Ernesford Grange Community Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school This is a good and improving school. Leaders have created a positive, ambitious and inclusive culture. Leaders know the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

They have taken effective action to improve the quality of education that they provide. There is a positive climate for learning throughout the school and teaching is now consistently good. Leaders have developed an appropriately broad and balanced curriculum.

It promotes personal development and positive behaviour very well. However, the curriculum has not helped to secure good published outcomes since the last inspection. Over time, pupils have not made sufficient progress in ord...er to attain highly.

The most able pupils have not achieved the highest grades in the past. Current pupils, particularly those in key stage 3, are now making good progress in a wide range of subjects. However, boys still make slower progress than girls.

Although improving, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) still make slower progress and attend less regularly than other pupils in the school. Pupil premium funding is now used effectively and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are improving. However, disadvantaged pupils are still absent more often and achieve less well than other pupils.

The quality of provision in the sixth form declined after the last inspection but it is now improving. Current students benefit from strong teaching, and they are making good progress. The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

Fundamental British values and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development underpin the ethos of the school. Pupils behave well in lessons and during social time. Behaviour has improved considerably since the previous inspection.

High-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance help to prepare pupils well for the next stage of their lives. Pupils feel safe and the school has a strong safeguarding culture. Staff are well trained and know what to do if they have a concern.

Governance is strong, and those who are responsible for governance are highly ambitious for the school. They have a wide range of skills and experience that they use to hold leaders to close account.

Information about this school

Ernesford Grange Community Academy is a smaller-than-average secondary school with a small sixth form.

There are currently no students in Year 12, but leaders plan to recruit Year 12 students for the next academic year. Most pupils are White British. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and who speak English as an additional language are below average.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above average. The proportion of pupils with SEND, including those who have an education, health and care plan, is well above average. The school has a specially resourced provision that caters for a very small number of pupils who have autism spectrum disorders.

A small number of Year 11 pupils attend alternative provision at Coventry College or Educ8 Academy Coventry on a part-time basis. A very small number of pupils are educated at home by staff from Coventry's Hospital Education Service. The school is part of the Sidney Stringer MAT.

Aspects of governance are provided by the trust and the school's IEB. The IEB is accountable to the MAT board of directors. The chair of the IEB is a director on the MAT board and the chair of the MAT board is a member of the IEB.

There are five schools within the MAT and each school has its own headteacher. Senior leaders and those responsible for governance work in close partnership across the MAT. The executive principal is also the chief executive officer of the trust.

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