All Saints Academy Dunstable

Inspection of All Saints Academy Dunstable Houghton Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU5 5AB

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Inadequate

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The principal of this school is Liz Furber. This school is the sole member of the All Saints Academy Dunstable single-academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Fraser. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending All Saints Academy Dunstable. It provides an exceptional range of opportunities that raise pupils’ aspirations, develop their character, and broaden their interests. The highly active student parliament helped design the school’s behaviour policy. Pupils take part in a broad range of ‘elective’ clubs, from knitting to forensics. Pupils learn first-hand about the world of work when they meet a wide range of employers, take part in enterprise competitions, and undertake work experience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very well prepared for adulthood. They learn about topics such as healthy relationships and consent. They know how to keep themselves safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers a broad and ambitious curriculum. However, in some subjects it is not yet taught well enough. Consequently, pupils sometimes have gaps in their knowledge, and they do not achieve highly enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in school has improved substantially since the previous inspection. The school is a safe, inclusive, and positive place to be. Most pupils now behave very well in and out of lessons. Because of these changes, pupils attend well. If pupils need support to improve their behaviour, caring staff help them to do so.

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

The school has tackled a significant number of issues from the last inspection. The well- designed curriculum identifies precisely the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. There are now regular opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning in lessons and ‘revision weeks’. In many subjects, this helps pupils know more and remember more. However, some staff teach subjects outside their specialism. They do not always have the secure subject knowledge that they need to explain concepts clearly and to teach the curriculum well. They do not know how to check pupils’ knowledge in lessons and how to adjust the curriculum accordingly to address any misconceptions. Consequently, pupils do not yet consistently gain the depth and breadth of knowledge that they need to achieve highly. This is reflected in the school’s published test results.

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

The school is committed to ensuring that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow a broad curriculum. Staff know the needs of pupils well and, where needed, adapt activities to meet those needs. Pupils with SEND benefit from the consistent structure of lessons and high-quality resources. This helps them access the curriculum.

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

Pupils are encouraged to read widely and often, including in form time. Staff check how well pupils can read. If they need additional support, well-trained staff help them to become more fluent and accurate readers.

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

Students in the school’s small sixth form are well cared for. They are supported to do well. They learn how to manage their time and study effectively. Students are very well 12 and 13 November 2024

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prepared for adulthood when they learn about personal finance and higher education and employment.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ conduct. Pupils are clear about how they should behave. Most staff manage behaviour as leaders intend so that pupils are able to focus on their learning. The school’s pastoral team work exceptionally well to help pupils to attend and behave well. Alternative provision is used appropriately and effectively to build pupils’ resilience.

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The school’s ethos is at the heart of its exemplary approach to developing pupils’ personal qualities and their sense of right and wrong. Pupils fully understand the importance of diversity and respect for all. They embody this in how they treat each other around school. Pupils look out for and help one another. This is because the school is exceptionally inclusive in its culture and approach to teaching difference. It ensures, for instance, that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, participate in the rich ‘electives’ offer, trips and visits.

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The school has worked very effectively to address the issues identified at the previous full inspection. Trustees now have a clear understanding of what the school is doing well and what it needs to improve. Staff have opportunities to plan together and learn from each other. The pace of change has been rapid and, understandably, some staff have found this challenging. However, staff are fully committed to improving the offer for pupils. They appreciate the flexible approaches to their working patterns. As a result, staff turnover has reduced significantly in the last year.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not yet ensured that all staff have the subject knowledge that they need to explain concepts clearly and to teach the curriculum well. This means that pupils do not always gain the breadth and depth of knowledge they need to achieve highly. The school should provide the training that staff need to ensure their subject knowledge is consistently strong.  The school has not yet ensured that staff check all pupils’ knowledge in lessons effectively and adjust the curriculum accordingly. This means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge and misconceptions are not always addressed and fixed. The school should ensure that staff are trained to use assessment in lessons effectively. 12 and 13 November 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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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form

Website www.allsaintsacademydunstable.org

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form

Date of previous inspection 21 May 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is sponsored by the Diocese of St Albans.  All Saints Academy Dunstable has a Christian character. The religious aspects of the school’s provision were last inspected in June 2017 under section 48 of the Education Act 2005.  The school currently uses six alternative provisions. One is registered and the other five are unregistered.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 12 and 13 November 2024

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

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Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continuing impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects and visited a range of lessons.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of leaders, including the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator.  The lead inspector met with trustees and spoke to an external consultant who was employed by the school.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times around school.

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Information about this inspection

They met with groups of pupils to discuss behaviour in the school.  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 scrutinised a range of records relating to behaviour and attendance.  The lead inspector considered the 39 responses and 26 free-text responses received during the inspection to Ofsted Parent View. He also considered the 54 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and the 203 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Steve Woodley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jason Howard Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 2024

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