Paignton Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievements by:
  • ensuring that all teachers have strong subject knowledge
  • supporting pupils to reach the more challenging academic targets that have been set.
• Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by:
  • raising attendance so that it is at least in line with the national average and reducing persistent absence still further
  • coordinating careers advice so that pupils understand how to achieve their aspirations when they leave school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The principal provides strong leadership for the whole school community and this has resulted in sustained improvement since the previous inspection. She has a clear vision for raising the achievement of all pupils no matter what their background or circumstances. Senior leaders share her determination to improve every aspect of educational provision and together they form a very effective team.
• A culture of respect stems from the principal through senior and middle leaders to all parts of the school. Leaders at all levels have high expectations of pupils’ academic achievement and social behaviour. As a result, standards are rising.
• Senior leaders understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school well through regular checks on the quality of teaching and robust performance management arrangements. The quality of teaching is improving because leaders have dealt with turbulence in staffing and difficulties in recruiting specialist staff effectively.
• Senior leaders regularly monitor their plans for improvement, test their effectiveness and make adjustments where necessary. A wide range of information is used from which to inform judgements and take appropriate action. For example, pupils’ attendance shows only a slow improvement. This is also true of attendance in the sixth form. Adjustments to the school’s approach are beginning to improve pupils’ punctuality and reduce rates of absence more rapidly.
• Senior leaders manage the pupil premium funding and plan for its effective use well. They carefully evaluate the impact of different actions and have sharpened their focus on disadvantaged pupils since the previous inspection. Disadvantaged pupils are now making better progress because of this targeted approach.
• Teachers feel valued and are well motivated. The school provides many opportunities for coaching and mentoring between teachers both from within the school and from other local providers. This leads to improved accuracy in assessment judgements through joint moderation activities. Newly qualified teachers in particular appreciate the training that is provided for them.
• Teachers who have retrained to work outside their specialism sometimes lack the depth of knowledge required to inspire pupils fully.
• Middle leaders regularly check that the school’s policies are followed by all teachers. For example, they make sure that the feedback given to pupils about their work is of a consistently high quality. As a result, pupils know how to improve their work and they make better progress.
• Some middle leaders, for example in science, are new to their role and so have not yet had as much effect on improving the quality of teaching in their subject area.
• Senior leaders have a clear rationale for the subjects that are offered to each year group. The curriculum in key stage 3 and 4 is academic in its content while the 16 to 19 study programmes are all vocational. When coupled with numerous extra-curricular activities, volunteering, sporting and art-based projects, the school offers a wide range of learning opportunities. Leaders use the school’s status as a regional hub for sport and volunteering to good effect; this sports status enhances the experience of pupils.
• Pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is supported effectively within subjects. The curriculum fosters a good understanding of the rule of law, tolerance and respect. Links with schools in Nigeria and Ethiopia, along with interesting displays in corridors, contribute to broadening pupils’ understanding of the wider world. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• This is an inclusive school. Senior leaders ensure that arrangements are in place so that all pupils are treated as individuals and are given an equal opportunity to succeed. Examples were seen where pupils have been given specialist equipment to overcome particular barriers to their learning. These pupils are readily welcomed by other pupils and are thriving as a result.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well and make good progress. Leaders make sure that extra funding for these pupils is used wisely. Pupils in Year 7 who need extra help with their literacy and numeracy skills benefit from a nurture programme which helps them to catch up quickly.
• The school promotes reading well through a variety of initiatives designed to inspire pupils. Pupils are regularly encouraged to read by their tutor and other staff. This applies to both strong readers and those who find reading more difficult. Many report that they are now reading far more than in the past.

