Chase Terrace Academy

Inspection of Chase Terrace Academy Bridge Cross Road, Chase Terrace, Burntwood, Staffordshire WS7 2DB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 6 and 7 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know they are expected to do their best at Chase Terrace Academy. They usually learn well because the curriculum is suitably ambitious and challenges them. Pupils value how staff encourage them to be independent and are prepared well for their next steps. Sixth-form students appreciate how they are enabled to learn independently and foster their own areas of interest.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. However, the behaviour of some pupils, notably those who are older, can be unsettled, especially at social times. Some of these pupils have not taken on board the recent changes to the behaviour policy, despite leaders’ efforts to enforce their expectations. Pupils say that if bullying happens, it is dealt with appropriately by staff. Pupils express concern about the disrespectful and derogatory language they occasionally encounter in school. They also want their personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons to be better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils value the extra-curricular opportunities available to them beyond lessons. There are student leadership opportunities that mean they can contribute their ideas to the development of the school. Pupils are encouraged to be active in supporting their local community and run their own food bank.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have prioritised the areas for development that were identified by inspectors. Clear progress has been made in improving the curriculum. Governors and leaders have made important decisions to help strengthen the school in the best way for pupils. The school joined the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust earlier this year. This has brought about extra leadership capacity and expertise.

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better?

Leaders have ordered the curriculum content across subjects to ensure that pupils build their learning progressively. The key stage 3 curriculum has been revised to ensure that all pupils benefit from a broad curriculum. Leaders have also made the curriculum offer broader in key stages 4 and 5 by adding more vocational courses. Teachers use assessment more effectively to identify and address what pupils do not understand. This helps pupils to know and remember more. This means that pupils now achieve well.

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better?

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge well to deliver the curriculum. Their passion for their subject often helps to engage pupils in their learning. Some teachers include real-life and contemporary links to bring learning alive. For example, pupils in GCSE art choose their own popular culture inspiration for their coursework. This is particularly effective in sixth-form lessons where students value the expertise of their teachers.

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better?

Teachers provide the right targeted support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This enables pupils to learn and make good progress alongside 6 and 7 December 2022

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their peers. This is because staff have identified pupils’ specific needs and leaders support teachers in making suitable adaptations to their teaching when needed. There is a clear strategy to ensure that weaker readers receive appropriate support so that they can access their learning in lessons. Leaders have strengthened partnership working with parents and carers.

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There are times when pupils’ behaviour in lessons disrupts learning. Teachers do not always deal with this disruption effectively. The pandemic has intensified this issue. Leaders have made appropriate changes to the behaviour policy in response to this. They have made headway in raising the staff’s expectations of pupils’ behaviour. However, changes to the policy are in the early stages of implementation and are not yet consistently followed by all pupils.

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Pupils and students have a range of personal development opportunities available to them. Parents and pupils value the clubs and activities on offer, such as theatre visits. Sixth-form students comment favourably on how these opportunities have contributed to their personal development. Pupils and students are well prepared for their next steps. They know about the full range of education and employment options available to them.

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Pupils do not acquire deep enough learning in their PSHE lessons. The curriculum has been carefully planned and includes all relevant areas of learning. However, teachers do not use appropriate strategies to ensure that pupils learn the content well. Lessons are sometimes affected by disruptive behaviour and some pupils do not take their learning seriously. This leaves some pupils with gaps in their knowledge and a limited understanding of important topics.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff ensure that safeguarding is a priority. They receive regular, appropriate training in how to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff are vigilant and pass on any concerns they have. Leaders take prompt action and work well with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and families receive the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum, form time and assemblies. This includes how to stay safe online.

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Safeguarding

Leaders complete appropriate staff recruitment checks to help ensure adults are safe to work with children.

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 Some pupils do not behave well; they use derogatory language and display disrespectful attitudes to others. A few teachers do not apply the updated behaviour policy with consistency. This means that pupils experience an inconsistent approach to behaviour management. Leaders should take additional steps to ensure that all staff apply the school’s behaviour policy confidently and consistently.  The teaching of the planned PSHE curriculum is not as effective as it should be. Pupils place less value on these lessons and do not acquire secure enough learning. Leaders should ensure that all teachers of PSHE develop their subject knowledge and pedagogy to deliver these lessons effectively so that pupils are able to remember more of their learning and apply their knowledge effectively.

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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. 6 and 7 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241068 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,336

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 17 September 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took on the substantive responsibility for the school on 1 April 2022.  The school joined the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust on 1 April 2022.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  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.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 6 and 7 December 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 the following subjects: English, mathematics, geography, religious education and art and design. Inspectors examined leaders’ curriculum plans, 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 curriculum and improvement planning. The school’s website was also checked.  Inspectors talked to staff and leaders about safeguarding arrangements. They examined how leaders make employment checks on staff and scrutinised safeguarding records. They also asked how incidents reported by pupils are

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recorded and analysed.  Inspectors observed informal times of the day to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors held meetings with members of the trust and governors, the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils. They also talked informally to pupils and staff to gather general information about school life.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Nicola Beech, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gemma Mann Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 December 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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