Academy@Worden

Inspection of a good school: Academy@Worden Westfield Drive, Leyland, Lancashire PR25 1QX

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Outcome

Academy@Worden continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and welcoming school. Pupils are usually respectful to each other and to adults in the school. Most pupils behave well. Teachers deal with disruption to lessons quickly. In the corridors, pupils move purposefully to their lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers make sure that pupils are safe in school. Pupils say that there is someone to talk to if they have a problem. Pupils say that bullying is usually dealt with well by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils work hard. Leaders are ambitious for pupils’ learning. Pupils enjoy reading in school. They remember the books that they have read. However, most say that they do not read at home.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are given many opportunities to engage in clubs. They particularly enjoy the wide range of sports clubs that are available at lunchtime and after school. Many pupils in Year 9 participate in the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award. A good proportion of these pupils successfully complete the silver award in Year 10.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value their school council. The school council reports regularly to the governing body. Part of its responsibilities is to arrange charitable activities for pupils. For example, many pupils ‘Wear yellow’ to raise money for mental health charities.

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

Leadership has been strengthened since the last inspection. There is a strong and enthusiastic leadership team. Leaders have brought about improvement in all areas of the curriculum, including pupils’ personal development.

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

Leaders have improved outcomes for pupils in the GCSE examinations. The progress that pupils make by the time they leave Year 11 is now higher than the national average. However, too few pupils are entered for the English Baccalaureate. In the past, very few pupils took a modern foreign language at GCSE. This is beginning to improve but remains 8–9 January 2020

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Leaders have made productive links to other schools in the area. Teachers work together across these schools to share good practice. Teachers use departmental time to talk about how pupils learn best in their subject. Teachers feel supported and valued by leaders. They say that leaders trust them. Leaders consider teachers’ workload when they make changes to improve the school.

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Leaders and teachers have thought carefully about what pupils need to know. They order learning so that knowledge builds as pupils work through the curriculum. Previous learning is revisited. Quizzes and starter activities help pupils to remember more. Teachers use assessment effectively to fill gaps in pupils’ learning.

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Teachers have high expectations for all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) knows the pupils with SEND well. The SENCo gives teachers guidance on how to support these pupils in their learning. This support helps pupils with SEND to access the curriculum effectively, so they can succeed.

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Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to read in school. Pupils’ reading has improved. However, pupils are not challenged to read a variety of different texts. For example, few pupils read non-fiction books. Most pupils choose to read books by recent authors. Although pupils enjoy reading in school, pupils do not value reading. As a result, very few read outside their English and reading lessons.

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Leaders ensure that pupils’ personal development is well catered for. Pupils are taught how to stay healthy, both mentally and physically. Pupils are also taught the importance of healthy relationships. They learn about other cultures. They know that some people have different beliefs and values. Leaders provide a variety of trips both locally and nationally. For example, pupils visited the museum in Preston to look at the art exhibition and learn about local history. Leaders have improved the careers advice and guidance for pupils. This is helping more pupils to move on to appropriate destinations when they leave school.

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There is a small group of pupils who have difficulty in maintaining appropriate behaviour. Leaders offer a range of strategies to support these pupils. Behaviour is improving as a result. The proportion of pupils that are temporarily excluded from school is reducing. Despite this, temporary exclusions remain too high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are trained in how to safeguard pupils. Staff know the signs of a pupil that needs help. They report any concerns promptly. Leaders refer pupils to appropriate external agencies when needed. Leaders ensure that pupils get the help and support that they need. 8–9 January 2020

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Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They know the dangers of social media.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have reduced the proportion of pupils that are temporarily excluded from school. Despite this, the proportion of pupils temporarily excluded remains too high. These pupils are unable to access the learning that they need while they are not attending school. Leaders should continue the range of actions that they have taken to support those pupils that have difficulty in managing their own behaviour, so that fewer pupils are excluded from school.  Most pupils do not read outside of school. While pupils are encouraged to read in school, pupils only choose to read books that they already know they will enjoy. Pupils are not challenged to broaden their choice of books to help them to learn more. Leaders should encourage pupils to read a wider selection of books during their reading sessions so that children value the enjoyment and learning they can gain through reading a variety of different books.

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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 the predecessor school, Worden Sports College, to be good on 12 September 2012.

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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 are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 8–9 January 2020

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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. 8–9 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10110981 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 February 2016

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Information about this school

 The school currently uses alternative provision at Preston College and Shaftesbury High School to contribute to the education of a small number of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, we spoke with pupils about their work and school life. We held meetings with senior leaders, governors, subject leaders and the school improvement partner from the local authority.  We reviewed documentation, which included leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement, and the school development plan. We scrutinised information about attendance and behaviour.  We considered the views expressed by parents and carers in the 46 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as parents’ comments received via the free-text facility on Parent View. We considered the 37 responses to a questionnaire for staff. We also considered the 142 responses to the questionnaire for pupils.  We reviewed a range of documentation about the school. This included information about safeguarding, including the school’s record of checks undertaken on newly

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appointed staff and support for pupils. We also spoke to representatives of the alternative provision used by the school.  We looked closely at English, mathematics and PE during the inspection. We met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with pupils, met with teaching staff and looked at pupils’ work. We also considered other subjects as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Erica Sharman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jean Tarry Ofsted Inspector 8–9 January 2020

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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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