Ormiston Maritime Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve teaching so that it is consistently good or better across all subjects, by:
  • raising teachers’ expectations of the quality and amount of work that pupils of all abilities can do, including the most and least able and those eligible for the pupil premium funding
  • making sure that teachers plan questions that will make pupils think hard and develop their ideas and skills.
• Improve all pupils’ outcomes, but especially for disadvantaged pupils, by:
  • ensuring high aspirations for pupils’ achievement by continuing to implement rigorously the recently introduced school-wide approach of high expectations and setting pupils ambitious targets
  • rapidly implementing the recommendations of the pupil premium review in order to further diminish the differences in performance between both disadvantaged pupils and others in the school, and other pupils nationally.
• Further reduce the number of pupils who are absent by rigorously implementing the school’s attendance strategy, working closely with parents and families.
• Further improve behaviour across the school by consistently applying the school’s behaviour programme so that all pupils are clear about the links between behaviour, high expectations and success.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The principal has a very clear view of what needs to be done to reverse the decline in standards at the school. He has established a culture of high expectations and he is driving improvement.
• Since his appointment in February 2016, working with governors, the principal has established a culture of openness and shared vision which is beginning to address the weaknesses at the school. Staff and pupils said that they welcome this.
• Leaders, including governors, now have a very clear, realistic and accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They base school improvement on this understanding. They now gather detailed, robust information and use it carefully to prioritise their work to improve the school. They measure the impact of their actions critically and carefully which ensures that improvement is continuous.
• The principal has made and continues to make firm and challenging decisions about staffing to ensure that all pupils receive the education they deserve. The quality of teaching is carefully and robustly monitored. The principal and his team do not shy away from professional and direct conversations with staff about their performance. Prompt, targeted support and training are offered to staff to help them improve. This is having a very positive impact on staff morale.
• The principal and his team have high expectations of themselves and of all members of the school community. This informs the planning and delivery of training to improve all staff. The school’s programme of staff training and improvement focuses on openness and the sharing of what works in classrooms through, for example, ‘celebration of learning’ weeks. During these weeks teachers welcome colleagues into their classrooms to share their expertise. Through successful actions such as these, the principal is ensuring that the quality of teaching at the school improves.
• Leadership is increasingly strong across the school. As a result, more staff are taking responsibility for the effectiveness and impact of teaching. Each member of the senior leadership team has a clearly defined role. The impact of each senior leader’s work is carefully monitored by the principal and, increasingly, the governing body.
• Middle leaders are now developing their skills and are beginning to play an effective role in leading and guiding their teams of staff. As a result of the successful actions of the principal and senior leaders, subject and year leaders are becoming more skilled in assessing the impact of their teams on the learning and well-being of pupils. These middle leaders are also more adept at supporting and guiding their teams through targeted training and support.
• The leadership of the provision for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is effective. The leader is clear that all teachers are teachers of special educational needs. Effectively supported by members of the senior team and, increasingly, governors, this leader is helping staff to focus and develop their teaching of all pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities through clear, detailed and helpful information about each pupil’s learning needs supported by focused training and advice. In this work, the school is well supported by the expertise of colleagues from North East Lincolnshire local authority and Oasis Academy Immingham.
• The principal, working with governors, other leaders and the Ormiston Academies Trust, has reviewed and refocused the school’s curriculum. It is now fit for purpose. It is broad and balanced and more suited to the needs of all pupils at the school, including the most able and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. It is designed to inspire and prepare pupils for life in modern Britain and for their next steps in learning or training. This ‘more formal’ curriculum is very well supported by a range of extra-curricular trips and clubs.
• Leaders are beginning to be increasingly successful in targeting the pupil premium grant funding to help diminish the differences between the performance of disadvantaged pupils and their peers at the school. This is because the school’s systems for monitoring and assessing the impact of actions is increasingly detailed and focused. As a result, the outcomes for these disadvantaged pupils are beginning to improve. Leaders effectively deploy funding in Year 7 to help pupils who need to catch up in their basic skills.
• The school’s environment, the displays and the regularly updated celebrations of pupils’ successes focus on reminding pupils that they can and will succeed. Through this, the principal demonstrates that he and his team are single minded in their pursuit of excellence for all.

