EBOR Academy Filey Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that progress improves, particularly in science and humanities, by ensuring that teachers:
  • consistently plan learning that challenges pupils
  • have high expectations of what pupils can achieve
  • adhere to the school’s assessment policy
  • give pupils sufficient time to explore their learning in more detail and apply ideas to different contexts
  • benefit from opportunities to learn from the pockets of effective teaching that exist within the school.
• Continue to improve the leadership and management of the school by:
  • ensuring that improvement plans address the major issues affecting pupils’ learning and that actions are assigned, monitored and evaluated for impact
  • using additional funding for disadvantaged pupils or those who enter the school with below-average attainment more effectively so that improvement strategies match current pupils’ needs
  • providing further opportunities for pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11 to read and to develop their comprehension skills
  • reviewing the quality of the trust’s work, particular the effectiveness and timeliness of the support given to the school
  • analysing assessment information more closely to identify less obvious patterns of underachievement within and across subjects
  • ensuring that all governors are aware of and fulfil their statutory responsibilities.
• Improve the quality of pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by ensuring that:
  • teachers consistently follow the school’s behaviour policy
  • systems to deal with any instances of bullying are effective, well known and valued by pupils
  • declining rates of attendance are swiftly reversed, particularly for pupils who are disadvantaged
  • pupils improve their attitudes to learning, and associated fixed-term exclusions reduce significantly. An external review of the use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• The headteacher is firm in his commitment to improve outcomes for all pupils. He talks about building ‘a culture of learning’ and ‘bringing everyone with him’. There are clear signs of improvement, most notably in English and mathematics. However, the progress pupils make in a wide range of subjects is still not good enough.
• Leaders, including governors, have not been able to eradicate inconsistencies in teaching, learning and assessment. Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching focus on the tasks pupils complete or teachers’ compliance with school teaching policies. Leaders do not always consider the progress pupils are making when evaluating the quality of teaching. Consequently, successful intervention and support in areas where pupils make less progress are too slow, particularly in science and humanities.
• Leaders do not use additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils or those who enter the school with below-average attainment effectively. Plans to allocate resources are out of date and do not relate to current pupils’ specific needs. For example, disadvantaged pupils’ rates of absence are much higher than those of other pupils nationally. However, the current plan to spend additional funding does not include actions to improve disadvantaged pupils’ attendance. In addition, staff are unsure who is responsible for each part of the plan and leaders, including governors, are unable to explain which earlier strategies were the most successful.
• Other plans to improve aspects of the school’s work do not have a sharp enough focus on the significant issues that hold pupils back. Although leaders review the plans regularly, they do not always assess the impact of their actions. Consequently, school improvement plans act as a ‘job list’ rather than a force for improvement.
• The chief executive officer of EBOR Academy Trust acknowledges that direct support from the trust has not focused on the areas that need it most, including support with attendance. More recently, the trust has appointed a secondary specialist who is beginning to offer leadership advice and guidance that are appropriate to the needs of the school. This, in addition to the appointments of two highly effective deputy headteachers, is beginning to strengthen the leadership capacity at the school.
• Leaders have been proactive in seeking external support to supplement their work and support staff. Specialist leaders of education (SLEs) from other schools have regularly worked with leaders and mentored newly qualified teachers. For example, an SLE has strengthened the work of the science department by providing advice and guidance in relation to pupils’ coursework and the assessment of mock examinations.
• Leaders generally have an accurate understanding of the school’s effectiveness. They recognise that, over time, pupils have been let down. Leaders have worked diligently to secure improvements in mathematics and English. Leaders’ actions have demonstrated some success. For example, in 2017, pupils’ progress in English improved considerably. Since then, leaders have repeated their efforts in the mathematics department and pupils’ progress is improving swiftly.
• Leaders have redesigned the Year 7 curriculum to improve pupils’ transition from primary school. Pupils follow a primary-style curriculum whereby teachers are responsible for the same class in more than one subject. Leaders provide non-specialist teachers in Year 7 with excellent support and time to plan collaboratively. As a result, and because of the reduced number of teachers they experience, pupils speak highly of the Year 7 transition arrangements, saying that they help them settle into ‘big school’.
• The academic curriculum matches the needs of the pupils well. It is supplemented by a range of extra-curricular opportunities and more unique, bespoke ideas and initiatives. For example, as part of their studies into food, leaders allowed pupils to open their own cafe in the town. Equally, ‘reading dogs’ are now a feature of the school’s work to support reluctant readers.
• Pupils have a developed understanding of different cultures and beliefs. They say that differences should be celebrated. Pupils are encouraged to think of others first via the many charitable fundraising activities in school. For example, pupils raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Rotary International and the local Probus Club. More recently, pupils served Christmas lunch to a group of elderly people.

