The Nottingham Emmanuel School

Inspection of The Nottingham Emmanuel School Gresham Park Road, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire NG2 7YF

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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The principal of this school is Sandra Stapleton. This school is part of Archway Learning 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), Sian Hampton, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Malcolm Trobe. 29 and 30 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school provides pupils with a sense of community and belonging. Pupils are known and valued as individuals. They are proud of the school’s diversity and celebrate one another’s differences. Staff are committed to ensuring that pupils develop their wisdom, sense of community, hope and dignity, which represent the school values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils and takes decisions based on pupils’ best interests. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum because of improvements the school has made. Pupils develop their confidence and independence during their time at the school. Students in the sixth form build their knowledge and are well prepared for life beyond school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn in calm and purposeful classroom environments. They value their education. Staff know pupils well. Pupils are confident that they could share any concerns with staff, and that they would be treated seriously and with respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of opportunities to develop their leadership skills, including as ‘house captains’. They develop an understanding of active citizenship and contribute to the local foodbank as well as participating in a range of charity events.

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

The school and the trust have worked together closely to redesign the curriculum. The curriculum is ambitious and clearly sets out what pupils should learn and when. The school has ensured that pupils see themselves and their communities in the curriculum. For example, in English, the texts that pupils read have been selected for their educational value as well as the diversity of culture they include. In the sixth form, the curriculum has been designed to build on what pupils have learned before and to prepare them for their next steps.

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

Historically, pupils have achieved below-average outcomes in examinations. The school and the trust have successfully responded to this. Staff have received support to make sure that teaching approaches are effective. The information about how well pupils learn the curriculum over time is now used carefully to provide pupils with the precise support that they need. As a result, pupils and sixth-form students learn the curriculum well. They use subject-specific vocabulary to explain their knowledge. There remain some occasions when teachers’ explanations, or the activities they provide for pupils, do not focus well enough on the important knowledge that the curriculum identifies that pupils should learn. On these occasions, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could.

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

Teachers have secure knowledge and are passionate about the subjects that they teach. Pupils enjoy their learning, and most pupils take pride in the work they produce. Sometimes, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding closely enough during lessons. When this is the case, the gaps in pupils’ knowledge may not be addressed and learning moves on before pupils are ready. 29 and 30 April 2025

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The school has an inclusive ethos. Staff are keen to identify any barriers to pupils’ success and remove those barriers. They promptly identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers use the information the school provides about pupils with SEND to make appropriate adaptations to lessons. Pupils with SEND therefore build their knowledge well. Similarly, reading has been prioritised, as the school understands that pupils’ ability to read fluently will enable them to access the rest of the school’s curriculum. The support that pupils receive ensures that this is the case.

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The school has clear systems in place that ensure pupils concentrate on their learning. Sixth-form students are enthusiastic about the subjects they study and engage well in their lessons. The school has worked hard and successfully to promote the importance of regular attendance. Pupils attend well thanks to their own efforts and the caring and supportive approach of the school, which makes pupils feel welcome.

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Pupils benefit from a well-designed personal development offer. They learn about healthy lifestyles and healthy relationships. Many pupils take advantage of the range of clubs that the school provides to develop their talents and interests. The school ensures that pupils have the information they need about their futures, including their careers. This supports pupils to make appropriate choices about their next steps. Students in the sixth form share the inspiring experiences that they have had during work experience opportunities, organised by the school.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. Most staff feel their workload is considered well. The school, trust and those responsible for governance work together well with a consistent focus on improving pupils’ experiences of school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, teachers do not focus their explanations, or the learning activities that they provide for pupils, closely enough on the most important knowledge that pupils should know. This means that when this is the case, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff know how to focus their teaching consistently on the knowledge that the curriculum identifies pupils should learn.  At times, staff do not check pupils’ understanding closely enough. As a result, there are times when staff move learning on before pupils are ready or gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not addressed. The school should ensure that pupils benefit from checks on their understanding, which enable teachers to address gaps in pupils’ knowledge and to move learning on at the most appropriate point. 29 and 30 April 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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,137

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form

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 March 2020 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Archway Learning Trust.  The school currently uses two registered alternative providers.  The school is part of the Diocese of Southwell. Its last section 48 inspection took place in May 2022. The next section 48 inspection will take place within five years since the date of the previous inspection.  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. 29 and 30 April 2025

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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.

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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 met with the principal, other senior leaders, subject leaders, staff, the vice CEO, other trust representatives, the chair of trustees and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, geography, computer science and modern foreign languages. 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 met with leaders responsible for pupils’ behaviour, attendance and personal

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Information about this inspection

development. They also met with leaders responsible for the provision for pupils with SEND, the provision for disadvantaged pupils and alternative provision.  Inspectors met with the leader responsible for provision in the sixth form, visited sixth- form lessons and met with groups of sixth-form students.  Inspectors met formally and informally with groups of pupils.  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.  Inspectors considered responses received on Ofsted’s Parent View, including free-text responses. They also considered responses to the Ofsted surveys for school staff and pupils. 29 and 30 April 2025

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Inspection team

Matthew Fearns-Davies, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Van Lier Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 April 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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