Governance of the school

• Governors are now working effectively with senior leaders and are well placed to challenge leaders’ actions because they visit the school regularly and individual governors are linked to a range of key staff and areas of the school. As a result, the governing body has a realistic and accurate view of what the school needs to do to improve.
• Governors work closely and effectively with the principal and staff to ensure that actions to improve the school are timely and robust. They measure the impact of these actions carefully.
• The chair of the governing body has provided effective support to the principal and the school during a challenging time of change.
• The governing body is deploying funding effectively because it has a clearer sense of what needs to be done.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The principal and governors regard safeguarding as the most important aspect of their work. This is reflected in the strong arrangements for safeguarding and the emphasis put on the regular training for all staff in safeguarding and related matters.
• The senior leaders and governors have created a culture of safeguarding in which all adults place the safety of pupils first. All staff are very clear about their responsibilities and of the systems that the school has put in place to support and ensure that pupils are safe.
• The school knows its pupils and the wider community well. As a result, staff at the school are aware of the challenges that face the local community and the impact that these challenges can have on pupils’ well-being and safety from time to time. As a result of their detailed knowledge and understanding of the community, staff at the school are able to move swiftly and effectively to address issues as and when they arise.
• The senior leader with responsibility for safeguarding manages a team of highly effective staff who are committed to securing children’s safety and well-being. There is a focus on ensuring that all pupils receive the support that they need. This includes working closely and effectively with the full range of outside agencies and with parents and carers.
• Senior leaders ensure that accurate records are kept of all aspects of safeguarding. This helps to make sure that they have a clear and accurate oversight of pupils’ well-being.
• Those pupils with whom inspectors spoke during the inspection were very clear about how to keep safe in a range of situations, including when online. They were also very confident that if they did feel unsafe or unsure, adults at the school would move promptly and effectively to address any concerns that pupils may have.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement because teachers’ and other staff’s expectations of what pupils can achieve are not consistently high enough. As a result, there is too much variability in the quality of teaching and learning across subjects and between years.
• Teachers do not consistently take sufficient account of what pupils already know and what they can do. This is because the school has only comparatively recently developed accurate and school-wide ways of gathering and analysing information about pupils’ skills and progress. As a result, the work set can either be too hard for pupils or, more usually, not hard enough. Too often, most-able pupils are not given work that stretches and deepens their learning. Similarly, least-able pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are too often given work that does not challenge them.
• It is too early to judge the impact of the relatively new, regular gathering of information about pupils and their progress. However, staff and pupils welcome it and it is already having a positive impact on the quality and precision of teaching. This is because staff have a clearer picture of all pupils’ progress and what they need to do to improve and enjoy their learning.
• There is evidence of an increased emphasis on the importance of homework at the school. Although a policy is not yet consistently in place across the school, not only is more appropriate homework being set, but pupils said that they were clear about why homework is important. It encourages them to think for themselves and develop confidence and tenacity in learning.
• Pupils report that they welcome the increased emphasis on reading and the higher profile it is receiving. The sharing of what staff are reading through the ‘…currently reading…’ notices outside each classroom generates conversation about reading and its importance.
• Although examples of good practice were seen during the inspection, especially in science and mathematics, teachers and other staff do not use questioning consistently and effectively enough to ensure that all pupils make good and better progress. Too often, questions from teachers and other adults focus on ‘what’ rather than ‘why’ and ‘how’. As a result, opportunities are lost to explore and enjoy complex ideas and resolve more complex problems.
• Most teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and, in a number of cases seen during the inspection, a real joy in teaching combined with high expectations of what pupils can and should do. For example, in a Year 9 French lesson, the teacher’s enthusiasm and real pleasure in her subject infected her pupils. They made real progress. When the inspector asked of a pupil, ‘Is it always like this?’ she replied, ‘Yes. Isn’t it great?’
• Despite some low-level disruption, relationships between staff and pupils are good. Pupils recognise that staff work hard for them and want them to succeed. Both pupils and staff welcome the way that leaders have successfully tackled the poorer behaviour which was having an adverse impact on learning and progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils say that they feel safe and are confident that if they had any difficulties they would be promptly and effectively dealt with by adults at the school.
• Pupils reported that bullying is rare and that they understand the range of forms that bullying can take, including cyber bullying and homophobic bullying. Those who inspectors spoke to said they were confident that, should incidents of bullying occur, they would be dealt with promptly and well by staff.
• The school keeps effective records of bullying, racist incidents and attendance. Leaders evaluate the information they collect effectively in order to target resources and help measure the impact of their actions on individuals and groups of pupils. As a result of these actions, behaviour is improving and attendance is beginning to show signs of sustained improvement.
• Independent advice and guidance about careers and next steps is effectively focused towards the end of key stage 4. However, there is clear evidence of an additional and growing focus on this aspect of younger pupils’ experience. There is a clear programme of visits, speakers and opportunities to inspire and encourage pupils in key stage 3 to explore next steps and the world of work so that they can make more informed choices.
• The programme of sessions and activities to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is increasingly well developed. Key areas such as e-safety, healthy eating, sexual exploitation, respect and tolerance are covered. More opportunities are taken to link these sessions with the ‘mainstream’ curriculum. For example, in a history lesson the teacher drew on pupils’ understanding of the range of religious groups, and their attitudes and beliefs, in Grimsby before making effective links with the thinking that went behind Elizabeth I’s decision to execute Mary, Queen of Scots.
• The assembly programme at the school is carefully constructed. It reinforces the key messages of the school and encourages pupils to be responsible for themselves and for others. The programme is a balance of outside speakers and staff- and pupil-led sessions. Pupils reported that they enjoyed assembly and the way it emphasised the success of pupils in the school.
