know their teams well and are rigorous in addressing any barriers to improvement. Some middle leaders are relatively new to their posts. Nonetheless, they have made an impact quickly. This is because of the school’s unrelenting focus on improving teaching.  The leadership of provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is very effective. Teachers know this group of pupils well and they are trained to meet their needs. Leaders monitor the progress of pupils with SEND carefully and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

provide extra support when they need it. Funding for those who have an education, health and care plan is well managed to make sure pupils get the additional help they need.  Leaders use the additional funds available to support disadvantaged pupils wisely. Pupils are closely monitored and leaders make sure that they are able to play a full part in the life of the school. As a result of the extra help they get, disadvantaged pupils come to school regularly, take part in extra activities such as sports clubs and music events, and make strong progress in their lessons.  The trust expects the school to ensure that every pupil is a fluent reader by the end of Year 8. The funding that the school receives to help pupils who need to catch up is well targeted so that leaders are largely successful in meeting this ambition.  Leaders make sure that the curriculum for pupils of all abilities is suitably challenging.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

In key stage 3, teachers use a curriculum structure that is common to all schools in the multi-academy trust. Teachers use this framework to plan activities that stretch pupils and encourage them to think deeply about their work. The high quality of the curriculum is a major factor in the improvement in standards across the school.  The curriculum is broad and ensures that pupils have sufficient time to build their skills in English and mathematics. Pupils are able to follow up their interests in the arts and humanities because leaders supplement the curriculum time with opportunities to join specialist tutor groups. The school offers a very comprehensive range of clubs and opportunities. Provision for languages is improving and a higher proportion of pupils than average take the Ebacc suite of subjects for their GCSEs.  There is a strong commitment to developing pupils’ sense of self and of their place in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

the modern world. Pupils study ethics in every year and, consequently, they are used to discussing sensitive topics and respecting the opinions of others.  Leaders have opened the Alternative Curriculum Centre (ACC) to support pupils who struggle in mainstream classes. Pupils are given bespoke programmes and effectively supported so that they can return to their classes and thrive.  Leaders have put in place an effective assessment structure so that teachers know exactly what pupils understand and what they need extra help with. This is helping teachers to plan their teaching so that pupils’ learning is built on firm foundations.  Leaders make sure that there is a broad range of opportunities for pupils outside their day-to-day lessons. There is a high take-up of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and large numbers of pupils attend sports and arts clubs. Teachers monitor participation and encourage pupils who do not get involved. Disadvantaged pupils are well

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

supported. For example, they are encouraged to learn to play a musical instrument so that they can join the school band.  In previous years, more pupils have left the school during Year 10 and 11 than in other schools. Leaders are monitoring this closely and intervene to do all they can to ensure every pupil’s needs are met. As a result, the number of pupils leaving after Year 10 has fallen.

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Governance of the school

 The multi-academy trust holds leaders to account very effectively. Trust leaders have high expectations of the school and they closely monitor the progress that the school is making in meeting them. The trust has found an effective balance between setting trust-wide expectations and empowering school leaders to address the issues they face. School leaders and teachers feel the trust is helping them to meet the challenges they face in raising standards.  The trust brings additional resources to support improvements in teaching and learning. For example, experienced trust staff provide high-quality advice to middle leaders to help them implement the common curriculum framework.  The local governing body is a very knowledgeable and skilful group. Governors understand their role well. They visit the school regularly and understand how it works and the issues it faces. This means that they are well placed to challenge school

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Governance of the school

leaders on strategic issues and so influence the direction the school takes.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders ensure that a strong culture of safeguarding is prevalent across the school. Staff are well trained and understand what to do if they have a concern about a pupil’s safety or well-being. There are strong systems in place to report and record any concerns. Pupils report that they feel safe and well cared for. Pupils who face additional challenges in their lives out of school, such as children looked after or young carers, are known and successfully supported by an experienced team of pastoral staff who work closely with local authority agencies.  Pupils and parents feel that pupils are safe in school and that incidents of bullying are rare but dealt with well when they do occur.  There are effective systems in place to check on the suitability of staff and volunteers before they work with pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teaching is characterised by universally high expectations. Teachers plan lessons that challenge pupils to remember and use key pieces of knowledge. This builds a deep understanding of each subject.  Teachers are experts in their subjects. Consequently, they have a very good understanding of the most important concepts in their subjects. They are well placed to emphasise key points and ensure pupils have firm foundations to their learning.  Teachers revisit key learning regularly so that it becomes ingrained and comes to mind quickly. Teachers in different subjects do this in different ways but the impact is positive across the spectrum of subjects.  Teachers assess what pupils know and understand regularly and in a variety of ways. Quizzes and mini-assessments are commonplace. Because teachers are alert to the concepts that are causing pupils problems, they can address them immediately.  Leaders have built a culture where teachers are enthused about the craft of teaching.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

Teachers use a shared set of principles to discuss teaching and develop their skills. They regularly try new approaches and then report back to their colleagues. Leaders visit lessons and support colleagues, helping teachers to reflect on what is working and what needs further refinement. This willingness to reflect and change practice is at the heart of the success of the school.  Leaders and teachers have recently agreed a new approach to assessment and feedback. This has proved very effective in many ways, but it has led to some literacy mistakes in pupils’ work being overlooked. Consequently, pupils repeat the same error. Leaders are aware that further work is needed to make this approach fully effective.  Teachers are meeting the needs of all pupils in their classrooms. However, it is pupils with lower levels of prior attainment who often benefit the most. Expectations of them are high but they are given well targeted and effective support to help them make

