Granville Academy

Inspection of Granville Academy Burton Road, Woodville, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE11 7JR

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 February 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires Improvement

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

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Overall effectiveness Requires Improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 9 and 10 February 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils feel comfortable and safe at school. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils meet these expectations and behave well. However, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not always supported to behave consistently well. More-vulnerable pupils, including those with SEND, are more likely to be involved in incidents of poor behaviour than their peers. The atmosphere around the school is positive. Although bullying does not happen frequently, some pupils worry about this more than others. However, pupils know they have people to go to if they experience problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders do not have high enough expectations of pupils’ academic achievement. Some aspects of the curriculum lack challenge. Not enough older pupils study academically challenging subjects. Some pupils find the work they are set too easy and do not feel stretched. They are not always challenged to reach their potential. Teachers do not always adapt provision to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The personal development curriculum helps pupils learn about life in modern Britain and the challenges they may face. However, pupils do not remember enough of what they have learned about these important topics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance at school, but not all pupils are yet meeting the school’s expectations.

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better?

Leaders have not put an ambitious curriculum in place. This is particularly the case for pupils in Years 10 and 11. Leaders have not encouraged enough pupils to study a range of academic subjects such as geography, history and a modern foreign language.

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better?

Plans are in place to teach the necessary content in individual subjects. Subject leaders have thought carefully about the order in which to teach topics. In mathematics, for example, teachers have reviewed how topics are taught in primary schools to help them to decide what to teach in key stage 3. Despite leaders identifying that pupils’ writing stamina needs addressing, the curriculum does not provide pupils with enough opportunities to write at length. Many pupils told inspectors that they write infrequently in subjects other than English.

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better?

Pupils’ experiences in lessons vary. Many lessons are taught in mixed-ability groups. Leaders have sensible reasons for this. However, staff do not consistently ensure all pupils’ needs are met in these classes. Some pupils are not sufficiently challenged. They complete tasks quickly, and opportunities to stretch their learning are limited. Some pupils are not sufficiently well supported. Teachers are beginning to provide for the needs of pupils with SEND more effectively than in the past. The strategies in place to support pupils with complex needs are usually implemented. However, this is less consistent for pupils with less complex needs. When some pupils with SEND are 9 and 10 February 2022

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not well supported, they are removed from lessons because staff do not manage their behaviour well.

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Many older pupils recognise the improvements to the culture of behaviour within school. Most pupils behave well. Teachers challenge most instances of poor behaviour effectively. However, leaders have not ensured that staff provide well enough for pupils with SEND. Staff do not manage these pupils’ behaviour well and, too often, pupils are removed from lessons. Some pupils with SEND do not attend regularly enough.

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Pupils’ personal development is promoted through the school’s ‘values’ curriculum and assemblies. Pupils learn about important topics, such as staying safe, maintaining healthy relationships and understanding the rule of law. However, the extent to which pupils can recall what they have learned varies significantly. Some pupils told inspectors that not all pupils take these activities seriously enough. Other pupils think more needs to be done to celebrate individuality and equality, feeling that it is not yet possible to genuinely ‘be who you are’. The careers programme is not implemented well. Many Year 11 pupils have not benefited from an individual careers meeting before applying for future courses. The academic intervention sessions offered to Year 11 pupils, and the extra-curricular programme offered more widely, are valued more highly by pupils and parents.

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Leaders, supported by the trust, are beginning to bring about the necessary improvements. For example, the leadership of the provision for pupils with SEND is improving. Safeguarding arrangements have been strengthened. Staff who have been at the school for some time speak highly of the changes. Newer staff also speak positively about their experiences at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive important safeguarding training regularly. They are well informed about the signs that suggest pupils may need additional help. They know how to record this information. They are aware of how to report possible concerns about adults.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make appropriate checks when appointing new staff. Leaders from the trust check that placements for pupils who are educated off site are suitable.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know the risks they face locally. They know where they can go to get help.

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Safeguarding

The school uses software to stop pupils accessing unsuitable material online. However, the systems in place to record the actions taken in response to any concerns that arise lack rigour. 9 and 10 February 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders do not have high enough academic expectations of pupils. The curriculum at key stage 4 does not provide pupils with the opportunity to study a broad range of subjects. The proportion of pupils following the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects is low. Pupils are not as prepared as they can be for the next stages in their lives. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum offer at key stage 4 is ambitious and supports pupils to achieve highly.  Teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do. Some pupils can do more than is expected of them. For example, opportunities to write at length are limited. Pupils do not achieve as highly as they should. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum implementation challenges all pupils across all subjects.  Teachers do not always use identified strategies to support pupils with SEND. These pupils’ needs are not consistently met. Leaders should take steps to improve the

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

consistency of provision for pupils with SEND and ensure that their needs are routinely met.  Vulnerable pupils, including those identified as disadvantaged and those with SEND, are removed from lessons or excluded due to poor behaviour more frequently than their peers. They also attend less regularly. This creates additional barriers to these pupils’ achievement. Leaders should use the data they hold more rigorously to help ensure the most vulnerable pupils feel fully engaged and valued in life at school, as part of their wider strategy to support these pupils. Leaders should ensure that pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are supported to attend school and remain in lessons.  The curriculum in place to help prepare pupils for life in modern Britain is new. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding of others, including those of different faiths, beliefs and identities. Other pupils do not benefit from the

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

school’s careers support effectively. Leaders should assess pupils’ understanding and experiences in these areas to inform plans for further improvement.  Systems are in place to restrict pupils’ access to inappropriate material on the internet when using school devices. However, the arrangements for recording the actions taken in response to concerns need refinement. Leaders do not use this information as effectively as they could to help keep pupils safe. Leaders should ensure that there is an effective system for recording the support provided to pupils when concerns arise. They should consider how to use this information to further improve the school’s work in keeping pupils safe.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 9 and 10 February 2022

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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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. 9 and 10 February 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10199544 Type of school Secondary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Granville Academy joined The De Ferrers Trust on 1 September 2017.  When the predecessor school, Granville Sports College, was inspected by Ofsted in 2015 it was judged to require improvement.  The new chair of the board of trustees took up post on 21 September 2021.  The school uses one alternative provider, the South Derbyshire Support Centre.  Through its careers programme, 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 apprenticeship.

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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 had 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. 9 and 10 February 2022

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 Inspectors met the headteacher and other senior leaders from the school. A meeting was also held with those responsible for governance, including the chair of the board of trustees, and several members of the governing body. Inspectors also met, and spoke by telephone, with leaders from the multi-academy trust.  To evaluate the quality of education, inspectors conducted deep dives in English, mathematics, science and modern foreign languages. This involved meeting subject leaders; reviewing subject plans; observing lessons; speaking to teachers; speaking to pupils; and reviewing samples of pupils’ work. The school’s ‘values’ curriculum was also considered as part of the inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead, and other members of the safeguarding team. The checks that the school makes when appointing new staff were reviewed, in addition to the

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systems in place for handling allegations against adults. Several records were reviewed to consider the actions taken to keep pupils safe.  The inspectors spoke to an extensive number of pupils, both formally and informally. They asked pupils about their experiences of life at the school. A wide range of documentation and records linked to behaviour management were also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

James Duncan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Michael Wilson Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 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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