• The school’s environment is attractive and there are many examples of pupils’ work on the walls. There are also affirming and aspirational quotations from famous people on display and there are similar quotations from pupils. Thus the inspirational words of Nelson Mandela are side by side with those of a Year 8 pupil. This is a conscious strategy by leaders at the school. Pupils have noticed and welcome it.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Inspectors saw some examples of boisterous behaviour in corridors during the inspection. These were promptly dealt with by staff on duty.
• Pupils report that they occasionally hear examples of bad and inappropriate language in the corridor and around the school. They report that if an adult hears it, it is dealt with promptly.
• Classrooms are generally orderly. However, inspectors did see a few examples of low-level disruption where pupils showed insufficient care and respect for the views of their peers. This was generally the case when the pace of learning slowed.
• Overall attendance, although improving, is still too low and below national averages. The school has, however, been more successful in addressing the more persistent absence of some pupils. Attendance for these pupils has improved in the last year.
• The vast majority of staff who responded to a very recent staff survey agreed or strongly agreed that behaviour at the school has improved significantly in the last few months. A significant number indicated that the improvements in behaviour coincided with the new leadership arrangements at the school since February 2016. Inspectors’ conversations with a range of staff suggest that the new principal and senior leadership team have had a very positive impact on behaviour, pupils’ attitudes to learning and staff morale.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Overall, despite the positive impact of the new leadership team, outcomes for pupils still require improvement. Not enough pupils make the progress that they should from their starting points.
• In 2015, the attainment and progress of pupils at the end of key stage 4 was just above the standard set by central government. Indications for attainment and progress in the 2016 Basics measure, although not officially confirmed, suggest that the school will be above the likely national standard.
• The school’s own information, confirmed by inspection evidence, shows that the interventions put in place by the new leadership team to support Year 11 pupils in the run up to their summer 2016 examinations had a positive impact on their results. Pupils benefited by the new principal’s prompt and effective actions. Outcomes would have been even worse without them.
• The curriculum that key stage 4 pupils followed until summer 2016 was not focused sufficiently on the needs of all pupils. As a result, too many pupils failed to achieve as they should. Leaders have addressed this and the curriculum now being followed in key stage 4 is much more appropriate for the needs of pupils at the school.
• Pupils arrive at the school in Year 7 with levels of skills and knowledge that are generally below those expected. For pupils in this year whose skills in reading, writing and mathematics are not strong enough to give them full access to the curriculum, the school offers the ‘gold curriculum’. This curriculum gives intensive support in these core subject areas so that pupils catch up quickly. The school’s own information, supported by inspection evidence, shows that pupils in this group, on the whole, make good progress, particularly in reading.
• The school now regularly gathers more detailed and accurate information about the progress that all pupils are making. Inspection evidence shows that this is beginning to have a positive impact on teaching and pupils’ outcomes. Teachers are using this information to help them with their planning so that they focus more carefully on what pupils need in order to improve and enjoy their learning.
• This detailed information is also helping teachers to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding and how best to tackle them. As a result the interventions that staff make to support and help all pupils, but particularly those who have fallen behind, are focused and effective. School information shows that these pupils are beginning to make much better progress.
• This more detailed information is also being used by staff to target teaching and challenge of the most able pupils. As a result, although not yet consistently so across the school, outcomes for these pupils are beginning to improve, especially in subjects such as science and mathematics. Conversations with most-able pupils and evidence seen in their books during the inspection bear this out. Most-able pupils are now more clearly identified and their needs met through more challenging and extended work.
• The school’s information suggests that outcomes for disadvantaged pupils compared to other pupils nationally are beginning to improve. Inspection evidence supports this. In lessons, expectations are higher and more-challenging goals are being set for all pupils. Particular efforts are made by staff to ensure that disadvantaged pupils get the precise support that they need. Teachers and leaders regularly monitor the impact of this support. The pupil premium funding is being deployed effectively.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making progress from their starting points. Their work is now more rigorously monitored and the impact of interventions carefully measured to ensure that these pupils are receiving the support that they need to make assured progress.

School details

Unique reference number 137196 Local authority North East Lincolnshire Inspection number 10018244 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 Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 11 to 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 795 Appropriate authority Ormiston Academies Trust Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Sue Wallis Kevin Gallacher 01472 310015 www.omacademy.co.uk principal@omacademy.co.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 July 2014

Information about this school

• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Ormiston Maritime Academy is smaller than the average-sized secondary school.
• The majority of pupils are White British, with a small number from minority backgrounds and a small number who are at early stages of learning English.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the average.
• 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.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed lessons in 26 classes, accompanied sometimes by senior leaders. They spoke with pupils and scrutinised their work. They also checked pupils’ behaviour at break and lunchtimes and as they moved around the school during the day. An inspector attended an assembly.
• Inspectors held meetings with senior and middle leaders, a representative of the Ormiston Academies Trust, three members of the governing body, including the chair, and four groups of pupils from across the school.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s development plan and self-evaluation, minutes of meetings of the governing body, records and policies relating to safeguarding and information for tracking pupils’ attendance, progress and attainment.
• Inspectors spoke with staff and checked the responses on Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. They also took into account a very recent survey of the staff conducted by the school.

Inspection team

Mark Evans, lead inspector John McNally Beverly Clubley Nick Horn

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector