Beaumont Leys School

Inspection of a good school: Beaumont Leys School Anstey Lane, Leicester, Leicestershire LE4 0FL

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Outcome

Beaumont Leys School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school. Pupils know that leaders have high expectations of what they can do. The school has three values of ‘ambition and success, best self and positive future selves’. These are part of everything that leaders, staff and pupils do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff think about how pupils learn. The curriculum allows most pupils to learn more and achieve well. However, some teachers need support to implement the curriculum, so that all pupils can be successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in school and say that they are able to learn. They like the opportunities that the school offers them. For example, many pupils attend a wide range of clubs and events that are part of the school’s ‘BLS extra’ programme. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, have opportunities to develop themselves through activities such as climbing Snowdon.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe. They are respectful to one another and to adults. They say that incidents of bullying are rare and that when they do occur, they are dealt with quickly. Most pupils attend school regularly. Some struggle to do this as well as they should, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

Leaders and staff want all pupils to achieve well. They have considered what the most important knowledge is that pupils need to learn in each subject area. This is planned and sequenced thoughtfully. Teachers help pupils to remember more by recapping their learning frequently in lessons.

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better?

Pupils achieve well in their GCSE and other examinations. They do particularly well in English, French and Spanish. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are well supported. As a result, they are successful. 10–11 March 2020

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Pupils value the effective careers guidance programme that begins in Year 7. This helps them to make informed choices for their key stage 4 studies. Year 8 pupils make some choices about which subjects to study from Year 9 onwards. Leaders make sure that the curriculum remains broad and demanding. For example, pupils cover the key stage 3 modern foreign language curriculum in Years 7 and 8. Many pupils continue to study either French or Spanish at key stage 4. All pupils study for a GCSE in religious education. Some pupils study vocational courses at key stage 4. These are appropriate to their talents and needs, for example in hospitality and catering. The proportion of pupils taking the English Baccalaureate suite of courses is increasing.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. In most lessons, teachers check pupils’ understanding and identify misconceptions, for example during an English lesson, when pupils were learning how to analyse unseen poetry at speed. Some teachers do not check pupils’ understanding carefully or quickly enough before moving on. As a result, some pupils are not moved on to new learning at the appropriate time.

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Pupils behave well, and most are keen to learn. Most lessons run smoothly. Staff deal with misbehaviour effectively and reward pupils for good behaviour. Pupils conduct themselves well around the school.

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Leaders support the personal development of pupils well. There are lots of opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures and countries. A full range of activities takes place through the school’s ‘BLS extra’ programme, including sport, fitness and homework clubs. Pupils enjoy the wide range of trips and visits that broaden their horizons. For example, all Year 7 pupils attend the theatre, and older pupils visit universities. Pupils benefit from the comprehensive careers programme, which helps them to prepare well for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work relentlessly to protect pupils. The safeguarding team has detailed knowledge of the needs of the pupils it supports. Leaders work well with external agencies to ensure that pupils get the help they need.

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Safeguarding

All staff have received safeguarding training that is appropriate and up to date. Relevant checks are made when new staff are recruited.

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Safeguarding

The ‘learning for life’ programme reflects pupils’ needs and the potential risks in the wider community. Staff take a proactive approach to educating pupils about safeguarding issues, including those in the local area. 10–11 March 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not check pupils’ understanding well enough. As a result, some pupils are not moved on to the next piece of learning at the appropriate time, while others do not understand the work well enough. Leaders should ensure that all teachers check clearly what pupils have understood in a timely manner before providing additional support or new planned learning activities.  Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This is particularly the case for pupils with SEND. Consequently, some of these pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND, attend school regularly.

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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 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 school to be good in April 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 are the school and you are 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. 10–11 March 2020

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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. 10–11 March 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121285 Type of school Secondary

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,070

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.beaumontleys.leicester.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 September 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of the following alternative providers for a small number of pupils: 1care, Pedestrian, Triple Skillz, Future Cycles, Trans4m, Educ8 and Leicester Partnership School.

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Information about this inspection

 We did deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, English and modern foreign languages. This involved meeting with subject leaders, visits to lessons, a review of pupils’ workbooks and other work produced by pupils, and discussions with teachers and pupils from the lessons visited. The lesson visits were carried out jointly with senior or subject leaders.  We held meetings with senior and subject leaders, teachers, support staff, a representative of the local authority, and members of the local governing body, including the chair.  We held informal and formal discussions with pupils and observed pupils’ interactions during social times.  We observed the work of the school and scrutinised a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, action plans and evaluations, attendance and 10–11 March 2020

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behaviour records, safeguarding files, recruitment checks, and minutes of meetings of the governing body.  We considered the 59 responses from parents and carers who completed Ofsted’s Parent View survey, and the 10 free-text responses. There were 84 responses from members of staff and 249 responses from pupils to their respective online surveys.

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Inspection team

Jamie Clarke, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Hayes Ofsted Inspector 10–11 March 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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