Hall Park Academy

Inspection of Hall Park Academy Mansfield Road, Eastwood, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG16 3EA

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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 Requires Improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of the school is David Crossley. This school is part of Redhill 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, Andrew Burns, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon Healy. 18–19 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has changed for the better since the previous inspection. There has been significant cultural change. Teachers’ expectations of pupils are high. Pupils’ behaviour is good. Lessons are calm and purposeful. Routines are well-understood. Pupils show pride in their work and in their school. They value their teachers. One pupil spoke for many when they said, ‘This school has really improved, it’s a great community in which to learn and feel safe.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils believe that bullying is rare. There are many staff that they will turn to if they have concerns or worries. Student support is strong. The pupil anti-bullying ambassadors are keen to share their experience and help others. They are rightly proud of this role. They are a real credit to the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the many opportunities they receive outside of the normal school day. The breakfast club provides an excellent chance for all pupils to have a healthy start to the day. Numerous clubs, trips and activities also run daily. Pupils are enthusiastic about the difference these opportunities make to them. They said that the different experiences ‘test you and make you realise just how far you can go’.

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better?

Pupils’ attendance is now managed extraordinarily well. Attendance is good. It is particularly good in the sixth form. Many more pupils are in school and learning. Pupils’ arrival to school and to lessons is prompt. Pupils do not want to miss the good quality of education and care that the school offers. This was not always the case.

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better?

Skilled and knowledgeable subject leaders have been appointed to the school. They have benefitted from high-quality professional development and support from the trust. Many are having a significantly positive impact on the quality of pupils’ education. In English for example, the curriculum is highly ambitious. Pupils’ knowledge is carefully built over time. Pupils are developing more complex knowledge and skills. Some subject leaders, however, have not been in post long enough to have the full impact needed.

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better?

Pupils study the full range of national curriculum subjects to the appropriate depth. The curriculum in most subjects is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In geography and psychology for example, planning is meticulous. This ensures that pupils gain comprehensive insights, knowledge and understanding. Pupils enthuse about their learning in these subjects. However, in a few subjects, particularly where subject leadership is new, the curriculum is not as well established.

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better?

Many teachers are subject specialists. Teaching in the sixth form is expert. Teachers access high-quality subject support from the trust. The trust’s ‘teaching fundamentals’ have been implemented. Lessons have a common structure that 18–19 June 2024

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pupils understand and appreciate. In a few subjects the implementation of the ‘teaching fundamentals’ is inconsistent. This can lead to gaps in pupils’ learning being missed and then not addressed.

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Pupils with SEND receive effective support in lessons, including in the sixth form. Learning is suitably adapted. There have however, been a number of changes to the post holder of the SENCo role. This has been of concern to some parents. A new SENCo is now in place. She knows pupils and their families extremely well. The trust is ably supporting her. This is a welcome development.

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The school promotes the love of reading. Pupils receive regular opportunities for extended reading. They are engaged in a range of interesting activities that develop their appreciation of authors and of books. The teaching of reading extends across the curriculum. Pupils learn the most effective reading strategies to use in the subjects they study, reading maps for example. The school swiftly identifies pupils who enter the school with a reading age lower than their chronological age. They receive effective support.

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Pupils receive incredibly caring pastoral support. Teachers know them well. The personal, social, health education (PSHE) curriculum ensures that pupils have the knowledge needed to keep safe and healthy. This is particularly strong in the sixth form. Students successfully learn how to be responsible, respectful and active citizens. They are terrific role models for others in the school.

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Staff are proud to work at Hall Park. They feel well supported by leaders. They said that leaders do all that is possible to consult with them and to protect their work life balance. Trust support has had significant impact.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders are new to the school. They have not had sufficient time to be effective in the role. They have not fully benefitted from the high-quality support available from the trust. This means that aspects of the curriculum are not as meticulously planned as needed. Pupils do not learn as they could. The school must ensure that subject leaders receive the guidance and support needed to become highly effective. They must make sure that the quality of curriculum planning, and implementation, is consistently strong across all subjects and that pupils’ outcomes improve. 18–19 June 2024

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 There are inconsistencies in the implementation of the ‘teaching fundamentals’. In some lessons, this can mean that pupils’ learning gaps are not addressed. It sometimes leads to pupils developing misconceptions or becoming a little confused. The school must ensure that the implementation of the curriculum is consistently strong across all subjects and that pupils achieve as they should.

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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). 18–19 June 2024

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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sixth form

Date(s) of previous inspection 30 and 31 March 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in 2022.  The school uses three registered 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. 18–19 June 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.  Inspectors discussed any continued 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 senior school leaders and leaders from the trust.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer of the trust and representatives of the local governing body, including the chair. She spoke by telephone with the chair of the trust board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, geography, science and physical education. For each deep dive they spoke with subject leaders to discuss curriculum planning, visited a sample of lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils and teachers.  Inspectors met with the subject leaders of art and psychology, they reviewed the curriculum plans, looked a pupils work and visited a sample of lessons. Inspectors

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Information about this inspection

also visited lessons in a range of other subjects. They discussed the strategies in place to promote pupils’ knowledge and enjoyment of reading.  Inspectors met with the sixth-form leader, visited sixth-form lessons and spoke with sixth-form students.  Inspectors spoke with representatives of the alternative provision used by the school. They spoke with pupils about their experience of the school’s behaviour policy and systems.  Inspectors met with a range of pupils, including house representatives, anti- bullying ambassadors and sports captains.  Inspectors considered responses to the pupil and staff surveys and Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Sheppard Ofsted Inspector 18–19 June 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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