West Bromwich Collegiate Academy

Inspection of West Bromwich Collegiate Academy Kelvin Way, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 7LE

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Inspection dates: 20 and 21 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of the school is George Faux. This school is part of the Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sir Mark Grundy and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Dennis. 20 and 21 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

West Bromwich Collegiate Academy (WBCA) staff and pupils share the same high aspirations. Pupils experience consistent and high-quality support to become the best they can be. The school has set very high expectations for pupils’ future academic achievements and their development. Staff relentlessly focus on helping pupils to meet these high standards. As a result, the school enables pupils to fulfil their aspirations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and follow the WBCA values which put ‘decency’ and ‘respect’ at the heart of everything the school does. Relationships between pupils and staff are highly courteous and respectful. Pupils are happy and safe. A typical parent comment is: ‘WBCA staff are amazing and do their best to make sure the school is a community rather than just a school’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school places an exceptionally strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. The school puts itself at the centre of the local community to celebrate and support pupils inside and outside school. Pupils can explain their understanding of fundamental British values such as democracy clearly. Pupil leadership opportunities include wellbeing ambassadors and sports leaders. Pupils regularly take part in a range of extra-curricular activities such as young engineers, enterprise and poetry by heart.

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better?

The school has carefully developed a highly ambitious, rigorous and innovative curriculum to suit the needs of its pupils. For example, a ‘Literacy for Life’ (LFL) curriculum in Years 7 to 9 effectively helps pupils develop from their primary school education into their secondary school education. Through this curriculum, pupils build on their knowledge systematically. Year 7 LFL pupils were able to build on their prior knowledge of suffragettes and suffragists to discuss what impact they have had on history.

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better?

The school has precisely identified the important things that pupils need to know to succeed. The majority of teachers present new subject matter clearly. Teachers use ‘do now activities’ at the start of lessons. This helps most pupils know and remember more. Most teachers check what pupils know and ensure that pupils understand what they have to do well. However, there are times when some teachers do not check pupils’ understanding well enough. This means that some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and struggle to complete their work. This limits the progress they make.

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better?

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) exceptionally well. ‘Pupil Passports’ provide precise information for staff about pupils’ individual needs. Teachers use this information very effectively to adapt their teaching. The school has implemented an extensive range of strategies to support pupils who are not confident readers. These include specialist teachers who rapidly 20 and 21 February 2024

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address weaknesses in phonics, grammar and comprehension. Pupils value reading. The library is a hive of activity within the school.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. Pupils display excellent self-control and highly positive attitudes to learning. Staff and pupils share highly respectful relationships. This creates an open and encouraging culture where everyone is equally valued. School attendance is exceptionally high with robust systems in place to support absent pupils to catch up on their work quickly.

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An extensive personal development curriculum promotes the development of pupils’ character and interests. Pupils learn about topics such as healthy relationships and online safety effectively. Pupils speak positively about how the school educates them about culture and diversity. Pupils regularly discuss careers, university aspirations, and apprenticeships, including within the LFL curriculum. This prepares pupils very well for the next stages of their lives.

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Trustees and governors know the school exceptionally well. They support and challenge appropriately in meetings and during school visits. They hold the school to account well for all aspects of provision, including safeguarding and the quality of SEND provision. Staff have highly detailed professional development. Staff greatly appreciate this and how it helps them to do their best for the pupils. Ongoing encouragement, praise and an openness to research are key to this. The school supports all staff with both their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that all teachers consistently check that all pupils understand what has been learned and what they can remember. This means that gaps in some pupils’ knowledge are not always identified and addressed. The school should ensure that all teachers consistently check what all pupils know and can do and adapt their teaching accordingly to close any gaps in 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. 20 and 21 February 2024

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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). 20 and 21 February 2024

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School details

Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy free school

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School details

Date of previous inspection No previous inspection

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust which contains twelve schools.  The school makes use of one alternative provider.  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.

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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. 20 and 21 February 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school has received, including 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 focused on the following deep dives: English, geography, mathematics, physical education and technology. Inspectors looked at leaders’ curriculum planning, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked with pupils about their learning. Inspectors also looked at the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the school’s curriculum and improvement planning. The school’s website was also checked.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed informal times of the day as part of their evaluation of safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors held meetings with the chair of the trust, the chief executive officer of the trust, the principal and other senior leaders, teachers, including early careers teachers, learning support assistants, administrative staff and pupils. Inspectors also talked informally to pupils, staff and parents to gather information about school life.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, and the free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Stuart Clarkson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Clare Turner Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 February 2024

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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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