All Saints Church of England Academy

Inspection of All Saints Church of England Academy Pennycross, Plymouth, Devon PL5 3NE

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Inspection dates: 28 February and 1 March 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 28 February and 1 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

At All Saints Church of England Academy, there is relentless drive to establish a culture in which everyone can fulfil their potential. Pupils know that expectations of them are high. They are bold in their interactions with others, striking up conversation with visitors confidently. This extends into pupil’s preparation for the world of work. Pupils learn to perform confidently in interviews and know what they want from an employer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s culture is underpinned by the values: love, bravery and legacy. Pupils value one another for their differences. They are clear that staff do not tolerate discrimination. There is little room for bullying in this school. Pupils are well supervised. Pastoral staff help pupils to resolve any problems, so that they can focus fully on their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at All Saints think about the legacy that they are building for themselves. They know that their chances of success are greater if they make the most of their time at school. They spend their time productively. This is leading to improved attendance, behaviour and literacy for many.

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better?

Pupils learn a rich and interesting curriculum. Teachers help pupils to remember essential knowledge by revisiting the key points. This principle is built into the design of the curriculum from the outset. As a result, pupils and staff spot any content that is less secure. There are regular opportunities for pupils to draw their learning together and to show what they know.

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better?

More pupils now gain qualifications in subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate. For example, in the past, very few pupils left school with a qualification in a modern foreign language. This is all changing because pupils in key stage 3 are gaining confidence in learning French. Therefore, increasing numbers of pupils continue with learning a modern foreign language when they move into key stage 4.

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better?

Leaders have reshaped the curriculum to prioritise reading. Pupils who need to catch up follow a structured programme of support. They recognise the difference this is making to them. Leaders plan to bring in a phonics curriculum for pupils who need this. However, they do not yet use assessment to precisely identify the gaps in pupils’ phonic knowledge. Therefore, they are not yet fully clear which pupils will benefit.

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better?

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the school is high. Leaders, including those from the multi-academy trust, are relentlessly ambitious for these pupils. Their starting point 28 February and 1 March 2023

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is that pupils must attend well. Leaders support pupils with specific needs well. Such pupils’ attendance is improving as a result.

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Pupils know they must not disrupt one another’s learning. Clear routines support this. Leaders adapt their approach to managing behaviour to support pupils with particular needs. Consequently, pupils’ behaviour is improving. Pupils who have missed school due to their poor behaviour told inspectors about how the school is helping them to correct this.

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Careers education is well established. Pupils gain a good understanding of the local labour market. They have meaningful interactions with different employers and training providers. The curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) supports pupils well with their personal lives. There are opportunities for pupils to further enrich their lives, for example many are part of the school choir. However, leaders do not yet ensure that everyone benefits from a wide extra-curricular offer.

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Leaders, at all levels, are determined to provide and sustain a high-quality education. They are acutely aware of the difference this makes for disadvantaged pupils. Staff, including teachers new to the profession, hold leaders in high regard. They recognise how much the school has changed for the better. The mantra ‘do less, better’ is helping to keep workload manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Trust and school leaders work together to create a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders follow up any concerns quickly. They work well with other agencies, challenging services where they believe that pupils continue to be at risk.

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Safeguarding

Leaders understand the difficulties local families face. They help them to access the right support. Leaders provide useful online briefings for parents, for example on mental health and internet safety.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are included in discussions about school culture. This helps to strengthen the whole school approach to reduce bullying and other harmful behaviours.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Plans to support pupils in the early stages of reading have not yet been implemented in full. While many pupils receive support which is helping them to catch up in reading, for some this is not focused precisely enough on where gaps in phonic knowledge lie. Leaders should develop the expertise in the school to 28 February and 1 March 2023

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support the effective implementation of a phonics curriculum for pupils who need this.  Some pupils continue to miss too much school. Sometimes suspension or removal from lessons is a factor in this. This limits pupils’ ability to follow and learn the curriculum. Leaders should sustain and build on their early successes to further improve pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Leaders are not yet systematic in ensuring that all pupils benefit from the school’s extra-curricular offer. As a result, some pupils do not yet access the breadth of cultural and social experiences that they could. Leaders should ensure that pupils’ wider development opportunities are carefully planned.

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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. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10257090 Type of school Secondary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 October 2019

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the school has joined the Ted Wragg multi- academy trust. The trust comprises 14 schools located in and around Exeter and Plymouth.  A new headteacher joined the school in January 2022. The senior leadership team has since been reorganised to reflect the school’s priorities. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) was appointed in September 2022.  This is a Church of England school and part of the diocese of Exeter. The school’s provision for religious education and collective worship was last inspected under section 48 of the 2005 Education Act in May 2019.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND, including pupils with education health and care (EHC) plans, is well above average.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which

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Information about this school

requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and 28 February and 1 March 2023

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engagement 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.

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, the SENCo, leaders from the multi-academy trust, including the chief executive officer and the chair of the trust board and members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: engineering, English, modern foreign languages, history and science. For each deep dive, 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 lead inspector considered the single central record of adults working in the school and met with leaders from the school and trust to discuss the

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Information about this inspection

arrangements for safeguarding pupils. Inspectors held discussions with pupils and staff to evaluate the culture of safeguarding.  Inspectors visited provisions within the school to support pupils with their behaviour. An inspector held a telephone discussion with an alternative provider. Inspectors met with pupils to discuss how the school helps them with their behaviour.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also took into account responses to surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Lydia Pride, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Daniel Mather Ofsted Inspector 28 February and 1 March 2023

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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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