Bluecoat Beechdale Academy

Inspection of a good school: Bluecoat Beechdale Academy Harvey Road, Bilborough, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG8 3GP

p.1

Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

p.1

Outcome

Bluecoat Beechdale Academy continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, caring school. Pupils feel safe. Staff are proud of their pupils and enjoy working with them. The school rewards pupils for being kind, curious, resilient and positive. That is ‘the BBA way’.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants every pupil to aim high in education and in life. The curriculum aims to bring the richness of the world into the classroom. Teachers support pupils to make ambitious choices for future work and study.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ learning extends well beyond the classroom. They have opportunities to be sports leaders, to make props for the Royal Shakespeare Company and to visit universities. At breakfast club, pupils get set for the day with a bagel and a chat. There is a range of clubs where pupils can discover and develop their interests. At the after-school study centre, pupils study independently or with help from staff.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations are high. Pupils know where they stand because expectations are very clear. Classrooms and corridors are calm and orderly. Most pupils behave well and want to learn. Bullying is rare and staff deal with it swiftly. If they need it, pupils get effective help to improve their behaviour.

p.1

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

Leaders have established a culture of belonging and self-belief in this learning community. They have designed an ambitious curriculum. All pupils study a wide variety of subjects in key stage 3. In key stage 4, they choose from a range of academic and vocational courses. An increasing number of pupils study a language and either history or geography. Leaders support bilingual pupils to gain qualifications in their home language.

p.1

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

Subject leaders have thought carefully about the important knowledge pupils will learn. They have set up meaningful opportunities for pupils’ cultural understanding to grow. Teachers know their subjects and their pupils well. Most present new knowledge and 11 and 12 October 2022

p.1

2

ideas clearly. Most teachers check pupils’ learning and give feedback that pupils can use to improve their learning. Where the curriculum is taught consistently well, pupils produce work of a high quality. However, not all subjects have a fully consistent approach to teaching their curriculum and pupils’ work varies. Leaders have clear plans to continue to develop these subject areas.

p.2

2

There is a whole-school approach to teaching reading. The form-time reading programme includes a diverse range of themes and writers to challenge pupils’ thinking. Pupils who need help to improve their reading get effective support from well-trained staff. Many teachers provide pupils with opportunities to improve their writing skills in lessons.

p.2

2

Leaders have brought about rapid improvements to the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers get the right information to support pupils.

p.2

2

Pupils are friendly and polite. Most behave well and treat each other with respect. Teachers do not tolerate disruptions to learning. Pupils said that expectations are clear, rewards are frequent and staff are fair. A small number of pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour get high-quality help. Staff think carefully about how best to support individual pupils and involve parents.

p.2

2

Levels of punctuality are high. Attendance is improving. However, some pupils do not attend as well as they should. Leaders provide very effective support for pupils when this is the case. Despite this, some pupils’ attendance remains low. Leaders know that they must continue to engage with parents and carers to ensure pupils are in school and learning.

p.2

2

There is a varied programme of careers advice and guidance. Pupils are wellprepared for their next steps in education, training or employment. Leaders recently improved the curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE). It is well planned but it is not yet fully embedded. There is an extensive enrichment programme. Leaders seek out opportunities that meet the needs of their pupils.

p.2

2

Leaders from the trust know the school well. Staff said that leaders are considerate of their workload. Staff value the training that leaders provide to improve the curriculum.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Staff and pupils all contribute to a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are welltrained. Pupils learn to keep themselves and others safe. When they have worries, they seek help or advice from adults.

p.2

Safeguarding

Safeguarding leaders are knowledgeable and skilled. They know pupils and their families very well. They know the challenges that their pupils might face. They have established highly effective partnerships with external agencies, including the police and health services. They offer a range of effective support for pupils’ welfare and mental health. 11 and 12 October 2022

p.2

3

Trust recruitment and safeguarding systems have been carefully designed to strengthen safeguarding arrangements.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum is not consistently well delivered. Where this is the case, pupils’ work is not of the same high quality seen in other subjects. Leaders must ensure that staff support pupils to embed key concepts, use knowledge fluently and develop their understanding, so that they produce high-quality work in all subjects.  The delivery of the PSHE curriculum is not yet consistently effective. Not all pupils value the PSHE provision. Leaders must ensure that the intended PSHE curriculum is implemented effectively, so that pupils value the programme and their learning improves.

p.3

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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2017.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 11 and 12 October 2022

p.3

4

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. 11 and 12 October 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10227264 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 9 February 2017

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of Archway Learning Trust.

p.5

Information about this school

 The school uses three unregistered alternative providers.

p.5

Information about this school

 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 apprenticeships.

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 that into account in their evaluation of the school.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the principal, other leaders, staff and pupils. They met with leaders from Archway Learning Trust.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, geography, maths and Spanish. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, 11 and 12 October 2022

p.5

6

visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.

p.6

6

 Inspectors visited lessons from other subjects, form time and an assembly. They visited the breakfast club, the study centre and some of the school’s clubs.

p.6

6

 The lead inspector visited ‘Aspire’, the school’s behaviour support provision. She also spoke to a representative of one of the alternative providers used by the school.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including those relating to safeguarding and behaviour.

p.6

6

 The lead inspector held a meeting with a member of the board of trustees and a member of the academy advisory board.

p.6

6

 Inspectors considered the views of pupils, parents and staff through discussions during the inspection and the Ofsted surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Aoife Galletly, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Teresa Roche Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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