Frederick Gent School

Inspection of Frederick Gent School Mansfield Road, South Normanton, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 2ER

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 and 16 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Frederick Gent School is a welcoming and inclusive school. Leaders encourage pupils to be ambitious, brave and caring. Pupils encourage each other and listen respectfully to the views of others in discussions and assemblies. A range of activities, including debating and trampolining, helps pupils to explore their interests. Most pupils are happy at school. They recognise that they are well looked after, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They know how to share with the adults who support them any worries they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff set high expectations for all pupils. Pupils are achieving better than in the past because leaders have improved the quality of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Conduct around the school and in lessons is typically calm and orderly. In most lessons, pupils behave well and focus on their work. Pupils say that learning can be disrupted by others. They say that this can have a negative impact on how they feel about school. Staff take incidents of bullying seriously. However, some pupils do not feel confident about reporting it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents are supportive of the school. One parent reflected the views of many when they said, ‘The school has shown remarkable improvement’ in recent years.

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better?

Leaders are highly ambitious for their pupils and the local community. They have a clear vision to teach pupils the knowledge they need to succeed in learning and in life. Leaders and staff are united in their approach and are well supported by the trust and those responsible for governance. Leaders’ actions have brought about positive change and they are determined to improve the school further. Staff are proud to work here and most agree that leaders take their workload into account.

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious. Most subject leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to know and be able to do. Subject leaders plan the curriculum with teachers to ensure clarity about what is taught and when.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They give clear explanations. They check pupils’ learning regularly and clear up misconceptions. They know the needs of their pupils well, including those with SEND. They teach resilience and teamwork across the curriculum. This is especially effective in physical education. Pupils agree that ‘bell work’ and ‘focused finish’ activities help them to know and remember more. Most pupils take pride in their work. In mathematics pupils are thriving. Most teachers ask questions that push pupils to do things they did not think they could. Sometimes teachers do not demand enough of pupils or check that important learning is secure before moving on. In some areas, for example science, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. 15 and 16 March 2022

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The curriculum for personal development is strong. Leaders provide high-quality careers education to help pupils to be ready for their next steps in education, employment or training. Pupils are taught to keep themselves and others safe from harm. They learn about healthy relationships and how to be respectful, active citizens. They debate what it means to be British. They learn about other cultures and faiths. Pupils experience local history and trips to the theatre, as well as the wide range of clubs that the school offers. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Pupils’ attendance is good. Staff provide effective support to those who do not attend as regularly as they should. Staff in the Bungalow provide the extra help pupils need if they are experiencing difficulty with their emotional well-being.

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Most pupils have positive attitudes and are polite and hard working. They treat each other with kindness and respect. However, some pupils and parents told us that learning is often disrupted by poor behaviour. They expressed concern that not all pupils treat others as well as they should. Leaders have put in place effective systems to monitor and challenge instances of poor behaviour. Pupils’ behaviour is improving. The challenges presented by the pandemic have slowed the improvements leaders were bringing about.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The culture for safeguarding is strong. Leaders know pupils well. They work well with external agencies to ensure that pupils get the support they need. Leaders are knowledgeable about issues in the locality that might affect pupils, including county lines. Staff training is thorough and up to date. Staff know their responsibilities well and how to raise concerns.

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Safeguarding

Discrimination is not tolerated. It happens rarely. When it does, staff act quickly. Pupils say that they feel safe and that they can be themselves.

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Safeguarding

Governors oversee safeguarding arrangements effectively.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not demonstrate appropriate attitudes towards their learning. There is some low-level disruption. Sometimes pupils display behaviours that are disrespectful towards others. This has a detrimental impact on the enjoyment of school for some pupils. Leaders must ensure that the systems they have established to manage behaviour are consistently applied by staff and respected by all pupils. 15 and 16 March 2022

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 Leaders have improved curriculum plans in most subjects to help build pupils’ knowledge over time. However, in some subjects, expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough, particularly in science. Leaders, together with subject leaders, should ensure that the curriculum is equally ambitious for all pupils so that they can achieve as well as they can in all subjects.  Sometimes teachers do not check carefully enough that all pupils, including pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, have understood the learning before moving them on. Teachers should ensure that pupils’ understanding of concepts and ideas is secure before moving on to the next stage of learning, so that they know and remember more of what is taught.

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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. 15 and 16 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227542 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Two Counties Trust in November 2017.  The headteacher took up post in January 2019.  The school uses two registered alternative providers: Amber Valley and Erewash Support Centre (Kirk Hallam) and Polly Teach. It also uses the following unregistered providers: Derbyshire Children’s Services Out of school tuition, Blend Youth Project and East Midlands Vocational Academy.  The school has an internal pupil support provision called the Bungalow.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause. This means that pupils in Years 8 to 11 receive information about the full range of education and training options open to them.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 15 and 16 March 2022

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 Inspectors met with senior leaders, members of the local governing body and representatives from the trust, including the chief executive officer.  Inspectors completed deep dives in English, mathematics, physical education and history. As part of the deep dives, inspectors reviewed curriculum plans, visited lessons, scrutinised sample of pupils’ work and held discussions with subject leaders, teachers and pupils.  Inspectors held meetings with leaders and pupils to check the school’s arrangements for safeguarding. They examined records relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. They met with groups of pupils to discuss their wider personal development and behaviour in school. They spoke with a range of support staff.  Inspectors visited the Bungalow provision within school. They spoke with pupils and observed their learning.  Inspectors spoke with representatives from alternative providers used by the

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school.  Inspectors observed pupils at different times of the school day, including lessons and social times.  The lead inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff and pupils were also considered.

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Inspection team

Aoife Galletly, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Janis Warren Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 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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