XP East

Inspection of XP East Middle Bank, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN4 5NG

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 October 2021

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth-form provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 12 and 13 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They enthuse about their work and the relationships they have with other pupils and staff. They believe that staff help them to achieve to their potential. Pupils respect each other. They know that teachers will help them to resolve any bullying issues if they occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In crew sessions, (tutor groups), pupils discuss each other’s progress and learning. They say that being part of crew is one of the best things about being at this school. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times is good. Pupils enjoy talking about what they are learning with teachers and with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons, most pupils produce work of a high quality. Pupils read texts throughout their learning. This helps them to learn about local and international issues. They showcase their work to parents, carers and members of the local community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure there are lots of clubs and after-school activities. Pupils attend these regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most students in the sixth form attend off-site provisions. These are less well monitored by school leaders. However, students do well in the sixth form. They access courses which help them achieve their ambitions for their next steps.

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better?

Staff and pupils are proud to work and learn at XP East. There is a caring atmosphere all around the school. Pupils feel safe and cared for by staff. Staff feel that leaders care about their well-being. The majority of parents told inspectors that their children are very happy at the school.

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better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. Subjects have well-sequenced curriculum plans. These plans have been carefully thought about. The plans complement each other when pupils study through ‘expeditions’. Because of this, pupils are able to make connections between subjects. Most pupils produce high- quality work. However, the quality of work for a minority of pupils is not as high.

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better?

Expeditions are programmes of learning for pupils. For example, in the ‘Being Human’ expedition, pupils explore what it means to be human. They study the slave trade in history. They also study mathematics, geography, human biology, health and fitness, and the importance of music and art in human culture. This helps them to remember important subject knowledge. Teachers assess the progress of pupils through question and challenge. Formal assessments contribute to pupils’ portfolio work. Often, pupils assess their own learning with their peers too.

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better?

When an expedition is completed, pupils produce a final product piece of work. It is then that they present this to parents, carers and sometimes to the local community. 12 and 13 October 2021

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Curriculum planning for students in the sixth form is less clear. Leaders do not know enough about the quality of provision for sixth-form students.

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Leaders recognise the importance of pupils reading as often as possible. They provide support to help weaker readers become more fluent. When pupils arrive at the school, teachers assess their reading age. These assessments do not identify specific barriers to reading for individual pupils.

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All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study the whole curriculum. Teachers use information on a one-page profile to help pupils with SEND. All pupils, including those with SEND, get support from skilled learning coaches if they need it.

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Crew sessions and expedition lessons deliver a comprehensive programme to strengthen pupils’ personal development. Because of this, pupils become confident young people. The programme prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Teachers talk about important issues with pupils in crew sessions and assemblies. They often ask pupils for their views. Consequently, pupils develop high levels of respect for each other. Pupils also benefit from effective careers guidance to help them to make decisions about their next steps.

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Governors and trustees are ambitious for the school and its pupils. They have an understanding of leaders’ curriculum plans. But they lack enough understanding of the sixth-form provision. They do not have important knowledge about the sixth form. As a result, they do not know the sixth-form strengths or what needs further development.

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Staff enjoy working at XP East. They believe that leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being when making changes at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that their processes for safeguarding and child protection are robust and clear. All staff receive effective training to be able to recognise and report any concerns about a pupil’s well-being or safety.

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Safeguarding

Leaders respond quickly when concerns are raised. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet. Pupils are taught about healthy relationships and appropriate behaviour towards each other.

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Safeguarding

Pre-employment checks ensure that the adults the school employs are suitable to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Checks for off-site sixth-form provision are carried out by the external providers. The communication between the school and these providers requires further strengthening. 12 and 13 October 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders do not have the required knowledge of the off-site provision for sixth- form students. Consequently, they cannot identify strengths and areas for improvement. Leaders should improve communication with off-site providers to identify these areas.  Reading assessments do not identify specific barriers to reading. Because of this, reading has not improved as much as it could. Leaders should ensure they identify specific barriers to good reading to improve it more effectively.  Leaders have not scrutinised the quality of education with enough rigour. As a result, some pupils do not produce the high quality of work that many others do. Leaders should scrutinise the impact of the curriculum with more rigour to identify weaknesses.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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.

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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. 12 and 13 October 2021

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A very small number of pupils attend off-site alternative provision at Journey Education and Vega College.  There are 37 sixth-form students attending off-site provision at Harrison College and Higher Rhythm.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 12 and 13 October 2021

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 Inspectors met with members of the trust board. They also met with the principal, senior leaders, curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors undertook deep dives in English, history, mathematics and science. They visited lessons, met with staff, looked at pupils’ work, talked with pupils, interviewed curriculum leaders and examined documentation.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead. They talked with a range of staff about safeguarding training and examined documentation and school records.  Inspectors spoke with pupils to discuss their views about the school. Inspectors also considered 64 responses to the pupil survey, 34 responses to the staff survey, 62 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and a letter from a parent.

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Inspection team

Barry Found, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Michael Reeves Her Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 October 2021

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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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