Landau Forte Academy, QEMS

Landau Forte Academy, QEMS

Address: Ashby Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 8AH Unique reference number (URN): 137146

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils attend well as they enjoy coming to school. Leaders track patterns of attendance. This means they are proactive if a pupil is not attending as regularly as they should. Leaders put in place the support that pupils need to enable them to regain the habit of regular school attendance. As a result, all groups of pupils attend school well. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged as well as pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have very high expectations for how pupils should conduct themselves. As these expectations are clearly explained to pupils, they have a full understanding of how to behave both in lessons and in social times. Pupils therefore apply themselves very well in lessons, and try their hardest when they have work to complete. They show courtesy and respect to each other at break and lunchtimes. Staff teach pupils how to demonstrate the school's values of compassion, curiosity and courage. Poor behaviour is rare, including bullying. Leaders put in place appropriate support for the few pupils who find it harder to meet their expectations. This all means that the school is a harmonious learning community.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have a deep knowledge of all pupils who have barriers to their learning or wellbeing. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities as well as pupils who are known to social care. Leaders ensure that staff are well-informed about these pupils and the precise strategies to adopt to enable them to thrive and learn well. Staff have the training they need to implement the agreed approaches for these pupils, and leaders ensure these strategies are implemented consistently. Leaders have a very regular and thorough process of review to make adjustments to the support that pupils need as they progress through the school. This all means that pupils benefit from a highly responsive and coordinated approach. This enables the school's more vulnerable pupils to thrive and achieve well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders' strategy for pupils who are disadvantaged is informed by high quality evidence. Staff implement the agreed approaches consistently across the school. Leaders regularly review and adjust their strategy to ensure it is successful.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The small number of pupils who have alternative provision have these placements agreed with parents, and with a clear process of review. This ensures the placements meet their needs, and they can return successfully to the school when they are ready.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have brought about rapid and highly effective improvement across this school. This is because leaders at all levels have a deep understanding of the quality of provision in the school, and so they prioritise improvements effectively. Leaders systematically review provision in the school to ensure it consistently meets their high expectations. Leaders ensure that staff at all levels have an evidence-informed understanding of high- quality provision in their area of responsibility. The training that staff have enables them to fulfil their roles to a very high level. Leaders support teachers very effectively to develop their professional expertise. This means that the standard of teaching is continuing to improve. Staff are highly positive about how leaders engage with them about workload, wellbeing and further developments in the school. They are proud of the quality of provision on offer to the pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Those responsible for governance share leaders' ambitions for the school. They are well- informed and offer forensic support and challenge. The trust ensures that leaders have the resources they need to respond to the challenges of a growing school.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Parents are highly positive about the school, the quality of provision on offer and the regular communication that they receive. They speak especially highly about the support on offer for more vulnerable pupils and how the school takes time to understand and meet the pupils' needs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils' personal development is a significant strength of the school's provision. Leaders ensure that the key knowledge that pupils need is laid out in a logical order. This includes important learning that pupils need around relationships, other cultures and beliefs, citizenship and how to stay safe online. The design of the curriculum ensures that pupils build this knowledge in an age-appropriate way as they progress through the school. The curriculum is also responsive. Leaders ensure that pupils are prepared for the complexities of life in modern Britain, including responding to local and national events. In this way, the pupils develop a nuanced understanding of fundamental British values and the wider world they are growing up in.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

A dedicated and trained team teach the school's programme for personal development. This ensures that the curriculum is consistently well-taught and pupils develop the detailed knowledge they need. This covers pupils with barriers to their learning, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school's pastoral support is another significant strength. There are key adults in place across the school who can support pupils. They know and understand pupils well, and support them effectively. They also make appropriate use of external services when this is necessary.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

There is an extensive offer of clubs, visits and trips. These include many sports clubs and also a dance, football and cheerleading academy. There is also a board games club, a debating club and a gardening group. Leaders carefully track which pupils attend each club and ensure pupils develop their resilience by regularly attending the club. Leaders also supportively encourage pupils to attend clubs where they feel that this would benefit them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

