Five Acres High School

Inspection of Five Acres High School Five Acres, Coleford, Gloucestershire GL16 7QW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Five Acres High School as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 8 and 9 February 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very positive about the quality of education they receive at Five Acres High School. The curriculum enables them to develop knowledge of a range of subjects. For example, pupils visit museums and theatres, and engage in public debate. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their physical health through sport. They benefit from programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Most pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), attend a breadth of clubs at lunchtime and after school. Pupils enjoy discussing books, playing chess and singing in the choir.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well in lessons. There is a calm learning environment in classrooms. Pupils stated that bullying is uncommon and that if staff know about it, they resolve it quickly. Pupils feel safe and cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum nurtures high aspirations among pupils. Staff provide pupils with carefully tailored information about careers and further education. Pupils are well informed about their next steps. Pupils participate in programmes that introduce them to higher education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about the importance of leadership through applying to join the school council. Pupils take the responsibility of representing the school seriously. For example, pupils sing at Gloucester Cathedral.

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better?

Leaders have created a strong reading culture at the school. Pupils engage well and enjoy the books they read throughout the day. Leaders and staff enable pupils to read a broad range of interesting books. Leaders use assessment information well to create tailored reading programmes for some pupils.

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better?

Leaders have created a well-sequenced curriculum. Pupils draw on their prior knowledge to enable them to learn new concepts. For example, in Spanish, pupils build on their knowledge of the simple present tense to learn more complex tenses. The mathematics curriculum is a strength of the school. It enables pupils to review what they have learned so that they can develop their reasoning and problem- solving. Pupils are motivated and want to achieve well. However, leaders have not ensured that the curriculum helps pupils to communicate what they have learned in a sophisticated way.

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better?

The curriculum includes everyone. Pupils with SEND study the same curriculum as their peers. They learn confidently and achieve well in many subjects. However, some pupils with SEND do not receive the consistent support in the classroom that they need. Where this is the case, some pupils with SEND do not learn the curriculum as successfully as they could. 8 and 9 February 2022

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Leaders have designed a very effective careers education for pupils. 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. Pupils learn about the opportunities in the world beyond school. For example, pupils regularly visit universities.

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Children looked after receive exemplary support. Leaders ensure that such pupils receive tailored pastoral and academic guidance. In addition, leaders and staff have improved the attendance of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders monitor and track attendance closely, to ensure that pupils are in school and learning.

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Leaders have established highly effective systems for managing behaviour. Pupils understand school routines well. Staff and pupils have positive relationships. As a result, most pupils are kind, respectful and friendly towards each other. Leaders have succeeded in reducing the number of suspensions at the school.

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Pupils learn a well-constructed personal, social and health education curriculum. They are well prepared for life beyond school. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the education their children receive at the school. One parent’s view echoes the views of many: ‘The school has high expectations for all students.’

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Trustees and governors hold school leaders to account well. They gather pertinent information to pose challenging questions. Leaders, trustees and governors support the well-being and training needs of staff, including early career teachers. The vast majority of staff are positive about the support they receive from leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding leaders are vigilant about the emotional and physical safety of pupils. They know the potential safeguarding issues posed by the local area well. Pupils know where to get help if they have a concern. They work closely with external agencies to keep pupils safe from harm. Leaders provide appropriate and timely support for pupils who may be at risk.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive appropriate safeguarding training, which is periodically updated. They know how to identify if a pupil is at risk, and how to refer their concerns. Leaders ensure that all adults working at the school have undergone appropriate background checks.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum does not enable pupils to develop detailed knowledge and skills in some subjects. As a result, pupils do not learn how to communicate what they 8 and 9 February 2022

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have learned as well as they could. Leaders and staff must ensure that pupils develop their literacy skills in all subjects.  Some pupils with SEND do not receive consistently effective support. This means that they do not make progress through the curriculum as well as they could. Leaders and staff must ensure that all pupils with SEND receive the support they need to learn with confidence and success.

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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. 8 and 9 February 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212165 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Five Acres High School converted to become an academy in September 2017. When its predecessor, Lakers School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate.  The school joined the Greenshaw Learning Trust in September 2017.  The school uses one alternative provider.

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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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher and members of the leadership team.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: modern foreign languages, science, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the 8 and 9 February 2022

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curriculum with subject leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at pupils’ books.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record of recruitment checks on staff.  Inspectors considered the views of parents who responded to the confidential questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the views of staff and pupils.  Inspectors held discussions with trustees, trust leaders and governors.  Inspectors held discussions with single-sex groups of pupils to gather their views on the culture of the school.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jen Gibbs Her Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 February 2022

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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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