Governance of the school

• Governors know the school’s academic strengths and weaknesses. Inspection evidence demonstrates that they ask searching questions of leaders. Individual governors are assigned to monitor significant aspects of the school’s work, such as safeguarding, SEN provision or teaching, learning and assessment. There are no separate committees that debate and feed back to the full governing body. Instead, documentation states that governors meet ‘when required’ outside the cycle of full governing body meetings.
• Some members of the governing body are frustrated at the lack of rapid improvement and have raised their concerns with leaders of the trust. Governors are of the opinion that academisation has enabled the school to attract a higher calibre of teacher and helped leaders to access additional support. However, they believe that support from the trust is sometimes misdirected or not appropriate to the secondary phase.
• Governors are not aware of some of their statutory responsibilities. For example, governors do not know how the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium grant is spent or what information the school should publish on its website.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The designated safeguarding leader knows her responsibilities well. She is trained appropriately and, with the help of other leaders, has managed to create a culture in school where the safety of all staff and pupils is paramount.
• Leaders make appropriate checks to ensure that staff are safe to work with pupils.
• Induction arrangements for new staff are thorough and staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates throughout the year.
• The chair of the governing body meets with safeguarding leaders frequently. Consequently, she is well informed and able to act as a ‘critical friend’ when required.
• The majority of pupils feel safe. However, some pupils have concerns relating to bullying and how teachers deal with it in school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment varies considerably. Inspectors observed some inspirational teaching, but also learning that was far less positive. This was true within and across subjects. Surprisingly, inspectors also observed significant variability in the quality of teaching from the same teachers on the same day.
• A number of teachers have low expectations of what pupils can achieve. Sadly, this has influenced some pupils’ opinions of their own ability. After grappling unsuccessfully with an unfamiliar concept, one pupil told an inspector, ‘I can’t do it, I’m too stupid.’ Conversely, in a Year 11 English lesson, the teacher insisted that pupils use complex vocabulary when sharing their understanding of poetry during a paired activity. As a result, one pupil successfully identified the use of rhythm and repetition in the poem ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
• Teachers rarely use pupils’ prior assessment information when planning lessons. Consequently, many of the lessons do not meet the needs of pupils because learning activities are pitched too high or too low. When this occurs, some pupils become bored or disrupt the learning of others. This is hindering the progress pupils make over time.
• Teachers and pupils do not consistently follow the school’s assessment policy. Contrary to school guidance, inspectors saw a large number of workbooks where pupils had not acted on the incisive comments from the teacher.
• In some lessons, particularly in science and humanities, teachers do not always give pupils enough time to reflect on, or review, in detail what they have been learning. Pupils move swiftly from one topic to the next. Some pupils do not know how their learning fits together or how to apply newly acquired skills to a range of different contexts. Consequently, large amounts of time are allocated to revision prior to assessments or examinations so that pupils can ‘cram’.
• Newly qualified teachers told inspectors that much of the training they receive from the trust is centred on issues better suited to teachers who work in primary schools. These new entrants to the profession would benefit from opportunities to observe established secondary teachers and learn from the best. Nevertheless, inspection evidence demonstrates that newly qualified teachers are developing a broad range of skills and teaching techniques appropriate to the current stage in their career.
• Much stronger teaching does exist, including in English, mathematics and music. In these lessons, most teachers have created a purposeful learning environment that is characterised by positive relationships. Teachers often use probing questions and a ‘no fear’ culture prevails. Pupils are not afraid to make mistakes. In a Year 7 music lesson, pupils were engrossed in their learning. The teacher’s searching questions, coupled with a genuine enthusiasm for the subject, helped pupils accurately identify variations in rhythm and the texture of music. Pupils made significant strides in their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• The majority of pupils who responded to Ofsted’s inspection questionnaire said that there is an adult in school they can talk to if something is worrying them. However, a number of pupils also said that bullying does happen and that they have concerns related to how teachers resolve issues.
• Teachers regularly remind pupils about key values and the importance of a positive attitude to their learning. Likewise, leaders are consistent in their messages to pupils, particularly in relation to ‘learning posture’ and showing respect to adults. However, some pupils do not understand or display conduct that demonstrates that they know how to be a successful learner. Few pupils take responsibility for catching up on missing work following a period of absence. Others sometimes slouch, lean against walls in lessons or chat to friends when the teacher is talking.
• Staff and pupils have a detailed understanding of how to stay safe, including the increasing risks online. Pupils are encouraged to speak freely and debate ideas linked to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness during their tutorial and religious education lessons.
• Pupils value the advice and guidance they receive in relation to future career opportunities and further education. They say that, when the time comes to make decisions regarding GCSE subject choices or post-16 education, they are well prepared because teachers have provided astute advice and guidance.
• The school uses a small number of alternative providers to supplement the education of a few pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11. In addition, leaders have employed tutors to provide home education to a handful of pupils with specific additional needs. Leaders make regular checks on pupils who attend alternative provision to ensure that they are safe. They also communicate with parents daily to check progress and ensure that pupils who do not receive a full-time education are supervised at all times.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Attendance rates have declined year on year and continue to be below average. Persistent absence rates are significantly higher than average, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Only recently, and following an external review of procedures, has attendance started to improve.
