Laurence Jackson School

Inspection of Laurence Jackson School Church Lane, Guisborough, North Yorkshire TS14 6RD

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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

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 Catherine Juckes. This school is part of Vision Academy 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 (CEO), Simon White, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Charlotte Irving. 18 and 19 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have worked closely with pupils to bring about rapid improvements at this school. Overall, parents and carers speak positively about the improvements that have taken place. Many pupils value these changes. Pupils who have leadership roles are keen to discuss their improved school. Staff are right to be proud of all they have achieved.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave and communicate respectfully in lessons, at social times and as they move around the school. This is due to staff’s hard work to embed the school’s high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils respond positively to staff. They share the ambitions that staff have for them. The positive relationships between staff and pupils help pupils to have trusted adults in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bespoke provisions in the school support the needs of vulnerable pupils and those who need to improve their behaviour, attendance or attitudes to learning. These are successful. ‘Evolve’ is a calm learning environment where pupils access their work with trained staff’s support. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are equally well supported to fully access the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to pursue their talents, such as in sport, drama and music. One pupil in school proudly holds the position of Trust Poet Laureate. The school provides specific clubs for its most vulnerable pupils. These are safe spaces that build confidence and friendships.

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better?

Leaders have reshaped the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious for all. The curriculum is thoughtfully sequenced so that knowledge and skills build over time. This varies between subjects. Some curriculums are further developed than others. Teachers present content clearly and select activities that help pupils to remember and apply their learning. The school identifies any needs individual pupils may have and how to support them. This helps teachers adapt approaches effectively. Staff model learning well, which benefits all pupils. Teachers check pupils’ understanding regularly and provide pupils with useful feedback.

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better?

The school’s work is making a positive difference. Pupils are typically learning more and remembering more of what they are taught. In exercise books, pupils, including pupils with SEND, produce high-quality work. However, these improvements are yet to be reflected in external outcomes. While pupils are achieving increasingly well, there is ongoing work needed to ensure that all pupils make expected progress.

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better?

There are a number of pupils who struggle with reading. The school supports these pupils successfully. Staff provide a number of interventions, including phonics, to 18 and 19 June 2024

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help the less confident readers catch up quickly. The school monitors the impact of these interventions and ensures that pupils improve their fluency and comprehension skills when ready. Newly trained pupil reading ambassadors read with younger pupils, and pupils regularly visit the school library. Events, such as those linked to World Book Day, promote a love of reading.

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The school has successfully made improvements to pupils’ behaviour. Pupils move well between lessons and arrive at their classes ready to learn. Although the number of suspensions has risen as pupils adjust to the new behaviour policy, the school has implemented well-thought-through procedures that have reduced this over time. However, the number of suspensions is still higher than it should be. When pupils’ behaviour falls short of the school’s high expectations, staff use a variety of methods to carefully support pupils to understand how to get things right. Most pupils attend regularly and strategies to support pupils who struggle to attend are impactful.

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The school’s personal development programme is thorough. Pupils learn how to navigate relationships and how to stay safe online. They explore diversity through events such as diversity month. The school’s careers provision benefits from links to partners from the world of work, education and training. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for their next steps. To enable pupils to explore talents and interests, the school offers a range of clubs and trips. Staff ensure that personal development, careers and extra-curricular activities are accessible to all pupils.

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The trust has been integral in forming the school’s new strategic direction. There is a new governing body in place. This provides support and challenge to the school and discharges its statutory duties effectively. Leaders are mindful of staff’s workload and well-being. Most staff acknowledge this and are very proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Historically, pupils have not made as much progress academically as they could. This is because, previously, the curriculum was not embedded or implemented sufficiently well. The school should continue to enhance and further embed its curriculum plans to ensure that all pupils make expected progress.  Some pupils do not meet the school’s high expectations for behaviour. As a result, they have too many suspensions from school. The school should continue to work with pupils and their families to further reduce suspensions over time. 18 and 19 June 2024

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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 and 19 June 2024

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,239

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Vision Academy Learning Trust.  A small number of pupils access alternative provision with two registered providers and one unregistered 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.

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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. 18 and 19 June 2024

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 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 senior leaders over the course of the inspection. The lead inspector also held a meeting with the CEO of the trust.  The lead inspector held a meeting with five trustees and also met with five members of the local governing board. The lead inspector reviewed documentation relating to governance, including minutes from governing board meetings.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, mathematics, geography, physical education and drama. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of

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pupils’ work.  An inspector also looked at pupils’ exercise books for religious education and discussed this curriculum with the subject leader.  Inspectors visited the school’s internal behaviour room and the school’s ‘Evolve’ provision.  An inspector visited the unregistered alternative provision used by the school.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for personal development and visited form classes.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils and students formally throughout the inspection and spoke with them informally at social times and in lessons.  A range of school documents were reviewed, including the school’s self-evaluation and the school improvement plan and behaviour records.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils, parents and staff gathered through Ofsted’s questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Jessica McKay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Melanie Kane Ofsted Inspector 18 and 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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