Leeds Mathematics School

Leeds Mathematics School Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Rachel Angus, HMI

p.1

Inspection dates: 12 and 13 February 2025

p.1

Address: 105 Albion Street Leeds LS1 5AS Monitoring visit: Leeds Mathematics School, 12 and 13 February 2025

p.1

Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of education programmes for young people within the further education and skills sector. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook,’ especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded.’ The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

Leeds Mathematics School opened in September 2023 and is part of the GORSE Academies Trust. The school provides a specialist sixth-form curriculum in mathematics and science. Students study A levels in mathematics and further mathematics, which they combine with at least one of the following subjects: chemistry, computer science and physics. At the time of the inspection there were 99 students in Year 12 and 69 in Year 13.

p.2

Significant progress

Trust leaders and the headteacher, in partnership with the University of Leeds, are very successfully implementing their mission to provide high-quality mathematics and science education to young people in Leeds and other parts of Yorkshire. They are passionate about recruiting students who experience disadvantage and who would not otherwise benefit from the exceptional opportunities afforded to them by attending the school.

p.2

Significant progress

Leaders have created a very well-resourced and studious learning environment in the centre of Leeds. Students have access to high-quality classrooms and laboratories as well as plentiful social spaces where they can study, play music, or take part in sporting activities such as rowing and karate. Staff have positioned multiple whiteboards on the walls of all the study areas so that students can collaborate when solving complex mathematical and scientific problems.

p.2

Significant progress

The careers education, advice and guidance offered by staff is very well focused on providing experiences that help students plan their medium- to long-term career path. Almost all the Year 13 students have been successful in securing offers for competitive courses such as aerospace engineering and mathematics at prestigious universities. Leaders monitor university and apprenticeship offers carefully to ensure that all students make good progress in moving to their chosen next steps. Monitoring visit: Leeds Mathematics School, 12 and 13 February 2025 Leaders have implemented effective quality assurance processes to keep the quality of education under frequent review. Managers and teaching staff monitor the outcomes of assessments together, paying particular attention to the progress that different groups of students are making, such as those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Subject teams work together to make swift adjustments

p.2

Significant progress

where they identify aspects of teaching and assessment that need to be refined.

p.3

Significant progress

Well-qualified and enthusiastic governors support leaders very effectively. They act as critical friends to leaders to ensure that the school fulfils the ambitious vision it was established to deliver.

p.3

Significant progress

Leaders have planned study programmes that blend successfully the development of students’ academic knowledge with the leadership, personal and employability skills that students need to be successful. Programmes are enriched with many opportunities to prepare students for life beyond the school.

p.3

Significant progress

All students take part in the ‘Leeds mathematics certificate’ where they complete ambitious research projects set by academic staff from universities or employers. They value highly working with experts in academic fields that interest them.

p.3

Significant progress

Leaders recruit well-qualified teachers who use their subject expertise to incite students’ interest, passion, and curiosity for their subjects. They create classrooms that are alive with mathematical and scientific conversation.

p.3

Significant progress

Teachers assess students’ starting points accurately and use the results to inform the curriculum. They test students’ core mathematical skills and conceptual knowledge in order to plan the best way to build students’ algebraic fluency. For example, they start to introduce complex numbers early on to enable students to build new knowledge and strengthen their existing knowledge.

p.3

Significant progress

Teachers implement highly effective teaching and assessment techniques. They explain concepts clearly in lessons and lectures. They use retrieval tasks to test students’ knowledge, varying the focus carefully so that what has been learned is not forgotten. They design tasks with multiple levels of challenge to extend students’ learning.

p.3

Significant progress

Teachers check learning routinely. They purposefully circulate in lessons to check students’ work. They encourage students to ‘think-deep’ and problem-solve. They highlight students’ work as they circulate to indicate quickly where students have Monitoring visit: Leeds Mathematics School, 12 and 13 February 2025 been successful. This emphasises that the mathematical process is as important as the outcome.

p.3

Significant progress

Leaders ensure that students access a wide range of work placement opportunities to develop their work-related behaviours and skills for employment. Staff capture students’ career intentions early on their programmes and use this information to plan highly individualised opportunities with employers.

p.4

Significant progress

Leaders have comprehensive arrangements in place to keep students safe . Staff from the trust support leaders well to implement these arrangements.

p.4

Significant progress

Staff record any safeguarding concerns thoroughly and update their records frequently so that the information that they hold about students is accurate and up to date. Designated safeguarding staff have detailed knowledge of individual circumstances. They go above and beyond to help students deal with complex situations.

p.4

Significant progress

Students feel safe. They appreciate the care of the staff team. They know who to contact if they have a concern for their safety. Students feel safe travelling to and from the city centre campus, using trains and buses. Monitoring visit: Leeds Mathematics School, 12 and 13 February 2025 regulates and inspects to 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.

p.4

Significant progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

Significant progress

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Significant progress

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Significant progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.5