Handsworth Grange Community Sports College

Inspection of Handsworth Grange Community Sports College Handsworth Grange Road, Handsworth, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S13 9HJ

p.1

Inspection dates: 22 to 24 November 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Outstanding 22 to 24 November 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and show positive attitudes to their education. The overwhelming majority of pupils are confident, articulate and polite. Staff have high expectations of pupils and support them to be successful.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

However, some pupils’ behaviour at social times is not good enough. Some pupils are made to feel uncomfortable by a small minority of pupils, often groups of older boys, whose behaviour can be unruly or upsetting. Pupils feel safe and say that most staff challenge this behaviour. However, pupils do not often report these behaviours to staff. Most pupils simply ignore the immature behaviour of this minority and go about their day in a mature and positive way.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally have good relationships with most staff. They say that staff, particularly pastoral staff, are supportive and caring. However, many pupils are very upset about recent changes to school policies and the way that these have been implemented. There is more work to do to convince every pupil that the school has their best interests at heart.

p.2

better?

In most subjects, leaders have carefully designed the curriculum to help pupils to develop rich and secure knowledge and skills. In mathematics and English, for example, there are clear plans for what pupils need to know and be able to do at each stage of their learning. Teachers break this learning down into small steps and explain new learning clearly. They check that all pupils have learned this securely, and address any gaps and misconceptions which pupils have. In design and technology lessons, for example, pupils are able to design and produce successful final products because of their secure knowledge and skills from previous topics. In a few subjects, leaders are less clear about how pupils’ knowledge and skills will build over time, and less ambitious about what pupils can achieve overall.

p.2

better?

Leaders ensure that there is effective support for pupils who might fall behind or struggle more with their learning. Leaders at all levels of the school and multi- academy trust (MAT) have placed a high priority on supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers make effective adaptations to their teaching to ensure that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers. If pupils have gaps in their wider knowledge and skills then teachers use opportunities in lessons to address these, for example by building pupils’ independence over time in technology. These pupils also receive more personalised support to prepare them for their next steps in education or employment. Pupils who are not yet fluent readers are supported extremely well. They receive effective teaching from knowledgeable staff, and this has a real impact on their learning.

p.2

better?

A small minority of pupils make others’ experience of school less positive than it should be through poor behaviour at social times. They sometimes throw food at other pupils. They often make unkind or thoughtless comments, for example about 22 to 24 November 2022

p.2

3

other pupils’ appearance. They sometimes use derogatory language, and do not yet understand the impact that this could have on their peers. Leaders have begun to address these issues, but there is more to do to challenge this culture among some pupils.

p.3

3

Leaders’ plans and actions to support the personal development of pupils are not as effective as they could be. In some areas, plans are not ambitious or clear enough about what pupils need to know and understand. Pupils have not been taught enough about different religions, world-views, cultures and traditions, and so their understanding of these is very limited. This can leave some pupils with significant misconceptions about others’ beliefs or cultures. Leaders have recognised this gap but their plans are not ambitious enough for what pupils will learn by the time they leave the school. There are also gaps in pupils’ knowledge of political and legal institutions in Britain and elsewhere which need addressing through a coherent and ambitious curriculum.

p.3

3

There is a broad and well-designed enrichment programme for pupils. Pupils are positive about the range of wider opportunities for them in school. Pupils receive clear and effective guidance about their next steps and future careers, and about how to manage money. There are regular opportunities for debate and discussion in lessons and tutor times, and pupils show maturity when discussing sensitive topics.

p.3

3

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for school leaders. Leaders have been open about these challenges and quick to seek further support to improve the school. The MAT and school leaders have worked closely together to address these challenges and, in most areas, they have clear and effective plans in place to ensure that their ambitions are realised in every area of the school. However, some of the policies which leaders have implemented have not been as effective as they could have been. New policies around uniform, mobile phones and toilets have been introduced with the right intentions and many pupils and parents recognise this. However, the way these policies have been communicated and implemented have left many pupils and parents disgruntled.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders identify pupils who might be at risk of harm. All staff in the school are vigilant and take their responsibility to keep children safe seriously. If pupils are at risk, then leaders generally act quickly to get them the support they need. Inspectors identified some past delays in the support for pupils at a lower level of risk, but these have been addressed by leaders. Pupils get the support they need, when they need it.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. They are knowledgeable about risks they might face online or outside of school. Pupils value the way they have been taught about these issues, which they say has been age-appropriate and genuinely useful. 22 to 24 November 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The behaviour of a minority of pupils at social times has a negative impact on others. Pupils hear derogatory language or receive unkind comments. Unruly behaviour, such as throwing food, makes pupils feel uncomfortable. Leaders must ensure that all staff consistently address this behaviour and that all pupils understand that this is not acceptable. This will include working with the minority of poorly behaved pupils to develop their understanding of right and wrong, but also ensuring that all pupils recognise the importance of reporting this behaviour to staff.  There are gaps in leaders’ plans to support the personal development of pupils. This means that many pupils lack important knowledge and understanding which they will need. This is particularly the case in terms of pupils’ knowledge of citizenship and of different cultures, traditions and beliefs. Leaders should ensure that they address these gaps quickly for older pupils, and that for younger pupils,

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

a coherent, ambitious and well-taught curriculum gives them the knowledge and understanding they need in these areas.  Leaders have implemented new policies without fully considering the impact of these. They have failed to communicate clearly with pupils and parents about changes to policies. Weaknesses in how these have been implemented have not been addressed. This has resulted in some pupils and parents developing negative attitudes towards the school and its leadership. Leaders should ensure that the implementation of new policies is consistent with their aims and vision.

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

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. 22 to 24 November 2022

p.4

School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,012

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Handsworth Grange Community Sports College is part of Minerva Learning Trust.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is above the national average.  A small number of pupils attend alternative providers. These are Embrace Sheffield, Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, Onboard, Group Training Association, My Life, and Chapel House.  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

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act.

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. 22 to 24 November 2022

p.5

6

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography and art and design. They held discussions with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, talked to pupils about their learning and looked at work pupils had completed.  Inspectors looked at plans to support the personal development of pupils. They spoke to pupils about what they had learned and the experiences and opportunities they had in the school.  Inspectors talked to staff, pupils and parents. They analysed the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, the pupil survey and the staff survey.  Inspectors observed social times, and spoke to pupils about the behaviour of their peers at these times.  Inspectors also spoke to representatives of the Minerva Learning Trust and the local governing body.  Inspectors met with the SEND coordinator, spoke to pupils with SEND and reviewed plans to support these pupils. They visited lessons to see how these

p.6

6

pupils are supported to learn. Inspectors also visited small-group sessions designed to support these pupils.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead and reviewed documentation related to safeguarding and referrals to the local authority. They also spoke to staff about how they keep pupils safe.  Inspectors met with representatives of the local governing body and reviewed documentation relating to governance.

p.6

Inspection team

Tim Jenner, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Debbie Redshaw His Majesty’s Inspector 22 to 24 November 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