William Lovell Church of England Academy

Inspection of William Lovell Church of England Academy Main Road, Stickney, Boston, Lincolnshire PE22 8AA

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The headteacher of this school is Stuart Hutton. This school is part of the Lincoln Anglican Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jackie Waters-Dewhurst, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jerry Woolner. 10 and 11 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive and aspirational school. There is a caring culture that is underpinned by the school’s Christian ethos. The school provides strong pastoral support for all pupils, many of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff make sure that all pupils, including the most vulnerable, are very well cared for. Pupils feel safe in the school and trust staff to help them when they need it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite. They enjoy positive relationships with staff. Pupils are tolerant and understand diversity. They say that everybody feels welcome in the school. When there are disruptions to learning, staff deal with them calmly and effectively. Pupils appreciate the rewards that they receive for displaying positive behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. All pupils study a broad range of subjects at key stage 3 and 4. Despite the improvements to the curriculum, many pupils still have gaps in their learning that are not addressed well enough. Pupils do not always remember what they have learned. Many do not achieve as well as they could.

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better?

The school has worked hard to develop the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils. All pupils have the opportunity to study the subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate. In most subjects, curriculums identify the knowledge pupils should learn and when they should learn it. There are opportunities for pupils to revisit topics that they have learned previously. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They present information clearly. In most lessons, well-planned activities help pupils to practise what they have learned. Pupils enjoy learning and work hard.

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better?

In a small number of subjects, the curriculums are not planned well enough. The school does not ensure that teachers consistently present new knowledge in a way that helps pupils make links to what they have learned before. In these subjects, pupils do not reliably remember what they have learned. Routines for checking what pupils have learned are not strongly embedded in the school. Staff do not quickly identify when pupils have gaps or misconceptions. They do not always give feedback that helps pupils to deepen their understanding. Sometimes, lesson activities do not meet the needs of all pupils. When this happens, some pupils become disengaged. Occasionally they disrupt the learning of others.

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better?

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND well. Individualised plans help staff to make sure that pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum. When pupils do not have the reading knowledge they need to access the curriculum, the school provides good support.

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better?

The curriculum prepares pupils well for their lives in modern Britain. It provides lots of opportunities for pupils to learn about British values, diversity and equality. These 10 and 11 October 2023

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important themes are embedded in the curriculums of subjects such as history, religious education (RE) and English. In RE lessons, pupils learn to appreciate different faiths and cultures. The curriculum for physical education (PE) supports pupils’ character development alongside learning about sports. There is a well- planned programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE). Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They learn how to avoid potentially risky situations and how to form positive relationships. Pupils benefit from an enrichment programme that allows them to pursue their interests, for example arts, music, computing and sports. Pupils learn about careers and options for their next stage in education. Visitors from colleges, universities and employers talk to pupils in assemblies.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They work together to create a positive environment for pupils to flourish. The school has improved rapidly. Pupils and parents recognise this. The school works hard to make sure all pupils attend school well. Attendance has begun to improve. However, too many pupils are absent from school too often. They cannot benefit from the curriculum the school offers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculums in a small number of subjects are not planned well enough. They do not support pupils to build on prior knowledge. Gaps emerge in pupils’ understanding. Pupils cannot make links to new knowledge. Learning is insecure and pupils do not reliably remember what they have learned. The school needs to ensure that all curriculums are well sequenced to support pupils to build on prior knowledge and gain a secure understanding of what they are learning.  Routines for checking pupils’ understanding are not strongly embedded in the school. In too many lessons, pupils’ learning is not checked systematically. This means that misconceptions are not identified and addressed quickly. The school needs to ensure that staff check routinely what pupils have learned and adapt lessons to address gaps and misconceptions.

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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. 10 and 11 October 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). 10 and 11 October 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust.  The headteacher became the substantive headteacher in January 2022.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  This is a Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in March 2023.  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. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer and other representatives of the multi-academy trust.  The lead inspector met with a representative of the board of trustees and representatives of the local governing body, including the chair.  The lead inspector spoke to a representative of the Diocese of Lincolnshire.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, mathematics, history, and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to

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some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors visited a number of lessons in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single 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 met with pupils from a range of year groups, including pupils with SEND, to hear about their experiences at the school.  Inspectors met with a range of teaching and non-teaching staff.  Inspectors considered responses to pupil and staff surveys as well as Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Sammy Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 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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