Arnold Hill Spencer Academy

Inspection of Arnold Hill Spencer Academy Gedling Road, Arnold, Gedling Road, Nottingham NG5 6NZ

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

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The principal of this school is Ian Simpson. This school is part of The Spencer Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by chief executive officer (CEO), Paul West, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Donna Kinderman. 10 and 11 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Arnold Hill Spencer Academy has high expectations of what all pupils will achieve. It provides a challenging curriculum that is designed well to meet pupils’ aspirations. The school wants all pupils to ‘be inspired and achieve together’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Typically, pupils enjoy their learning and have positive attitudes towards school. The school has recently raised its expectations of pupils’ conduct. Most pupils now live up to these. They follow routines well and typically behave in lessons. Low-level disruption is not tolerated. As a result, the school has a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils are safe. Pupils feel confident that they have a trusted adult they can got to. Pupils enjoy social times together and work collaboratively in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides numerous opportunities for pupils to enjoy learning beyond the classroom. These include educational trips, including abroad and to places of interest, as well as opportunities to take part in sports clubs and competitions. Students in the sixth form value the ‘Astral’ reward programme. Through these activities and opportunities, pupils develop the tools they need for life in modern Britain.

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

The school has implemented a curriculum that outlines the knowledge that pupils should learn in each subject. Consideration has been given to the order in which pupils encounter new learning. Pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. This helps pupils to achieve well. The curriculum supports pupils in reading widely. Weaker readers receive support to develop reading fluency so that they can access the full curriculum.

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

The curriculum is broad and ambitious for all. Pupils in key stage 3 enjoy a wide range of subjects. At key stage 4, pupils choose from a well-considered offer of academic and vocational courses. The focus on cultural experiences beyond the classroom has had a positive impact on pupils’ enthusiasm for languages, and as a result more pupils are accessing the English Baccalaureate qualification. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Information about the needs of pupils with SEND is shared with teachers and used to ensure that learning in lessons is adapted appropriately.

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

Staff use their specialist subject knowledge to provide pupils with clear explanations. In many areas, including in the sixth form, staff check pupils’ understanding carefully. At times, however, learning moves on before pupils have grasped essential knowledge. When this happens, pupils struggle with new or more-complex learning.

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

The school’s personal development offer prepares pupils for adulthood well. Pupils learn about important issues, such as healthy relationships and online safety. Pupils said that they value their personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum, as it is ‘interesting and true to life’. The school’s careers programme helps pupils to make informed decisions about their next steps. 10 and 11 June 2025

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The school’s curriculum offer in the sixth form allows for students to achieve exceptionally well. Teachers use their expert subject knowledge to work with eager and dedicated students. Beyond the classroom, students take on opportunities to develop their leadership skills and interests. They embody the school’s vision to ‘be inspired and achieve together’. They are driven to achieve. One student reflected the views of many by saying that they are ‘proud to be the ambassadors of the school’.

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The school has created a clear vision for behaviour. They use their records of tracking behaviour effectively, so that the school can support all pupils. Pupils value being rewarded for choosing to do ‘the right thing’ and, as a result, most behave well. Attendance at the school is improving. However, the attendance of vulnerable pupils is not as strong as that of their peers.

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The trust and the school are united in their commitment to the quality of education that pupils receive. They use professional development to make improvements to the delivery of the curriculum. Early career teachers are provided with the relevant training.

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Staff feel valued for what they do. They report that leaders consider their workload and well-being. They feel that leaders have embedded a culture of positivity, ambition and care. One member of staff summed up the views of many, by saying, ‘We have been given a big hug, and we now feel valued for what we do.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, assessment is not used effectively to check pupils’ understanding. This means that pupils’ misconceptions or gaps in their knowledge are not addressed consistently well. This affects how well pupils build up knowledge over time. The school should ensure that assessment is used consistently well to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge and inform subsequent teaching.  Pupils’ attendance to the school is improving. However, vulnerable pupils’ attendance is not as strong as the rest of their peers. The school must continue its ambitious plans to ensure that the attendance of vulnerable pupils improves. 10 and 11 June 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). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,504

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form

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been changes in leadership since the last inspection. The principal took up post in the summer term of 2024. The trust has added capacity through its school improvement team. This team has worked closely and continues to work with the school.  The school makes use of 15 unregistered and two registered 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. 10 and 11 June 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school and trust has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, mathematics, modern foreign languages, geography and science. For each deep dive, inspectors met with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers, pupils and students and sampled pupils’ work.  To further explore the effectiveness of the quality of education, inspectors reviewed curriculum plans in the deep dive subject areas. Inspectors also visited lessons in other subjects such as the creative arts, and design and technology.  Inspectors met with a range of staff, including leaders from the trust.

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Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector held a meeting with those responsible for governance, which included meeting with a range of trustees and governors, including the chair of trustees and the chair of governors.  Inspectors spoke to a range of staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  Inspectors considered the responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including the free-text responses.  Inspectors spoke with a range of pupils and students. They considered the results of Ofsted’s pupil survey as well as the school’s own pupil survey.  Inspectors spent time with pupils at breaktimes and lunch to observe behaviour and to explore with pupils what it is like to be a pupil at the school.  Inspectors visited the school’s inclusion provision.  An inspector spoke with the alternative provisions used by the school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents and records linked to attendance and

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Information about this inspection

behaviour, as well as school improvement documentation and minutes of meetings of the governing body and the board of trustees. 10 and 11 June 2025

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Inspection team

Sally Wicken, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Ferstenberg Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 2025

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