Outwood Academy Foxhills

Draft and confidential - Not for disclosure or publication Inspection of a good school: Outwood Academy Foxhills 2 Foxhills Road, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire DN15 8LJ

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Outcome

Outwood Academy Foxhills continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

High expectations have resulted in high standards of behaviour and effective learning. The school is very calm and orderly. Most pupils have highly positive attitudes and enjoy learning. At least half the pupils regularly stay after school for extra learning activities. Pupils of all abilities concentrate well and work hard. Pupils are confident to put forward their ideas in class. They treat other pupils’ views with respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe because they are well cared for and enjoy learning. Pupils’ relationships with staff are very good. Staff know pupils extremely well. Pupils get quick support for their academic and personal development needs. This helps pupils to learn and behave better. There is little bullying. Staff deal with bullying fairly and firmly when it occurs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff are proud of the school. The building, behaviour and pupils’ learning have improved. Pupils flourish. The success of the school has made it more popular with parents.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school is providing high-quality education.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Trust subject directors plan the curriculum very effectively. Teachers follow a clear sequence of what pupils should learn from Year 7 to 11 in each subject. Consistent approaches to learning across different subjects enable pupils to discuss ideas, recall facts and check their work.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers give clear explanations. Their questions deepen understanding and challenge pupils to think harder. Frequent quizzes reinforce key facts. Pupils have good opportunities to relearn things they have not fully grasped. Pupils learn key words and how to spell 5–6 November 2019

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Pupils take the national curriculum subjects in Years 7 and 8. Music was missing from key stage 3 but has been re-introduced. There is a wide range of after-school activities. These include subject catch-up sessions, sport and creative arts, including a choir and musical theatre. These contribute well to pupils’ social, spiritual and cultural development. The well-managed school library is popular. A reading programme for all pupils in Years 7 to 9 promotes reading well.

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Pupils take fewer subjects in Year 9, so they can learn at greater depth. This helps them to build secure knowledge and academic confidence. Pupils’ achievement at GCSE is strong, especially in English and mathematics. In the current Year 11, almost one third of pupils are taking science, history or geography and a language. Leaders are considering how to increase this further.

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New arrivals and pupils who speak English as an additional language get effective support for learning English. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) meets their needs. They participate fully in lessons.

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The school has reduced exclusions by one third by adding steps before excluding a pupil. The time that pupils spend in a ‘reflection’ room within school has also fallen. Staff identify the reasons for challenging behaviour. They work hard to provide effective support for individual pupils. The approach to behaviour and pastoral support has created a positive culture for learning.

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A recently appointed full-time education welfare officer has worked effectively with pupils and families. As a result, attendance is increasing. Persistent absence is decreasing. Punctuality to school and lessons is good

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School leaders are highly visible around school. They know pupils and staff extremely well. Staff are highly motivated. They praise senior leaders and trust subject directors and the trust. High-quality professional development ensures that staff have up-to-date knowledge of their subject and assessment.

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Leaders of the school and trust have strong drive and a shared ambition. Leaders act with integrity and moral purpose. They have changed the culture for learning. The trust and school staff are raising aspirations in the school and community. The academy council has a clear voice and influences school improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding leaders have good links with other agencies. They work closely with other professionals to support vulnerable pupils and their families. Staff are persistent in following up concerns. Staff make timely referrals and keep accurate records. They keep a close eye on any emerging concerns. Staff meet regularly to assess needs. They routinely check the attendance and welfare of pupils at alternative providers. Staff receive 5–6 November 2019

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appropriate training in safeguarding issues and procedures. Staff and pupils know how to report any concerns. The trust and academy council check safeguarding carefully.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has reduced exclusions significantly over the last year. The school should reduce exclusions further. It should help pupils overcome the reasons for misbehaviour and enable more pupils to improve their own behaviour.  Persistent absence has been above the national average. Work with pupils and parents has improved attendance this school year. The school should ensure that these actions result in reduced persistent absence over the full school year.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Outwood Academy Foxhills to be good on 20–21 January 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 5–6 November 2019

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School details

Principal Darren Smith (Principal) Phil Smith (Executive Principal) Website www.foxhills.outwood.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20–21 January 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is a member of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust.  The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school. The number on roll has increased since the previous inspection.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils that enter or leave the school after the start of Year 7 is higher than average.  Some pupils enter the school as new arrivals from abroad.  Nearly one in three pupils speaks English as an additional language, which is well above average.  In all year groups, pupils’ attainment in reading, when they arrived at the school, was well below average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average  The school currently uses six part-time alternative education providers: Act Fast, Coritani, TAMNET, John Leggot College, Hallmark Farm and Changing Lives. 5–6 November 2019

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.  The inspection focused on the following subjects: English, science and history. Inspectors met with subject leaders, trust subject directors, teachers and pupils. We visited lessons with senior and subject leaders. We discussed samples of pupils’ work together.  Inspectors met with the principal and executive principal, members of the senior leadership team, the school librarian and staff responsible for new arrivals.  An inspector met with the chief executive of the trust and the chair and members of the academy council.  An inspector looked at safeguarding records and procedures and discussed cases with safeguarding leaders. Inspectors questioned staff and pupils and spoke by telephone with two alternative providers.  An inspector looked at attendance, behaviour and bullying records. We met with pupils to discuss their experience of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 We took account of responses from parents and staff to the Ofsted online questionnaires carried out during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Bernard Campbell, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julian Appleyard Ofsted Inspector 5–6 November 2019

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