St Ivo Academy

Inspection of St Ivo Academy High Leys, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 6RR

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 16–18 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Learning in lessons is generally calm and purposeful. Most pupils experience a well- thought-through curriculum, attend well and learn effectively. However, behaviour around the school is much more variable. Pupils and parents feel that there is poorer behaviour by a core group of pupils during social times, such as break and lunchtimes, and that staff do not always deal with this effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

While many pupils feel that bullying does not happen or is dealt with well, a significant number of pupils are not clear on the process for reporting concerns, or do not feel that all staff will deal with their concerns effectively. Some pupils and parents feel that there is a group of pupils who do not show respect for others. These pupils and parents feel that staff do not ensure that this group of pupils develops a better understanding of how to behave and treat others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils enjoy the roles and responsibilities they hold across the school. For example, as head boy and head girl, house captains and vice captains. There are a range of extra-curricular activities on offer. However, a significant number of pupils say that they do not access these clubs on a regular basis. Pupils take part in educational visits and a broad range of activities that enhance the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In the sixth form, students achieve well and enjoy their learning. They enjoy the range of subjects that they get access to.

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better?

The quality of education is good. Leaders have focused their energies on developing the curriculum. Staff are clear about what pupils need to learn in the longer term. Curriculum plans focus on what pupils learn, when and how in each subject. Teachers give much thought to the order in which they teach concepts. Pupils steadily build up their knowledge as they move from year to year. Teachers have a good focus on making sure that pupils remember what they are taught over time. Most pupils can recall key knowledge and skills.

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better?

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. They do well because staff plan and deliver learning effectively. Teachers make effective use of information about pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to adapt their planning to ensure pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Most pupils get the right support.

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better?

Students achieve well in the sixth form. There is a broad range of subjects on offer for students to study. Students say that they study courses they are interested in and link to their career aspirations. Students enjoy the sixth form and have positive attitudes. They appreciate the support they get from their teachers. The curriculum in the sixth form is well planned, and staff are well trained to deliver the various 16–18 November 2021

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subjects. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. Students become confident in the subjects they study and use subject-specific vocabulary well to explain key ideas.

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Behaviour is calm and orderly in lessons. Most pupils are well behaved and respectful when they are in class. However, some pupils do not conduct themselves well around the school. Some pupils perceive that staff interventions do not stop poorer behaviour among a significant minority of pupils. There is a small core of pupils who lack courtesy towards others and use language that is disrespectful to others. Leaders have established a new approach to improving pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning. This approach has met with a varied response from pupils and parents.

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Although the school delivers topics such as healthy relationships and discrimination in the personal, social, health and economic (PHSE) programme, these are not supporting all pupils to have a thorough and age-appropriate understanding about the importance of these topics to their own lives. Often, staff deliver the topics but do not check that pupils have gained a thorough understanding of the importance of this learning in their day-to-day lives. Additionally, leaders have failed to consult with parents on the relationships and sex education curriculum within the statutory deadline. The consultation with parents began during the inspection.

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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. The careers programme gives pupils an insight into the world of work. However, some pupils struggle to remember what they have been taught about careers education. Some parents and pupils do not feel that pupils have been given sufficient information.

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Leaders have created systems to record information about behaviour, bullying, safeguarding, and alternative provision. Multiple leaders have responsibility for aspects of this work. However, these leaders do not share or review where this information overlaps. As a result, leaders have an overgenerous view about the quality of some of the provision in the school and whether they are doing as much as they can to improve it.

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The trust provides a range of training for staff. They have worked closely with the headteacher to develop the curriculum provision in the school. Most staff are proud to work at the school and feel well supported. Leaders are mindful of staff workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The appropriate checks on adults’ suitability to work with children have been completed. Adults have the necessary safeguarding training to help them identify risks to pupils’ safety. Staff know the risks that pupils face, including those in the local community from county lines gangs. Staff know who to speak to if they have any concerns about a pupil. Leaders work with a range of external agencies and 16–18 November 2021

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make appropriate referrals when appropriate. However, some record-keeping lacks detail and precision.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have created systems to record information regarding bullying, behaviour, safeguarding, and alternative provision. However, the multiple leaders involved do not routinely share information, or look at their collective impact. As a result, leaders do not have a sharp insight into the quality of some of the provision in the school. Senior leaders and the trust need to provide leaders at all levels with the right training and support to be able to bring secure improvements in the oversight of behaviour, bullying and alternative provision.  The behaviour of a significant minority of pupils is not as positive as it should be. Pupils sometimes behave poorly outside of lessons. Not all pupils feel confident to report concerns to an adult. Leaders should further raise the expectations of all pupils so that there is an open culture of respect, where all pupils feel confident to report concerns, knowing that they will be taken seriously and dealt with

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

effectively.  Pupils demonstrate a lack of understanding of how important topics such as discrimination and relationships impact on their self-esteem and identity. Staff do not adapt the provision for PHSE to ensure that pupils receive the guidance they need. Leaders should ensure that the delivery of students’ personal development topics supports pupils to better understand the importance of core values such as respect, peer pressure and tolerance, and how it contributes to pupils’ development of character.

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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. 16–18 November 2021

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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. 16–18 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10213892 Type of school Secondary

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,753

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 12 – 13 July 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Ivo Academy is part of the Astrea Academy Trust (the trust). It joined the trust in March 2019.  The school uses a range of alternative provision, including a provision on site and external providers.

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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. 16–18 November 2021

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 Inspectors met with the principal, other senior leaders, subject leaders, and other school staff.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: mathematics, science, history, art and modern foreign languages. This involved talking with senior leaders, subject leaders and class teachers about how these subjects are delivered. Inspectors visited a range of lessons to see this in action, talked to pupils about what they have learned and looked at their work.  The lead inspector held meetings with the chief executive officer of the trust, two trustees, the chair of the local governance committee and the director of secondary for the trust.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding. The school’s single central record was reviewed. Inspectors spoke with leaders responsible for safeguarding. They also spoke with pupils and staff about safeguarding and checked how safeguarding is woven into the school curriculum.

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 Inspectors considered the views of 111 members of staff who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, 385 Ofsted Parent View responses and the 352 free-text submissions from parents. Inspectors also took into account 184 pupil questionnaire responses, one letter from a parent and two telephone conversations with parents.  Inspectors spoke with pupils both formally and informally, including single-sex groups of pupils.

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Inspection team

Stefanie Lipinski-Barltrop, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katherine Douglas Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz Smith Her Majesty’s Inspector 16–18 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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