Ernesford Grange Community Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Ernesford Grange Community Academy Princethorpe Way, Coventry, West Midlands CV3 2QD

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Outcome

Ernesford Grange Community Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Denise Burrows. This school is part of Sidney Stringer 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), Claire Turpin, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Julie Sullivan.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ernesford Grange Community Academy has high expectations for its pupils. Pupils know the school’s core values of respect, determination and kindness. They typically demonstrate these values in classrooms and corridors, which means they generally behave well and are polite. Pupils are positive about the school and speak positively about the sense of community. They know they have many adults who they can talk to if they have concerns, and they will be heard.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy their learning and there is a sense of purpose in lessons. Staff have thought about what pupils need to learn and how they will learn it. This has resulted in teaching that is enabling pupils to learn more. Pupils talk with pride about their work and discuss their learning confidently. Older pupils feel well prepared for their examinations and subsequent destinations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at the school. They enjoy well-planned opportunities for their personal development. For example, there is an impressive variety of clubs and activities for pupils to engage with ranging from chess to building a sports car. Pupils appreciate these opportunities as well as the trips that the school organises. 18 and 19 March 2025

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

The school has worked effectively to improve the curriculum in response to historically weaker outcomes in 2024. For example, there have been changes to the order in which some core knowledge is taught to ensure pupils can then embark on more complex work with success. In addition, the school has extensively developed its approach to teaching to ensure all pupils learn and remember the core knowledge they need to be successful. This has had a positive impact as pupils are showing an increasing recall of their learning over time. Teachers typically spot when pupils have gaps in their learning or misconceptions. This means gaps in pupils’ learning are generally identified and closed. However, sometimes the checks of pupils’ understanding do not result in them being moved on to the more complex subject content when they are ready. This prevents some pupils from deepening their knowledge in some subjects. In the sixth form, students are

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

also benefiting from the improved approach to teaching. This means that they can generally talk about their learning in greater depth, which is also seen in the work they complete.

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

The school has worked effectively to establish a culture of reading. Pupils who need support with their reading are identified early. The school ensures the teaching that they receive enables these pupils to learn to read with appropriate fluency to learn the curriculum.

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

The school has reviewed its provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school identifies their needs clearly and accurately. Teachers are provided with useful information on how their learning should be adapted for them. On the whole, teachers use the information they have to adapt pupils’ learning. This ensures that pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

The school has continued to review its processes and engagement with parents and carers to sustain gradual improvements in attendance. Over time, therefore, pupil attendance has improved. There remain a minority of pupils, including some who are more vulnerable, who do not attend as regularly as they should. Consequently, they miss valuable learning and development opportunities.

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

The school’s higher expectations of pupils’ behaviour and conduct are making a positive difference. This is clearly understood by adults and pupils and applied with increasing consistency. Pupils usually focus in lessons and try their hardest. In addition, calm behaviour is evident on corridors and at social times. Pupils who find it hard to meet the school’s high expectations speak positively of the support they receive. Nonetheless, there remains a minority of pupils who still find it hard to meet the school’s expectations for behaviour consistently. This means they are more likely to experience suspensions from school. The school is acutely aware of this and is already taking action to address this.

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

The school has an extensive offer for pupils’ personal development. This includes an effective programme to support pupils and students in the sixth form to access increasingly ambitious destinations. Leaders have considered carefully the opportunities 18 and 19 March 2025

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that would benefit pupils’ personal development. These are carefully planned and reviewed to ensure they are of high quality, and more vulnerable pupils access them.

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Leaders in the school and from the trust have an accurate evaluation of the provision in the school. They seek validation of this from within the trust and beyond. Governors and trustees are ambitious for the school and are determined that the improvements are sustained. Governors, along with leaders, are mindful of staff workload. Leaders have consulted extensively with staff, which has helped to ensure that staff are committed to the school and that improvements are consistently implemented.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There remain too many pupils who are absent from school too often, particularly some pupils who are more vulnerable. This means these pupils miss too much school and learning. The school should embed its strategic approach to improve attendance, working closely with parents and external agencies to improve attendance, especially for disadvantaged pupils.  A minority of pupils who are often more vulnerable find it hard to meet the school’s revised high expectations for their behaviour. This means that they are more likely to be suspended from school, missing valuable learning time and personal development opportunities. The school should ensure that there is ongoing support and review for those pupils who find it hardest to meet the school’s high expectations for their behaviour such that the number of suspensions falls.  Sometimes assessment is not used precisely enough to identify when pupils are secure

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

in their learning. This means that pupils are not moved on to more complex work, which prevents them from deepening their knowledge in some subjects. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment effectively to identify when pupils are secure in their learning and ready to progress to more complex tasks.

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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 18 and 19 March 2025

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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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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in April 2019.

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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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,170

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form

Dates of previous inspection 30 April and 1 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is the part of Sidney Stringer Multi Academy Trust. There are five schools in the trust.  The school uses 10 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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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.  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’ interests first.  As part of this inspection, the inspectors met with senior leaders, subject leaders, teaching staff and other employees in the school. Inspectors also talked informally to pupils to gather information about school life. The lead inspector also met the chair of the trust, the chair of the local governing body and another governor. Governor

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Information about this inspection

minutes were scrutinised.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors discussed with leaders and pupils the school’s extra-curricular activities, the enrichment programme, and the careers and personal development programmes.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s behaviour and attendance records with school leaders. Two alternative provisions were contacted by telephone by the lead inspector.  A range of documents were scrutinised, including plans to improve the school.  The inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils. They also considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Andrew Madden, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jacqueline Newsome Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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