Governance of the school

• The governance of the school has improved considerably since the previous inspection. The new trust board, working with a local advisory group, has an accurate view of the work of the school. The chair of the trust has ensured that a skilled group of governors has been recruited. Suitable, timely training on issues such as safeguarding is building governors’ expertise further. Because of their extensive experience in education and local knowledge, they are able to comprehensively hold the principal and senior leaders to account for the performance of the school.
• All governors have a good understanding of their specific portfolio of responsibilities. They are very aware of the financial challenges that the school faces. They check on the way pupil premium funding and Year 7 catch-up funding are spent and apply strong challenge to the school over the performance of disadvantaged pupils. They oversee the school’s arrangements for managing teachers’ performance effectively.
• The trust board is continually seeking opportunities to improve further. As a result, it has modified its governance structure twice in the last two years and is not complacent, as illustrated by the further developments planned.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school has clear systems for reporting and following through on concerns. Staff implement these consistently. Recruitment checks are in place for all those who work with children. Teachers provide a good level of supervision around each site and visitors’ identities are checked effectively.
• Leaders have fostered an open culture where safeguarding is seen as important by the whole school community. Discussion about the risks pupils face is encouraged and pupils know who they can turn to if they need help. The emphasis on sports leadership which runs throughout the school makes a good contribution to this culture.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved rapidly in the last two years. The school has faced difficulties in recruiting teachers in key subjects. However, these issues have been addressed well by a strategy of retraining teachers from other curriculum areas. This strategy has reduced the number of lessons taught by temporary teachers and improved the consistency of teaching overall.
• Teaching in mathematics has improved. Because of this, pupils currently in the school are making better progress than those who have recently left. Teaching in science is improving, but this has had less effect on pupils’ progress because a recently appointed leader has only been in post for a short time.
• Teaching in English, French and physical education is strong and teachers of these subjects share new ideas and techniques with other teachers. Consequently, teaching across the school is generally well planned and meets pupils’ needs.
• The coordinator for special educational needs and/or disabilities works well with teaching assistants to support the individual needs of pupils. Consequently, teaching assistants are used effectively in lessons.
• Teachers are enthusiastic. They recognise the principal’s determination to raise achievement and this causes them to have high expectations of pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged. This is contributing to the improvement in the progress of this group.
• Pupils know how well they are achieving because the new system for assessing pupils’ work is well understood and consistently applied by teachers.
• Teachers set targets for pupils which are aspirational. However, sometimes they do not provide the extra help needed to deepen pupils’ understanding sufficiently so they are better equipped to reach these targets.
• A large majority of parents who responded to Parent View believe that pupils are well taught and a similarly large majority would recommend this school to other parents.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. A new uniform was introduced two years ago and pupils are proud to wear it. Pupils care for their environment, and as a result there is very little litter or graffiti on either site.
• There is a strong emphasis on the benefit of sport for physical and mental health. A large proportion of pupils take part in sports clubs both at school and in the community, and this makes a good contribution to their welfare.
• Pupils are willing to volunteer and take part in community and charitable events. This builds their self-confidence and makes them aware of their responsibilities to others in society and life beyond the school gate. For example, during the inspection Year 12 and Year 13 pupils on a vocational programme served a lunch to veterans to commemorate Armistice Day.
• Pupils are taught how to stay safe in a variety of situations, including how to protect themselves when using the internet. The success of the school in building pupils’ self-confidence makes them more resilient to risks.
• Pupils report that incidents of bullying do occur but that they are rare and teachers deal with them quickly. The large majority of parents who responded to the Parent View survey agreed that the school deals effectively with bullying.
• The school provides impartial careers education and guidance through a number of separate activities. However, when asked, pupils were unsure about the options available when they leave school or how to get further advice about the decision. Consequently, those pupils with specific aspirations were not able to explain with confidence what their next steps should be.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Their conduct at both sites is respectful and calm.
• Information supplied by the school indicates that low-level disruption in lessons is rare. This is confirmed by the observations inspectors made and the conversations inspectors had with pupils in key stage 3, key stage 4 and the sixth form.
• Teachers and support staff know the pupils and their families well. As a result, those pupils who need extra help to behave well are supported effectively.
• A large majority of the parents who responded to the Parent View survey agree that the school makes sure that pupils are well behaved.
• In January 2016 senior leaders introduced a new system for monitoring punctuality to school. Information supplied by the school indicates that, as a result of increased expectations, there has been a reduction in the number of pupils who arrive late to school.
• The school’s efforts to improve the rate of attendance have produced a slow improvement but attendance is still below the national average. Senior leaders acknowledge that attendance is too low and that too many pupils are persistently absent from school. Effective plans are in place to tackle this issue.
• Senior leaders monitor the behaviour of pupils who attend courses at other providers closely. Pupils’ behaviour is good and they make good progress.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Outcomes for pupils are improving. In the last two years the standards reached by Year 11 pupils in their GCSE examinations have gone up and their overall attainment was close to the national average in 2016. Given that many pupils start in Year 7 with below-average attainment, this represents good progress over time.
• GCSE English and French are particular strengths and pupils make good progress from their starting points in these subjects. Progress in mathematics is not as strong but is improving rapidly as a result of better teaching. The school has had difficulty in recruiting science teachers in the past, and this has limited the rate of improvement in this subject.
• Across all other year groups, but especially in key stage 3, pupils’ work and the information supplied by the school indicate that pupils are making good progress.
• Pupils are confident and articulate. They are able to explain what they are learning about in lessons very clearly, showing that they have a secure grasp of key concepts and ideas.
• In the past, disadvantaged pupils have not performed as well as other pupils nationally and published information has shown that there are large differences in attainment. Inspectors found that disadvantaged pupils in the school now, including those who are the most able, are making faster progress than before. As a result of a concerted effort by the school, the difference in performance between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally is diminishing.
• Achievement of the most able pupils is rising. They respond well to increased expectations. These pupils now make progress which is as good as that of other pupils nationally from similar starting points. The proportion of pupils who achieve the English Baccalaureate has been low but is rising as more and more pupils are entered for this combination of GCSE subjects.
• Pupils with low levels of attainment in Year 7 are helped to catch up successfully by specific support from teachers and learning support assistants. Consequently, they are able to participate more fully in the curriculum when they move into Year 8 and beyond.
• In a large majority of subjects, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress as a result of the effective help they receive. The coordinator for this group of pupils knows them well and closely monitors their progress as individuals.
• Most teaching ensures that a consistent emphasis is placed on pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar. Pupils work hard to present their written work neatly. An initiative to accelerate the reading skills of pupils was introduced two years ago. This has made a positive difference to pupils’ reading ability and is one reason for the growing culture of reading at the school.
• A very small number of pupils from Year 10 and 11 attend off-site provision at the Yalberton Project in order to support their behaviour. They are well looked after and make good progress.
• Those pupils in Year 10 to Year 13 who attend E-Hair Academy, South Devon College or Combe Pafford to follow vocational learning programmes are carefully monitored. The vast majority progress well and complete their courses.
• Pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage in their education, training or employment as they could be because the information they receive about different careers is not well coordinated across the school. Although the proportion of pupils who leave Year 11 and do not find a job or go into education is low compared to national figures, many pupils are not aware of the full range of opportunities open to them.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• The sixth form has changed significantly since the previous inspection. Following a review by senior leaders, it was relaunched as ‘Aspire’ in 2015. This has resulted in a concentration on a small number of vocational programmes. Consequently, the quality of the curriculum has been improved and is better meeting the needs of students.
• The leaders of the sixth form are enthusiastic and ambitious for the students. They model the same inclusive attitude seen in the main school and, as a result, students’ programmes are tailored to individual needs. Leaders know the students well and use this knowledge to help them overcome any barriers to their learning.
• Outcomes for students on applied and technical courses in 2016 were above average. The BTEC Extended Diploma in Sport is a particular strength. Information supplied by the school and inspection evidence indicate that students currently on 16 to 19 study programmes are making good progress.
• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment on 16 to 19 study programmes is good. Teachers are specialists in their vocational areas. They are passionate about their work and so motivate students well. For example, Year 12 and Year 13 students on a bricklaying course receive consistent and specific advice about how to improve. As a result, they are achieving well both in practical and theory assessments.
• Work-related experiences, which dovetail with their vocational programmes, are offered to students and monitored closely. If a placement is not completed, an alternative is found where possible.
• The personal development, behaviour and welfare of students are good. Students develop their employability and wider personal skills well. For example, many students act as sports leaders in local primary schools. Others are involved in the National Citizenship Service programme.
• Through a programme of events and outside speakers, students understand how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. All students are given workplace-focused health and safety and first aid training. Those experiencing work in primary schools are given basic training on the safeguarding of pupils.
• The attitudes of students are good. The majority use their independent study time wisely. The vast majority of students stay on their courses in Year 12 and complete them in Year 13.
• Students are given timely advice about possibilities which are open to them when they leave. As a result, more students than average successfully gain access to apprenticeships when they leave. However, only a small number of students go on to take up university places.
• Students who start 16 to 19 study programmes without attaining a GCSE grade C in English and/or mathematics have, in the past, not improved their grade. In 2016, as a result of better teaching, more students did improve their grade. However, leaders recognise that the proportion of students who do improve their grade is still too low.

