West Coventry Academy

Inspection of West Coventry Academy Nutbrook Avenue, Coventry, West Midlands CV4 9PW

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 15–16 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

West Coventry Academy is welcoming and friendly. Pupils told us they enjoy coming to school, where they feel safe. Pupils know who to approach if they have a concern. They are confident that staff will listen to them and take action. Parents and carers are generally happy with the support the school provides.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour has improved a lot as leaders have introduced a new behaviour policy. Bullying is rare and staff deal with it when it happens. Pupils get on well with each other. They have positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils told us they enjoy most of their subjects. Pupils take pride in their work and want to do well. They enjoy the range of activities that the school provides, such as trips and music events.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A new headteacher took up post this term. He and his staff want all pupils to do well. They know that aspects of the curriculum and the way it is delivered need to get better. Leaders have already put in place improvements in areas that are not so good. Staff, governors, pupils and parents are happy about the changes. They are confident that this will lead to further improvements.

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better?

Pupils do not study subjects during key stage 3 in enough depth to achieve well. In part, this is because there is not enough time given to these subjects. In some subjects, leaders and teachers have planned well so that pupils can learn what they need to be successful. But in others, leaders and teachers have not thought about how to fill the gaps in knowledge that exist.

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better?

The school offers a broad choice of subjects in key stage 4, with courses leading to GCSE and BTEC National Diploma qualifications. Some planning of subjects includes the breadth of knowledge and skills that pupils need. But, in some subjects, plans do not take account of revisiting what pupils have learned before. This means that pupils do not always remember past learning as well as they should. This is one of the reasons why results at the end of Year 11 have not been good enough in the past.

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better?

Most students choose to attend the school’s sixth form after Year 11. There is a wide range of courses that students can study, including A levels and BTEC National Diplomas. Students want to do well and more are now achieving the higher grades at A level. The members of the sixth-form team work well together to provide effective support and guidance for students. This includes the provision of a strong careers programme. The programme provides opportunities for students to visit many universities, colleges and employers. Most students choose to apply for a place at university. But others successfully apply for a job or start an apprenticeship.

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better?

The school uses different sorts of relevant assessment to find out how well pupils are doing. Pupils appreciate the guidance that teachers provide. They tell them what is good and what they need to do to improve their work. 15–16 October 2019

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Pupils want to come to school and their attendance is good. They behave well in school and are polite. In lessons, pupils are generally positive about their learning and say they want to learn new things.

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Pupils’ personal development is strong. The personal, social, health and economic education programme helps pupils to know how to keep safe and healthy. It also teaches them about British values and careers. It is helping them to become responsible young adults and to be prepared for life in modern Britain. Care and support for all pupils are very strong. Staff know their pupils well and provide extra help when necessary.

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The way pupils learn is improving due to the introduction of sharper approaches to planning the curriculum. Some weaknesses in the curriculum remain and this means that some pupils do not do as well as they should. This is particularly the case for disadvantaged pupils. It is also the case for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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The new headteacher and his team know what needs to improve. They have already introduced new strategies that are improving pupils’ attitudes to learning even further. Leaders have high aspirations for their pupils and want them to achieve well. They have started to improve the curriculum. More-effective subject leaders support subject areas where practice is weaker. They have also listened to their staff about workload. All staff spoken to by inspectors feel well supported. Governors know the school needs to get better. They have asked leaders the difficult questions needed to move the school on.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know that keeping pupils safe is everyone’s responsibility. All staff attend regular training. They know what to do if they have a concern about a child. They act quickly to keep pupils safe. The school has carried out the necessary checks when appointing staff.

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Safeguarding

Leaders give its pupils strong support. Pupils know who to go to if they have a problem. Pupils say that they feel safe in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In key stage 3, pupils do not study subjects in enough depth to achieve well. In order to improve this, leaders should ensure that pupils can study the full breadth of the curriculum in each subject at key stage 3. They should make sure that the key stage 3 curriculum is as least as ambitious as the national curriculum. In some subjects, such as mathematics, the revised plans for what pupils should 15–16 October 2019

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learn are very new. In the past, pupils have not learned the content of these subjects well enough. Leaders need to ensure that new curriculum plans are used well to ensure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, fill past gaps in learning and gain the essential knowledge they need for each subject they study.  In some subjects, pupils do not get enough opportunities to revisit what they have learned before. Therefore, pupils do not always remember past learning clearly. Leaders should ensure that teachers check what pupils understand and remember so that knowledge becomes deeply embedded.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 15–16 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10088604 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,147

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 10 July 2018

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up his post on 1 September 2019.  A small number of pupils attend off-site alternative provision at Educ8 Group.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, several curriculum leaders, teachers and other members of staff. The lead inspector also met with the chair of governors and other governors.  Inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to them about their experience of school. One inspector attended an assembly, and others visited 15–16 October 2019

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some tutor groups.  The inspection concentrated on the teaching of English, mathematics, technology, modern languages, art and photography.  The school’s records of safeguarding checks and referrals to the local authority were reviewed. Inspectors spoke with staff about how they keep pupils safe. They also asked pupils about how they keep themselves safe and what to do if they have concerns.

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Inspection team

Nicola Walters, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Buckle Ofsted Inspector 15–16 October 2019

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