Derby Pride Academy

Inspection of a school judged Outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Derby Pride Academy 20 Orient Way, Pride Park, Derby, Derbyshire DE24 8BY

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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Outcome

Derby Pride Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. The headteacher of this school is Mark Hatton. This school is part of Esteem Multi- 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 (CEO), Julian Scholefield, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mark Emly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who start attending Derby Pride Academy have usually had negative experiences of education in their previous schools. The immediate warmth, care and structure the school provides, allows pupils to develop positive, respectful relationships with staff. Many pupils describe Derby Pride Academy as their ‘safe place’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school carefully considers each pupil's barriers to learning, special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and missed learning to put in place education that will help each pupil better self-regulate and catch-up on previous missed learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils re-integrate successfully back into their mainstream schools. Other pupils complete their education here and achieve qualifications that allow them to take their next steps in education, training or employment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The nurturing environment of this school does not compromise the high expectations that staff have of pupils. Pupils’ behaviour and attendance improve rapidly. Over time, pupils develop to recognise their successes. They start to demonstrate the school’s values of determination, pride and ambition. They also recognise and celebrate when other pupils demonstrate these values. Pupils actively begin to support the well-being of others. 15 and 16 October 2024

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Commissioning schools, parents and carers value and acknowledge the positive transformation they see in their children after they start attending Derby Pride Academy.

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

The school’s curriculum has undergone necessary and appropriate changes recently. The key stage 3 curriculum identifies the essential knowledge pupils need to learn to successfully re-integrate back into their mainstream school. At key stage 4, pupils study a range of entry level to level 2 qualifications, including GCSEs. The key stage 4 curriculum also ensures that pupils can either re-integrate back into a mainstream school or leave this school with the qualifications they need for their future next steps.

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

There is a sharp focus on assessing pupils’ reading ability, numeracy skills and literacy skills when they join the school. Staff use this information purposefully to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge so they can better access other subjects in the curriculum. The school ensures that pupils get ample opportunities to practise reading and become more fluent readers.

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

Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. Pupils with SEND receive the support and teaching adaptations they need to achieve. Most teachers present subject matter well and use appropriate resources alongside engaging teaching activities. This helps pupils learn. Teachers link the curriculum to future careers to raise aspirations. For example, in science, they build pupils’ understanding of the work of an optometrist. Pupils confidently describe the features of an eye and look forward to the opportunities they have to carry out practical experiments, such as dissecting an eye.

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

The school continues to train teachers to use the most effective teaching methods. However, there are still occasions when these methods are not used effectively as they could be.

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

The school carefully plans and delivers rich experiences to broaden pupils’ horizons. Pupils talk enthusiastically about visits to Alvaston castle, art galleries and other weekly enrichment activities. The school has an exceptional strength in building pupils’ character and resilience. Pupils begin to accept the mistakes they make and learn from them. They learn to strive. Pupils benefit from studying a careers module, visiting local colleges and receiving independent careers advice. Pupils gain age-appropriate relationships and sex education, as well as education about how to keep themselves safe.

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

Pupils’ behaviour transforms because of the intelligent and effective action that the school takes. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils demonstrate improved attitudes to learning. They begin to enjoy school and become better attenders than previously. They are keen to receive ‘DPA points’ for their improved behaviour and attitudes. The school celebrates this success. Pupils are awarded ‘star of the week’ or, in exceptional circumstances, invited to have breakfast with the headteacher. 15 and 16 October 2024

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Those responsible for governance carry out their roles diligently. Leaders have managed recent change effectively, not to compromise staff workload and well-being. Leaders engage well with staff at all levels.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the curriculum is not implemented consistently well. Where this is the case, pupils do not learn as effectively as they could. The school needs to continue to support staff to deliver the curriculum effectively.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in April 2014. 15 and 16 October 2024

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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). 15 and 16 October 2024

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School details

School category Free school alternative provision

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 20 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last ungraded inspection, Derby Pride Academy joined Esteem Multi-academy Trust.  Recently there has been a significant restructure of the Derby Pride Academy leadership team. A new headteacher took up his substantive role in April 2024 and a new deputy headteacher was appointed and took up his substantive role in September 2024.  Derby Pride Academy is commissioned by schools in Derby City and Derbyshire to educate pupils who are at risk of permanent exclusion. All pupils are on dual registration placements with the aim to re-integrate them back into education at their commissioning school.  All pupils have some specific need associated with past schooling or personal circumstances. Most have social, emotional or mental health needs. Many of the pupils have SEND.  Derby Pride Academy does not use any other alternative provision to educate pupils. 15 and 16 October 2024

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 Derby Pride Academy 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other senior leaders.  The lead inspector met with the directors in the trust’s executive leadership team.  The lead inspector met with trustees including the chair of the trust.  The lead inspector met with some leaders of the commissioning schools that currently use Derby Pride Academy.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

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Information about this inspection

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and Ofsted’s Parent View, including the free-text responses.  Inspectors spoke to pupils and observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at social times.

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Inspection team

Rakesh Patel, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Monk Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 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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