Djanogly City Academy

Inspection of Djanogly City Academy Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG7 6ND

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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 principal of this school is Andrew Smith. This school is part of Djanogly Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mark Mallender, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tim Slade 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe, happy, and valued. Staff deeply understand pupils’ challenges and provide the help pupils need to succeed. This school fosters a caring, inclusive culture. When pupils make mistakes, teachers guide them to ‘bounce back’. Over time, pupils become resilient. Pupils feel listened to and extremely well supported by staff that know them so well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has the highest expectations of each pupil. Pupils achieve well across the broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils are reminded about what they could become and where they could go as they enter each classroom, named after higher education institutes. Pupils begin to develop their aspirations. They start to believe in their limitless potential.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to earn ‘GRAD’ points. They get these for showing the characteristics which the school promotes, such as grit, relationships, academic excellence and discipline. Pupils develop a sense of accountability.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The sixth form provides a transformative environment. This enables students who might not thrive elsewhere to achieve remarkable outcomes. Students have tailored pathways, expert teaching, and the support they need to excel academically.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ethos is rooted in the mantra, ‘everybody graduates’. The focus is always on ensuring that each pupil, regardless of background or ability, has the chance to reach their full potential.

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

Since the last inspection the school has taken effective action to strengthen the curriculum. Pupils’ best interests have been at the heart of this work. The school has broadened and balanced the curriculum to ensure that it meets all pupils' needs. Its effective sequencing enables pupils to build on prior knowledge and deepen their understanding over time. From Year 7, pupils develop important skills and knowledge that prepare them for success in key stage 4 and beyond. This rigorous, ambitious approach equips all pupils for their futures.

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

The school serves a high proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Staff use a structured approach to improve pupils’ reading, literacy, and English proficiency. Targeted interventions, such as phonics programmes and additional English sessions, ensure that all pupils develop the skills they need to access the curriculum.

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

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to design effective sequences of learning. On the whole, clear explanations and questioning enable staff to check pupils’ understanding. However, this practice is not consistent. Additionally, sometimes pupils have too much new content to learn at once. When this happens, some pupils lose focus. 3 and 4 December 2024

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Across the school, pupils achieve well in a broad range of subjects. For example, in English and art and design, they develop strong skills and knowledge, enabling them to analyse texts and express creative ideas effectively. Tailored support ensures that pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) succeed.

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For many students, the sixth form opens doors that were once thought closed. Staff design tailored pathways that align with students' aspirations, ensuring both academic and personal success. The week-long residential programme in London exemplifies this, providing students with high-quality guidance and immersing them in professional environments. These opportunities foster invaluable skills such as resilience, confidence and professionalism.

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Alongside academic rigour, sixth-form students gain life skills and deep subject knowledge. For example, art students refine advanced techniques like lino reduction printing and explore complex themes such as identity and emotion, producing work of exceptional quality. Psychology students confidently discuss concepts like Asch’s Variations, showcasing analytical skills that prepare them for future academic challenges.

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Pupils celebrate each other’s cultures through vibrant events such as Black History Month and Roma Heritage Month, enriching their understanding of the world. The curriculum equips pupils with the knowledge they need to stay safe online and offline. ‘Values sessions’ develop pupils’ moral and social awareness. Pastoral support and careers provision are key strengths of the personal development programme.

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The school fosters a calm and orderly environment, enabling pupils to focus on their learning. The needs of every pupil is central to the school’s approach. This includes tailored support for pupils who need help to regulate their behaviour. Over time, this leads to demonstrable improvements.

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Courageous, determined leadership has been highly effective in improving many aspects of the school. Trustees and governors demonstrate a strong understanding of their statutory responsibilities. Most staff understand the challenges of the community they serve and appreciate leaders’ strong support for their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In key stages 3 and 4, occasionally there is too much lesson content and new knowledge for pupils to understand. When this happens, some pupils find it difficult to maintain their focus. The school needs to take action to address this.  In key stages 3 and 4, teaching does not consistently check that pupils have remembered essential knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not have the pre- requisite knowledge they need for future learning. The school needs to refine its assessment practice. It needs to ensure that teaching routinely checks that pupils have secured the knowledge they need for later learning.

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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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1263

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form

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 April 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Djanogly Learning Trust.  Since the last inspection the school’s admission number has increased significantly. As a result, the school operates over two sites. Pupils in Years 8 to 10 attend the site where the school is registered. Pupils in Year 7, Year 11 and students in Years 12 to 13 attend a separate site, located at Sherwood Rise, Nottingham NG7 7AR.  The school uses five unregistered alternative provisions.  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. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 The school experiences high mobility of pupils. A significant proportion of pupils move into and leave the school during the school year.  The school has a high proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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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 judgement 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 spoke with the principal and other senior leaders. The lead inspector also met with the CEO of the trust and other trust leaders.  The lead inspector met with trustees and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, art and design,

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Information about this inspection

English, modern foreign languages, history and science. 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.  Inspectors discussed the curriculum and visited lessons in some other subjects.  Inspectors discussed and reviewed the support for pupils at early stages of reading and those that  Inspectors spent time in the sixth form speaking to students, observing them in study periods and visiting a range of lessons.  Inspectors visited the school’s ‘values sessions’ and an assembly.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils from a range of year groups, including pupils with SEND. Inspectors spoke with pupils during break- and lunchtime. Inspectors spoke to several groups of students in the sixth form and sampled their work across all their subjects. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free- text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at break and lunchtimes.

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Inspection team

Rakesh Patel, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Nik Patel Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 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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