Birmingham Ormiston Academy

Inspection of Birmingham Ormiston Academy 1 Grosvenor Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B4 7QD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 23 and 24 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA). The school aims to allow all pupils to develop their talents. This is successful because leaders have created an effective and broad curriculum, alongside high-quality pastoral care. Within the core curriculum, the school has a focus on its high-quality arts provision, supporting pupils along dedicated pathways at key stages 4 and 5. Through well-developed industry links and an extensive enrichment programme, the school is successful in its vision to ‘unlock each pupil’s potential’. As one pupil said to inspectors, ‘I have done things I have never done before at BOA.’ High expectations for a high proportion of pupils are realised. Pupils support each other in their endeavours and work harmoniously towards ambitious curriculum goals.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at BOA thanks to the tolerant and inclusive ethos which leaders have established. As another pupil said to inspectors, ‘Everyone is allowed to be who they want to be.’ Pupils behave exceptionally well, and demonstrate care and respect for each other, and for visitors. Inspectors agreed that this is a strength of the school.

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better?

Leaders have developed a highly ambitious, well-designed curriculum. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils know and can do. They provide personalised support, where needed, so that all pupils can succeed with their learning. Teachers also have high levels of subject expertise and deliver key knowledge well. They address pupils’ misconceptions, which helps them to build successfully on previous learning. However, on occasion, teachers do not check well enough if pupils have retained the key knowledge they need to progress through the curriculum. This means some pupils find difficulties with more demanding work. Much more typically, teachers revisit knowledge, check understanding and help pupils make links in their learning. This is especially strong in the sixth form. For example, in musical theatre, pupils develop their understanding of the genre through a well-sequenced curriculum including elements of dance, acting and singing. This enables pupils to

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better?

become effective independent practitioners over time. A culture of reading is highly developed through opportunities such as the BOA Book Award scheme, and through book swap opportunities.

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better?

Leaders see the wider development of pupils as integral to their curriculum to prepare pupils for their next steps. Pupils develop confidence and resilience through carefully planned enrichment opportunities which represent exemplary practice. Pupils relish the wide range of opportunities available to them, including the Friday programme of activities. Careers information and guidance is strong throughout the school. Information for sixth-form students helps to prepare them for learning at university, in the workplace, in the performing arts and also in a range of other destinations. Students appreciate this personalised approach. 23 and 24 May 2023

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The provision and help for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are excellent. Staff are very well trained and provide highly effective support in class for pupils with SEND. Teachers are aware of the agreed strategies in place for each pupil, and use them effectively. Support is tailored to each pupil and is regularly monitored and reviewed. Pupils with SEND make very good progress.

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Pupils are highly respectful of each other, and tolerance of difference and mutual support are hallmarks of the school. Relationships between staff and pupils are exceptionally positive, which leads to exceedingly strong attitudes to learning. Staff manage behaviour consistently. Attendance is improving from a high base, and leaders maintain an intelligent and effective approach to sustaining this, given the significant distance that so many pupils live from the school. Many parents told inspectors that the school’s ethos and the support pupils receive are significantly valued.

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Many governors are new in post, but they are aware of the school’s aims, and have a general understanding of the strengths. They provide appropriate challenge to leaders. Governors are working to refine their practice further through link governors and external validation of the school’s work. They have taken action to remodel the leadership structure in the school. Leaders are mindful of staff’s workload and have already taken action to consult on changes, which staff have welcomed. Many leaders are new in post and as such are refining their approach to quality assurance. They are conscious that they need a more evaluative analysis of the impact of their work to provide clarity for future developments. Staff are loyal to the school and are committed to its wider aims.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are aware of the significant distances that pupils live from the school, and have adapted their approaches to safeguarding accordingly. This includes extensive liaison with parents or carers to put support in place quickly, including from external agencies, to help pupils at risk. Staff receive clear and timely training. They identify and pass on concerns promptly. Leaders ensure that adults in the school have a good understanding of local safeguarding risks, which includes the distances travelled by pupils each day to attend school. They work extensively with pastoral leads to ensure pupils have the information they need to keep themselves safe.

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Safeguarding

Leaders carry out checks on the suitability of staff working with pupils. The school is working towards consolidating its safeguarding notes into a single record. Although no pupil is at risk of harm, leaders are aware that this needs further work to ensure all records are stored coherently and can be retrieved in a timely manner. 23 and 24 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders do not always systematically quality assure all aspects of the school’s provision with a high level of precision. This means that they are not clear about the full impact of their actions. Leaders need to ensure they have the information to be able to evaluate the impact of their work so they can precisely plan for future developments.  On occasion, teachers do not use assessment well enough to identify and address pupils’ gaps in learning. As a result, gaps in some pupils’ learning persist. Leaders should ensure that all teachers precisely identify and then address any misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ learning to enable them to build successfully on their learning.

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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. 23 and 24 May 2023

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 21 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new principal was appointed in June 2020.  The school receives external support from the BOA Trust.  The school specialises in creative, digital and performing arts, and selects pupils by aptitude.  The school does not make use of any registered or unregistered providers.  The most recent section 8 inspection took place in March 2017.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 23 and 24 May 2023

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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 principal, the CEO and other senior leaders. They met with representatives of the academy trust, the local governing body and the sponsor trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, acting, musical theatre and dance.  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 reviewed the school’s records of safeguarding checks and referrals. They met with leaders who have overall responsibility for safeguarding. They looked at the single central record and reviewed safeguarding documentation,

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Information about this inspection

practices and procedures. Inspectors spoke with staff and pupils about the school’s work to keep pupils safe.  Inspectors looked at policies provided by the school. They studied curriculum documentation, behaviour logs, attendance records and destination statistics.  Inspectors spoke with leaders responsible for SEND and reading. They also looked at information about the support for pupils with additional needs.  Inspectors conducted a learning walk to evaluate the support received by pupils with SEND in lessons.  Inspectors visited a number of tutor periods.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in class and around the school site. They also scrutinised behaviour and attendance records.  Inspectors spoke with pupils and considered the responses of the pupils who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.  Inspectors held discussions with staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s

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Information about this inspection

questionnaire for staff.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s parent questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including the comments received by Ofsted’s free-text facility. 23 and 24 May 2023

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Inspection team

Andrew Madden, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Emma Gater His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 May 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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