There is a comprehensive programme to inform pupils of future educational opportunities and careers. This starts early with the youngest pupils and progresses through the school. This all ensures that pupils access a range of ambitious destinations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well in their external examinations across a range of subjects. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils achieve especially highly in public examinations in the school's range of vocational subjects. As a result of improvements in curriculum and teaching, pupils' achievement is becoming more consistent across the full range of GCSE subjects.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils currently in school learn the curriculum well. Pupils secure the foundational knowledge they need thanks to effective intervention work. They are becoming increasingly accurate in how they use more technical vocabulary and concepts in their work.

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Achievement Expected standard

By the time they leave the school, pupils have secured the knowledge they need to be successful. As a result, they move on to positive destinations in further education, employment or training.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a very secure understanding of the quality of teaching and curriculum. Leaders put in place appropriate changes to the subjects' curriculum to ensure pupils have the key learning they need to succeed. Leaders work effectively with staff to support a consistent understanding of highly effective teaching. In this they ensure that staff know how to adapt learning activities for pupils who need this. Leaders swiftly identify pupils who lack the foundational knowledge in literacy, numeracy or handwriting which they need to be successful. They ensure that these pupils have the rapid support they need. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other pupils with barriers to their learning have the necessary adaptations which they need. This means they learn the curriculum well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers select activities which build well on what pupils already know. They increasingly make effective choices about how they adjust the learning activities. Teachers typically ensure they identify and close gaps in pupils' understanding or misconceptions. That said, on occasions some pupils can struggle to recall key knowledge or more technical concepts. This limits their ability to achieve the consistent academic excellence which leaders strive for.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are very happy at this caring, ambitious and welcoming school. This is because they are known as individuals. As one pupil said: 'School makes me feel welcome. The teachers really listen to us.' These positive relationships underpin why this school is successful for so many pupils. Staff ensure pupils are happy, take full part in the life of the school, and learn well. This means pupils also benefit from the many additional opportunities which the school offers. This includes a wide range of sports clubs and teams, but also many other activities including the Duke of Edinburgh, performing arts opportunities and enrichment clubs. Pupils deeply value how this wider offer enriches their experience of school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils achieve well thanks to leaders' significant ambition for the curriculum and pupils' learning. Exam results have shown significant improvements and are now high. Pupils benefit from teaching which meets their needs and challenges them appropriately. As the school has an extensive overview of each pupil, leaders ensure that barriers to learning are systematically reduced, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Behaviour is a particular strength of the school. Pupils behave very well. This is because they understand leaders' expectations for them. They show respect to each other and to staff who work there. This makes the school a harmonious community. As a result, bullying or unkind behaviour is very rare and is dealt with promptly. As pupils enjoy school, they attend very well. Leaders support pupils highly effectively if they struggle to meet their expectations for behaviour or attendance. Pupils are taught very well how to keep themselves safe, both in the wider community and online. They know there are many adults in the school who will listen if they have a concern.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue their work to refine the consistency of teaching so that pupils build the key knowledge they need to excel across the curriculum.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Landau Forte Charitable Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sarah Findlay-Cobb, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Peter Cox. There is an Executive Principal, Katie Adams, and also a Head of School, Ash Perry.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

This inspection took place from 22 to 23 September 2026.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with senior leaders, the chair of the trust, local governors, trust employees as well as groups of staff and pupils during the inspection. One alternative provision was contacted by telephone.

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About this 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.

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Team inspectors:

Josie Leese, Ofsted Inspector Ahson Mohammed, Ofsted Inspector Ed Leighton, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 22 September 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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840

Below average The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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840

The school uses one registered and one unregistered alternative provision.

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840

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection with a new Head of School.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 38.8% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 39.9% 45.9% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 49.6 46.1 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 46.9 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 46.1 46.3 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 0.06 -0.03 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.03 -0.03 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 21.2% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 21.4% 25.2% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 38.9 34.6 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.35 -0.57 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 7.9% 9.0% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 23.2% 25.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 25.6% 26.5% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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