All Saints' Academy, Cheltenham

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: All Saints’ Academy, Cheltenham Blaisdon Way, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 0WH

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 December 2024

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The principal at this school is Benjamin Williams. The school is a single academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Henry Watson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All Saints’ Academy is ambitious for pupils to achieve well and to be prepared for their future steps. However, these ambitions are not being fully realised for pupils in all areas of the curriculum. Consequently, pupils and students in the sixth form do not achieve as highly as they should.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has recently raised expectations about behaviour. Pupils and staff are clear about what behaviour is unacceptable. There are fair consequences for pupils who do not behave well. However, at times some pupils do not show a positive attitude towards their work. Where pupils have difficulty changing their behaviour, the school provides additional support, for example through the Life Centre. Pupils appreciate that they can increasingly learn without disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All Saints’ Academy is an inclusive school with a strong sense of community. Sixth-form students act as role models for younger pupils by running clubs and sporting events. Pupils undertake personal challenges, such as completing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and taking part in mock trial competitions. They enjoy volunteering in the local community, for example visiting residents at a local care home. The forthcoming school production is providing great excitement for both pupils and staff, offering a further chance to develop creative talents. 17 and 18 December 2024

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

The school has recently reviewed the curriculum for Years 10 and 11 and the sixth form to make it more challenging. It is beginning to do the same for remaining year groups. While pupils can study all the subjects contained within the English Baccalaureate, only a small number currently do so. The school is working to increase the numbers of pupils choosing to study a modern foreign language at key stage 4.

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

Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils study the full curriculum while accessing additional support. However, at times, the methods that are chosen to explain and demonstrate work to pupils are not effective. As a result, some pupils are not clear about what they need to do or remember. Where pupils are reluctant to complete work, this is not always challenged by adults. Consequently, pupils have difficulty recalling their learning.

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

The school has identified what pupils will learn in each subject. However, teaching does not always accurately check what pupils know or can do. This means that teachers cannot then adapt the curriculum to help pupils to correct mistakes or resolve misunderstandings. In these cases, pupils then find it difficult to grasp the more difficult concepts that follow.

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

The school is raising the importance of reading. Pupils share stories as a class for both enjoyment and to promote discussion. In Years 7 and 8, pupils receive the additional help they need to improve their fluency and confidence with reading. However, this support is not currently available for those pupils in the older year groups who find reading challenging. The school is considering how to increase the capacity of the reading intervention so that all pupils who need the support benefit.

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

The school actively promotes the importance of high attendance. Many pupils attend school well. The school monitors and tracks absence to provide the support pupils need to raise attendance. This is helping to reduce persistent absence.

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

Pupils are prepared for adult life through their ‘life lessons’ as well as assemblies and guest speakers. They learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. The school encourages pupils to look after their physical and mental health. Pupils understand the importance of tolerance and respect for others, including having an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

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

Pupils learn about the world of work. They receive impartial careers advice, including information about apprenticeships. Students in the sixth form receive support to make informed decisions about their future. This includes individual assistance to prepare for interviews for university or employment. The school is proactive in providing additional opportunities for pupils to develop their employability skills, for example through workshops and visits to local employers.

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

The school has recently increased the professional development available to staff. Teachers value these new opportunities to work together to improve their practice. 17 and 18 December 2024

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Leaders are considerate of staff workload and well-being while planning changes. The school is aware that at some points in the year the workload of staff is high and leaders are actively seeking ways to alleviate this.

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Trustees are aware of the strengths of the school. They have supported the school to raise expectations of behaviour. The focus on improving the quality of education is more recent. The school is keen to work in collaboration with others to support its work and raise the outcomes of pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, the curriculum is not well implemented. On these occasions, some pupils do not receive the same high-quality education and, as a result, do not learn the curriculum as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented effectively.  Assessment is not always used effectively to check pupils’ current knowledge and understanding. Consequently, some pupils are not supported to resolve gaps and misconceptions. The school should ensure that the checks teachers make are used to inform adjustments to the curriculum and its delivery, so that pupils achieve well.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately. 17 and 18 December 2024

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2018.

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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). 17 and 18 December 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,103

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form

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a single academy trust.  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.  This school is a Church of England School in the Diocese of Gloucester. A Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools was carried out in November 2021. Inspections are normally carried out every five years.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  There has been a change of leadership since the last inspection. The headteacher took up the substantive post in June 2024. 17 and 18 December 2024

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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.  Inspectors held discussions with school leaders at all levels. Inspectors also spoke with staff and trustees.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the Diocese of Gloucester.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors viewed a range of school documentation, including the minutes of trustee meetings, the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the view of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

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Information about this inspection

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, as well as responses to the staff survey and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Sara Berry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Malcolm Willis Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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