Stanground Academy

Inspection of Stanground Academy Peterborough Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE7 3BY

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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 Good Previous inspection grade Good 6 and 7 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend their school. They understand and live up to the high expectations that leaders set for them. This is evident in the determination with which most pupils work to achieve the highest levels of success possible. Pupils readily demonstrate the school’s value of ambition. They speak confidently about achieving their high aspirations in school and their adult lives. Working in partnership with staff, pupils take positive next steps in education, employment or training.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well at school. They understand leaders’ behaviour policy, which focuses on staff recognising and rewarding positive behaviour. Pupils value the rewards they receive and proudly accept them as badges of honour. They work well together in lessons and enjoy each other’s company. However, occasionally, some pupils use inappropriate language during social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and are safe. They appreciate and have started using leaders’ new online service for pupils and parents to raise safeguarding concerns. Bullying is uncommon. When pupils experience bullying, staff deal with it effectively and it does not continue. On the occasions when pupils fall out with their friends, staff capably coach them so that pupils find positive solutions.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that enables pupils to choose from a wide range of education and career options. Although the school’s entry of pupils for the English Baccalaureate is markedly below the government’s ambition, leaders have taken decisive and effective action to improve this. In particular, leaders have started to increase pupils’ uptake of modern foreign languages in key stage 4.

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better?

Leaders have organised the curriculum well. They have sensibly ordered the knowledge being taught. Leaders have provided teachers the guidance they need to plan effective learning activities. Teachers use this guidance consistently well and deliver the curriculum as leaders intend. Teachers regularly review what has been taught, and this helps pupils remember important knowledge over time.

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better?

Teachers routinely check what pupils know and can do. They use the information from their checks to design appropriate learning activities and timely support so that pupils who struggle do not fall behind.

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better?

Leaders have made reading an important priority at the school. Pupils read from a wide range of texts and read often. Staff support pupils who find reading difficult effectively. These pupils develop confidence, learn to read fluently and enjoy reading.

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better?

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Leaders provide staff with a lot of information about each pupil’s 6 and 7 June 2023

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needs. Leaders do not, however, clarify which elements of their guidance teachers must use when planning learning activities. As a result, teachers sometimes do not provide what pupils need to overcome their challenges and learn the curriculum as well as they could. This includes some pupils with SEND who find it difficult to regulate their behaviour due to social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) challenges. As a result, these pupils receive sanctions rather than the support they need to overcome their SEMH difficulties.

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Pupils work hard and learn in calm environments, free from disruptions. They listen well to their teachers and each other, and willingly contribute towards class discussions.

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Leaders provide an effective programme of personal, social, health and enterprise education that is particularly well delivered in key stage 3 and the sixth form. Pupils have learned to value the different beliefs and lifestyles in modern Britain. They understand how democracy works. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, readily take positions of responsibility. For example, they serve in leadership roles such as sports leaders and anti-racism ambassadors.

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Leaders’ provision for independent careers advice and guidance enables pupils, including students in the sixth form, to make informed decisions about their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Leaders have won the confidence of staff, pupils and most parents. During the inspection, some parents and pupils went out of their way to tell inspectors about how much they appreciate leaders’ work at the school. Leaders work well with staff to ensure that they have reasonable workloads.

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The trust has positively contributed towards the provision at the school. Trust leaders have added significant capacity to the leadership and staff training at the school. Trustees understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school and hold leaders to account effectively for the quality of the school’s provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Well-trained staff look for signs of potential harm and act swiftly and appropriately when concerns arise. Leaders work effectively with external agencies and keep meticulous records to ensure that vulnerable pupils receive the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils about how to reduce the risks they face at school, at home, in the community and online.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all expected background checks are undertaken to be certain that staff are suitable to work with children. Leaders act appropriately and in line with local and national statutory guidance. 6 and 7 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not clarified for staff the precise guidance about what some pupils with SEND need. As a result, teachers sometimes do not provide exactly what these pupils need. Therefore, some pupils with SEND, including those with SEMH needs, do not overcome the challenges they face and learn as well as they could. Leaders need to provide more precise guidance about what teachers must put in place to support pupils with SEND, including those with SEMH challenges. This will ensure that they access the curriculum effectively, and consequently, achieve well.

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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 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241945 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

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School details

School category Academy special sponsor-led

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1293

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 4 April 2017

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Information about this school

 The principal joined the school in April 2022.  The school uses two registered and one unregistered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Year 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 6 and 7 June 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, modern foreign languages, music, physical education 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. Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work and visited lessons in some other subjects.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors held discussions with leaders, members of staff, pupils, and representatives from alternative providers. Inspectors also looked at safeguarding policies, leaders’ child protection records and the register of background checks undertaken to determine adults’ suitability to work with children.  Inspectors looked at a range of school documents, including that related to behaviour, attendance and alternative provision. They also took account of any

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Information about this inspection

complaints raised about the school since the previous inspection. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at break and lunch. They looked at leaders’ behaviour records.  Inspectors considered the 259 responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Al Mistrano, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Wayne Jarvis Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 June 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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