Outwood Academy City

Inspection of Outwood Academy City Stradbroke Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S13 8SS

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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

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The principal of this school is Emily Rosaman. This school is part of Outwood Grange Academies 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), Lee Wilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Earnshaw. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

As a result of high-quality pastoral care, pupils at Outwood Academy City are safe and well cared for. Staff know the school and local community very well. The school makes decisions that are in the best interests of its pupils. There are high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Increasingly, pupils are rising to these expectations. It is an improving and inclusive school, where pupils are tolerant and proud of their diverse community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils behave well. They conduct themselves well around school and they work hard in lessons. Pupils have a clear understanding of the school’s behaviour policy, and they think that it is fair. However, some pupils do not meet the school’s high expectations. For some, this results in being removed from lessons or suspension from school. New leaders have begun to transform the culture in the school and their work to improve behaviour is having a positive impact.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is committed to pupils’ personal development. It offers them a wide range of opportunities, clubs and visits to develop their wider skills, such as teamwork and communication. For example, pupils can take part in musical theatre club, a range of sports clubs and charity fundraising events.

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

Pupils learn an ambitious curriculum that the school has carefully sequenced. The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils follow the same curriculum as their peers. The school supports pupils well when they choose the subjects that they will study at key stage 4. The school is committed to ensuring pupils learn a broad curriculum. The school ensures pupils can access the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) suite of subjects.

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

The school has clear expectations for how the curriculum should be delivered, known in school as the ‘5 pillars of learning’. The curriculum is taught well by subject specialists. Where the curriculum is implemented most effectively, concepts are explained clearly, there are regular opportunities for pupils to recall prior learning and teachers identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. There is some variation in how effectively the curriculum is delivered. Where this is the case, pupils do not secure their learning as well as they could.

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

Published outcomes for 2023 do not reflect the impact of the school’s curriculum. Some pupils’ achievement is adversely impacted because of high rates of absence. Pupils who attend the school regularly, achieve well.

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

Reading is prioritised by the school. It identifies pupils who need extra support with their reading, including those at the earliest stages of reading. They follow an effective programme that helps them to catch up and become fluent and confident readers. Reading for pleasure is promoted through dedicated lessons. Pupils develop their listening skills in ‘drop everything and listen’ time. 26 and 27 November 2024

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The school identifies and meets the needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers use support plans effectively. They receive training to develop their expertise on the most prominent areas of pupils’ needs. The school works with a range of professionals to support pupils. As a result of this effective provision, pupils with SEND learn the curriculum well.

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While leaders have begun to improve pupils’ behaviour, there is still more to do to ensure there are fewer disruptions to lessons that negatively impact on other pupils’ learning. Some pupils do not behave appropriately at social times, and this makes some pupils feel uncomfortable. The school has reduced the number of suspensions, but they remain high. Pupils recognise the recent improvements to behaviour, and they talk positively about their relationships with staff.

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Despite the school’s focus on attendance, regular tracking and improvement in some year groups, too many pupils are persistently absent. This reduces how well pupils are able to access the school’s high-quality curriculum.

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‘Life’ lessons help to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about different beliefs and develop the skills to debate and discuss moral issues. The school works with mental health professionals to support pupils’ well-being. Pupils make a positive contribution to the school community. The ‘junior leadership team’ deliver assemblies on important issues, such as racism, to their peers. The careers curriculum is carefully planned and relevant to pupils. The school supports pupils well in key stage 4 with preparations for their next steps.

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Leaders at all levels, including trustees and members of the local academy council, share the same high ambitions for pupils. They have an accurate understanding of the school. The trust is supporting new leaders effectively. Staff appreciate leaders’ commitment to their professional development and the renewed focus on their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is variation in the impact of the school’s work to ensure that pupils attend school regularly, and too many pupils are persistently absent. As a result, too many pupils are missing out on the high-quality education on offer at the school. The school should strengthen its work, including working with the community, to ensure that pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils, attend school regularly.  Some pupils do not behave as well as they should. At times, this disrupts learning and at social times makes some pupils feel uncomfortable. The school should develop its work to improve pupils’ conduct at social times and reduce low-level disruption in lessons. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 There are some inconsistencies in the way the curriculum is delivered. As a result, pupils learn better in some subjects than in others. The school should ensure that the curriculum is delivered consistently well across all subjects, including the use of assessment to identify and address gaps in knowledge, so that pupils know more, remember more and make the progress through the curriculum that they are capable of.

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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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy sponsor-led

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1186

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 February 2019 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current principal was appointed in September 2023.  The school uses 13 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.

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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. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 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.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the local academy council and the vice-chair of the board of the trustees. Inspectors reviewed documentation relating to governance, including minutes from governor meetings.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, geography and computer 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 also visited lessons from a range of other subjects.

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 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 met with groups of pupils formally during the inspection and spoke with them at social times and in lessons.  Inspectors met with groups of staff formally during the inspection and spoke with them throughout the inspection. Inspectors also considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  The lead inspector took account of responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Dan McKeating, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Angela White 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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