a school not in a category of concern of Nottingham Academy

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Jessie Elbaz and Jo French Executive principals Nottingham Academy Greenwood Road Bakersfield Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG3 7EB

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Academy

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 22 July 2025, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and took place because the school meets the monitoring threshold as set out in the Monitoring Inspection Handbook .

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Academy

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Academy

During the inspection, Claire Stylianides, Anne Maingay, His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and I discussed with you and other senior leaders, trust leaders, the chief executive officer (CEO) and the chair of trustees the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also visited lessons, spoke to pupils, met with a range of staff and looked at curriculum documentation. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection, additional senior leaders have been appointed, including two executive principals with sole responsibility for the school. This has strengthened leadership capacity, with three new roles in the primary phase and six new roles in the secondary phase. The school has ensured that these additional roles are focused on the areas of the school that need improvement. It has also ensured that these staff have the necessary skills to carry out their roles effectively. The trust has provided ongoing effective challenge and support in all areas.

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Main findings

Leaders in the primary and secondary phases have worked together to develop the curriculum. The trust has supported this work effectively. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum meets the needs of the pupils. For example, improving pupils’ English skills is a central component of the curriculum. Leaders have identified the most important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn and when. Leaders have also carefully planned assessments so that pupils’ gaps in learning and misconceptions can be identified and addressed. The curriculum in each subject is now well designed and sequenced from the early years to the sixth form, so it is clear how pupils will build their knowledge over time.

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Main findings

To improve the implementation of the curriculum, the school has outlined the teaching and learning principles that teachers should use. It has focused on improving teachers’ knowledge and skills in applying these principles. Staff now have a secure understanding of them. In lessons, most teachers now deliver the curriculum consistently well. For example, at the start of a lesson, teachers use a ‘retrieval activity’ to recap prior learning and to identify gaps in learning. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They explain new learning clearly and check for understanding effectively. The school has provided teachers with training on how to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most of the time, teachers adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND so that they can access it and achieve well. Leaders have adopted a collaborative approach in checking how well teachers deliver the curriculum. Teachers receive

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Main findings

supportive feedback on what they are doing well and what they can improve. They appreciate this feedback. It has helped them improve the quality of their curriculum delivery. As a result, pupils’ achievements in all phases are improving.

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Main findings

Leaders have taken decisive and strategic actions to improve attendance across the school. Leaders from each phase meet regularly to discuss any attendance issues that may arise. They are aware of the barriers that some pupils face which prevent them from attending well. Leaders are working well with these pupils and their families, so that they attend school more frequently. The school is also working with the local authority’s attendance project. Furthermore, the school is using rewards and attendance competitions to incentivise pupils to attend well. Leaders have provided training to staff, enabling them to understand the strategies they can use to increase pupils’ attendance. As a result, attendance is improving. It is now broadly in line with national averages for most pupil groups. However, leaders are aware that some pupils still miss too much school, for example some pupils with SEND. The school is also working on improving

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Main findings

Leaders have made many thoughtful changes to improve engagement with stakeholders. They have considered the school’s context and the barriers some parents face in communicating with the school. Parents engage regularly with the school through events. Where needed, staff support parents with translation. Parents attend ‘stay and play’ events, phonics workshops, SEND coffee mornings and assemblies. The school regularly surveys parents to gather their views. It has developed an active parent forum. Parents have also been involved in the development of key policies. The school surveys the views of pupils. It has ensured that pupils have a voice that is heard and responded to. Pupils have a secure grasp of the school’s values. Most pupils have a positive view of the school, their learning and behaviour.

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Main findings

Leaders have engaged very effectively with staff. They have made staff well-being and workload a priority. The school regularly surveys staff views and acts on their feedback. Staff appreciate the professional development they receive. They say it has a positive impact on their practice. Staff work together as a cohesive team as they know what is expected of them, and they feel listened to and well supported.

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Main findings

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees, and the CEO of the Greenwood Academies Trust, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Nottingham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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