Chase Terrace Academy

Inspection of Chase Terrace Academy Bridge Cross Road, Chase Terrace, Burntwood, Staffordshire WS7 2DB

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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 Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Nicola Mason. This school is part of John Taylor Multi- Academy 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), Mike Donoghue OBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Colin Hopkins MBE. 29 and 30 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Chase Terrace Academy learn how to respect ‘the CTA way’, living out the values of community, tenacity and aspiration. The school cares for its pupils. Pupils speak highly of the personal development lessons they have every morning. These help them to develop the skills to be confident and successful as they move towards adulthood. Pupils feel safe. They have confidence in the staff to look after them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a positive and respectful place to learn. It works effectively with the community and the trust. Pupils typically concentrate well and do their best in lessons. They are polite and courteous around the school site. The school has high expectations for pupils. Pupils enjoy their learning. As work continues to improve the quality of education, most pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school encourages pupils to take on responsibilities through a variety of leadership opportunities. Pupils benefit from this wider offer, which includes a variety of activities and trips. These include macramé, samba club, Duke of Edinburgh Award and visits overseas. In addition, the school house system engages pupils in competition, for example in sports.

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

The school is aware that pupil outcomes need to improve. It has embedded a carefully designed curriculum from Year 7 through to Year 13. This curriculum is ambitious. An increasing number of pupils are now studying the English Baccalaureate suite of qualifications. In response to the sixth-form outcomes, the school has put in place a broader range of subjects, with increased guidance for students on subject choice. Sixth- form students now study courses which are better suited to their needs.

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

Teachers provide clear explanations when delivering new knowledge. They select learning activities appropriately. However, the checks on pupils’ and students’ learning are inconsistent across the school. This means that gaps in their learning persist and pupils struggle with tasks that become more complex. Some pupils find it hard to link their learning to their previous knowledge.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified with precision. The school ensures that staff have detailed information on these needs to support pupils’ learning. Appropriate adaptations to learning are in place. This helps pupils learn the curriculum well.

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

Reading is prioritised. Individual interventions support pupils who need help to develop their reading skills. The school has a large, welcoming library that is well used for lessons and social times. Pupils are encouraged to read widely and often.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has worked effectively to improve standards of pupil conduct. The core values of respect, community, tenacity and aspiration are embedded. The school works effectively with the community and the trust. Together, they have 29 and 30 April 2025

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changed the culture of the school. The school has high expectations of all pupils. It supports pupils in meeting these expectations.

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Attendance is a priority for the school. With the support of the trust, the school has put clear, consistent procedures in place to ensure that this improves. The school now has oversight of any barriers related to attendance. Despite this, too many pupils are not in school regularly enough, especially more vulnerable pupils. As a result, they miss valuable learning and personal development opportunities.

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Personal development is prioritised at the start of every day. This learning helps pupils gain the important skills needed for their future independence. Sixth-form students value this work in helping them to lead healthy lives and be prepared for their next steps. Careers provision is extensive. Pupils in all year groups meet employers, colleges and higher education providers. Leaders are aspirational for pupils when guiding their next steps.

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Those responsible for governance support the work of the school. They hold the school to account diligently. Leaders have an accurate knowledge of strengths and priorities. They use this information to identify next steps for the professional development of staff. However, in some aspects of the school’s work, the impact of actions undertaken are not reviewed to understand if they have been successful or require further improvement.

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Staff know that their well-being matters. They report positively on how the school engages with them to support with workload. Staff enjoy working at the school. Increasing numbers of parents and carers speak positively about the improvements to the school and the school’s engagement with them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This means that they develop gaps in their knowledge and miss important personal development opportunities. The school should accelerate its work with parents and external agencies so that pupil attendance improves.  Systems to check on pupils’ understanding are not consistent. Consequently, some pupils have misconceptions and gaps in their knowledge which are not addressed. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to identify and address gaps in pupils’ learning so that future lessons can build on what pupils know and help to secure their knowledge.  The school does not have a consistent approach to identifying the impact of some actions it has undertaken. Therefore, it does not have an accurate understanding of 29 and 30 April 2025

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where improvements have been successful or where further action is needed. The school should ensure it has the right systems in place to evaluate the impact of its work consistently and effectively so that next steps can be prioritised.

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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 1,228

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form

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 December 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered providers of alternative provision and two unregistered providers of alternative provision.  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

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 29 and 30 April 2025

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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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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued 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 the chair of the local governing board, and the chair of the trust. They met with senior leaders, subject leaders, teaching staff, the CEO, the director of secondary school improvement for the trust and other employees at the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science,

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psychology, history and physical education. For each deep dive, the 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 in these subjects.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s extra-curricular activities, enrichment programme and their careers and personal development programmes with leaders and pupils.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s behaviour and attendance records with school leaders.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including plans to improve the school and governing body and trustee minutes.  The inspectors met with members of staff and spoke to pupils, both formally and informally, at various points in the inspection. They took account of responses to Ofsted surveys for staff and pupils, as well as responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Liz Todd, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Washbourne His Majesty’s 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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