Chapeltown Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• Chapeltown Academy is situated on a business park between the towns of Chapeltown and Ecclesfield in the north of Sheffield. The academy was established in 2014 to provide academic study programmes for local people aged 16 to 19 and to foster progression to higher education and apprenticeships. The academy enrols students from a wide geographical area, with the great majority coming from Chapeltown, Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and surrounding villages.
• At the time of the inspection, 230 students were following a range of A levels in English, mathematics, the sciences, humanities, computing, modern foreign languages, law, business, sociology and psychology. Most of the students at the academy are aged 16 to 18, with a small number aged 19.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Continue to increase the proportion of students who achieve or exceed the grades expected of them relative to their prior attainment, particularly in underperforming subjects, by developing further teachers’ skills in planning and teaching lessons that consistently challenge all students to make rapid progress.
• Ensure that teachers identify students’ literacy and numeracy skills at the start of their course, set improvement targets for them and monitor their progress routinely to ensure that students improve these skills effectively.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The new headteacher, governors and the senior leadership team have worked tirelessly to improve most of the areas requiring improvement at the previous inspection. They have taken decisive and successful action to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, pass rates at A level are now high and students make good progress in relation to their starting points. However, the actions that leaders and managers have taken have not yet led to sufficient improvement in weaker subjects, including government and politics, English and mathematics.
• Governors and senior leaders are ambitious for the academy and are enthusiastic about their vision for it to improve further. They communicate this vision effectively to staff who understand fully and share the purpose and values of their leaders. Leaders now have high expectations of all teachers, holding them firmly to account for the achievement of their students. Teachers have responded well to this and are positive and enthusiastic about the future of the academy.
• Governors and senior leaders now have a more accurate and realistic view of the academy’s strengths and areas for development. Leaders and managers take a hands-on approach to the monitoring of the academy’s performance and draw on a range of information to make their judgements, including lesson observations, learning walks, progress monitoring, scrutiny of students’ work and the opinions of students. As a result, actions to improve performance are appropriately focused and detailed. However, although improved since the previous inspection, a minority of actions still lack clear success criteria, which means that leaders are not always able to evaluate fully their impact.
• Leaders and managers accurately evaluate the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Leaders ensure that teachers support each other in improving their classroom practice and commit well to professional development activity. Teachers draw on networks of local schools for subject-specific support to extend their knowledge and skills. This allows them to make continuous improvements to their classroom practice.
• Senior leaders have strengthened arrangements for managing the performance of teachers. These arrangements ensure that teachers receive the support and challenge that they need to improve their practice. In appraisals, leaders and managers focus in detail on student progress and specific aspects of teaching, learning and assessment. Teachers reflect well on their own performance and this contributes significantly to the well-rounded discussions that lead to the identification of appropriate targets and actions. In most cases, this process has resulted in improvements in teachers’ performance. However, for a small minority of teachers, targets are too vague and are not sufficiently measurable to enable managers to monitor progress closely.
• Leaders have developed the curriculum well to enable students to gain the qualifications that they need to move on to higher education, often to the most prestigious universities. The recent introduction of additional A-level subjects, such as business studies and drama, gives students access to a broader choice of courses, and provides them with more options when applying to university. Leaders and managers prioritise the development of students’ English and mathematics skills. The academy’s teaching and learning handbook outlines clear strategies for how teachers can develop these skills in lessons. However, leaders do not monitor rigorously the impact of these strategies in improving students’ skills in English and mathematics.
• Senior leaders have developed strong relationships with local schools, the local sixth-form college and universities to ensure that progression routes for students are seamless from school to the academy and then on to higher education. Managers use partnerships successfully to provide opportunities for students to undertake work-related activity and to develop their broader skills through enrichment projects.
• The promotion of equality and diversity is strong. Leaders and teachers set out expectations clearly in terms of respect and non-discriminatory behaviour. As a result, staff and students treat each other with respect, and incidents of bullying and discrimination are almost non-existent. Students speak highly of the academy and their teachers. They enjoy studying at the academy and are passionate about its small, friendly and inclusive environment. An atmosphere of mutual respect and collaboration permeates the organisation.

