John Cabot Academy

Inspection of John Cabot Academy Woodside Road, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 8BD

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

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The principals of this school are Kath Cooper and Kate Willis. This school is part of Cabot Learning Federation, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Steve Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Yvonne Beach. 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming school, where pupils are well prepared for their next steps. In Years 7 to 11, pupils attend John Cabot Academy (JCA), where they know the vision well: ‘Empower yourself. Empower your community.’ Pupils take pride in this statement and are proud of the diversity of their community. This extends into the CLF Post-16, where their ethos of ‘Care Believe Achieve’ is fully realised. Students in the post-16 provision come from a wide range of schools. Across the whole school, pupils feel a strong sense of belonging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in JCA and students in the post-16 enjoy their time at school. They receive a high- quality education. They feel motivated to succeed. Teachers encourage and support them to do this effectively. The school has high expectations of pupils. Lessons are calm and focused. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm. Pupils are safe and have trusted adults with whom they can share any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff help pupils to explore different beliefs and cultures. Pupils show very high levels of respect for the views and lives of others. Pupils are encouraged to be active members of the school community. At JCA, many pupils join the wide range of councils, such as equality, neurodiversity and LGBT. In the post-16 provision, pupils take on leadership roles within their houses. Feedback to leaders from these groups leads to meaningful change, like adjustments to the school uniform.

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

JCA has created an ambitious curriculum. It provides pupils with a rich learning experience. The school focuses on the needs of disadvantaged pupils. Staff ensure that they remove barriers to learning. As a result, pupils achieve very well in GCSE examinations. Students in the post-16 provision have a broad and varied range of subjects available to them. The qualifications have been carefully selected to ensure that they are fully inclusive. Students, including those who have previously had negative educational experiences, thrive here. This is a result of the thoughtful academic and pastoral support.

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

The school has thought carefully about what pupils will learn and in what order. The curriculum identifies the key knowledge pupils need to learn and remember. Teachers use their subject knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum skilfully. Pupils and post- 16 students value the curriculum’s relevance to them and their community. For example, in business studies, a case study explores a local restaurant. English texts for pupils in Years 7 to 9 include authors from diverse backgrounds. Pupils find these choices relevant and interesting.

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

Sometimes, checks on pupils’ learning identify where there are gaps in pupils’ understanding. Appropriate adaptations follow to ensure these gaps are closed. However, these checks are not always used effectively to ensure pupils understand key learning. As a result, misconceptions sometimes persist within Years 7 to 11. 5 and 6 November 2024

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The school is committed to ensuring that pupils are successful, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. Pupils with SEND have their needs accurately identified. For the most part, staff make appropriate adaptations to meet these needs. As a result, these pupils achieve well. Teachers at JCA and in the post-16 provision identify each pupil’s reading needs. Pupils receive the support they need to improve their reading. However, many pupils do not demonstrate a positive habit of reading for pleasure. This hinders the breadth and richness of pupils’ wider reading experiences.

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The pastoral care provided by the school is a strength. The school makes every effort to promote high attendance and challenge absence. As a result, pupils’ attendance at school is high. The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Staff apply these expectations consistently and fairly. Consequently, pupils behave well in lessons and around the school.

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The school provides an inclusive space that celebrates differences. The personal development programme supports this. Staff teach pupils to recognise healthy relationships and spot ‘fake news’. Post-16 students are particularly articulate in talking about equality and diversity. Pupils of all ages value and respect people with different backgrounds and beliefs. They appreciate the many extra-curricular opportunities that the school provides. These include a wide range of enrichment planned within the curriculum. In the post-16 provision, students create and lead their own clubs.

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A comprehensive careers programme provides pupils and post-16 students with helpful guidance. They learn about university and vocational routes. The proportion of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate subjects in Years 10 and 11 is low. However, an increasing number of pupils opt to study a GCSE in a modern foreign language. Qualifications in community languages are encouraged. The school has developed strong partnerships with other providers. The destinations pupils and students go on to are a real strength of the school.

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The school and the trust are aspirational for pupils. Leaders at all levels, including the academy councils, know the school well. The school provides staff with high-quality training. Staff are supported with their well-being. They say their workload has improved, but some aspects need further adjustment. Leaders are working with staff to improve this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is not always used precisely enough. This means that, sometimes, teaching does not accurately identify when pupils have not understood key learning. The trust 5 and 6 November 2024

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should ensure that all teachers use assessment effectively to identify and promptly address misconceptions.  Many pupils do not read for pleasure as widely or as often as they should. This means opportunities to develop their reading fluency and comprehension beyond the curriculum are limited. The trust should ensure that pupils are encouraged and supported to read a rich and diverse range of texts regularly.

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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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1311

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form

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Cabot Learning Federation.  The school uses five registered alternative provisions and 11 unregistered provisions.  Kath Cooper is the principal of the post-16 provision. Kate Willis is the principal of John Cabot Academy.  The post-16 provision accepts a large number of pupils from beyond John Cabot Academy. It is commonly known as the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) Post-16.  The school has two separate academy councils. One for JCA and one for CLF Post-16. These provide governance to each school. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 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 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

 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  An inspector met with the chief executive officer of the trust, trust leaders, a trustee, and academy council members.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, curriculum leaders, teachers and pupils.  An inspector spoke to some of the alternative providers used by the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in business studies, English, history, mathematics and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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Information about this inspection

 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 considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil survey. They also considered responses to the parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free- text messages.

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Inspection team

Frances Bywater, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jerry Giles Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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Louise Davies Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 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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