North East Essex Co-operative Academy

Inspection of a good school: North East Essex Co-operative Academy Turner Road, Mile End, Colchester, Essex CO4 5LB

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils at the school re-engage with learning successfully after long periods out of education. Pupils are supported well to develop socially and emotionally. Younger pupils are supported to return to mainstream school or specialist settings. Older pupils who attend regularly move on successfully to education, employment or training.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who find it hard to manage their behaviour are supported to increasingly make better choices. Pupils know what is expected of them. They feel safe. Bullying is not tolerated. When it happens, it is dealt with quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ individual needs are known and understood by staff. Where the curriculum is well developed, learning is adapted effectively to support pupils’ learning. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is not as well developed so that all pupils achieve as well as they should. Many older pupils have some remote learning at home as part of their usual timetable. Not all pupils engage fully with this learning, so they do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the care and support staff provide for their personal and academic development. Some parents are very positive about the work of staff to help their children.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are at different stages in developing the curriculum. Where they have well- established curriculum plans, for example in English and geography, leaders clearly identify and organise the subject knowledge that pupils should learn. This enables teachers to build on pupils’ previous learning so that pupils make strong progress. However, this is not the same across all subjects. There is variation in how well teachers 24 and 25 May 2022

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implement curriculum plans in some subjects, especially where they do not focus on the important knowledge that pupils need to know and understand. As a result, particularly in the secondary part of the school, pupils do not learn as well as they should across the full curriculum.

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Leaders have chosen to deliver part of the curriculum remotely for many older pupils. Some pupils do not engage well with this learning. This impacts negatively on the progress these pupils make. Leaders do not have clear plans to improve this aspect of teaching.

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Leaders prioritise reading for primary age pupils effectively. Adults have the skills and expertise to teach reading and phonics well. Pupils practise and use their reading knowledge daily. Teachers identify the support each pupil needs to improve their reading knowledge and skills.

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In the secondary provision, the promotion of reading is less well developed. Teaching of the weakest readers has limited success. Gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge are not precisely identified nor met. Staff have recently been trained in a new programme to support secondary pupils who find learning to read challenging. This has yet to be implemented.

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Staff have secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. Older pupils study towards meaningful qualifications. They can study qualifications matched to their interests and future aspirations.

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Staff have the training and expertise to help pupils become better at managing their emotions and behaviour. Disruption to learning does occur sometimes, but staff know how to deal with challenging behaviour so that it does not escalate. Leaders use suspensions appropriately. Records show that most pupils’ behaviour improves over their time at the school.

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Pupils’ attendance is low. However, leaders ensure that attendance improves for most pupils. Leaders have robust procedures to follow up absence and ensure that pupils are safe.

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Leaders’ work to support pupils’ personal development is a strength. They prioritise developing positive relationships and supporting pupils’ emotional and mental health. Pupils are encouraged to consider and take responsibility for their actions. There is a suitable programme of careers education in place. Almost all Year 11 pupils progress successfully into further education, training or employment.

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Trustees and governors ensure that staff feel well supported. Staff say leaders are considerate of workload and listen to staff’s views. The trust has an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. It has provided welcome support during recent changes in senior leadership. 24 and 25 May 2022

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that promotion of reading in the secondary provision, planning and implementation of the intended curriculum and remote education may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular training so staff recognise and are alert to the risks that pupils may face. Staff know how and when to pass on concerns. Leaders act on any concerns swiftly and appropriately. Leaders’ strong links with external agencies ensure that pupils and their families receive the help that is needed.

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Safeguarding

Leaders check daily on pupils who learn remotely or who attend alternative provisions. All the necessary checks are made before adults are allowed to work with pupils.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about the range of risks they may face, including recognising harmful relationships and risks of exploitation.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the knowledge that pupils may have missed due to periods out of education. In other subjects, teachers do not implement curriculum plans consistently well. These weaknesses do not help pupils to learn and remember important subject knowledge or build upon previous learning. Leaders should ensure that they identify precisely the subject knowledge that pupils should learn. Leaders should use their checks on teaching to ensure that the intended curriculum is implemented consistently and effectively so pupils can make the best possible progress.  Leaders have not identified precisely the gaps in some pupils’ reading knowledge when they join the secondary provision. Programmes to support the weakest readers in key stage 3 and key stage 4 are not effective. Some pupils are not able to access the curriculum as well as they should. Leaders need to introduce appropriate strategies to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

identify and meet the needs of secondary age pupils in reading so they can become accurate and confident readers.  Arrangements to educate some pupils remotely are not effective. Some pupils do not engage with this learning well enough to learn. Leaders should check the quality and impact of remote learning on how well pupils are learning. They should use their information to devise and implement improvements to the quality of remote learning. 24 and 25 May 2022

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, North East Essex Additional Provision School, to be good in June 2014.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 24 and 25 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212035 Type of school Alternative provision

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School details

School category Academy alternative provision converter

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 North East Essex Co-operative Academy converted to an academy in September 2017. Its predecessor school, North East Essex Additional Provision School, was inspected in June 2014 when it was judged good overall.  The school is part of the Keys Co-operative Academies Trust (the trust). There are two other schools in the trust, another alternative provision and a special school.  There have been several changes of headteacher since the previous inspection. The current headteacher took up the post in April 2022. Two other senior leaders left the school this academic year.  The school has a primary school unit that currently has 21 pupils. The head of the primary school unit also holds the same role at Heybridge Co-operative Academy.  The school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. Places in the school are commissioned by local authorities or local schools. Many pupils have

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Information about this school

been permanently excluded from school or are at risk of permanent exclusion. Most have had significant periods of missed education.  There are 45 places for pupils with medical needs or who are school refusers due to anxieties. The school also provide staff at the school room at Colchester Hospital, providing teaching for in-patients on the children’s ward. 24 and 25 May 2022

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 All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Fifteen have an education, health and care plan.  The school uses 10 unregistered provisions. The school also provides outreach support for pupils at risk of permanent exclusion or who need support to re-integrate back into mainstream schools.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectord discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and non- teaching staff.  The lead inspector held separate online meetings with trustees and members of the local governing body. He also met with the chief executive officer of the trust. The lead inspector held a meeting with representatives of the local authority to discuss arrangements for commissioning places at the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, English, mathematics and geography. These included discussions with subject leaders, visits to lessons, discussions with staff and pupils, hearing pupils read and scrutiny of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ work, and visited lessons in other

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Information about this inspection

subjects.  To evaluate safeguarding, inspectors checked policies, procedures and records, including the school’s single central record. An inspector met the designated leader for safeguarding to discuss their work and actions to keep pupils safe.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including records of behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors considered the 13 responses and free-text comments to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered emails received from parents. Inspectors considered 31 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire. Inspectors did consider the most recent responses to the school’s own pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Paul Wilson, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Jackie Mullan Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 May 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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