Lift Tamworth

Inspection of Tamworth Enterprise College and AET Academy Birds Bush Road, Belgrave, Tamworth, Staffordshire B77 2NE

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 14 and 15 June 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Tamworth Enterprise College say they have a trusted adult they can talk to if they are upset. They say they feel safe in school. If pupils report bullying, they know staff will deal with it quickly. However, some pupils say that this does not always resolve the problem fully and it can happen again.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy school. They say, ‘It is okay to be different.’ But some pupils say that other pupils’ poor behaviour disrupts their learning. This is usually in lessons that have cover teachers.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want pupils to achieve the best they can in all aspects of school life. They provide pupils with a wide range of experiences, including visits to universities and visitors coming into school to talk to pupils about college, jobs and apprenticeships.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a range of clubs and activities. This includes sports, drama, art and modern foreign languages (MFL). Pupils go on geography field trips. They have also been involved in a writing scheme which resulted in pupils writing three novels. Pupils value these experiences.

p.2

better?

Leaders have thought carefully about the subjects that pupils study. They are ambitious for what pupils can achieve. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils follow a wide range of subjects at key stage 3. This prepares pupils well for the choices they make at key stage 4.

p.2

better?

Leaders plan the curriculum well and topics are taught in a logical order. Teachers have good subject knowledge. However, their use of assessment is inconsistent. This means pupils can remember what they have been taught better in some subjects than others. When assessment is used well, for example in English, teachers’ use of questioning helps pupils to develop a deeper understanding of their work. However, when teachers do not check what pupils know and understand in lessons or in their work, mistakes go unnoticed and persist. For example, work in pupils’ books shows that pupils often misspell key words, and this is not picked up or addressed consistently well. This hinders pupils’ progress in punctuation, spelling and grammar.

p.2

better?

Leaders give the development of pupils’ reading high priority. Pupils read regularly in tutor time. Leaders check how well pupils are doing with their reading. Extra help is given to those who need it. Leaders’ information shows that this is beginning to make a difference in improving pupils’ reading ability. However, leaders recognise that they need to continue to do more to make sure that all pupils read widely and often.

p.2

better?

The school provides good care for pupils with SEND. Pupils say they enjoy school. All pupils with SEND have an individual learning plan (IEP). However, some plans 14 and 15 June 2022

p.2

3

include too much detail and are therefore not specific enough about how staff can best support the pupils. The means that the plans are not as effective as they could be in supporting pupils to make good progress.

p.3

3

Leaders set high expectations for behaviour. As a result, the number of incidents of inappropriate behaviour is reducing. Staff say leaders support them well to manage behaviour. However, pupils’ views about behaviour are mixed. Some say it is good, but others say poor behaviour stops them from learning. This can be when the lesson has a cover teacher. Pupils say, and inspectors agree, that it depends on the subject.

p.3

3

The school provides pupils with good careers advice and guidance. This starts in Year 7. As a result, pupils make well-informed decisions about their next steps. All Year 11 pupils have an offer of education, employment or training secured for when they leave at the end of the year.

p.3

3

All staff speak highly of the support they get from leaders. This includes those new to teaching. Staff morale is high.

p.3

3

Trustees and members of the governing body have high expectations for what the school and its pupils can achieve. They provide leaders with an appropriate balance of support and challenge. For example, they ask leaders what interventions they are using to support pupils’ reading. This ensures that leaders evaluate the support being given to pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

All staff receive regular training. They report concerns confident in the knowledge that leaders will deal with them effectively. Leaders have developed good links with external agencies. This includes with the social worker who works on the school site. As a result, pupils and their families get the right help they need quickly.

p.3

Safeguarding

The school completes all the appropriate checks on all adults who work at, or visit, the school.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum and pastoral programme. This includes online safety. As a result, pupils say they feel safe.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is not used effectively in all subjects in order to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. As a result, some misconceptions go unnoticed and persist. Leaders need to ensure that assessment is used well in all subjects to identify different starting points and gaps in knowledge. In addition, 14 and 15 June 2022

p.3

4

leaders must make sure teachers use this information to address pupils’ misconceptions and the gaps in their knowledge.  IEPs are not as effective as they could be in supporting the learning of pupils with SEND. Information about what support will look like for individual pupils is not precise enough. This means that pupils may not get the specific support they need to achieve well. Leaders need to ensure that staff are provided with the precise information they need to enable them to plan and deliver effective additional support for pupils with SEND so that they fulfil their potential.  Leaders’ high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct are not always realised. Learning in some lessons is hindered by poor behaviour. This hinders pupils’ progress and pupils’ enjoyment of school. Leaders need to ensure that well-established routines for behaviour are embedded in all lessons so that pupils

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 14 and 15 June 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10227365 Type of school Secondary

p.5

School details

Website www.tamworthenterprisecollege.co.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 6 October 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of Academies Enterprise Trust. The trust consists of 57 schools.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

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 this into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the executive principal, head of school, the regional director of education, the director of secondary education, other leaders, staff and 14 and 15 June 2022

p.5

6

pupils. The lead inspector spoke on the telephone to the chair of the governing body.  An inspector visited the alternative provider used by the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in English, science, MFL, history and art. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors talked to pupils at unstructured times during the day.  The inspectors evaluated a range of school documents and looked at information on the school’s website.  The lead inspector checked the single central record and met with the school’s safeguarding leaders.  The inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and pupil survey. They also considered the responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses.

p.6

Inspection team

Lesley Yates, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Helen Reeves Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 June 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7