Healing Academy

Inspection of Healing Academy Low Road, Healing, Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN41 7QD

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The executive principal of this school is Richard Briggs. This school is part of Harbour 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, Richard Briggs, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christopher Cherry. The executive principal is responsible for this school and seven others. 12 and 13 June 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Healing Academy are benefitting from leaders’ recent work to improve the culture at the school. Leaders have worked to align the culture with the schools’ values of being child-centred, inclusive, ambitious, having integrity, being collaborative and valuing the staff. In a short space of time, pupils have noticed this change.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. As a result, most pupils achieve well. Pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. The atmosphere in classrooms and around school is calm and orderly. There is rarely any low-level disruption. Some pupils feel as though some of the sanctions within the behaviour policy can be unfair. School leaders agree and have responded to this by reviewing the behaviour policy. Pupils feel safe at school. They have trusted adults to speak to if they have any concerns.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities through the school’s ‘upskill’ programme. Pupils speak enthusiastically about their ‘debates and discussion’ lessons. They have access to various leadership opportunities, including the ‘pupil parliament’. Pupils with roles such as ‘prime minister’ and ‘deputy prime minister’ take part in staff interviews. These opportunities develop pupils’ confidence and help prepare them for their next steps in education.

p.2

better?

The school has designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum covers the scope of the national curriculum and, in some areas, goes beyond it. Leaders have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn and have sequenced this in a logical order. Teachers have good subject knowledge.

p.2

better?

In most subjects, the delivery of the curriculum meets leaders’ ambitions. For example, in geography teachers ensure that local knowledge is woven through the curriculum with clear links to local industries. However, in some subjects the activities that teachers use to support learning do not match leaders’ ambition. In these lessons, pupils do not consistently learn new content and make as much progress as they could.

p.2

better?

By the end of Year 11, pupils achieve good outcomes in external examinations. They make progress that is in line with national averages. Disadvantaged pupils do not make the same progress as their peers. The school has put strategies in place to respond to this. There is evidence in pupils’ books that these strategies are beginning to have a positive impact.

p.2

better?

The school has a range of strategies in place to promote a love of reading. For example, pupils have access to the ‘starbooks’ before-school reading club. The school accurately identifies pupils who are still struggling to read. However, they do 12 and 13 June 2024

p.2

3

not put in place appropriate support for these pupils to catch up. As a result, these pupils do not quickly catch up with their peers.

p.3

3

The school accurately identifies pupils with SEND. Each pupil on the SEND register has a ‘pupil passport’, which outlines a range of strategies identified to help their needs be met. Staff use this information to adapt their lessons to ensure that all pupils can access the curriculum. Pupils with SEND are well supported at this school.

p.3

3

Pupils attend school well. Overall, attendance figures are above national averages. The school has an effective system in place to identify and respond to pupils who are struggling with their attendance. As a result of this, the number of pupils who are persistently absent from school has reduced significantly this year.

p.3

3

The school has a comprehensive personal development curriculum. In weekly ‘life’ lessons pupils learn about topics, such as healthy and unhealthy relationships. They learn about the protected characteristics and understand why they are important. Leaders ensure the curriculum responds to local issues. For example, pupils recently received a visit from an external agency to learn about rail safety. Pupils have access to an effective careers programme. An initiative known as ‘careers corner’ allows all pupils to speak with representatives from a variety of industries.

p.3

3

Many parents would recommend the school to others. However, some parents are not happy about some of the changes that have been made at the school over time. Some parents feel disengaged with the school.

p.3

3

Governors and trustees have an appropriate oversight of the school. They have supported school leaders to respond to the necessary improvements identified at the previous inspection in April 2022. School leaders are mindful of staff workload and well-being. Staff feel well supported. They are proud to work at the school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects the implementation of the curriculum does not match the quality of the curriculum intent. This is usually because the activities chosen to support learning are not the most appropriate. As a result, in these lessons pupils are not making as much progress as they could. The school should ensure that staff are supported to use appropriate activities and teaching strategies in lessons, to ensure that pupils know and remember more of what they have been taught. 12 and 13 June 2024

p.3

4

 The school accurately identifies pupils who are still struggling to read. However, they do not put in place appropriate support for these pupils to catch up. As a result, these pupils do not quickly catch up with their peers. The school should put in place an effective programme of reading support to help those who struggle with reading to catch up.  Some parents and carers do not feel well informed about the school, including some of the changes that have been made over time to the school’s expectations. This has led to some parents and carers feeling disconnected with the school and/or not knowing how to best support their child to meet the school’s expectations. The school should review its arrangements for communicating and engaging with parents and carers, particularly when changes are being introduced.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 12 and 13 June 2024

p.4

School details

Website https://hsa.harbourlearningtrust.com/

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 April 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Healing Academy is part of the Harbour Learning Trust.  This school currently uses one registered alternative education 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.  The school provides the option for all pupils to have a free breakfast.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school 12 and 13 June 2024

p.5

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors met with the executive principal of the school and other senior leaders.  The lead inspector spoke with the chief executive of the trust and members of the trust board, including the chairperson.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: mathematics, English, information technology, modern foreign languages and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils and teachers 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.

p.6

6

 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at social times, at lesson changeover and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying. Inspectors spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils about the school’s programme of personal development and careers provision.  Inspectors considered the responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View. This included the comments submitted via the free-text facility. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online pupil and staff questionnaires.

p.6

Inspection team

Chris Sergeant, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Simon Barber Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 June 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7