Greenfield Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a family feeling about this school. It has a warmth and a friendliness to it. Across both the Newton Aycliffe and Shildon sites, the school is calm and has a peaceful atmosphere.

Pupils feel well supported by staff, especially by the 'Progress and Guidance' team. Pupils are not worried about bullying at school. They know that it occasionally happens, but the school takes it seriously and steps in to stop it.

Pupils seem happy at school and told inspectors that they feel safe.

The leaders of the school want the pupils to achieve as well as they can. However, this is dependent on which teachers pupils get.

Some teachers are more skilled and am...bitious for their pupils than others, and better at dealing with low-level disruption than others. There is a deep commitment to the arts in school and how pupils' lives can be enriched by them. Leaders have increased pupils' opportunities to access the arts subjects and changed the curriculum to try to bring this about.

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

Leaders introduced a new curriculum after the previous inspection. They shortened key stage 3 to two years and extended key stage 4 to three years. Pupils now choose from a larger list of options for their GCSEs.

However, it means that there is less time available for studying subjects to the necessary depth in Years 7 and 8. Subject leaders have started to plan the curriculum in their subjects. At present, they have not fully thought about how to plan for key stage 3 so that pupils who decide to 'drop' the subject at the end of Year 8 do not miss important knowledge.

Across some aspects of the curriculum, the work pupils have to do is not sequenced carefully enough. For example, Year 11 pupils described some of their Year 10 curriculum as 'bitty'. As a result of the subject plans not being fully developed, some of the work set for pupils is not stretching enough for their different abilities.

The school uses different sorts of assessment to keep an eye on how well pupils are doing. This information tells leaders that pupils' achievement has been below expectations for some years. However, leaders, teachers and governors still have a rosier view of pupils' achievement than is the case.

Pupils' behaviour around school and in lessons, at both sites, is largely good. Inspectors saw pupils and staff working and talking together with a positive, respectful manner. Pupils said that while this was often the case, at times in some lessons there was low-level disruption.

They said that some teachers were better than others at putting a stop to it.

The school provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities for their positive personal development. This is especially the case for the arts and sport.

Pupils broaden their understanding of charity work through the 'Time 4 Success' programme.

A new special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) leader is now in place. Pupils with SEND get the same curriculum opportunities as other pupils.

Leaders know that there is still much to do for these pupils.

Leaders have started the process of strengthening the curriculum and the quality of teaching. They have listened to their staff about workload.

All staff spoken to by inspectors feel supported. Some parents and staff do not think that the Shildon site gets the same attention from leaders as the Newton Aycliffe site. Governors fulfil their responsibilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have made sure that they make the correct checks about adults before they work in school. The staff with specific safeguarding jobs know what they are doing.

The systems in school are set up to spot when pupils might be at risk. Staff are trained in safeguarding and know what to look out for. When extra help is needed, the safeguarding leaders get in touch with the right people in other organisations.

For example, the school has strong links with the local authority's children's services and the police.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The subject content in foundation subjects at key stage 3 has narrowed as a result of the introduction of a three-year key stage 4. So that pupils are exposed to the full breadth and scope of the national curriculum, leaders should identify exactly where subject content has been narrowed and take action to ensure that any narrowing or omission is addressed.

. Subject leaders are at different stages of curriculum planning and implementation. Consequently, there is variability in the extent to which the curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced across subjects.

Leaders should enable subject leaders and teachers to construct a curriculum which is coherently planned and sequenced, so that pupils acquire sufficient knowledge and skills for future learning and employment. . Leaders are aware that some teachers' expectations of what pupils should achieve are not high enough.

Leaders should take effective action to ensure that all teachers have the highest expectations of all pupils, setting appropriately challenging work, so that pupils achieve well in national examinations. . Improve the provision for disadvantaged pupils.

Leaders, including governors, need to establish a clearer understanding of the impact of the use of the funding. This should then be used to inform their planning better. .

Ensure that actions to address leaders' identified weaknesses in provision for pupils with SEND are taken. In particular, leaders should take the necessary action to improve the quality of teaching so that the needs of pupils with SEND are fully met. .

Take action to improve the clarity of leaders', teachers' and governors' understanding of the school's assessment information about pupils' progress. There are variations in the conclusions drawn from this information. As a result, governors do not have an accurate understanding of the school's performance over time.