Lift New Forest

Inspection of The New Forest Academy Long Lane, Holbury, Southampton, Hampshire SO45 2PA

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 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 Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Rob Forder. This school is part of Academies Enterprise Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rebecca Boomer-Clark, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Hall. 27 and 28 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small and friendly school with a vision to provide the best education for all pupils. Over the last few years, the school has established an inclusive and ambitious ethos. This can be seen particularly in its work on the curriculum and pupils’ behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has raised its ambitions for what pupils can achieve academically. It has refined its curriculum thinking, and this work is embedding well generally. As a result, pupils take a broader range of subjects, and in most areas, pupils produce work of an increasingly high standard. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Where appropriate, some pupils follow a personalised curriculum. Staff carefully tailor this provision for each individual case.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff share high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and consistently implement the school’s routines and systems. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent in lessons, and conduct in social time is orderly. Pupils are polite and respectful. Kindness is one of the school’s core values, and there were many examples of this during the inspection. Pupils feel safe and happy. They are proud to attend a kind school.

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better?

Curriculum teams have strong subject knowledge. In most cases, they have clearly set out what pupils must know and be able to do at each point of their learning. This includes linking knowledge to overarching ideas and concepts. Most teachers present new information in logical steps and check that pupils understand it before moving on. Teachers choose activities that allow pupils to apply their learning in different ways. Pupils respond well to the helpful feedback that teachers provide. There are appropriate adjustments made for pupils with SEND. These are based on the detailed information the school provides about how best to support them. There is also a common focus on developing all pupils’ resilience. For example, pupils routinely use their notes to find answers for themselves before asking the teacher. Where the revised curriculum is fully in place, pupils can remember what they have learned. All pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND,

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better?

apply it with increasing independence and accuracy. However, this is not yet the case in a few areas.

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better?

The school has a clear reading strategy. Pupils who need additional help with reading are supported effectively. The school identifies gaps in reading knowledge and provides support accordingly. The tutor reading programme exposes all pupils to a wide range of texts. The approaches used to explore texts in tutor periods are increasingly being used throughout the wider curriculum.

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better?

The school’s strong pastoral system helps pupils to thrive as individuals. Pupils appreciate the range of extra-curricular activities on offer and enjoy mixing with others. Pupils generally are confident about who they are, and they respect others who are different from themselves. The school’s careers programme is well 27 and 28 September 2023

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structured and prepares pupils effectively for future study and the world of work. The school makes effective use of links with local employers. The personal development programme is carefully considered. Pupils learn how to keep healthy and avoid risky behaviours, including when online. They explore issues linked to equality and discuss different points of view. The school ensures there are no barriers for any pupil to access careers and personal development activities, including pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged. However, the delivery of tutor sessions is not consistently effective. Consequently, some pupils’ depth of understanding is not as secure as it could be.

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The trust provides strong support, which enables the school to realise its mission to raise expectations. The trust’s established systems ensure that there is effective support and challenge of leaders. Statutory duties, including those relating to safeguarding, are fulfilled effectively. Workload is considered carefully by all, and steps have been taken to reduce unnecessary tasks. Staff enjoy working at the school, and they are very proud to work here.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few areas, the school’s new curriculum is not as fully embedded as in others. This means that some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could. The school should continue to ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently and in line with very best practice that already exists.  The delivery of the school’s personal development programme is not always as effective as it could be. Consequently, some pupils do not develop their understanding of personal, social, health and economic topics as well as they could. The school should ensure that all tutors have the knowledge they need to deliver this programme effectively to all pupils.

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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. 27 and 28 September 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 27 and 28 September 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 February 2018

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Academies Enterprise Trust.  The school currently 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 Years 8 to 13 with information and 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 27 and 28 September 2023

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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 held meetings with trust and school leaders, members of staff and pupils.  The lead inspector also met with representatives of the trust board and of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, languages, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work from all key stages. Inspectors also looked at work from a range of other subjects and discussed the curriculum with other subject leaders.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with staff and pupils to gather their views. They considered parents’ and carers’ responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also took account of responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Mary Davies, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julia Mortimore Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 September 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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