Nine Maidens Alternative Provision Academy

Inspection of a good school: Nine Maidens Alternative Provision Academy Nine Maiden, Four Lanes, Redruth TR16 6ND

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Outcome

Nine Maidens Alternative Provision Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils enter Nine Maidens disillusioned with education, having had negative experiences in the past. Staff at Nine Maidens aim to turn things around. They are successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff get to know pupils well. They support pupils to work on what might be concerning them or might be a barrier to learning. There are clear routines that help pupils behave well. Staff have high aspirations that pupils will be successful in their studies. Pupils take part in different activities to widen their experience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The work of Nine Maidens means that pupils feel happy and safe at the school. Bullying is rare. Pupils learn to manage their own behaviour. They develop their character, increasing their confidence and self-belief. They produce high-quality work across a range of subjects. Pupils and their parents talk about how the school has ‘changed their life’. Pupils are well prepared for the next step in their education.

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

High aspirations that pupils will succeed with learning underpins the school’s work. From the moment pupils arrive in the morning, staff carefully support pupils so that they engage with their lessons and succeed. Staff have clear expectations and routines. Staff model appropriate interactions. Staff carefully check pupils’ behaviour through the day. If required, staff offer more support, including a range of therapeutic interventions.

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

Over time, pupils’ behaviour improves. They develop the skills they need so that they can be successful in their next placement. For example, they learn to work with others, to reflect on their own actions, to listen to another’s viewpoint, to express their views appropriately or to develop self-confidence and self-esteem. High-quality personal, social and health education (PSHE) complements this work. Pupils gain the skills and knowledge they need to understand risks and keep themselves safe and healthy. Wider opportunities 5 and 6 July 2022

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such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, water sports and educational visits widen pupils’ experiences.

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The secondary curriculum is based on the qualifications and skills that pupils need to be successful when they return to their mainstream school or a future placement. Specialist teachers have strong subject knowledge. They challenge pupils, for example, to read current, well-regarded literature, develop a core knowledge of key mathematical concepts or produce high-quality art. Ongoing assessment is in place to ensure that pupils learn well. Teachers address any gaps or barriers. They make sure pupils learn to read well and fluently.

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The primary curriculum gives a high priority to pupils securing basic skills. Recently, leaders have strengthened the approach to early reading. Through carefully chosen books and regular practice, pupils, who may have experienced frustration in the past, are now systematically developing the skills they need to read. Staff ensure that the mathematics curriculum and the topics pupils study in other subjects link closely to national expectations and engage pupils. Leaders have rightly recognised that there are aspects of the curriculum that need further strengthening. They are ready to launch a new curriculum that will clarify better the core knowledge and skills that pupils need to develop.

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The curriculum is adapted to support the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils’ needs are identified, provision put in place and progress monitored.

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Leaders from the multi-academy trust and the local authority have an accurate view of the school. They support and challenge appropriately. Leaders from local schools praise the partnership work when a pupil is dual registered. Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel that leaders consider their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are deeply knowledgeable about pupils and their families. They monitor any concerns very carefully and act when necessary. They ensure that all staff have up-to- date and relevant safeguarding training so that they are aware of risks, policies and procedures.

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Safeguarding

The school’s single central record of staff is well maintained. Appropriate recruitment processes are in place.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Currently, there are some aspects of the primary curriculum that are inconsistent or not sequenced sufficiently. This means that in these aspects pupils do not systematically 5 and 6 July 2022

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build the knowledge and skills in line with the school’s high ambition. Leaders should continue to clarify the intent of the primary curriculum in line with the aspirations of the school. They should determine what pupils should know, understand and achieve by the time they leave, and eliminate inconsistencies.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Nine Maidens Short Stay School, to be good in October 2012.

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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. 5 and 6 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10199926 Type of school Alternative provision

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School details

School category Academy alternative provision converter

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School details

Website www.wavemat.org/our-academies/nine- maidens-academy-redruth Date of previous inspection 7 July 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Nine Maidens is part of WAVE Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). It is an alternative provision that works alongside mainstream schools in the West Cornwall area.  Most pupils are dual registered with mainstream schools. Some have been permanently excluded. A third of pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal and senior teachers, the chief executive officer, the vice chair of trustees and curriculum lead from WAVE MAT. They spoke with an officer from Cornwall County Council, senior leaders from local schools and the school’s improvement partner by telephone.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning, looked at 5 and 6 July 2022

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samples of pupils’ work and listened to pupils read to a familiar adult. Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects and met with the SENCo and family support staff.  Inspectors looked at the policies and procedures used to keep pupils safe. They reviewed the checks carried out by leaders on the suitability of adults who work in the school.  Inspectors spoke by telephone with some parents. They considered the free-text responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Stephen McShane, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Leanne Thirlby Her Majesty’s Inspector 5 and 6 July 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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