Cliff Park Ormiston Academy

Inspection of Cliff Park Ormiston Academy Kennedy Avenue, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 6TA

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The principal of this school is Harry French. This school is part of Ormiston 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), Tom Rees, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Julius Weinberg. 29 and 30 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘Everyday excellent behaviour’ is an expectation at this school. Pupils rise to meet this expectation. They behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils consistently show respect to their peers and adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and are highly positive about the changes in the school. They feel well supported by their trusted adults. Pupils are also positive about the school’s ‘CARE’ values and are keen to win awards relating to these values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from helpful and timely careers advice, which supports and promotes their aspirations for the future. This extends to pupils attending engineering workshops and visiting local colleges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s four-part lesson structure helps promote high expectations of pupils’ academic achievement. Pupils state that they like the new lesson structure, as this supports their learning. However, some do not yet achieve as well as they could.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The number of opportunities for pupils to extend their talents and interests has increased over the last two years. These include Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics club, boat building club, art and karaoke. These clubs are well attended.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupil leadership roles include prefects, school councillors and well-being ambassadors. These roles help pupils prepare to take on responsibilities in their future lives.

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

The school has been through a significant period of turbulence. Now stabilised, the school has improved markedly. This includes extensive revisions to the curriculum and its implementation.

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum encourages pupils to ‘discover, create, thrive and achieve’. To help achieve this, the school has threaded specific links to the context of the local maritime industry through curriculum subjects. This helps pupils see the relevance of subjects to potential future careers. This includes boat building in engineering, plus links to marine science and renewable energies within science.

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

Each subject curriculum outlines the important knowledge and skills that pupils will learn. Important subject content is carefully ordered to help pupils continue to build on this knowledge. T he school regularly checks that pupils have remembered important knowledge.

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

The school prioritises reading to enable pupils to fully access the curriculum. Regular testing identifies pupils at earlier stages of reading. These pupils receive appropriate support through phonics work and dedicated mentors. This helps pupils to become increasingly confident and fluent readers. 29 and 30 April 2025

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The school’s intensive work to embed a revised lesson structure has had a notable impact on pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils now receive a far more consistent approach to acquiring new knowledge as a result. Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to consolidate and reflect on new learning. However, in some subjects, teachers do not address pupils’ misconceptions rapidly enough. When this is the case, it is difficult for pupils to remember important content.

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The school’s support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is carefully considered. The school quickly and accurately identifies pupils with barriers to learning. Well-trained staff support pupils’ individual needs well. Regular reviews ensure individual pupil’s support remains appropriate.

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The school’s previous results reflect the earlier period of instability and do not represent the quality of learning now in evidence. The school places the English Baccalaureate at the heart of the curriculum. It is proactive in making this qualification accessible to pupils.

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The school works closely with families to support pupils to attend school regularly. As a result, pupils’ attendance has improved significantly. However, some pupils do not yet attend well and miss valuable learning.

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The school’s personal development programme is meticulously planned. Through discussions in lessons and celebrations in assemblies, pupils learn about democracy and tolerance of differences, respect, healthy relationships, right and wrong. The school provides a comprehensive careers programme for all year groups. Career fairs and initiatives with higher education providers supports pupils to develop high aspirations.

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Staff have a very positive attitude towards the improvements driven by leaders. They say that leaders take considerable care to manage their workload and support their well- being.

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Some families say the school does not communicate well with them. This means they do not yet see the wealth of life experiences that the school now offers.

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The Trust provides strong support to the school to drive improvements. They ensure that leaders are both challenged and supported to continue improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not address pupils’ misconceptions rapidly enough. When this is the case, it is difficult for pupils to remember important content. As a result, some pupils are not yet building the key knowledge they need to achieve more 29 and 30 April 2025

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highly. The school must ensure that all staff are appropriately trained to identify and address pupils’ misperceptions.  Rates of persistent absence for some disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, continue to be high. These pupils are not fully benefiting from all that school has to offer. The school should further develop its strategies to enable pupils to attend school regularly.  Some parents do not feel that the school communicates with them effectively. As a result, some parents do not yet have a positive view of the improvements within the school. The school must further develop ways in which to communicate effectively to parents so they are better informed about the day-to-day work of the school.

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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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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 July 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Ormiston Academy Trust.  The school has undergone significant change since the last inspection.  The school uses three unregistered alternative providers.  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 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. 29 and 30 April 2025

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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.  Inspectors met with the principal, trust regional directors, senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers. The lead inspector also met with those with responsibility for governance, including the chair of the local governing board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, geography, history, art and engineering. For each deep dive, inspectors held

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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 took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. Inspectors considered the views of pupils through discussions held with them during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Rowena Simmons, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sue Child 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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