Bramcote College

Inspection of Bramcote College Moor Lane, Bramcote, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG9 3GA

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Heidi Gale. This school is part of The White Hills Park Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Paul Heery, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gareth Davies. 28 and 29 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high aspirations for all pupils at Bramcote College. The school’s motto encourages pupils to ‘Work hard, Be well, Do well’. Pupils are happy and appreciate the opportunities that the school gives them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides excellent pastoral support. Pupils trust staff to keep them safe and know who they can turn to if they need help or guidance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. The vast majority respond well. Classrooms are calm and orderly. Around school, pupils are polite and respectful. A small number of pupils who struggle to meet the school’s high expectations receive effective support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well prepared for their next stages in education and beyond. They benefit from excellent and personalised advice about their future choices. Sixth-form students are very well supported to achieve their ambitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are opportunities for pupils to get involved in a range of extra-curricular activities. These include sports, as well as creative and performing arts. However, many pupils do not take part in these activities. Some pupils say that they are not aware of the opportunities, or that they do not meet their interests.

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better?

The school offers a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The key stage 4 curriculum offers all pupils the opportunity to study the full range of subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate. The school is ambitious for more pupils to choose to study a modern foreign language. In the small sixth form, a wide range of academic and vocational courses are offered even when only a small number of students choose to study them.

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better?

The curriculum is well planned in all subjects. Staff have thought carefully about what pupils should learn. Knowledge is sequenced effectively so that pupils can build on what they already know and gain a deeper understanding as they progress. Most pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Where this is not the case, the curriculum is well matched to pupils’ individual needs.

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better?

Staff have strong subject expertise. They explain concepts clearly. In the majority of lessons, staff provide appropriate activities that support pupils to learn new content. Pupils learn subject-specific vocabulary and discuss their learning confidently. Staff question pupils purposefully to help them recall knowledge. Pupils try hard and produce work of a high quality. In the sixth form, staff challenge students to think deeply. They provide excellent personalised support, which helps students achieve well. Staff quickly identify when pupils with SEND need extra support and provide this effectively. 28 and 29 February 2024

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In some lessons, the delivery of the curriculum is not as effective. Sometimes, staff do not check that pupils are secure in what they have learned previously. They do not always identify gaps in pupils’ understanding. This means that tasks are not always well matched to pupils’ stage of learning. Pupils cannot make connections with new knowledge. They find it hard to engage with learning activities. When this happens, pupils’ learning is not secure. They do not remember what they have been taught.

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Pupils who need help to improve their reading receive effective support. They benefit from extra reading lessons and practise with reading buddies. All pupils have opportunities to read often and have weekly lessons in the well-stocked library.

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There is a well-planned programme for pupils’ personal development in key stages 3 and 4. Staff make sure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Pupils learn about equality, diversity and fundamental British values. They speak confidently about these themes and demonstrate mature attitudes. In the sixth form, the curriculum for personal, social and health education has not been planned well enough. As a result, sixth-form students are not as well informed as they could be. The school provides strong support for pupils’ mental health and well-being when they need it. Pupils value this support.

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The school has grown considerably over recent years, and pupil numbers continue to rise. The school has received valuable support from the multi-academy trust to develop the provision throughout this time. The governing body and trustees know the school well and provide effective challenge to leaders. Staff are proud to work in the school. They value the support that the school gives them to manage their workload and develop their expertise.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The planned curriculum is not yet delivered consistently well in all lessons. On some occasions, staff do not check pupils’ understanding well enough to ensure that activities are adapted to help pupils build on what they already know. Some lesson activities are not sharply focused on the knowledge that pupils need to learn. When this happens, some pupils become disengaged. They do not securely learn the important knowledge. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well.  The opportunities to engage in enrichment activities or to take on roles of responsibility in the school are limited. Extra-curricular activities are not always well matched to pupils’ interests. As a result, many pupils do not engage in activities or take on responsibilities. The school needs to ensure that all pupils can 28 and 29 February 2024

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develop their wider talents and interests. Furthermore, the school needs to provide more opportunities for pupils to contribute positively to the school and wider community.

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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.

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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). 28 and 29 February 2024

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 May 2017

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2017.  The school is part of The White Hills Park Trust.  The school uses four unregistered 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. 28 and 29 February 2024

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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.  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 leaders from the multi-academy trust.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the trust board and the local governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, science, modern foreign languages, art, and design and technology. 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

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Information about this inspection

samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also visited lessons and discussed the curriculum for some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors met with a range of teaching and non-teaching staff. Inspectors also considered the views of staff who responded to an online survey.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Damian Painton Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 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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