Leeds East Academy

Inspection of Leeds East Academy South Parkway, Seacroft, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS14 6TY

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

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The principal of this school is Danny Bullock and the executive principal is Sarah Carrie. This school is part of White Rose Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by a chief executive officer (CEO) Andrew Whittaker, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stewart Harper. 8 and 9 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and inclusive school. There are high ambitions for all pupils. The school nurtures pupils so they have the self-belief and resilience to succeed, whatever their background. Pupils appreciate the support staff give them in lessons and around school. Warm and respectful relationships exist within the school community. Sometimes, pupils’ behaviour outside of lessons does not meet the school’s high expectations. When this happens, the school skilfully guides pupils towards the right choices. The atmosphere in classrooms is calm and focused. Rewards are used to praise pupils’ achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum and the way in which it is taught is now a strength of the school. This has not been the case over time. Some pupils also attend less well than they should. Gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding have developed. Pupils have performed significantly less well than their peers nationally in external tests and assessments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of opportunities that inspire pupils for their futures. These include academic lectures given by staff and pupils, trips to universities, work experience and the ‘Empower Programme’ which introduces pupils to new ideas and experiences. Each day begins with a tutor period known as ‘Guardian Time’ in which pupils follow a deliberately planned curriculum. Pupils learn about important topics such as money management, careers choices and staying safe in their community.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has developed a curriculum which is exciting and relevant to pupils at the school. For example, in English and history, the school has thought carefully about the time periods, topics and authors that pupils will benefit the most from studying. The way that knowledge and skills are taught to pupils gets more complex over time. This helps pupils gain a deeper understanding of their learning. The school is ambitious that all pupils will study a broad curriculum.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff are passionate about sharing their knowledge with pupils. Opportunities for pupils to demonstrate what they have learned are becoming more frequent. At times, staff do not precisely identify what pupils can and cannot remember. New learning does not consistently build upon what pupils already know and can do. This has led to gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school provides effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school identifies the specific support each pupil with SEND requires. Staff use this information well to adapt individual resources and lessons. The school has accurately identified the gaps that some pupils have in their understanding of the curriculum. Specific interventions are planned to address these. However, this has not been the case over time. The quality of education at the school has not matched pupils’ needs as well as it might. As a result, some pupils have notable gaps in their knowledge and skills which hinder their academic achievement. 8 and 9 October 2024

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Many pupils join the school with low levels of literacy. The school has quickly identified what help each pupil might need. The school provides additional literacy lessons and interventions for a significant number of pupils. The impact of this work is strong. Pupils enjoy regular opportunities to read for pleasure or as part of a group in integral reading sessions. The personalised learning centre is a dedicated area that provides support for pupils with a wide range of needs. Literacy and numeracy support is regular and effective. The school works tirelessly to ensure pupils with SEND get the support that they need.

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Some pupils are not benefiting from the education on offer at the school because they are absent too often. The school has used several strategies to improve attendance over time. Additional capacity has been added to the attendance team. This has led to increased attendance for some, but not all, groups of pupils.

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Staff benefit from a broad range of professional development opportunities. The school plan and implement high-quality training on a variety of topics. These include educating pupils with SEND, assessment, developing strong relationships and keeping pupils safe. The school regularly monitors the impact of this work. They know where further improvements are required and take swift and effective action to bring these about.

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Those responsible for governance support and challenge school leaders to ensure the school is providing the best quality of education possible for all pupils. The school ensures that staff feel well supported and that workload is considered when changes are made.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s work to improve the quality of education that pupils, including the most disadvantaged, receive has not led to consistent improvements in how well pupils achieve in national tests and assessments. This is because the curriculum has not been well adapted to address gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. Pupils are not as well prepared for their next stage in education, employment or training as they might be. The school should ensure the curriculum continues to improve and meet the needs of pupils precisely and that the impact of any adaptations are closely monitored to ensure pupils’ achievement improves at pace.  Across a range of subjects, the way that staff check what pupils know and remember is inconsistent. This hinders pupils from learning as much of the curriculum as they need to. The school should ensure that the way staff check what pupils know and remember precisely identifies the gaps pupils have in their knowledge and skills. The school

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

should regularly review the impact of this work to ensure it has the desired impact on pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. 8 and 9 October 2024

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 Some pupils miss out on too much of their learning. For some, this is because they do not attend school often enough. For others, this is because their behaviour around the school building impacts negatively on their education. This leads to gaps in their knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. The school should ensure that approaches to improving the attendance and behaviour of some pupils are embedded to bring about sustained improvement.

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 8 and 9 October 2024

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,031

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 and 25 April 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two providers of alternative education. Both are registered with the Department for Education.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through pupil premium funding is significantly above the national average.  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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form 8 and 9 October 2024

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors met with the principal and other senior leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with the interim CEO of the trust. The inspection team met with members of the local governing body and trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: mathematics, English, art and design, design and technology and history. 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.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for careers education at the school.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experience in lessons, enrichment opportunities and what it is like to attend the school.  Inspectors met with early career teachers and those who mentor them.  One inspector met with the leaders responsible for literacy across the school. One

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inspector observed a range of reading interventions taking place.  Inspectors examined the school’s behaviour records and spoke with providers of alternative education.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator. They looked at a range of documentation, including education, health and care plans and individual learning plans. Inspectors also checked how pupils with SEND are supported in lessons.  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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at breaktimes, at lunchtimes and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying.  Inspectors considered the responses from parents and carers to the online parent

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survey, Ofsted Parent View. This included the comments submitted via the free-text facility. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

John Linkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steve Willacy Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 October 2024

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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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