Lady Lumley's Academy

Inspection of Lady Lumley’s School Swainsea Lane, Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 8NG

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Clair Foden. This school is part of Coast and Vale Learning 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 Tarn and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Riby. 9 and 10 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The motto at Lady Lumley’s School is ‘be our best’. This is promoted throughout the school, including academic studies and pupils’ wider personal development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a broad and balanced curriculum. In 2023, pupils at Lady Lumley’s School made similar progress to other schools in national assessments. However, most pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds do not achieve as well as their classmates.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Recent changes to the curriculum have allowed the school to encourage pupils to see themselves as members of a diverse modern Britain. Pupils learn about people from different backgrounds through the form time reading programme, assemblies and the ‘life’ curriculum. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge of fundamental British values and the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and there is a calm atmosphere in classrooms and at social times. Bullying can happen and there are instances of derogatory language. The school takes any incidents seriously and acts quickly to address these issues.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students in the sixth form are proud to be at Lady Lumley’s. They value the positive relationships that they have with staff. One student told the inspectors, ‘It is like being part of a family’. This comment was typical of many others.

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better?

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Curriculum leaders have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember. Teachers make sure that new curriculum content connects to what pupils already know. Teachers often use assessment well to check what pupils have learned. However, this is not consistent. In a small number of subjects, some pupils struggle to recall important knowledge. They cannot build on their previous learning, because it is not secure.

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better?

A positive culture of reading is becoming established across the school. Leaders have thought carefully about the books they want pupils to read. Leaders have ensured that pupils who need help with reading receive the support they need. Staff are trained well to provide support with phonics. Sixth-form students act as reading buddies to boost pupils’ confidence in reading.

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better?

Pupils with SEND are supported well. Teachers are given clear guidance on how to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND study the same curriculum as their peers. Teachers adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils.

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better?

Sixth-form students are taught well and enjoy their time in and out of lessons. In many subjects, students talk in detail about what they have learned and remembered across the curriculum. Students value the support they get from staff. 9 and 10 April 2024

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The life curriculum ensures that they are well prepared for their next steps in education, training or employment. Students are starting to make good use of opportunities to develop their leadership skills and independence. This includes working with younger pupils in school, undertaking work experience or contributing to the school council.

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The school has prioritised pupils’ wider personal development in order to address historical issues around intolerance. The life curriculum is carefully planned from Year 7 to Year 13. Leaders have ensured that pupils learn important knowledge about how to stay safe. Pupils are taught about people from different backgrounds. Despite this, some pupils do not have a thorough understanding of fundamental British values and the protected characteristics. A small minority of pupils use inappropriate or discriminatory language. The frequency of these incidents is declining. Leaders do take action and track these incidents carefully when they are reported. The school is steadfast in its ambition to address this.

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Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is positive. They listen well and are eager to learn. Pupils’ conduct at social times is calm.

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Many pupils attend school regularly. However, overall rates of attendance are below average. This includes in the sixth form. The school has improved attendance for a small group of pupils but this has not been replicated across the school. Some pupils have to travel from rural or coastal areas to attend school. This provides additional challenges but the school needs to do more to improve attendance.

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The school has an ambitious vision that is shared by leaders and governors. There have been significant improvements in recent years. However, not all leaders work strategically across their areas of responsibility. Sometimes, they do not analyse and interpret the information that is available to them to inform their actions. Leaders, including those from the trust, need to ensure that they strengthen their oversight of certain aspects of the school. This includes attendance strategies. It also includes oversight of the school’s off-site alternative provision, where links to the school need to be stronger.

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Staff feel that they are well trained and their workload is considered. They are proud to work at Lady Lumley’s School.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are well supervised. This includes at the school’s off-site alternative provision. Leaders are currently improving the alternative provision’s access arrangements and other operational matters. This work had not been completed at the time of this inspection. 9 and 10 April 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers check that pupils have understood what they have been taught before moving on. However, this is not consistent. Furthermore, some teachers do not use this information to inform their teaching. As a result, misconceptions or gaps in knowledge are not always addressed. The school should ensure that teachers are trained and supported to check that pupils understand what they have been taught, and use this assessment information to inform their teaching.  Attendance for some pupils is too low. This means that they miss out on valuable learning. The school must ensure that they analyse attendance trends and act strategically to secure improved levels of attendance across the school.  A small number of pupils do not have an age-appropriate understanding of the protected characteristics or fundamental British values. Others occasionally demonstrate a lack of respect and tolerance for others. The school must ensure

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

that pupils understand this important knowledge so that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  In some areas, the school is not effectively analysing and interpreting the information that is available to them to inform their actions. This means that the oversight of some areas of the school is not as strong as it could be. This includes the off-site provision hosted by the school. The school needs to carry out thorough and careful analysis of information linked to improvement priorities. The multi-academy trust must further support leaders to ensure that they have strong oversight of their key areas of responsibility.

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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 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 9 and 10 April 2024

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children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 9 and 10 April 2024

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sixth form

Website www.ladylumleys.coastandvale.academy

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The chief executive officer was appointed on 1 April 2024.  The school is one of six in the Coast and Vale Learning Trust. It joined the trust on 1 May 2021.  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.  The school hosts an alternative provision that is located away from the school grounds. This provision, known as ‘ROOSE’, is hosted on behalf of the local authority and provides support for a small number of pupils from a number of local secondary schools. A small number of pupils from Lady Lumley’s attend this provision on a part-time basis. 9 and 10 April 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.

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Information about this inspection

 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.  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 the headteacher and senior leaders responsible for safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, personal development and the sixth form.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, science, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors visited lessons, reviewed curriculum plans and spoke with curriculum leaders and teachers. They

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Information about this inspection

also talked to pupils about their learning and looked at the work they have completed.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator. They reviewed pupils’ education, health and care plans. Inspectors visited lessons to see how pupils with SEND are supported to learn.  Inspectors met with the leader responsible for reading to discuss the support for pupils at the early stages of reading.  The team scrutinised the school’s records of bullying and spoke to several groups of pupils, including some single-gender groups, to understand their experience of the school.  Inspectors met leaders to discuss pupils’ behaviour and reviewed the school’s data on external and internal suspensions.  Inspectors met with representatives from the local governing body and board of trustees.  Inspectors scrutinised records relating to attendance and records of pupils who have joined or left the school roll.

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Information about this inspection

 An inspector visited the school’s alternative provision, known as ‘ROOSE’, which is located a short distance from the main school site.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys. They considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. 9 and 10 April 2024

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Inspection team

Stuart Voyce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Lane Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 April 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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