The governance of the provider

• Governors and the head teacher have overcome significant challenges since the previous inspection in terms of the academy’s financial situation and have done so without disrupting improvements in student outcomes. They are fully aware that the academy must be financially sustainable and have clear plans in place for its future.
• In order to improve the financial position of the academy further, governors and the senior leadership team have been successful in increasing student numbers in the current year. They continue to develop partnerships locally to ensure the long-term sustainability of high-quality academic provision.
• Governors are highly dedicated and devote a great deal of time and energy to the academy. They are passionate about its success and provide a wide range of expertise from education and business. They interact with staff and students regularly through visits to lessons and involvement in much of the academy’s daily life.
• Governors receive comprehensive reports from senior leaders about student progress and the performance of individual subjects. They scrutinise this information robustly and use it carefully to hold leaders and managers to account. This contributed well to improvements in student outcomes and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment during the last academic year. Governors acknowledge that actions to improve a few A-level subjects have been too slow.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding logs are comprehensive and record all actions taken by staff in response to any concerns, including liaison with external agencies. Comprehensive and appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures are in place that staff apply consistently.
• Staff recruitment procedures are well established, effective and safe. Managers who appoint new staff receive thorough training on safer recruitment and all staff pre-employment checks are up to date and comprehensive.
• Leaders ensure that all staff have appropriate and up-to-date training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Appropriate internet filters are in place to monitor students’ safety online. Staff investigate fully and deal appropriately with incidents of inappropriate use of technology. Consequently, students feel safe and know how to protect themselves from harm.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Since the previous inspection, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved and is now good. Teachers have benefited from professional development that has helped them to ensure that most students make good progress. They expect students to think deeply about their subject and encourage students to respond accurately to searching questions and problems. For example, economics students had to draw a complex diagram to express price elasticity in a perfect market using their prior knowledge. With skilful support from the teacher, students worked collaboratively and produced an accurate diagram.
• Teachers are well qualified and most use their expertise to plan and teach lessons that are lively, challenging and encourage students to discuss, analyse and reflect on their work. Consequently, students are well motivated and engaged by their studies. They are always well prepared, alert and demonstrate good study skills. For example, in a history lesson students were able to analyse confidently the shifting balance of power in the Nazi party following the Night of the Long Knives.
• Teachers plan well to meet the needs of students with differing abilities. They adapt lessons so that students can make the progress of which they are capable. They provide helpful extension activities to those who complete activities first. Teachers support students with additional needs very well. They provide activities that enable these students to participate equally well in lessons, helping them to make at least the progress expected.
• Teachers employ a range of assessment methods to check students’ understanding thoroughly. They question students skilfully and ensure that students are constantly involved in lessons. Teachers use a variety of activities and discussion topics, linked closely to previous examination questions, that enable students to practise and extend their knowledge and skills. They routinely assess students under examination conditions. Students’ assessed work is quality-assured externally to ensure an accurate assessment of students’ progress. Teachers keep an accurate record of assessment outcomes on the academy’s progress tracking system, which ensures that they are fully aware of the progress of their students. They use this information well to plan future lessons that take account of students’ individual needs.
• Most teachers provide students with helpful and informative feedback on their work. Students are encouraged to respond fully to the feedback, and most make significant improvements to their work, in some cases rewriting whole essays to ensure that they have useful resources for revision.
• In most subjects, teachers support students to develop their verbal and written English skills well. Teachers promote routinely the use of technical terms and students talk confidently when they present, discuss and debate topics in their lessons. The large majority of students’ written work is of a good standard. Teachers, where relevant, develop mathematics skills that are necessary for the subject. Students in subjects such as psychology and economics become confident in the analysis of statistics and equations, which prepares them well for their examinations. However, teachers do not monitor routinely students’ acquisition of English and mathematics skills to ensure that students make the progress that they could.
• Managers and teachers provide parents with regular updates on the progress of their child. Teachers make good use of the academy’s progress monitoring system to share information, such as attendance and progress, with parents, especially if students fall behind in their work. They work closely with parents, where necessary, to support them in helping their child to get back on course with their studies.
• Teachers carefully select and use texts that promote students’ understanding of equality and diversity. These include, for example, exploration of the dystopian themes in ‘Fahrenheit 451’, ‘Metamorphosis’ and ‘1984’, and misogyny in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. Teachers thoughtfully and carefully expand on these themes, deepening students’ understanding of related issues in modern Britain.
• In a small minority of subjects, teachers do not check that all students have understood fully what they have learned. On these occasions, teachers do not consolidate students’ learning of complex topics sufficiently well; they often rush on to the next activity, asking the whole group of students if everyone understands. As a result, students in these subjects are not challenged well enough to make the progress of which they are capable.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