• Leaders and staff say that pupils’ behaviour has improved and is at least good. One quarter of pupils who responded to Ofsted’s online inspection questionnaire disagree. Behaviour expectations are clear. Staff and pupils know the boundaries of what is acceptable. However, staff do not apply the behaviour policy in a consistent way. Consequently, in lessons, some pupils do not display positive attitudes to their learning. Some pupils’ behaviour is casual and off-task when lessons are poorly planned or teachers do not insist on the highest standards.
• The proportion of pupils who are excluded for a fixed period remains too high, as is the proportion of pupils who are removed from lessons for unsatisfactory behaviour.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Although improving, pupils do not make consistently good progress in a wide range of subjects. The progress pupils make in science and humanities is particularly weak and leaders say this is likely to continue, at least in the short term. Stronger teaching in English, and more recently mathematics, is leading to current pupils making significantly better progress than in the past.
• Over time, disadvantaged pupils have made less progress than their peers and other pupils nationally. Again, this is improving in most subject areas. However, high staff turnover and weaker teaching leading up to the 2017 science, geography and history summer examinations led to disadvantaged pupils underachieving by approximately one grade when compared to the progress of other pupils nationally.
• Pupils mostly enter the school with below-average levels of attainment. In 2017, pupils, from their different starting points, left the school with below-average levels of attainment overall. However, for the first time in a number of years, pupils’ overall attainment improved towards the national average.
• An inspector analysed the school’s own progress information for current pupils. This highlighted that, in nine subjects, current Year 11 pupils were making less progress now than when they were in Year 10. Leaders were unaware of the scale of the problem. Staff with responsibility for pupils’ assessment information know each pupil well. They carefully track individual pupils’ progress by regularly updating the ‘data wall’. This makes it clear to leaders the strengths and weaknesses of each pupil in all of their subjects. However, because less-obvious progress patterns and trends are not immediately visible, leaders are unable to alert teachers to the underperformance of some pupil groups.
• Pupils in Years 7 and 8 attend reading lessons at least once per week. The school’s own progress information demonstrates that, because of well-established routines and creative teaching, pupils’ progress and reading ages rise at a quicker rate than their chronological age. However, information presented by staff highlights that pupils’ reading ages stall or regress when they no longer access reading classes. For example, approximately half of Year 9 pupils have a reading age below their chronological age.
• Over time, the progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities has been poor. Leaders have recently implemented the recommendations from an external review of SEN provision. As a result, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities now receive excellent support and make good progress when they are taught in the SEN ‘inclusion’ area. Nevertheless, there is still more to do to ensure that teachers meet the needs of pupils with specific learning difficulties in lessons.
• Pupils who attend alternative provision do so because leaders know what is best for them. Leaders have been able to successfully identify and assess pupils’ needs over time. They have managed to liaise closely with alternative providers and families to create a tailored curriculum that is focused on pupils’ interests and aspirations. This has led to these pupils making much better progress compared to when they were in school full-time.
• By the end of Year 11, all pupils receive at least one interview with an independent careers adviser. In addition, leaders focus on pupils who may be at risk of not progressing or finding employment when they leave school. Leaders coach interview skills, take pupils on trips to universities and invite a wide range of external providers into school. The school’s own information showed that all pupils went on to secure a place in education, employment or training when they left school in 2017.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142061 North Yorkshire 10044429 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 11 to 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 389 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mary Corner Andrew Galbraith 01723 512 354 www.filey.ebor.academy admin@fs.ebor.academy Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school is much smaller than average.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and receive support from the pupil premium is higher than the national average.
• Most pupils are White British. Nearly all pupils speak English as their first language.
• The school runs its own SEN provision for pupils in Years 7 to 11. Staff support pupils with a wide range of SEN and/or disabilities.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is higher than the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards based on key stage 4 academic performance results. These are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 11.
• Currently, three pupils attend alternative provision at the Skills Village and Future Works. Two pupils receive one-to-one tuition at home due to specific additional needs.
• The school joined the EBOR Academy Trust in 2015. Responsibility for the school rests with the governing body. The structure of the trust’s governance and management can be found on the school’s website.
• Staff have received support from a small number of SLEs, including in music and science.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited a wide range of lessons across the school. Many of the observations in lessons were carried out with senior leaders.
• Meetings were held with senior and subject leaders, teachers, governors and the chief executive of the multi-academy trust.
• Inspectors held informal and formal discussions with pupils, and observed tutor groups and pupil interactions during social times.
• Inspectors listened to a group of Years 7 and 8 pupils read.
• The school’s child protection and safeguarding arrangements were scrutinised.
• Inspectors observed the work of the school and scrutinised a wide range of evidence, including the school’s self-evaluation, analysis of performance information, action plans and evaluations, attendance and behaviour records, recruitment checks and pupils’ work.
• Inspectors took into account the 38 responses from parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Thirty seven members of staff completed Ofsted’s online staff survey. Two hundred and sixty six pupils responded to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire. All of these were taken into consideration by inspectors.

Inspection team

Lee Elliott, lead inspector Barry Found Matthew West

Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector