Beauchamp College

Inspection of Beauchamp College Ridge Way, Oadby, Leicester, Leicestershire LE2 5TP

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Beauchamp College 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. 1 and 2 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to attend this large and vibrant school. They know that staff will keep them safe. Teachers encourage pupils to respect each other. Pupils value difference and celebrate it in the school. As one pupil said, ‘Expanding your knowledge will make you a better person.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is not tolerated at the school. Pupils say that when it happens staff take it seriously and act quickly to resolve any issues. Most parents and carers agree that their children are safe at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of what pupils should learn. They make sure that the curriculum is well organised and planned to ensure that pupils learn key information at the right time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to play an active part in school life. Leaders have ensured that pupil voices are heard. Leaders listen to the pupil executive and student governors and make the changes pupils suggest.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have lots of opportunities to discover new interests and nurture their talents. They engage with what is going on in the world around them. They are encouraged to be global citizens and to make a difference in the world.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. They want all pupils to be completely engaged in their learning. Subject leaders and teachers achieve this by thinking deeply about their subjects. They have carefully planned the order in which pupils learn knowledge. This helps pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to build their knowledge over time. Pupils have opportunities to develop their understanding in subjects such as child development and music technology along with subjects that form part of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). This varied curriculum offer captures pupils’ interests. As a result, they develop detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum and achieve well. In the sixth form, leaders have built securely upon the breadth of subjects on offer. The ambitious and demanding curriculum builds to prepare students very well for future learning and next steps.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is extremely strong. They use this well to explain challenging concepts to pupils. Recall activities at the start of lessons help pupils to remember what they have learned before. Pupils link this knowledge to their current learning. Teachers provide useful feedback. Pupils use this to reflect on what they have done well and how they can continue to improve. As a result, many pupils and students produce high-quality work across the curriculum. 1 and 2 March 2022

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Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can access the full curriculum. Leaders identify these pupils’ needs and work with teachers and learning support assistants to make sure that pupils with SEND do not miss out on learning.

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Staff support pupils who need help with reading. Pupils are taught a strategy that helps them understand more of what they read. Staff encourage pupils to read for pleasure. All pupils have a class book that their teacher regularly reads to them.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to offer their answers and take part in class discussions. When they are in lessons, they focus on their learning. Pupils say that behaviour is improving because leaders and teachers insist on the same high standards. However, not all pupils show exemplary behaviour or support the well-being of others.

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Leaders are right to be proud of the excellent wider development opportunities on offer at the school. An impressive range of extra-curricular activities, such as sports clubs, performing arts and charitable activity is available to all pupils. Many pupils told inspectors that they value and participate in these opportunities. Pupils can also set up and run their own interest clubs. They also enjoy visits to the theatre as well as residential trips abroad. All these opportunities prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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Leaders fulfil their responsibility towards pupils to develop them as a whole person. Leaders ensure that pupils have high-quality, impartial careers advice and guidance. Pupils have had the opportunity to join their parents at work. Students in the sixth form benefit from a range of rich experiences. These build their character, support them in their next steps and prepare them well for adult life. Students spoke very highly of the support they receive from staff. Expert teaching ensures these students achieve very positive outcomes.

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Staff are well supported by leaders to develop their teaching skills and specialist knowledge. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and have taken steps to reduce this. Staff appreciate the benefits they have that improve their well-being. Leaders, including governors, do not have a precise enough view of all aspects of the provision, including the effectiveness of the support for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a culture of vigilance at the school. Staff receive high-quality training in safeguarding and regular updates from experienced safeguarding leaders. Staff understand their responsibility to report any concern. Leaders keep accurate records. They use this information to ensure that pupils get the help they need. Leaders are quick to act, involving other agencies when needed. There are appropriate procedures in place to manage any allegations. Leaders have carefully 1 and 2 March 2022

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checked the alternative provisions the school uses. Professionals external to the school visit to teach pupils how to stay safe. Staff ensure that pupils are safe when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders, including governors, have not evaluated all aspects of the provision as precisely as they could. For example, leaders have not ensured that governors receive precise-enough information about how well additional funding is used to support disadvantaged pupils. Governors have not given sufficient thought to how they will meet their statutory duties around the Equality Act 2010. As a result, leaders’ oversight of some aspects of the provision is not as sharp as it is of others. Leaders, including governors, should ensure that their evaluation of all aspects of the provision is robust and precise, so that the provision is of the very highest quality in all areas.  Pupils’ behaviour is not yet outstanding. There is not a positive and respectful school culture where all pupils feel free from bullying or harassment. A significant number of pupils who expressed a view do not enjoy learning at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders should ensure that all pupils understand the importance of exemplary behaviour, so they demonstrate high levels of self-control and actively support the well-being of other pupils.

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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. 1 and 2 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211951 Type of school Secondary

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 2,283

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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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

 The school uses 10 unregistered providers of alternative provision. These are: Anstey Alpacas; AXLR8; Future Cycle; INVENT; Melton Hub; Pedestrian; Soft Touch; Tran4m; U-NEEK and Wigston SLIP. Pupils access these providers for various training courses for a maximum of two days a week.  The school meets all 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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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 1 and 2 March 2022

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal, the associate principal and most members of the school’s senior leadership team.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art and design technology; English; history; mathematics; physical education; and science. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, met with some pupils to discuss their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about religious education and modern foreign languages.  Inspectors visited the sixth-form provision.  Inspectors heard pupils read books during intervention sessions and visited a

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phonics support session and whole-class reading sessions.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator as well as representatives of the local governing body and of the multi-academy trust.  Inspectors considered a wide variety of school documents, including the school improvement plan.  Inspectors took note of the responses received on Ofsted Parent View. They considered the results of the Ofsted staff and pupil questionnaires.  To judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors considered the relevant policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff, met with the designated lead for safeguarding and spoke with staff.

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Inspection team

Dave Gilkerson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Claire Shepherd Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 March 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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