Brentnall Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, and those responsible for governance, have failed pupils at this school.

They have overseen the decline in the quality of education that pupils receive. The curriculum does not serve pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), well. It is inadequate, narrow and unambitious.

Pupils' knowledge in many subjects, including in the early years, is not secure.

Pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision for SEND (specially resourced provision), do not achieve well. This is because leaders and staff do not have high enough academic expectations of them.

Leaders have not made sure t...hat staff know how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

Pupils told inspectors that leaders' and staff's expectations for their behaviour are now higher than in the past. Older pupils respond positively to these expectations.

However, despite these improvements, some younger pupils find it hard to concentrate in lessons due to the high levels of noise from other pupils. This leads pupils to lose focus and to interrupt the learning of others. Pupils do not learn as well as they should.

Despite the inadequacies in the curriculum, pupils are safe at school. They can speak with staff about any worries that they may have. Pupils said that leaders take bullying seriously and resolve any issues quickly.

Leaders ensure that pupils' physical and emotional health is well supported. Pupils enjoy taking part in the many sports clubs on offer. They are happy in school.

However, the wider opportunities to develop pupils' character and interests are more limited. In addition, too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough to benefit from all that it has to offer to enhance their personal development.

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

The standard of education at this school has declined considerably since the previous inspection.

Pupils' experience of school has been adversely affected by an unsettled period in leadership. The interim executive headteacher has quickly reviewed the school's strengths and priorities for improvement. He has already begun to make important improvements.

However, it is far too soon to see the impact of this interim leadership on pupils' achievement.

Pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, do not get the help and support that they need with their learning. Leaders and teachers accurately identify pupils who may have SEND.

However, staff are not trained sufficiently well to use the information that they receive about pupils with SEND to inform how they adapt the delivery of lessons. Teachers rely too much on teaching assistants to provide support for pupils with SEND.The curriculum for children and pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, lacks ambition.

It does not enable pupils to build up their knowledge over time. Added to this, many pupils with SEND and pupils who are disadvantaged are frequently absent from school. Although interim leaders are in the process of addressing this, their work has only recently started.

As a result, the achievement of pupils with SEND is weak. They are not well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils with SEND get a poor deal.

The curriculum is not meeting pupils' needs. In several subjects, leaders are unclear about the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which this should be taught. Leaders have not been trained to design or deliver their curriculums well.

Consequently, teachers do not understand how to shape their teaching so that pupils build their knowledge well over time. Pupils receive a disorganised learning experience. They do not gain the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful.

Pupils' achievement in too many subjects is insecure.

In a small number of subjects, leaders' curriculum thinking is further along. These subject leaders have received sufficient training to lead their areas of responsibility.

They have developed the expertise that they need to design and put in place a high-quality curriculum. In these subjects, leaders have identified the important content that pupils should learn, and ordered it logically. Pupils are able to build their knowledge well over time in these subjects.

The school's reading curriculum is weak. Until very recently, staff have not been adequately trained to teach early reading. The reading books that teachers provide for pupils to practise their reading are not accurately matched to the sounds that pupils have learned.

The reading curriculum is not coherently organised. This means that pupils do not build on reading skills they have learned before. Pupils have gaps in their reading knowledge.

New leaders have identified that staff do not develop children's communication and language skills well enough in the early years. However, staff in the early years lack the expertise that they need to improve this situation. They do not routinely introduce new vocabulary to children while they are engaged in activities.

Staff miss opportunities to build children's knowledge. As a result, children in the early years are not well prepared for their next stage of education.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons varies across the school, depending upon which class they are in.

Many older pupils listen attentively and have positive attitudes to their learning. However, younger pupils find it difficult to settle into the routines of learning. This leads them to disrupt the learning of others.

Leaders make sure that pupils take part in activities to help to build up their resilience. This helps pupils to learn about the importance of mental health. However, pupils' knowledge of values such as democracy are underdeveloped.

This hinders pupils' readiness for life in modern Britain.

Over time, governors have not taken suitable steps to assure themselves of the accuracy of information given to them by senior leaders. Governors and leaders have failed to take purposeful action to improve the poor quality of education that pupils receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff receive regular safeguarding training. Staff know how to report concerns about a pupil's safety or well-being.

This helps leaders to identify and support pupils who may be at risk. Leaders act swiftly in partnership with external agencies to keep pupils safe, when required. Leaders are aware of potential local safeguarding risks.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they know some of the risks associated with working and playing online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Governors have too readily accepted what leaders have told them.

They do not understand the extent of the weaknesses at the school or the negative impact that this continues to have on the achievement of all pupils, including pupils with SEND and those in the specially resourced provision. Governors must ensure that they improve their oversight of the school so that they can hold leaders to account for their actions and the pace of improvement. ? Until recently, leaders have not made the teaching of early reading a priority.

This means that too many pupils do not get off to a good start in learning to read. They have gaps in their reading knowledge. Leaders should ensure that staff are expertly trained and that books are well matched to sounds that pupils have learned.

Leaders should also ensure that the broader reading curriculum is well organised. ? Many subject leaders have not been trained to design their subjects effectively. These subject leaders do not have the skills or understanding to improve their subject curriculums.

As a result, in many subjects, leaders have not thought about the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. Senior leaders must ensure that subject leaders are trained well to develop the curriculums in their subjects, so that staff are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn. ? In line with weaknesses in their curriculum thinking, subject leaders have not trained staff to deliver the curriculum well.

This means that too many pupils receive a disorganised learning experience. Pupils do not build a secure body of subject knowledge as a result. Senior leaders must ensure that subject leaders are sufficiently trained to support staff to implement their subject curriculums effectively.

• Leaders have not acted swiftly enough to address the decline in pupils' attendance and younger pupils' attitudes to learning. Some pupils, particularly pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, are frequently absent from school. Their learning is regularly disrupted as a result.

Leaders must make certain that recently introduced behavioural expectations and attendance monitoring arrangements are effective, so that pupils behave well and attend school regularly. ? The curriculum for children in the early years is weak. In particular, it does not support children to build their language and communication skills.

As a result, children are not well prepared for their next stage in education. Leaders must, as a matter of urgency, review the curriculum so that children in the early years gain the essential knowledge that they need to be successful.

Leaders and those responsible for governance may not appoint early careers teachers before the next monitoring inspection.