Longley Park Sixth Form Academy

Further education and skills inspection report

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Short inspection of Longley Park Sixth Form Academy

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Outcome

Longley Park Sixth Form Academy continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

Longley Park Sixth Form Academy is situated in the north of Sheffield on one purpose-built campus. In summer 2017, the academy became part of Brigantia Learning Trust, joining three schools located nearby. The area served by the academy has high levels of social disadvantage and deprivation.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 1,059 learners on education programmes for young people, studying a wide range of academic and applied general courses, including A levels, extended diplomas and certificates. Most students take applied general courses, with the large majority studying at level 3. Almost half of all students at the academy have low attainment on entry in English and mathematics.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Leaders and staff are aspirational for their students, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have low prior attainment, to achieve well at the academy. Staff skilfully equip students with the academic and life skills needed to be successful. As a result, a high proportion of students progress to higher education, many of whom having not considered this as an option at the start of their course.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Students make positive progress from their starting points and achieve very well. Leaders and managers have implemented effective changes to the curriculum which have resulted in an increase in the proportion of high-grade achievements across a number of curriculum areas. In GCSE English, students successfully develop the key skills and knowledge that they need for their qualification and further studies. They can fluently compare texts and analyse and synthesise information about theme, place, character and plot.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Staff teach an ambitious and challenging curriculum for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and high needs. They have a strong focus on helping students work towards achieving high grades. Students with SEND are supported with the educational, emotional and social strategies that 2 and 3 October 2024

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they need to access the curriculum and make at least expected progress in line with their peers and, in some instances, better.

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Students benefit from useful careers education, advice and guidance prior to starting and throughout their time at the academy. Staff provide a wide range of activities for students, including interactions with higher education institutions and employers. This enables students, and their parents and carers, to make informed and supported decisions about their future aspirations. Students benefit from visits by external speakers from many organisations, including the NHS, the police and local social services teams, to help them consider their next steps and to experience the world of work.

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better?

Leaders and managers have put in place a suitable curriculum that enables students to follow academic and applied general courses and gain the qualifications that they need to progress to higher education, apprenticeships or employment. Staff work effectively with local universities to identify suitable pathways and programme combinations, so that students are well placed to apply for and gain a place at a university of their choice.

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better?

Staff plan and sequence the curriculum effectively. In GCSE English, teachers carefully structure the curriculum so that students develop confidence and enjoy studying a subject in which some initially lacked motivation to study. Teachers initially develop skills and knowledge relating to English language structure before building higher-order cognitive skills. As a result, students are able, from early on the course, to produce good-quality work and answer questions accurately that demand skills in analysis, evaluation and comparison. In the previous academic year, there was an increase in the proportion of students achieving high grades in GCSE English.

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better?

Teachers use effective teaching strategies. They provide a learning environment that is accessible and inclusive. When covering genetics in health and social care, teachers use interleaving and demonstration to make learning engaging and fun while ensuring that students fully understand course content. They then check understanding carefully to assess students’ comprehension.

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better?

Teachers use assessment effectively to ensure that students make good progress and gain the knowledge that they need to be successful. Teachers correct misconceptions well when students make mistakes. For example, they identify when students carrying out research tasks misunderstand which research methods are appropriate and correct them. In health and social care, teachers correct misconceptions about terms relating to genetics such as heterozygous and homozygous when students mistake the meaning of one for the other.

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better?

Leaders and managers have established a culture of continuous improvement throughout the academy. This includes the use of rigorous self-assessment and 2 and 3 October 2024

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provision area reviews to gain an understanding what they do well and what they need to do better. Staff work effectively as a team and understand how their role relates to the aims and ambitions of the academy and the trust.

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Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the strengths of the provision and areas that require development. They carry out useful and effective quality assurance activities to ensure that students benefit from a high quality of education. These include visits to lessons, student and staff consultations, self-reflective video observations and provision review boards, all of which lead to improvements in the quality of provision.

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Leaders provide helpful staff training and development. Staff at all levels are provided with access to a range of internal and external training opportunities to help them to keep up to date with their subject specialism and to develop their pedagogical skills. For example, leaders ensure that staff undertake training in effective questioning techniques and the use of retrieval practice. This helps staff to use teaching strategies that are informed by contemporary teaching practice.

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Trustees contribute fully to determining the strategic direction of the academy and have a clear understanding of its strengths and areas for development. They provide strong oversight, challenge and support to ensure that leaders are making good progress in tackling identified issues. Trustees have a good knowledge of local and regional skills needs and actively participate in planning to ensure that the curriculum is designed to meet needs of the young people in the area.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Further enhance the implementation of the curriculum so that students benefit from a consistently very high quality of education. 2 and 3 October 2024

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Provider details

Address Horninglow Road Sheffield S5 6SG

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Jamie Davies

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 3 to 5 October 2018

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 2 and 3 October 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since Longley Park Sixth Form Academy was judged to be good in October 2018.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the executive principal, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising students’ work, seeking the views of students, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Sarah Seaman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Chloe Rendall His Majesty’s Inspector Steve Hunsley Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 October 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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