The Priory Belvoir Academy

Inspection of a good school: The Priory Belvoir Academy Barkestone Lane, Bottesford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG13 0AX

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Outcome

The Priory Belvoir Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Levon Newton. The school is part of The Priory Federation of 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, Ian Jones, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Howard Gee.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where staff know the pupils well and always have their best interests at heart. Staff consider the needs of each individual pupil and ensure that they feel safe and happy. They expect all pupils to achieve well and ensure that these expectations are met. Pupils enjoy their lessons. They learn and remember what they are taught.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a harmonious community, where staff and pupils get along well. Pupils work well together in lessons and are keen to succeed. Pupils are confident that they go to an adult when they need help and support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have the opportunity to take on leadership roles within school, and to support the local community beyond school. Through the personal development curriculum, pupils learn important skills that they will need beyond school, such as how to stay safe online and how to have healthy relationships with others. They value the opportunity to take part in many extra activities, especially in sports and arts. The school makes sure that these opportunities are open to all pupils. The extra contribution that pupils make is recognised through the ‘Peacock Pride’ awards.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has a well-planned curriculum. It sets out the important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn in each subject. There is a consistent approach to curriculum planning in all subjects. Teachers make sure that their lessons are tailored to the needs of the pupils in their class. Pupils study the full range of national curriculum subjects. When they select subjects for key stage 4, they are encouraged to make ambitious choices that prepare them well for their next steps. 6 and7 February 2024

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Teachers take the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) into account when they plan their lessons. For example, they make sure that pupils have access to key vocabulary when they need it. Staff provide pupils with effective support. They help when needed, but encourage pupils to work independently. As a result, pupils with SEND build their knowledge securely over time.

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In most lessons, teachers select activities that allow pupils to develop the key knowledge and skills they need in each subject. Teachers give clear explanations and model to pupils their thinking. They use a range of methods to ensure that pupils engage in the lesson. However, in some lessons, teachers do not provide activities that allow for pupils to learn the curriculum well enough. This means that pupils do not have a secure understanding of some areas of the curriculum.

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Teachers regularly check whether pupils have understood and remembered what they have been taught. There are frequent opportunities to recap knowledge from previous lessons. However, in some lessons, teachers do not always use this information effectively to adapt the lesson or plan the next steps in learning.

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Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to develop an interest in reading books in every subject. They study a wide range of texts, including classic plays and novels. Pupils whose reading is weaker when they enter the school are given effective support to help them catch up.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They are attentive and interested. They respond well to teachers’ questions. Pupils behave well during breaktimes and in lesson changeovers. The school has strengthened its behaviour policy in recent years. Pupils know that the policy is fair and consistently implemented.

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The school has worked hard to promote good attendance. Leaders work closely with families to provide support. As a result, attendance continues to rise following the COVID- 19 pandemic.

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Since the last inspection, the school has developed an effective strategy to help pupils prepare for the next steps in their education. Pupils are given high-quality careers information and guidance. They hear about the full range of options available to them. They have the opportunity to take part in work experience and to meet local employers. Pupils learn about the world beyond school, including about communities that are different from their own. As a result, all pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Staff feel well supported. They work well together when planning lessons. Their well- being and workload are carefully considered.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 6 and7 February 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the activities that teachers provide do not always allow for the intended curriculum to be implemented effectively. This leads to gaps in pupils’ skills. The school should ensure that all lessons are carefully designed to enable pupils to develop the knowledge and skills they need.  Although teachers check for pupils’ understanding regularly, they do not always act on this information to adapt the lesson. This means that pupils’ misconceptions are not always corrected. The school should ensure that any information gathered from in-class assessment is used effectively to address pupils’ misconceptions and adapt lessons to meet the learning needs of pupils.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school to be good in May 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 ’ 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, 6 and7 February 2024

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 6 and7 February 2024

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School details

Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy converter

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 June 2018

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Information about this school

 The school uses the services of 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first 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 four subjects: English; science; modern foreign languages; and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with leaders of reading and listened to pupils read. 6 and7 February 2024

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 Inspectors met with a wide range of senior leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator and leaders responsible for behaviour and personal development.  Inspectors met with trust leaders and those responsible for governance.  Inspectors spoke to leaders at the alternative provision used by the school.  Inspectors looked at information about behaviour, attendance and enrichment opportunities.  Inspectors spoke to a range of staff.  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 considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Paul Heery, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jules Gordon Ofsted Inspector 6 and7 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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