The Streetly Academy

Inspection of The Streetly Academy Queslett Road East, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B74 2EX

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 18 and 19 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to The Streetly Academy. Staff support and encourage pupils’ well-being and mental health very well. Pupils and staff have good working relationships. This helps pupils to have positive attitudes to their learning. They work hard and want to do well. Classrooms and social areas are calm. Pupils feel safe in school and bullying is rare. Staff deal effectively with any bullying that does happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that enables pupils to achieve very well. Pupils study a broad range of subjects. Year 9 pupils have the opportunity to develop and extend their knowledge in subjects such as design technology, music and art. Pupils welcome this because it helps to prepare them for their GCSE courses later. Students in the sixth form achieve exceptionally well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders place a strong emphasis on supporting pupils’ personal development. As part of the ‘life curriculum’, pupils’ health and well-being are supported by the ‘Streetly mile’. Pupils value this activity as it allows them to reflect on their feelings. Pupils participate in a wide range of extra-curricular sports, performance and community opportunities, including supporting a local food bank.

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better?

Leaders have developed a highly ambitious curriculum in the sixth form. Teachers are skilled at engaging students in highly ambitious, challenging and independent learning. This enables students to achieve exceptionally well. Students make a significant contribution to supporting younger pupils. For example, they help younger pupils with their reading. Students also volunteer in the community to support the local food-bank initiative. Many students become sixth-form ambassadors. These ambassadors support leaders in shaping the school community. Students say they are proud to be in the sixth form.

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better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that covers the national curriculum but also offers a broad range of subjects to support pupils’ interests and strengths. Most teachers check what pupils know well and ensure that pupils understand what they have to do. However, there are times when teachers do not check pupils’ understanding well enough. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to complete their work. This limits the progress they make.

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better?

Where learning is more ambitious, teachers build on key subject knowledge very well over time. For example, in Year 7 religious education, pupils begin with a basic understanding of different faiths. In later year groups, teachers then lead in-depth discussions and evaluations about these faiths. Pupils welcome these discussions when they are exposed to them. However, in key stages 3 and 4, some teachers do not take opportunities to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding as fully as they might. For example, some teachers do not always ask pupils in-depth questions 18 and 19 October 2022

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to promote appropriate discussion between them. This means that pupils are not able to fully extend their understanding of different topics.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum as other pupils. For pupils needing support in reading or mathematics, specialist staff adapt their learning well. Support for pupils with SEND continues into the sixth form, where there is a focus on helping students to become independent young adults. Pupils with SEND join many extra-curricular activities. For example, pupils’ social and creative skills develop through art. A canvas, based on emotions and well-being, was recently displayed in a local gallery. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Leaders have implemented a range of strategies to support pupils who are not confident readers. These strategies include sixth-form student reading mentors. However, leaders have not yet embedded sufficient strategies to promote a wider love of reading. Leaders know there is work to do to ensure pupils read more widely beyond the curriculum.

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Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are respectful and positive. Pupils who start at different times of the year say they feel welcomed and part of a community. Pupils appreciate the ‘Pride Awards’, which are a positive way of rewarding pupils. Inappropriate language and behaviour are rarely heard or seen. Pupils say that derogatory language is uncommon and is dealt with quickly by leaders if it does happen.

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Pupils’ well-being is at the forefront of leaders’ vision. Parents and carers are very positive about this vision. They particularly value the support for pupils’ mental health. The ‘life curriculum’ also gives pupils, including those in the sixth form, opportunities to prepare for the next stages of their education. These opportunities include learning about relationships, British values and cultural diversity. Leaders provide information about careers and future pathways. Pupils value these opportunities and the detailed information.

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Senior leaders know their school very well. They act swiftly and with determination to improve any aspects that do not meet their high expectations. Governors know the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are well informed about the curriculum and hold leaders to account for the decisions taken.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders say that safeguarding ‘never ends’ and that ‘it could happen here’. Safeguarding leaders are visible in person and on displays around the school. Safeguarding is embedded in the culture, and all staff are urged to report any concerns. Staff receive extensive training which is updated throughout the year. Leaders are quick to identify any pupils at risk of harm. External agencies are contacted where early help is required. 18 and 19 October 2022

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Pupils say they know who to talk to and how they can report any concerns they have. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, teachers do not always use assessments effectively to check what pupils know and can remember. Therefore, some pupils have gaps in their learning and do not always have a secure understanding of what they have learned. Leaders should ensure that all teachers regularly check what pupils have learned so that any gaps in learning are identified and addressed.  In key stages 3 and 4, some teachers do not take every opportunity to ask questions that promote appropriate discussions between pupils. This means that some learning does not allow pupils to gain a deeper understanding of the subject. Leaders should ensure that, across the school, different approaches to learning, such as questioning to promote discussion, give pupils the opportunities to develop a greater depth of knowledge.  Leaders have not yet developed strategies to promote pupils’ wider love of reading. Opportunities to read across the curriculum are not embedded. This

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

means that not all pupils actively engage in reading. Leaders should ensure pupils have a range of opportunities to read widely and more often.

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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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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. 18 and 19 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241270 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1533

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 12 February 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders make use of four registered alternative provisions.  The academy meets the requirements of the Baker Clause. This means that pupils in Years 8 to 11 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 and education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 18 and 19 October 2022

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 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.  Inspectors focused on deep dives in the following subjects: English, mathematics, geography, religious education, and design and technology. Inspectors examined leaders’ curriculum planning, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked with pupils about the way these subjects are taught. They also looked at other subjects to check how they are planned and taught.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents. These included information about behaviour, attendance, the school’s curriculum and improvement planning. Inspectors also checked the school website.  Inspectors talked to staff and leaders about safeguarding arrangements. They examined how leaders make employment checks on staff and scrutinised further

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safeguarding records. They also asked how incidents reported by pupils are recorded and analysed.  Inspectors observed informal times of the day to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors held meetings with governors, the principal, senior leaders, lead professionals, teachers and pupils. They also talked informally to pupils and staff to gather information about school life.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and free-text comments. Inspectors also considered Ofsted’s staff survey and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Stuart Clarkson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Ireland Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 October 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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