Hall Park Academy

Inspection of Hall Park Academy Mansfield Road, Eastwood, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG16 3EA

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Inadequate 30 and 31 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy coming to school and get on well with staff. They appreciate the wide range of enrichment activities on offer. Pupils readily contribute to the wider life of the school and its local community through the school’s ‘pledge’ programme. Sixth-form students enjoy being role models for younger pupils. Pupils value the support they get planning their next steps when they leave school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that staff have high expectations of what they can achieve. However, the curriculum is not taught consistently well. This leaves pupils with gaps in their knowledge. Not all pupils enjoy learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some pupils say that they have experienced bullying. Many say they hear racist, sexist or homophobic comments made to others. Pupils are sometimes reluctant to tell staff because they do not think that staff will deal with these incidents effectively. New strategies are beginning to make a difference. Bullying is resolved when staff know it is happening. Most pupils feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are polite and well behaved. The poor conduct of a minority of pupils affects others’ learning. Exclusions are too high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These same pupils do not attend as well as they should.

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better?

The curriculum is well planned. Teachers have thought carefully about what pupils should learn and by when in each subject. Pupils build their knowledge based on what they already know. Most pupils engage well with their learning because they want to be successful. The key stage 3 curriculum lacks ambition in some subjects. Not all topics are studied in sufficient detail. Leaders plan to address this next year by changing key stage 3 to include Year 9.

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better?

Many teachers are skilled in delivering their subject. Most check closely that pupils understand what is taught. They use precise questioning to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. However, not all teachers adapt their teaching well when pupils do not understand. They do not correct pupils’ misconceptions consistently. Some pupils struggle to recall important information. Some teachers move on to new content before pupils have secured their learning.

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better?

The provision for pupils with SEND is improving. Teachers’ understanding of how they should help these pupils is getting better. However, not all teachers pay close- enough attention to information on these pupils’ learning plans. Pupils with SEND are not always asked their views about the help they get. This means staff do not know whether the support is helping pupils to know more and remember more of the curriculum. 30 and 31 March 2022

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Pupils enjoy reading. They are proud to wear their ‘reading millionaire badges’, for participating in the reading programme. They are keen to take part in the new strategy to read nine books during key stage 3. The help given to pupils who struggle to read does not ensure that these pupils catch up quickly.

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The number of incidents of poor behaviour has reduced since the pandemic began. However, some pupils spend too much time out of their usual lessons or excluded from school. Strategies to help these pupils improve their behaviour do not focus closely enough on the reasons for their poor conduct, so that pupils get the right support.

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There is a broad range of subjects available for sixth-form students to study. These students have positive attitudes towards their studies and attend well. They appreciate the support they receive from knowledgeable staff. Teachers set work that is sufficiently demanding but not overwhelming. Students enjoy their increasing independence and responsibilities. Almost all students go on to study at university or college, or secure an apprenticeship.

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Pupils learn about personal, social and health issues. They value the careers guidance they receive. Pupils consider what it means to be a good citizen. They understand why it is important to be tolerant of others. Leaders have adapted the tutor programme in response to recent bullying incidents and issues in the local community, including knife crime.

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Trust leaders and governors work in partnership to challenge and support school leaders. Together, senior leaders are focused on the right priorities to improve the school. Staff benefit from training available through the trust and opportunities to work with other colleagues. They say that leaders are mindful of their well-being and workload when making changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders monitor pupils who are vulnerable closely. They provide prompt and effective support for these pupils. They work well with other agencies to help those pupils who most need it. Leaders keep detailed records of their actions, including in relation to pupils attending alternative provisions.

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Safeguarding

Staff are knowledgeable. They recognise their responsibility to be vigilant and help keep pupils safe. They receive extensive training which is updated regularly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders respond to local and national safeguarding concerns. They update the tutor programme to keep pupils well informed about possible risks.

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Safeguarding

Staff recruitment checks are thorough. 30 and 31 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils do not always tell staff about incidents of bullying and derogatory language. They are not confident that all staff will respond appropriately. Leaders need to ensure that there is a culture of respect and vigilance, where pupils feel confident to report their concerns, knowing that leaders will take swift and effective action.  Leaders do not act quickly enough to help some pupils improve their behaviour, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. The poor behaviour of these pupils escalates, resulting in repeated exclusions. Leaders must ensure that exclusions are used appropriately and proportionately, making reasonable adjustments for vulnerable pupils. They must ensure that pupils at risk of exclusion are given the right support, so that exclusions reduce.  Some pupils are absent from school too often, particularly disadvantaged pupils. These pupils miss out on learning essential knowledge. They do not benefit from

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the school’s rich educational offer. Leaders need to work closely with parents and carers, and external agencies, to encourage these pupils to attend frequently.  Recent improvements for the provision of pupils with SEND are in the early stages of being implemented. The needs of these pupils are identified and assessed accurately. However, their needs are not being met consistently in all areas of the curriculum. Leaders need to enact recently produced action plans for SEND to ensure that all staff meet these pupils’ needs effectively. They should make sure that planned interventions provide these pupils with the right level of support.  The implementation of the planned curriculum is not consistent across all subjects and in all year groups. Some teachers do not consider gaps in pupils’ knowledge when planning learning. Sometimes, teachers do not identify and correct errors when pupils misunderstand important ideas. Pupils do not always achieve as well

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

as they should. Leaders must make sure that an ambitious curriculum is implemented equally well in all subjects.

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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 . 30 and 31 March 2022

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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. 30 and 31 March 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10232234 Type of school Secondary

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sixth form

Headteacher Stephanie Dyce (Executive Headteacher)

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 13 and 14 July 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new chair of the board of Redhill Academy Trust has been appointed. An acting chair of governors is currently in role.  A new trust leader for SEND took up the position in September 2022.  The number of pupils on the school’s roll has increased this academic year, including in the sixth form.  A small number of pupils attend two registered alternative providers. These are: Pollyteach and Stone Soup.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause. This means that pupils in Years 8 to 13 receive information about the full range of education and training options open to them. This includes opportunities for a range of education and training providers to speak to pupils about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 30 and 31 March 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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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 met with the executive headteacher, the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met remotely with the chair of the board of Redhill Academy Trust and with the chief executive office of the trust. She also met with two governors.  Inspectors did deep dives in five subjects: English, mathematics, history, music, and computing/imedia. For each deep dive, inspectors met with curriculum leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers of the lessons visited, spoke to some pupils about their learning, including pupils with SEND, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. On the second day of the inspection, inspectors visited lessons in a wider range of subjects and reviewed a sample of workbooks from pupils with SEND. Inspectors spoke with some pupils

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Information about this inspection

about reading and listened to them read with a familiar adult.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils from all year groups, including sixth-form students. They spoke with pupils informally and observed the behaviour of pupils during social times.  Inspectors spoke with two representatives of the alternative providers used by the school on the telephone.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements by reviewing the school’s record of pre-employment checks, holding discussions with leaders, staff and pupils, and reviewing documentation relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors took note of the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, as well as two emails received from parents. They spoke with one parent on the telephone. Inspectors also considered the results of the Ofsted staff survey and the Ofsted pupil survey.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s self-

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Information about this inspection

evaluation and school improvement plan. They considered information about pupils’ attendance, behaviour and exclusions, and the wider curriculum. 30 and 31 March 2022

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Inspection team

Rachel Tordoff, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Dave Gilkerson Her Majesty’s Inspector 30 and 31 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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