• Students work very well together in a harmonious and close-knit learning community. They are confident and approach their learning with enthusiasm and commitment so that they can achieve their best.
• Students receive comprehensive and impartial careers information and guidance before joining the academy, and they use this information well to decide on their future. All students attend an interview to check their suitability for the courses for which they are applying. All students can visit Cambridge and Sheffield universities prior to starting their course. In the current year, the majority of new entrants visited these universities to ensure that A-level study and a university course would be most appropriate for their career ambitions.
• Students benefit from a range of external visits to universities and businesses. They find the experience useful in helping them to prepare more effectively for their chosen career. For example, students visiting two national retail and engineering businesses gained an appreciation of the wide range of career options open to them in areas such as marketing, finance, legal and business operations. The minority of students who attend an external work experience linked closely to their intended career achieve a stronger awareness of a real working environment.
• A small minority of students do not have the opportunity to access external work placements to help them develop a deeper understanding of their future job roles.
• Students develop good personal and social skills necessary for them to progress to university and their choice of career. During extensive enrichment activities, students develop their confidence and resilience as well as skills such as creativity, innovation, leadership, problem-solving, negotiation, self-reflection and evaluation. They discuss and debate ideas, challenge stereotypes and beliefs and explore the issues that they face in modern Britain. Students also develop independent living skills, such as how to use a roadmap, how to sort clothes for a wash and how to sustain conversation effectively, that will help them when living away from home.
• Most students undertake additional qualifications including the extended project qualification and online courses. These courses help students to deepen their understanding of current affairs and relate well to their interests and future careers. Most students produce work of a good standard. They make copious notes in and outside of lessons, identifying clearly areas for revision. Most students develop their English and mathematics skills; however, teachers do not monitor students’ progress in these subjects well enough to ensure that students achieve at the level of which they are capable.
• Students feel safe. They feel part of a close-knit community allowing them to learn in a safe, positive, and respectful environment. As part of their enrichment programme, students attend a wide range of additional activities related to healthy eating, positive lifestyles and mental health. Students have a good understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism and know who to contact if needed.
• Students develop a good understanding of diverse cultures and religions that prepares them well for life at university and in their local communities. For example, students discuss a wide range of topics during assemblies, debating key questions such as the representation of race in the film industry and media. Students elect to run their own enrichment sessions. In the current year there are a range of groups celebrating diversity, one of which promotes the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
• Most students attend well, are punctual and are very well behaved. They listen carefully and work well together.

Outcomes for learners Good

• Most students make the progress expected on their courses, given their entry qualifications. In 2017/18, college data indicates that the proportion of students who made at least the expected progress improved significantly on A-level courses. High-performing subjects included geography, economics, biology, physics and psychology. Nearly all students remain on their programmes and achieve their qualifications. In chemistry, history, government and politics, English literature and mathematics, students are not making rapid enough progress from their starting points.
• Most students produce work of a good standard. They work consistently to improve their work and achieve higher grades following the helpful feedback that they receive from their teachers. In most subjects, students gain the skills, understanding and techniques to succeed in examinations and assessments.
• There are no significant differences in the achievements of different groups of students by gender or ethnicity. Students receiving additional learning support achieve at least as well as their peers.
• Students receive high-quality support to prepare for their university applications, developing essential skills such as interview techniques, effective communication, presentation skills and time management. Consequently, nearly all students move on to their chosen university, with over a third gaining places at high-performing universities.

Provider details

Unique reference number 140940 Type of provider 16–19 academy Age range of learners Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 16+ 174 Principal/CEO Dayle Coe Telephone number 01142 454803 Website www.chapeltownacademy.com

Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ - - - - 220 10 - - Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ - - - - - - 16–19 - 19+ - Total - Number of traineeships Number of learners aged 14 to 16 Number of learners for which the provider receives high-needs funding At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors:

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head teacher, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

Inspection team

Richard Deane, lead inspector Christopher Young Tony Day

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector