Broadway Academy

Inspection of a good school: Broadway Academy The Broadway, Perry Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands B20 3DP

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Outcome

Broadway Academy continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils of different backgrounds work together well. Pupils are happy at this school and feel safe in its environment. Parents are supportive of the school. They recognise the important role it plays in the local community and how it helps pupils to achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

We saw positive relationships between staff and pupils both during and between lessons. Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and want them to do well. Pupils treat others with respect and the vast majority follow the school’s rules. Staff are quick to respond to incidents of bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn in an environment that is usually calm and orderly. They particularly enjoy their core subjects where teaching is strong. Pupils benefit from exciting opportunities beyond the curriculum, such as visits to universities and trips to the Malvern Hills to widen their experiences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are areas that the school needs to improve. A significant number of pupils are not able to study a modern foreign language in key stage 3. This means that fewer pupils are deciding to study the subject at key stage 4. In some subjects, the order in which concepts are taught is not always well planned to help all pupils make progress.

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

Teaching in English and mathematics is strong. This is because learning is well planned to reach challenging aims. For example, in Year 7 English, pupils study challenging texts such as ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Leaders are clear about how the themes of this text extend pupils’ thinking. Teachers’ explanations also ensure that pupils understand the work set and how to be successful. In Year 9 mathematics, for example, pupils could confidently explain how to simplify ratios. This typical effective delivery of the curriculum in these 5–6 November 2019

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subjects is leading to pupils doing well.

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This is not the case for all subjects. Although pupils study a broad range of subjects at key stage 3, leaders do not ensure that some pupils in Year 7 and 8 study a modern foreign language. Most of these pupils are those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have recently proposed changes to the curriculum in Years 7 and 8 to address this issue. However, some pupils in Year 9, do not have the necessary understanding to access the demands of GCSE French work.

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In geography, leaders have made changes to how the curriculum is organised. While this is showing some signs of having a positive impact, gaps in pupils’ knowledge remain. Teachers are not yet planning effectively in order to help all pupils make good progress in the knowledge, skills and understanding they need.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. In some lessons, there can be low-level disruption, but teachers respond to this quickly. Leaders provide effective support to pupils at risk of exclusion with a behaviour recovery room. This has led to a reduction in the number of pupils excluded from school.

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Many pupils have the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Leaders provide a range of events, including visits to theatre companies and trips abroad. They ensure that no child, regardless of their background, should miss out. Many pupils take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and value this experience. Leaders also provide valuable opportunities for pupils to broaden their understanding of diversity within society. They do this by organising activities around culture and religion, for example with visits to cathedrals and mosques.

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The sixth form provides an appropriate range of subjects for students to study. Students achieve particularly well in vocational qualifications. Students contribute to school life more widely through mentoring of lower-school pupils.

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Leaders work hard and successfully to avoid pupils being permanently excluded. This includes by arranging for pupils to study away from the school at appropriate alternative provision. Last year, a small number of Year 11 pupils were removed from the school’s roll. Leaders were unable to explain why this was in the best interests of the pupils. Leaders confirmed that this practice has now stopped.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders put safeguarding at the heart of everything they do. There are many staff in the school who lead on safeguarding, with some becoming specialists in key areas. Staff receive regular training and know what to do if they have a concern about pupils. Where staff need to make referrals to external agencies, this happens in a timely way. Leaders are aware of their most vulnerable pupils and ensure that they get the support they need. Attendance procedures are rigorous and have a positive impact on reducing absence. Pupils learn about safeguarding issues through a personal development programme and 5–6 November 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A significant proportion of pupils in key stage 3 do not have the opportunity to study a modern foreign language. Many of these are pupils with SEND. This is leading to a decline in the number of pupils opting to study the subject at key stage 4. As a result, fewer pupils complete the English Baccalaureate combination of subjects. Leaders should ensure that all pupils have the chance to access an ambitious curriculum, as exemplified by the national curriculum.  The curriculum in French and geography is not taught as well as it could be. Teachers in French do not always consider pupils’ different starting points in Year 9 when planning sequences of learning. Teachers in geography are not considering how to address historic gaps in knowledge and skills. Leaders should ensure that they evaluate the implementation of the curriculum in order that pupils can make better progress in these subjects.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged Broadway Academy to be good on 2 February 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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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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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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

Inspection number 10111733 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,210

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form

Date of previous inspection 2 February 2016

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Information about this school

 The school converted to an academy in July 2013.  The school uses four alternative providers for a small number of pupils. These are City United Academy, Titan St George’s Academy, Titan Aston Academy and Future First.  More than half of pupils are disadvantaged. This is well above average.  Approximately four fifths of pupils speak English as an additional language.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers. Inspectors also met with the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders and a range of other staff.  Inspectors met and spoke on the phone with four members of the governing body.  Inspectors focused on English, mathematics, French and geography during the 5–6 November 2019

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inspection. Inspectors considered the school’s curriculum plans, visited lessons and scrutinised pupils’ work. Inspectors also met with pupils to discuss their learning in these subjects.  When inspecting safeguarding, inspectors looked at the school’s procedures for recruiting staff. Inspectors also considered that quality of staff training, and the procedures that are in place to keep pupils safe.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ records for pupils who move to other schools and attend alternative provision. Inspectors spoke to a range of staff about their experiences of working in the school, and a range of pupils about their experiences of school.

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Inspection team

Mark Howes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jacqueline Newsome Ofsted Inspector 5–6 November 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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