Birches Head Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has not ensured that pupils consistently behave with respect for adults and other pupils.

Around the school, and especially at breaktime and lunchtime, too many pupils behave in a way that leaves other pupils feeling afraid or unsafe. Bullying and incidents of discrimination are too common. Some pupils do not report concerns as they consider that doing so makes little difference.

Leaders have redesigned the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious. In lessons, pupils generally work well and focus on their learning. However, too often the selection of activities does not build on previous learning, and checking for understanding is inconsistent.

Th...is means that too many pupils struggle to remember what they have been taught. The high rates of absence also mean that pupils often do not recall important learning.

Parents' and carers' views of the school vary.

The school has worked to engage parents. Some recognise the efforts to improve the school and are pleased with the welcome their children have had since starting. Other parents feel that leaders are not responding to their concerns, especially around the behaviour of some pupils.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils at Birches Head are not always supported to learn effectively. The school has ensured that the planned curriculum is suitably ambitious. However, leaders have not ensured that all teachers are supported well enough to deliver this curriculum consistently well.

This means that sometimes the activities that are selected do not build on what pupils already know. Checking for pupils' understanding is also variable. This means that at times, some pupils disengage from learning.

Too often, teachers are not given the information they need about pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). When this happens, their needs are not met. This means that often, pupils with SEND do not make good progress.

Leaders have worked to improve behaviour in lessons, and learning in class is generally not disrupted by poor behaviour. However, poor behaviour around the school persists. Groups of pupils experience regular discrimination and bullying, and do not have confidence in leaders' ability to resolve this.

The school's actions to improve the behaviour of pupils who do not meet the school's expectations has not had enough impact. Attendance is too low for many pupils, and leaders' actions have not been successful in improving this.

Leaders have ensured that there is a well-planned programme of personal, social and health education in place.

Pupils are taught about tolerance and respect. However, pupils do not apply this well to how they treat each other. The school has worked to encourage pupils to take an active part in the 'Be More' curriculum, and some pupils could speak positively about the Frank Field Award they have received where they led activities in the school.

However, many pupils do not take advantage of the opportunities provided. The school provides an 'experience week' where each year group has a range of trips, including to universities and visits with a focus on degree apprenticeships. Pupils also have suitable careers education, so they learn about future employment and the world of work.

When leaders introduced changes to the way in which behaviour is managed, they faced challenge from some parents. The trust is working alongside school leaders to communicate to parents about expectations and ongoing developments to improve the school.

Leaders' understanding of the effectiveness of the school is not as accurate as it needs to be.

Those responsible for governance do not use the information they receive to challenge and support leaders with precision, especially around behaviour and attendance and the quality of education. Nevertheless, staff appreciate the improvements that leaders are putting in place, and state that they are mindful of staff's workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Although safeguarding is secure, leaders are aware that they need to have a clear strategic oversight of records and actions, so that they are clear about what actions have been taken to support pupils who are at risk.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils regularly experience unacceptable discrimination or bullying from others. They do not have confidence in leaders' ability to address this, so they do not report it.

Leaders need to ensure that all discrimination or bullying issues are challenged and resolved consistently and effectively when they occur. ? The school's work to improve pupils' behaviour has not had sufficient impact. A significant number of pupils misbehave and experience consequences too often, including being removed from lessons or suspended.

These pupils miss out on valuable curriculum time. In addition, some parents are unclear about the school's expectations. Leaders should review their approach to behaviour management so that it leads to improvements in pupils' behaviour, ensuring that parents are clear about how they can support the school too.

• Leaders have not addressed the high rates of pupil absence well enough, especially for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. A significant number of pupils regularly miss too much school, which adversely affects their education. Leaders should take all possible steps to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly.

• In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment well enough to check that pupils have understood what has been taught. When this happens, teachers do not adapt their teaching to take account of what pupils can do. Leaders need to ensure that all teachers use assessment consistently well to check pupils' understanding and adapt their teaching and curriculum planning where necessary.

• Trustees and governors do not have a sufficiently accurate view of the school's effectiveness. This means they are not precise enough in their support and challenge for leaders, especially around the quality of education, and behaviour and attendance. Those responsible for governance need to ensure that they offer more precise challenge, so they can hold leaders to account and address areas for improvement effectively.