Lynn Grove Academy

Inspection of Lynn Grove Academy Lynn Grove, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 8AP

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 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 Amy Brookes. This school is part of Creative Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Marc Jordan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Abbie Rumbold. There is also an executive principal, Ben Driver, who is responsible for this school. 18 and 19 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attending Lynn Grove are happy and safe. It is a place where they can be themselves and where being different is part of everyday life. Pupils rarely experience unkind language.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Social times are calm. Pupils are typically courteous to visitors. In lessons, pupils listen to their teachers and follow routines. This enables them to focus on their learning. Most pupils meet the high expectations of the school. They understand the consequences of poor behaviour and recognise that behaviour in the school is improving.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The approach to rewards is something that pupils acknowledge is helping to improve behaviour and attendance. The school’s new ‘college’ system has brought pupils together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel they are an important part of the changes happening to the life of the school. Through the school council and the anti-bullying ambassadors, pupils show that they can advocate effectively on behalf of their peers. Pupil voice is supported very effectively by the school’s leaders.

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better?

The school has worked closely with the trust to put in place an effective curriculum. The planning and sequencing of lessons enable pupils to learn well. The curriculum identifies the key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn. Teachers have been provided with effective training to be able to support their subject knowledge and the implementation of the curriculum. School staff know pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. The use of ‘pupil passports’ enables staff to make appropriate changes to meet the needs of these pupils.

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better?

The school prioritises reading. There are effective plans in place to support pupils where they struggle to keep up. The school has also invested heavily in additional resources and maintains an excellent library, which is well used.

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better?

Most pupils behave well. However, because the behaviour of some pupils does not meet the school’s expectations, the number of pupils suspended and permanently excluded from school is high. The number of suspensions is falling, but further action by the school is required. As a result of suspension, some pupils miss out on the opportunity to receive the high-quality education provided by the school. Most pupils attend school regularly. When pupils do not attend, the school has rigorous processes for ensuring they are safe. Leaders understand the causes of absence. For some groups of pupils, attendance is improving as a result of the school’s actions. This is not the case for all pupils. 18 and 19 October 2023

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There is a well-considered personal development curriculum. This provides pupils with the opportunity to engage with views that are different to their own. For example, in ethics lessons, pupils learn about capital punishment. They describe their views on the topic confidently. Pupils are also taught how to keep themselves safe. Pupils can describe consent well and can recognise when a relationship is not healthy. Where pupils do have concerns, they are very well supported by the school’s safeguarding team. This is a strength of the school.

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Pupil leaders can describe their role in school life and the improvements they have seen during their time in the school. They are mature and confident. Pupils have access to appropriate information in relation to careers. This begins in Year 8. All older pupils have the opportunity to meet with a careers adviser to support their careers and further education choices.

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Leaders at all levels understand the context of the school. As a result, they recognise what needs to improve. Trust leaders have appropriate and rigorous procedures in place to ensure school improvement happens at pace. The school’s academy council oversees the work of the school effectively. Staff are typically supportive of leaders. They feel that consideration is given to their workload. Staff comment that they are proud to work in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not meet the high behavioural expectations of leaders. As a result, levels of suspensions are high. The school must ensure that the behaviour system is monitored and reviewed rigorously and frequently to enable all pupils to understand what is expected of them.  The attendance of pupils is not yet consistently high. While leaders have systems in place to tackle this, their actions have not yet been as effective as they could be in reducing absence. Leaders should ensure that school policies are implemented robustly to improve the attendance of 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. 18 and 19 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). 18 and 19 October 2023

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,190

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Creative Education Trust.  The school has recently appointed a new principal.  The school makes use of three alternative providers.  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. 18 and 19 October 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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, history, science, modern foreign languages and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspection team met with pupils from different year groups to talk about their

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learning and experiences at school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents provided by the school. These included the school improvement plan, curriculum documentation and school policies.  Inspectors considered 115 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View. This included 84 comments from parents and carers in the free-text facility. Inspectors also considered the 65 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Rockey, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sue Child Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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