Setting

Pat Towey Headteacher Broadgreen International School, A Technology College Queens Drive Liverpool Merseyside L13 5UQ

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Technology College

Following my inspection with Emma Gregory, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) and Linda Emmett, HMI, of your school on 4 and 5 March 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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Technology College

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require special measures.

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Technology College

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, this monitoring inspection was initially carried out remotely. The inspection moved on site on 5 March due to potential concerns about safeguarding.

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Technology College

The inspection took place because the school was judged to require special measures at its previous section 5 inspection. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in December 2018.

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Technology College

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 build the knowledge and confidence of staff involved in supporting pupils, in all year groups, who find reading hard in order to develop their basic reading skills, including, when needed, their phonics knowledge  ensure that pupils, particularly those in Years 7 to 9, are supported to become more confident in using all the computer programs needed for remote learning.

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Context

 You joined the school shortly before the start of the pandemic. Since then, there have been other significant changes to leadership. An interim deputy headteacher has joined the school and two deputy headteachers have left. You and the Interim Executive Board (IEB) appointed a new business and finance manager and a new special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). Five other teachers have joined the staff team and six have left. The IEB has reconstituted. Many members of the IEB have continued to carry out their roles but there is a new chair.  During the autumn term, roughly one tenth of pupils were educated remotely.  At the time of this inspection, under one tenth of all pupils were being educated on site. Of these, about one third of pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) and about one fifth of vulnerable pupils were receiving on-site education.

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Main findings

 You, other leaders and staff have created a clear culture of safeguarding. Staff address any safeguarding concerns that they have about pupils. You and other leaders have taken steps to reduce safeguarding risks. For example, you have made the curriculum more relevant to the needs of pupils who previously truanted from some lessons.  Staff who completed Ofsted’s questionnaire are, in general, happy in school. However, some said that pupils’ behaviour was not as good as it should be. We found that pupils working in school were polite and well behaved. The school was calm. The school’s records show that pupils’ behaviour, although rapidly improving, is not reaching your high expectations. Some members of staff lack confidence in implementing the school’s revised behaviour policy consistently.  You and other senior leaders have brought about significant improvement to the work of the school. You have raised expectations and revised the school’s

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Main findings

curriculum. You now require pupils in Year 9 to study a wider range of subjects than previously. Middle leaders have redesigned their subject curriculum plans. The plans outline how pupils build their knowledge in a systematic way. Similarly, you provide training for all staff, including in effective ways to teach the curriculum.  You, other leaders and staff provide pupils, whether studying in school or at home, with a curriculum that closely matches the normal curriculum. Middle leaders made some adaptions to the order of topics in some subjects. For example, practical experiments in Year 12 chemistry have been delayed until all pupils are back in school. Middle leaders work with teachers to provide different resources for pupils during remote learning, such as online recorded presentations, video recordings and live lessons as well as booklets for pupils to complete. This allows pupils to keep up with their learning.

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Main findings

 However, some middle leaders have been unhelpfully inhibited in deciding the best balance between different activities. This is because some teachers expressed caution about providing some learning activities online. Some pupils, with a greater proportion in Years 7 to 9, lack confidence in using less familiar computer programs that could help them to join in online learning more easily.  You continue to provide education in school for pupils who would benefit most. In general, pupils studying in school follow the same curriculum as those studying at home. That said, pupils in school have greater opportunity to study physical education. You provide clear information for parents and carers about remote education. You and other leaders contact the parents of any pupils who may not be taking part in remote education. This allows you to make sure that pupils can access online learning and understand the work

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Main findings

set.  You and staff carefully support pupils in Years 11 and 13 as they move towards their final assessments for their GCSE and International Baccalaureate qualifications. For example, you made special arrangements for pupils to come into school to complete essential music technology activities. Teachers provide careers education and guidance for pupils in Years 11 and 13 so they know about the different options available to them.  You have identified that some pupils in all year groups find reading difficult. Staff provide a range of activities designed to encourage pupils’ reading. For example, you expect everyone in the school to read at a set time each week and you provide specialist programmes to support weaker readers. However, these arrangements do not provide sufficient support to help pupils who still need to learn phonics.  You and other leaders are determined that pupils with special educational

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Main findings

needs and/or disabilities (SEND) will cover the same subjects as their classmates. The new SENCo has led training for staff. This has led teachers to plan learning that meets the specific needs of pupils with SEND. Additionally, teaching assistants now work more closely with teachers to support pupils’ learning. During the third national lockdown, you have made sure that there is, at least, twice-weekly telephone contact with pupils with an EHC plan who are currently not studying in school.  You and other leaders have made similar arrangements to help make sure that vulnerable pupils are safe and continuing to learn. Pupils working in school told us that they feel well supported by staff.  Members of the IEB have a range of skills and experience that are well suited to the needs of the school. The IEB includes a representative from the multi- academy trust (MAT) that is currently in discussion with the relevant parties

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Main findings

about taking on responsibility for the school. This is helping the IEB to consider the transition to the school becoming a sponsored academy and reduce any disruption as this change happens.  You have used appropriate external support. For example, you have used subject experts from other schools to support middle leaders in developing the curriculum. The MAT that is likely to become responsible for the school is already providing training for staff.

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Evidence

This inspection was initially conducted remotely but moved to an on-site visit due to potential concerns about safeguarding. We held remote meetings with you and other senior leaders; groups of subject leaders, teachers and pupils; members of the IEB and a representative of the local authority to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown. We held further face-to-face meetings about pupils’ behaviour with groups of pupils and staff. We had a tour of the school site. We held discussions with senior leaders about behaviour and safeguarding.

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Evidence

We also examined documents concerning safeguarding and other aspects of leadership, and scrutinised the school’s records about behaviour, bullying and complaints received from parents. We looked at responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 55 free-text responses, and 121 staff questionnaires.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the IEB, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Liverpool City Council. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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