Brompton Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value their time at school.

Staff focus on developing pupils' knowledge and understanding of what it means to be a good citizen. In personal development lessons, pupils explore topics around human rights. Assemblies are a time to celebrate each other's achievements, such as sporting successes in local tournaments.

Leaders prioritise pupils' well-being and safety. Pupils trust adults to look after them and know that bullying will be dealt with quickly if it happens.

Leaders' expectations, however, have not been high enough to ensure that every pupil has an equal opportunity to study a broad and ambitious curriculum.

For example, too few pupils ...can study a modern foreign language. This means that the future opportunities for some pupils are more limited.

Many pupils recognise the importance of learning and behaving well.

These pupils understand the rules that leaders put in place to keep them safe and enable everyone to learn. A minority of pupils find it more difficult to manage their own behaviour. Leaders know this but do not always take appropriate action to provide effective support.

This can lead to extended and repeated periods of suspension where pupils become even more disengaged with their learning.

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

Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is ambitious enough. It does not give all pupils the knowledge and experiences they need to be successful.

The curriculum in Years 7 and 8 does not cover the full breadth and depth of the national curriculum. Only a select number of pupils are able to study Spanish in Year 7 and Year 8. Others miss out and so do not have the appropriate knowledge they need to study a modern foreign language at GCSE.

The number of pupils studying the full range of subjects as part of the English Baccalaureate continues to decline steeply. Leaders have not enacted plans quickly enough to resolve this.

Furthermore, leaders have not ensured that pupils have the time to study the full content of the national curriculum in sufficient detail in subjects such as history.

So, for example, pupils struggle to connect important episodes in history or consider the causes and consequences of different events. In other subjects, such as science, some learning activities are not thoughtfully planned. Pupils therefore struggle to remember what has been taught and apply it to new learning.

Yet in other subjects, such as dance and English, leaders do carefully organise learning so that pupils' knowledge builds over time. Teachers deliver lessons which motivate and enthuse pupils to want to know and do more. They use assessment effectively to identify and close gaps in pupils' understanding.

Leaders have carefully selected a wide range of texts to explore social issues with pupils, such as racism and respect. Leaders ensure that weaker readers get additional support to develop their confidence and fluency.Many pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective support to help them access the curriculum.

Staff skilfully adapt learning using pupil profiles that explain the help that individuals need. Specialist teachers in the Eliot Centre present learning in a way that helps pupils to remember more. However, leaders do not ensure that the minority of pupils who need support to manage their behaviour get the right help.

Consequently, some pupils miss out on experiencing the same education as their peers because of lengthy suspensions and a lack of targeted support.

The personal development curriculum is relevant and engaging. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and take care of their mental health.

They are confident to talk to the school counsellors about any worries and know they will be listened to. The school's clean and calm learning environment reflects leaders' dedication to teaching pupils about responsibility and respect. Extra-curricular opportunities further develop pupils' interests and talents.

Students in the sixth form are complimentary about the pastoral support that they receive. Leaders are taking appropriate actions to improve attendance. Students enjoy a wide offer of subjects.

They have high aspirations to go on to study at a university and receive good support when making applications. Each year group receives purposeful careers support and advice. Leaders are keen to help students see the benefits of each subject they study as they move into further education and employment.

Governors and trustees understand their important role of holding school leaders to account for the standard of education in school. They actively engage with school leaders and use a range of information to ensure they are clear about the priorities and direction that leaders need to take.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are acutely aware of the safeguarding context of the pupils in school. This means they know who may be at risk and are swift to provide effective and timely support. Regular training means that all staff know how to identify and report concerns about pupils.

Detailed records illustrate the sharp actions and clear lines of regular communication that leaders maintain with professionals who are supporting pupils and their families.

Leaders are rigorous in ensuring the right checks are made when recruiting new staff to the school. Governors and trustees understand their statutory responsibilities and regularly audit safeguarding processes.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The key stage 3 curriculum is not ambitious for all pupils. This limits the future opportunities for some pupils. Leaders should urgently implement their plans to provide all pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum.

• Leaders have not ensured the curriculum in some subjects matches the aims of the national curriculum in enough depth. This means that pupils do not learn well across every subject. Leaders should ensure that there is enough curriculum time for staff to follow well-sequenced plans that emphasise the most important content and then check that pupils have learned and remembered it.

• Leaders have not put in place effective strategies to support pupils with challenging behaviour. Consequently, these pupils are not helped to meet the school's expectations for behaviour so that they can focus on their learning. Leaders must ensure these pupils have the targeted support they need to prevent them disengaging further from education.