Digitech Studio School

Inspection of Digitech Studio School Tower Road North, Warmley, Bristol BS30 8XQ

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 November 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 17 and 18 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, staff and parents are proud of their unique school. Pupils say differences are not just accepted at Digitech, they are celebrated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff respect one another. Staff know pupils well. Pupils feel safe in school. If they have a concern, they say they can speak with any member of staff. Should bullying occur, pupils are confident that staff would take it seriously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well at social times. They also say they can get on with learning in class. If there is a disruption, pupils say staff deal with it well, so it does not affect their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know what is expected of them. Teachers give them clear guidance and useful prompts to help them to complete work. However, some pupils do not always need this level of support. Students in the sixth form enjoy learning from experts to develop knowledge and skills for the creative industries. Students talk enthusiastically about their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to be active members of the school community. Many pupils have a strong interest in the world around them. Pupils are keen to discuss their views and they feel listened to. While pupils gain experience in their specialist areas, such as art and creative media, they would like more enrichment opportunities to develop interests and talents beyond this.

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better?

The headteacher has an ambitious vision for the school that is shared by staff, pupils and parents. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and the positive impact the school has on their children. Curriculum leaders and early career teachers welcome the support they receive from the trust.

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better?

The curriculum is well planned and sequenced in many areas. Teachers explain subject content clearly to pupils. Many pupils understand and use important concepts accurately. Pupils ask and answer questions that help them to make sense of their learning. However, while pupils learn essential content for an examination, for example in English, they do not always learn wider knowledge that helps them to deepen their understanding of the subject. Teachers of post-16 courses have expert knowledge that is used well. This helps students to develop a clear and precise understanding of their subjects.

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better?

Teachers mostly use assessment well to find out what pupils know and can do. However, sometimes, teachers provide support and scaffolding to pupils who do not need this level of support. This does not help pupils to extend their knowledge or produce more sophisticated work. 17 and 18 November 2021

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Teachers know pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Leaders of SEND work together well to ensure students have a smooth transition onto new programmes of study when they join the school. Leaders make sure that staff use appropriate strategies to support these pupils, including students in the sixth form. As a result, many pupils with SEND are becoming increasingly independent in their learning. Students with SEND in the sixth form are supported to develop their social skills. They work well with their peers to develop their projects. Pupils with SEND speak positively about the help they receive that builds their confidence.

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Pupils who need help with reading receive appropriate support. Some pupils are avid readers, but others read very little. Pupils understand the importance of reading, but they are not always confident or keen to do so. Leaders know that further encouragement and direction is needed so that pupils read more widely.

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In the sixth form, leaders have developed strong partnerships with other providers. This is a strength of the school. There are high expectations of what students can achieve. This is reflected in the quality of their work. Students develop knowledge and skills that become more complex over time. For example, students produce graphic products of a high quality and create professional advertising to meet clients’ needs. The post-16 study programme prepares students well for future learning and employment in the creative industries.

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Pupils receive useful information and guidance about careers. Students in the sixth form learn about employability skills that prepare them for their next steps. The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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The personal development curriculum teaches pupils about current events, which develops their knowledge of wider society. Pupils in Year 10 acquire an understanding of different faiths and they engage in respectful discussions. However, older pupils have gaps in their knowledge. They would appreciate further knowledge of different religions and more useful relationships and sex education that is relevant to their needs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe and they know how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They are confident to identify and report concerns. Leaders act on concerns promptly. Leaders make sure staff and academy council members are well informed about safeguarding issues.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know pupils’ needs well. They have developed strong relationships with external agencies to ensure that pupils and families get the support they need. 17 and 18 November 2021

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Leaders across the school’s providers work well together so that valuable insights about local issues are shared.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teaching is structured to provide much support and guidance to pupils. However, not all pupils require this level of support. Sometimes, it limits pupils’ ability to produce more sophisticated work. Leaders need to ensure that they carefully assess pupils’ needs to ensure the curriculum is challenging enough for them.  In some subjects, pupils are taught essential content that prepares them for examinations. However, sometimes, this does not provide a wide enough knowledge of the subject. Leaders need to consider how the curriculum can deepen and broaden pupils’ subject knowledge.  Older pupils have not learned sufficient knowledge about different religious beliefs, relationships and sex education. Therefore, they have some gaps in their knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that the personal development curriculum includes content about these important subjects. This will help pupils to be better informed with knowledge that meets their needs.

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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. 17 and 18 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200942 Type of school Other secondary

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sixth form

Website http://digitechstudioschool.co.uk/

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 18 and 19 October 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Digitech Studio School is smaller than the average secondary school. Pupils typically join the school from other secondary schools in Year 10.  The school specialises in creative and digital media.  The school is part of the Cabot Learning Federation.  The school works in partnership with boomsatsuma, and the Robins Foundation. Students in the sixth form follow courses at several sites across the City of Bristol. A smaller number of students follow post-16 courses at the school.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 17 and 18 November 2021

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 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, academy council members, and representatives from Cabot Learning Federation.  Inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: art and design, English, media and science. Deep dives were carried out in the school and at boomsatsuma sites, the Engine Shed and The Bottle Yard Studios. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leads from the school and boomsatsuma, examined records and discussed safeguarding cases. Meetings

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were also held with the school and boomsatsuma’s special educational needs coordinators.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in their online surveys.

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Inspection team

Tracey Reynolds, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jerry Giles Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 November 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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