Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

James Bridge Principal Outwood Academy Ormesby Tothill Avenue Netherfields Middlesbrough Cleveland TS3 0RH

p.1

Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Outwood Academy Ormesby

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 8 October 2024, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the third monitoring inspection since the school was judged to have serious weaknesses following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in July 2022.

p.1

Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Outwood Academy Ormesby

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

p.1

Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Outwood Academy Ormesby

During the inspection, I discussed with you and other senior leaders of the school and multi-academy trust the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also visited lessons, observed social times, spoke to pupils and staff and scrutinised documents relating to behaviour and attendance. I met with a representative of the board of trustees. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

p.1

Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to no longer be judged as having serious weaknesses.

p.1

designation

Since my last visit, you have been appointed as the substantive head of the school and the function of the previously established academy improvement board has been transferred to the academy council. There have also been changes made to the executive leadership of Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT), including the appointment of a permanent chief executive officer (CEO). The leadership of the school is therefore on a more stable and sustained footing than at my previous visits. Trust support continues with subject input from directors across the trust and executive leadership presence to support the strategies related to behaviour and attendance.

p.2

designation

As with my previous visits, I focused on the extent to which leaders’ actions around behaviour and attitudes are helping to bring about improvements.

p.2

designation

At my last visit in January 2024, the attendance of pupils was showing little sign of improvement. This situation is now beginning to show positive change for all groups of pupils. Overall attendance is higher than at the same point last year. There have been particularly noticeable improvements in the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Persistent absence and severe absence are also falling. This is because the strategies that were newly in place have now had time to start to work. For example, all staff are supported to speak to pupils about the importance of good attendance. Visits from school staff to the families of pupils with low attendance are targeted and supportive. The development of the ‘chill and chat’ approach where parents can speak to school staff at local supermarkets create opportunities to build positive relationships.

p.2

designation

Despite these improvements, overall attendance is still low. You and the leadership team are aware there is more work to do. Since my last visit, several additional approaches to improve attendance have been adopted. The transition programme for Year 7 has been strengthened. During my visit, I saw ‘Proud Tuesday’ in action, where rewards are given to pupils for good attendance. This is designed carefully so that the bar for rewards is attainable for all pupils. There was great excitement among pupils about this strategy and it helps to ensure that attendance is constantly at the forefront of pupils’ thinking. You are about to launch a community hub with other local schools to create supportive networks that can share resources and ideas about how to continue the improvements that you have recently achieved.

p.2

designation

During my last visit, a recent approach to tackling internal truancy had been launched. This approach is also beginning to have success. The number of pupils sanctioned for internal truancy remains high but is falling. The resources allocated by you to this work have been reduced recently as pupils respond to the expectations placed upon them. There were very few pupils out of lessons during my visit to the school. Teaching staff feel this strategy has been particularly effective in helping them to focus on teaching. Less teacher time is taken up dealing with poor punctuality; more time is focused on the crucial activities designed to help pupils learn the curriculum. Improvements in behaviour around the school and in lessons continue, but there have been challenges along the way. The uncertainty around leadership in the school led to some spikes in the number of incidents of poor behaviour since my last visit. However, the

p.2

designation

clarity brought about by the appointment of a substantive headteacher, along with clear and heightened expectations around behaviour, are having an impact. The number of suspensions has fallen significantly across the course of the last year. The use of reflection rooms has changed so that pupils complete activities around academy conduct and expectations (‘ACE’) alongside their curriculum work.

p.3

designation

Expectations around behaviour, including of standards of uniform and attitudes in lessons have been raised. Despite this, the number of pupils in reflection, after a spike earlier in the year, is now showing a steady decline. The success of the ‘Tenemos’ provision continues. Pupils accessing this facility, spoke to me about how it had helped to improve their attendance and attitude to school. They were proud to share examples of recent work that they have completed. The plans to broaden the approaches used in ‘Tenemos’ that we discussed when I visited in January are now being enacted. Work focused on character and the development of philanthropic attitudes are being woven into the personal development programme.

p.3

designation

Pupils told me that they know teachers will help them if they are concerned about bullying or if they report derogatory language. While reported instances of these behaviours are low, some pupils told me they are ongoing. However, there has been considerable improvement in this area since the inspection of July 2022. The school site was calm during my visit. Teachers are using recently adopted strategies such as the ‘silent signal’ to gain the attention of pupils. While attitudes in lessons are still inconsistent, the disruption to lessons which I visited was minimal.

p.3

designation

There is no complacency among leaders. You are aware that behaviour and attendance still require continued effort and focus to continue the improvements recently seen. Permanent exclusions across the last academic year were very high. You are aware of this. My visit showed that a number of strategies are deployed to support pupils before permanent exclusion is considered. Your continued work to develop community links and support families is an important factor in trying to reduce the number of pupils subject to, or at risk of, permanent exclusion.

p.3

designation

Staff morale is high. They feel well supported to enact the new strategies. There is a high level of leadership presence to support with behaviour. This creates a sense of togetherness and community across the school, with all working together to reach shared goals.

p.3

designation

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees, and the CEO of OGAT, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Middlesbrough. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website. Yours sincerely

p.3