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

progress. Pupils with SEND are also well supported. They make very good progress from their starting points because staff know their needs and provide well-targeted support.  The most able pupils are taught in a ‘grammar stream’. These pupils are challenged to reach the highest standards. They are increasingly successful as a result of the degree of challenge that they face in their lessons every day.  The teaching of ethics is very strong. Pupils are asked to reflect on moral dilemmas, review the opinions of others and justify their own opinions. Teachers use skilful questioning to tease out pupils’ thinking. They do not accept superficial answers, insisting on high-quality responses.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. Leaders and teachers regularly remind pupils that hard work brings rewards and pupils have taken that message on board. They are very keen to do well, and they are proud of their work.  The quality of relationships is a strength of the school. Leaders and teachers model open and positive conversations in the way they speak to pupils. Pupils are friendly and considerate. They are well-mannered, and they are respectful of each other. The girls mix with the boys of the co-located boys’ school at lunchtime. Pupils treat each other well at these times.  Pupils report that no one is made to feel unwelcome because of, for example, their sexuality or race. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including from bullying online.  Leaders understand that some pupils will have mental health issues during teenage

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Personal development and welfare

years. They have put a team in place, including a counsellor, to address mental health issues wherever possible. Pupils value the support they receive.  Those pupils who find it difficult to thrive in mainstream classes receive extra support in the ACC. Pupils can take programmes to help them with a variety of issues, such as anger management and anxiety. This gives them the tools to do well in their classes.  Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to take part in clubs and societies. There is a large group of pupils who undertake the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. And an unusually high proportion of those who start the programme show the resilience to complete it. Some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, receive a scholarship to learn to play a musical instrument and play in a band. These opportunities help pupils enjoy school life and to understand that perseverance brings success.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils’ conduct around the school site and between lessons is excellent. The atmosphere is calm and purposeful. Pupils go to their lessons quickly and without fuss. Leaders make clear to pupils the rules about uniform and punctuality, and consequently these are rarely transgressed.  The number of pupils who are excluded for poor behaviour is lower than the number of girls excluded in other schools. The figure has fallen this year, largely because of the work of the ACC in supporting pupils who were at risk of exclusion. Few pupils receive sanctions or are withdrawn from lessons. When teachers identify that a pupil is struggling to maintain an acceptable level of behaviour, they intervene and provide support to help that pupil.  Attendance is above the national average and improving further. Few pupils are absent on a regular basis. This is the result of a renewed emphasis by leaders on attendance.

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Behaviour

School staff are working with pupils and families where absence is a concern, and do all they can to ensure pupils get into school.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Pupils are making very strong progress and achieving high standards across the range of subjects as a result of the high quality of teaching they receive.  Pupils have been making increasingly good progress in their GCSEs over the last three years. In 2018, pupils made more progress than in all but a few schools nationally. From their starting points, they achieved on average a grade higher in each subject than pupils in other schools. They also achieved a great deal more than the average for girls. This continual improvement is the result of the sustained focus on the quality of teaching.  Over three quarters of pupils achieved a good GCSE in both English and mathematics in 2018. This compares very favourably with the national figure of four out of ten. Nearly nine out of ten pupils achieved a standard pass in English and mathematics. This is significantly higher than the two thirds who achieved it nationally.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Substantially more pupils are entered for the Ebacc suite of GCSEs than in other schools. The number who achieve the Ebacc is also significantly higher. This is helping to prepare pupils well for post-16 courses and higher education.  The standard of work in pupils’ books in key stage 3 is very high. The curriculum is challenging pupils to think more deeply than previously. In English, pupils are analysing literature and discussing why the author chose the language they did. In mathematics, pupils are exposed to complex and abstract concepts. Pupils are reaching high standards in almost every subject they study.  The standard of literacy is very high across every subject. Pupils use subject-specific vocabulary confidently. They can construct sophisticated answers, that are well planned and structured, to explain their views. Their spelling is generally good, although some errors do remain.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress and achieve high standards. Overall,

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

disadvantaged pupils make significantly better progress than pupils in other schools across the country. This is because leaders have set the same high expectations for them as they do for other pupils and have then provided the additional support to help them achieve their potential.  Pupils with SEND are achieving well from their starting points as a result of the well- targeted support they receive from leaders and teachers.  Those pupils who join the school in Year 7 behind their peers in literacy and numeracy and need to catch up are making excellent progress. This is the result of the high- quality extra support that they receive. It is enabling them to take a full part in their classes across the curriculum.

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School details

Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

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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

Email address singram@glenmoorandwinton.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 June 2018

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Information about this school

 Glenmoor Academy is an averaged-sized secondary school for girls. It is co-located with Winton Academy, a school for boys. The schools share a governing body, leadership team and staff. Lessons are almost entirely taught in single-sex groups. However, boys and girls share the same social spaces at lunchtime and attend extra- curricular clubs together.  The school is part of the United Learning Multi-Academy Trust.  The school is growing rapidly. Each new year group entering the school is substantially larger than the previous year group.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium grant is broadly average.  Eight out of ten pupils are of white British heritage. There are few from minority ethnic groups and few who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning across a wide range of subjects and all age groups, and they scrutinised a wide range of pupils’ written work. The observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including minutes of governors’ meetings, development plans, analysis of pupils’ progress, attendance and behaviour data, safeguarding documents and the school’s review of its own performance.  Meetings were held with governors, the executive principal and principal, senior and middle leaders, and groups of pupils.  An inspector met with a senior officer of the trust and reviewed the trust’s evaluation of the school’s performance.  Inspectors took account of 125 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. They also took into account the responses to the staff questionnaire and to the pupils’ questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Andrew Lovett, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katherine Powell 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

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