Titan Aston Academy

Inspection of Titan Aston Academy 69 Aston Road North, Birmingham B6 4EA

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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

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The executive headteacher of this school is Nicola Hutchison. This school is part of Titan Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nicola Walters. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish and feel safe in this warm, welcoming school. Staff strive and succeed in putting pupils back on the path to engaging with education. Pupils’ additional needs, including special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are identified and assessed well. For example, some pupils receive highly bespoke support to prepare them for learning in the classroom. Pupils go on to positive next steps in their education or training.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils rise to meet these. They actively contribute to the open and respectful culture that exists throughout. This is despite the past disruption that almost all pupils have experienced in their education. Pupils establish and enjoy a strong rapport with staff. They display positive attitudes to their learning in all aspects of the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities, which broaden their horizons and encourage them to think about what they could do in the future. For example, pupils are helped to consider a wide range of careers, including apprenticeships. Pupils’ talents and interests are nurtured well. The school acts to address barriers that may prevent pupils from participating. For example, pupils receive support to continue engaging with particular sports outside of school.

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

The school has put in place an ambitious curriculum that is highly academic as well as flexible. Leaders ensure that making things better for pupils is the key focus. Any issues with reading, gaps in knowledge or additional needs are picked up. Where possible, these are addressed by staff rapidly during the first weeks of being in school.

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

Pupils settle very well into school life. Staff are ambitious for pupils, and reading features strongly throughout their learning experience. Teachers help them build towards high- quality qualifications such as GCSEs, in which they do well. Pupils can successfully connect different elements of their learning. Where pupils are not able to confidently recall knowledge, teachers often adapt quickly and address misconceptions well. However, in some subjects, the support for pupils, particularly those with SEND, is not always effective, which can slow their progress through the curriculum.

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

The school has rightly placed a high priority on teaching pupils to be safe. The carefully constructed personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum reflects this while responding to needs as they arise. Staff have a strong shared understanding that prevention is better than cure when it comes to pupils’ safety. The school’s effective communication means they can help pupils in a timely and appropriate manner. The school’s careers provision is a strength. Staff support pupils to engage with relevant information and make their own best next step.

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

Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. The school has put in place clear boundaries and ensures that staff stick to these consistently. Pupils take on the high standards modelled for them. 26 and 27 November 2024

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They know they are cared for and appreciate the strong, trusting relationships they have with staff. Pupils receive help to grow in their understanding of themselves. For example, some pupils have mentoring support to help them express and process their thoughts and feelings. Over time, pupils become strong, respectful members of the school community who care for each other and appreciate their differences.

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Attendance is an integral part of the school’s work. Many pupils’ attendance improves throughout their time in the school, often from a very low starting point. Staff engage all relevant stakeholders to move things forward where attendance is low. Pupils are re- engaged as quickly as possible with staff and their learning. The school does all it can to get pupils into school on time, despite the distances travelled by many of them.

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Trustees have a robust oversight of the school. They work effectively with leaders to secure and sustain change. Staff have a strong sense of team. They work together effectively to help pupils make the most of their time. Staff appreciate the great depth and range of support they receive from leaders. This includes workload and in relation to personal matters.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum is not sufficiently well adapted to allow all pupils to succeed. This means some pupils do not make as much progress as they could through the planned curriculum. The school should ensure that staff expertise is developed so pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding over time.

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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 26 and 27 November 2024

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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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Headteacher Nicola Hutchison (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 May 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Titan Education Trust. The trust contains two schools, Titan Aston Academy and Titan St George’s Academy. Several staff work across both schools.  The school admits pupils from key stage 4 who have been excluded, are at risk of permanent exclusion or who have become disengaged from learning. Many pupils have experienced disruption to their education or have refused to attend school in the past.  Most pupils stay to complete key stage 4 at the school.  The school uses no alternative provision at present.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 11 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 26 and 27 November 2024

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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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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors held discussions with the executive headteacher, the headteacher and the head of school, other senior and middle leaders, and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors held discussions with members of the board of trustees, including the chair of the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science and PSHE. For each of these subjects, inspectors met with subject leaders, carried out visits to lessons, spoke to pupils and looked at some of their work.  Inspectors also discussed commissioning arrangements for places in the school and spoke with leaders from schools who commission places at the school.

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 Inspectors visited form time and reviewed the extra-curricular activities with leaders.  Inspectors met with members of staff and spoke to pupils formally and informally at various points in the inspection.  Inspectors talked with pastoral staff and visited the areas used to support pupils during the school day.  Inspectors looked at records and spoke to staff in relation to behaviour, bullying, attendance and safeguarding.  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.

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Inspection team

Richard Wakefield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Caroline Hoddinott Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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