Joseph Leckie Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning so that all pupils, particularly those that are disadvantaged pupils, have special educational needs and/or disabilities or are White British make good or better progress by:
  • improving the level of challenge in lessons, so that all pupils are fully engaged in learning and make the progress they should from their starting points improving the quality of questioning so that it is used more widely to stretch pupils and to encourage them to think more deeply and develop their oral skills
  • effectively building on the very good practice that already exists in the school.
• Improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils by ensuring that:
  • senior leaders and governors have specific targeted plans for the spending of pupil premium funding
  • pupil premium reports to governors indicate the impact of specific activities on the outcomes achieved for disadvantaged pupils
  • progress of disadvantaged pupils is tracked more rigorously so that leaders can evaluate the impact of strategies employed for specific pupils.
• Improve self-evaluation and monitoring procedures to ensure that:
  • there is systematic evaluation of the impact of leaders’ actions, particularly to secure sustained improvement in outcomes and attendance
  • external partners and agencies involved in school improvement provide objective and accurate evaluations of the standards achieved in the school
  • all leaders have a clear understanding of how well pupils are achieving from their different starting points, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities
  • all leaders have a clear understanding of how to use assessment information effectively to further improve teaching, learning, assessment and strategic planning
  • all of the required information is published on the school’s website, in particular information about pupil premium funding and its impact and governance
  • ensuring that governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s performance so that they can take urgent and effective action to remedy weaknesses. An external review of governance and an external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how these aspects of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Despite the ambition leaders have for pupils, particularly in key stages 3 and 4, their actions have not brought about sufficiently rapid improvement in outcomes particularly in modern foreign languages, science and for disadvantaged pupils, those that are White British and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Leaders have a generous view of the overall performance of the school because they focus on the strategies and actions taken rather than on their impact. As a result, inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and the underachievement of specific groups of pupils have not been properly identified and therefore have not been tackled with sufficient urgency or rigour.
• Leadership and management of teaching and learning lack a clear vision and plan for developing teaching and learning across the whole school. A detailed monitoring schedule is in place to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning but the system does not focus enough on the effectiveness of teaching over time and accelerating pupils’ learning quickly enough.
• Arrangements for tracking the progress made by different groups of pupils are insufficiently robust. They do not give a clear enough picture of how well pupils are doing for leaders and governors to evaluate what current progress is like.
• The use of pupil premium funding lacks strategic direction. Strategies to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are known but they are not being implemented with sufficient rigour. Plans and reports are not precise enough about the impact and intended impact of funding on pupils’ performance.
• Staffing issues have had a negative impact on the performance in some subjects, particularly in English and science. These departments are now fully staffed.
• Middle leaders now play a more effective role in driving improvement. However, there are inconsistencies in practice and in the outcomes of their work. Not all middle leaders have a clear strategic view of their own subject departments and priorities for improvement or how their roles and responsibilities continue to improve whole-school performance.
• Systems for managing the performance of staff are well organised and ensure that all teachers are held to account for developing the quality of their teaching, and for making sure that the pupils they teach make good progress. Those staff who do not meet leaders’ expectations are given clear plans and timelines to improve their practice.
• Professional development opportunities are improving through links with local teaching schools. Newly qualified teachers are very positive about the support that they receive from school leaders and its impact on their confidence in the classroom.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and provides pupils with appropriate opportunities to make at least average progress academically. Good attention is paid to developing pupils’ personal development through a range of extra-curricular activities and opportunities. The strong focus on personal, social and health-related activities, including effective careers advice and guidance, means that pupils are well informed about a range of issues that enable them to keep themselves safe from harm. Good support is provided for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and the way in which British values are threaded through the curriculum encourages pupils to be respectful and tolerant of others.
• There is a real sense of community about the school. This is reflected in the positive relationships between pupils, sixth-formers and staff at all levels.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a sound view of some of the strengths and weaknesses in the school. However, they have an overgenerous view of the school’s overall effectiveness because they have not held leaders sufficiently to account for outcomes in modern foreign languages, for disadvantaged pupils, those who are White British and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
  • Governors do not sufficiently hold leaders to account for the impact of pupil premium funding. They have not ensured that the school website contains all of the necessary statutory information.
  • The governing body suitably fulfils its statutory duties relating to safeguarding. Governors ensure that the relevant policies, checks and training are in place so that pupils are kept safe. They demonstrate a good commitment to ensuring that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Appropriate child protection training has been undertaken, including training in the ‘Prevent’ duty.
• Staff receive effective and up-to-date training on safeguarding. Leaders treat safeguarding as a priority.
• The designated team for safeguarding is knowledgeable and tenacious in pursuing actions in a timely and decisive manner to ensure that pupils and sixth-form students are kept safe. Procedures are meticulously followed when safeguarding allegations have been made.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching overall is variable. Too much teaching fails to enable pupils to make the progress of which they are capable.
• Where teaching is weaker, it exhibits some of the following characteristics: planning that does not always take into account the needs of pupils’ different starting points; a lack of challenge for pupils of different abilities; and teachers’ questioning that does not always extend or check on understanding effectively.
• The good practice in teaching that is evident is some subjects is not routinely shared.
• Most teachers have good subject knowledge. Expectations about presentation in pupils’ books are high. This said, assessment information is not always used effectively to ensure that work is properly matched to pupils’ capabilities.
• Teaching assistants provide suitable support for lower-ability pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in class to ensure that individuals achieve lesson objectives.
• Teachers take the opportunity, where possible, to promote literacy and numeracy across the curriculum. In a Year 7 history lesson, inspectors observed a paired reading exercise where one pupil read from the resource available and the other pupil had to summarise their understanding of the text.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good.
• Most pupils are confident young people. They show respect for others and have positive attitudes to their learning.
• Independent careers advice and guidance provided internally enable pupils and sixth-form students to make appropriate choices about the next steps in their education.
• Lessons in personal development and a programme of assemblies and visiting speakers help pupils to understand how to stay safe and healthy. Inspectors saw how pupils engage thoughtfully and maturely during a Year 9 assembly.
• The school’s records show that when incidents of bullying do occur, these are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Pupils support this view.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well in lessons, at break and lunchtime and as they move around the buildings. Pupils are friendly, polite and courteous to each other and to adults.
• An overwhelming majority of parents who responded to Parent View agree that the school makes sure that pupils are well behaved.
• Pupils are punctual to school and to lessons. Attendance is improving because of the impact of appropriate rewards and follow-up work by external agencies and the school. School leaders are aware that this improvement needs to be sustained for disadvantaged pupils and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils enter the school with attainment that is below national standards. A significant proportion do not have any prior attainment. While the overall progress made by pupils is broadly average, this does mask significant underachievement for specific groups including disadvantaged pupils, White British pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Outcomes have been weak in modern foreign languages for the last three years.
• The school also shared data with inspectors from 2017 examinations that indicated attainment in geography and science were weaker than in previous years. While progress in science appeared to have improved in 2016, this was down to large numbers of pupils not being entered for GCSE additional science. Outcomes over time in science are, therefore, weak.
• Arrangements for tracking the progress made by different groups of pupils are insufficiently robust. School data, shared with inspectors, does not give a consistent overview of how well pupils are doing for leaders and governors to evaluate what current progress is like. School leaders’ analysis is that gains are being made, particularly lower down the school. Progress seen in books during lessons would support this.
• Data provided by the school during the inspection shows that, in 2017, the percentage of pupils achieving a GCSE grade 4 in English and mathematics is higher than the percentage of pupils who achieved a grade C in both subjects in 2016.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• Leaders are ambitious to see the sixth form continue to improve. An inclusive entry policy sees students joining the sixth form with a range of attainment.
• Achievement in the sixth form is good. This is because teaching is effective in the sixth form and better than in Years 7–11.
• Attendance, punctuality, behaviour and attitude to learning are all excellent in the sixth form. Students enjoy their studies. They are mature and appreciate the opportunities that the school provides for them.
• All students who join the sixth form without having secured GCSEs in English and mathematics at grades A* to C are expected to study towards improving their grade. The structured programme ensures that students are supported effectively and this leads to good outcomes in both subjects.
• A broad range of academic and vocational options are offered in the sixth form. Effective careers advice and guidance ensures that students take subjects that are well matched to their ability and aspirations. High-quality support means that most complete the courses they start in Year 12.
• Leaders provide a comprehensive enrichment programme to ensure that students receive a well-rounded education and preparation for working life. They know how to live safe and healthy lifestyles because they understand the risks they might face otherwise.
• All requirements of the 16 to 19 study programmes are met.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 137830 Walsall 10032771 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Secondary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11 to 18 Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Number of pupils on the school roll Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed Mixed 1317 228 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Principal Mr Matloob Hussain Mr Keith Whittlestone Telephone number 01922 721 071 Website Email address www.josephleckieacademy.co.uk/ postbox@josephleckieacademy.co.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 April 2013

