Marine Academy Plymouth

Inspection of Marine Academy Plymouth Trevithick Road, Plymouth PL5 2AF

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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

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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 this school is Leigh Withers. This school is part of The Ted Wragg Multi 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, Moira Marder, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Philip Bostock. 23 and 24 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Marine Academy Plymouth (MAP) has undergone a period of improvement. Pupils have responded positively to the raised expectations for how they behave and what they can achieve. They are proud to be part of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A strong focus on good manners, respect and empathy for others means the school is calm and welcoming. Pupils behave well and work hard. They show pride in their work and what they have achieved.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have high aspirations for what they can achieve at school and in the future. The proportion of sixth-form students who go on to university, including the most academically selective, has vastly increased.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and well supported at school. Staff help them when they are experiencing difficulties. Consequently, pupils can focus on their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their characters, talents and interests. Pupils value these experiences as part of their education. There are trips and clubs linked to all areas of the academic curriculum. For instance, pupils’ visit to a local museum enhances their understanding of World War Two.

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better?

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum. The English Baccalaureate is now at the heart of the key stage 4 curriculum. Most pupils in key stage 4 now learn a humanities subject and language. The curriculum is designed well and is logically sequenced. Content builds on what pupils know and can do. As a result, pupils produce high-quality work. In addition, students’ achievements in the sixth form have improved markedly and rapidly. However, while the impact of the improved curriculum is now evident in current pupils’ learning, it has not had a sustained enough impact to be reflected yet in published outcomes. This is because the legacy of weaker curriculums and attendance have led to gaps in some pupils’ knowledge.

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better?

There is a highly consistent and effective approach to teaching the curriculum, including in the sixth form. This particularly supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. Pupils routinely revisit previous learning. Teaching regularly checks what pupils can remember. Pupils remember what they have learned. This helps them to build their knowledge securely.

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better?

The school makes sure that pupils read throughout the school day so that they expand their vocabularies and build confidence with reading. Pupils who need to improve their reading get the support they need. However, few pupils say they enjoy reading, or do so out of school. Therefore, the school continues to encourage reading for pleasure. 23 and 24 April 2024

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Staff manage behaviour well so that learning is not interrupted. Fewer pupils now miss learning due to poor behaviour. However, too many pupils do not attend school often enough. The school has worked closely with families and external agencies to improve attendance. While this work has had a significant impact in some individual cases, it has not yet improved attendance substantially across the school. Pupils who do not attend school regularly do not benefit from the improved curriculum. As a result, these pupils continue to have gaps in their knowledge. They do not learn the curriculum well enough.

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There is a comprehensive programme of personal, social, health and economic education. Pupils learn how to stay safe and healthy. They know the importance of healthy eating and exercise. Pupils do not always recall what they have learned about aspects of the fundamental British values, or different faiths and cultures. They rarely discuss the issues they learn about, so they do not deepen their understanding. However, pupils show tolerance and respect in the way they treat one another. Students in the sixth form take part in debates and discussions. These activities help them to explore their own ideas and appreciate the perspectives of others.

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Pupils learn about the education, apprenticeships and careers that are open to them after school. The school draws on local further and higher education providers, and employers, to show pupils what it is possible for them to do in the future. Students in the sixth form value the support they get in making choices about their futures.

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Expertise from the trust has had a demonstrable impact on the curriculum and pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Trustees’ decisions have facilitated school improvement. Leaders have taken effective steps to reduce workload while also improving standards. Staff’s well-being is high. Leaders support and inspire staff. Consequently, staff have the expertise and enthusiasm to fulfil their roles well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Too many pupils do not attend school often enough. They have gaps in their knowledge due to poor attendance. Consequently, these pupils do not have a secure knowledge on which to build their learning. The trust should continue to prioritise and improve attendance. It should ensure that the curriculum is adapted well to support those pupils who have gaps in their knowledge so that they achieve well.  Pupils do not have sufficient opportunity to learn about and discuss views, experiences and beliefs that differ from their own. As a result, they do not deepen their knowledge and understanding in this area of the curriculum effectively. The 23 and 24 April 2024

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school and the trust need to make sure that pupils get sufficient opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding of beliefs and cultures to support their wider personal development.

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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). 23 and 24 April 2024

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school uses two unregistered alternative provisions and one registered alternative provision.  Marine Academy Plymouth opened in April 2020. When its predecessor school, Marine Academy Plymouth, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate.  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. 23 and 24 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.  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 into these subjects: English, mathematics, history and science.  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.

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Information about this inspection

 An inspector met with governors, trustees and staff from the multi-academy trust, including the CEO.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online surveys. Inspectors also spoke to pupils and staff in meetings and around the school site.  An inspector contacted some of the alternative provisions used by the school and also spoke to pupils who attend them.

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Inspection team

Sarah Favager-Dalton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Tong Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 2024

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