School details

Unique reference number 138863 Local authority Torbay Inspection number 10012377 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary School category Academy converter mainstream Age range of pupils 11 to 18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,331 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 114 Appropriate authority Academy trust Chair Sara Livesey Principal Jane English Telephone number 01803 403 005 Website http://www.paigntonacademy.org Email address wrdadmin@paigntonacademy.org Date of previous inspection 5–6 June 2014

Information about this school

• The governance of the school has changed considerably since the previous inspection. Along with two local primary schools, the school is now part of the Bay Education Trust. This multi-academy trust was set up in autumn 2014 following the withdrawal of the previous sponsor Prospects Academies Trust.
• The school is larger than the average-sized secondary school. It has two sites, one at Waterleat Road for key stage 3 pupils and a second site at Borough Road for key stage 4 pupils and those students who follow 16 to 19 study programmes.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs/or disabilities is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported through pupil premium funding is above average.
• Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. There are very few from minority ethnic groups and very few speak English as an additional language.
• The school has been designated by the Youth Sports Trust as the lead school in the county for Leadership, Coaching and Volunteering and has been accredited with Gold Partner Status for its sporting provision.
• A small number of students attend off-site vocational training provision at Combe Pafford, E-Hair Academy and South Devon College.
• The school runs an off-site unit called the Yalberton Project for a very small number of pupils who experience behaviour and emotional difficulties.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 11.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning across a wide range of subjects and age groups, and scrutinised a wide range of pupils’ written work. Some of the observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documentation including minutes of governors’ meetings, development plans, analysis of pupils’ progress, attendance and behaviour logs, safeguarding documents and the school’s review of its own performance.
• Meetings were held with the principal, senior and middle leaders, groups of pupils in key stage 3 and key stage 4, and students on 16 to 19 study programmes.
• An inspector listened to a number of pupils read.
• Inspectors took account of 61 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, 303 responses to the pupil questionnaire and 96 responses to the staff questionnaire.
• An inspector visited the Yalberton Project.

Inspection team

Paul Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Matthew Collins Ofsted Inspector Andrew Lovett Her Majesty’s Inspector Katherine Powell Ofsted Inspector Non Davies Ofsted Inspector