Red House Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Red House Academy Rutherglen Road, Red House Estate, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR5 5LN

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Outcome

Red House Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Rob Byrne. This school is part of Northern Education 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), Rob Tarn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mark Sanders. There is also an executive principal, Gemma Knox, who is responsible for this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Red House Academy provides pupils with a high-quality education. It is successful in its vision to be ‘outcomes focused and child centred’. Pupils achieve well, including in public examinations, because the school has very high expectations of them. The school is relentless in its work to ensure that pupils aim high, believe in themselves and fulfil their potential. It is an inclusive school where pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and conducive to learning. During lessons, there are regular ripples of applause as pupils congratulate each other for their good work and interesting ideas. Pupils follow instructions and listen carefully. Teachers speak to pupils in a way that is warm and encouraging. Routines are well embedded and followed closely by pupils. As a result, the school is very orderly. Pupils are happy and proud of their school. They value the rapport they have with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wider opportunities to develop their interests and talents. For example, as part of a comprehensive personal development programme, pupils enjoy taking part in various sports teams, performing arts, cookery and crafts. They play an active part in their community by fundraising and taking part in local litter picking. 11 and 12 March 2025

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

The school offers pupils an ambitious curriculum that meets pupils’ needs, including those who are disadvantaged. Pupils learn the curriculum well because it is taught effectively. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They explain concepts clearly and make links to previous learning regularly. This helps pupils to build their knowledge securely over time. For example, teachers use ‘bell tasks’ that allow pupils to recall what they have been taught before. Pupils produce work with increasing levels of independence, especially during ‘application lessons’. ‘Need to know’ books are an effective resource that give pupils the important knowledge they need to know and remember over time.

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

The checks that teachers make to ensure pupils remember and can use new knowledge are inconsistently applied. This means pupils sometimes have misconceptions or gaps in their knowledge that go unaddressed.

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

The school identifies and assesses the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. Staff have precise information about pupils’ needs and they receive high-quality training. Teachers use this effectively to ensure that pupils with SEND learn the curriculum and achieve well.

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

Pupils who need help with reading receive support that focuses precisely on their needs. This ensures they catch up quickly. Across the curriculum, teachers support pupils to develop their reading, literacy and vocabulary. In key stage 3, pupils enjoy reading books during dedicated reading lessons from a selection known in the school as ‘reading routes’. These lessons ensure pupils read widely and often.

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

The school places an emphasis on praise and recognising pupils’ achievements. Pupils value this. It ensures pupils’ attitudes to learning remain positive. Pupils are keen to attend the ‘proud’ events, where they show staff what they have achieved.

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

The school checks carefully how well pupils attend school. It uses this information to identify any barriers to better attendance swiftly and to support families to overcome them effectively. Whilst this area of the school’s work remains a priority, the school’s recent actions are having a positive impact.

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

The ‘Life’ curriculum ensures that pupils develop a secure understanding of healthy relationships. Pupils learn about major world religions and fundamental British values, such as democracy. The school’s ‘iAspire’ programme encourages pupils to develop their wider skills. The school promotes pupils’ cultural understanding successfully by organising trips to local landmarks, places of worship and the theatre. The school ensures equity of opportunity by ensuring no pupil misses out because of their background or need.

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

Pupils receive impartial careers advice that helps them to make informed decisions about what to do when they leave school. Careers fairs and visits to local manufacturing firms also give pupils an insight into the world of work.

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

Leaders are highly skilled and driven by a moral determination to ensure all pupils, especially the disadvantaged, succeed and are prepared well for adult life. They have 11 and 12 March 2025

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improved the school over time. Staff appreciate that leaders prioritise 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 are some inconsistencies in the ways that teachers check what pupils have learned, understood and remembered. This means that, at times, they do not identify or address misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The school should ensure that teachers check pupils’ knowledge and understanding to ensure gaps in knowledge are identified and filled consistently, so that pupils embed their knowledge and achieve more.

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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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2020. 11 and 12 March 2025

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Website www.rha.northerneducationtrust.org

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Northern Education Trust, which is a multi-academy trust.  The school uses three registered 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

 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. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 Inspectors met with the executive principal, principal and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with trustees and members of the local academy council.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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’ interest first.  Throughout the inspection, inspectors met with groups of staff. They also considered the opinions expressed through Ofsted’s online staff survey.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, 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

Dan Brinton Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 March 2025

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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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