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about pupil premium funding and governance.
• The school does not comply with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish on their website about pupil premium funding and governance.
• Joseph Leckie Academy converted to become an academy school on 1 February 2012.
• The school is larger than the average-sized secondary school.
• The school does not use alternative provision.
• The percentage of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is significantly above the national average.
• Most pupils are from minority ethnic groups.
• Most pupils’ first language is not or believed not to be English.
• The percentage of pupils with a statement or education, health and care plan is below average.
• The school meets the current government floor standards.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in lessons and some of these observations were conducted jointly with senior and middle leaders.
• Inspectors talked to pupils about their learning and their attitudes to and opinions about school, including teaching, behaviour and safety. Inspectors observed pupils at break and lunchtime and as they moved around the school.
• Inspectors considered 48 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as the school’s own surveys and questionnaires.
• Meetings were held with the principal, senior leaders, other leaders and newly qualified teachers. The lead inspector met with representatives from the school’s governing body.
• Inspectors scrutinised several documents including the school’s self-evaluation, its development plan, minutes of governing body meetings and school records about attendance, attainment and progress.
• Inspectors scrutinised the school’s policies and procedures related to safeguarding and pupil support and welfare, including child protection records, attendance procedures and risk assessments.

Inspection team

Richard Gill, lead inspector Tim Bassett Mark Henshaw Rob Steed Bernice Astling Louise Blackburn

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector