Jesmond Park Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a well-planned curriculum. Teachers help pupils to build knowledge and skills across many subjects.

Pupils can describe how teachers help them to remember their learning over time.

Leaders have worked hard with teachers to improve the quality of education. The curriculum in subjects such as history and modern foreign languages is now much better than before.

Pupils are experiencing effective teaching. There is variance in how well teachers adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Provision is strong for pupils with higher levels of needs.

It is less secure for those accessing lower... levels of support. Senior leaders have plans in place to continue to improve the quality of education.

Most pupils behave well.

They focus on their learning in lessons. Adults build positive relationships with pupils. Pupils are encouraged to respect one another in this highly diverse school community.

The majority of pupils attend well. Leaders are putting new approaches in place to support those who find it harder to attend.

Staff take bullying seriously.

They have put systems in place to capture pupils' concerns. This includes any concerns that may arise over sexual harassment. The majority of pupils whom inspectors spoke with feel safe in school.

They say that staff take bullying seriously and deal with problems that arise. However, some pupils and parents have less confidence in how well concerns are addressed.

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

Leaders have worked with teachers to develop the curriculum.

Leaders have made the acquisition of knowledge a priority. Teachers make 'knowledge goals' explicit to pupils. Teachers revisit key ideas to help pupils remember more over time.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. Many pupils enjoy their learning in subjects such as languages and history. Pupils can explain how teachers help them to remember key concepts.

Year 12 pupils explain how their knowledge of Shakespeare has deepened as they have studied more complex plays over time. Such intelligent layering of content is evident across many subjects.

Teachers generally explain new content well.

They model how to write in different styles and how to explore mathematical problems. They use a range of methods to check that pupils have understood key content. On occasions, teachers move pupils on to new learning before their understanding has been checked.

This leads to potential gaps in pupils' understanding.

Support for pupils with SEND is variable. Pupils with hearing impairments and social and emotional needs are often well supported.

However, provision for pupils accessing SEND support is more variable. Teachers do not act upon guidance in pupils' support plans to consistent effect. Despite this, the work produced by pupils with SEND indicates good progress across the curriculum.

Pupils explore issues of equality and respect. They discuss the importance of consent in relationships. Pupils work with external partners to deepen their knowledge of domestic violence and street crime.

Leaders are placing an increasing emphasis on developing pupils' mental health. Careers education matches pupils' individual needs and meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. Such guidance helped the overwhelming majority of Year 11 pupils progress to education, training and employment in summer 2021.

Leaders have set high expectations for behaviour. Teachers say behaviour strategies have had a transformative effect on learning. Behaviour in lessons is positive.

Teachers and pupils treat one another with respect. The majority of pupils behave well. Incidents of suspension and internal isolation for poor behaviour are falling.

Attendance is above that seen nationally. Leaders have expanded the attendance team to help those with more persistent absence to return to school.

Leaders are developing strategies to encourage pupils to read.

Year 7 pupils read regularly. Support is in place to help pupils to build their vocabulary and to read more fluently. However, strategies to build the phonics knowledge of the weakest readers are less securely implemented.

Students in the sixth form value the curriculum. They enjoy their studies and are prepared well for their next steps. Students talk convincingly about the knowledge and skills they acquire.

They value the support provided by their teachers and tutors.

Leaders remain mindful of staff's workload while driving improvement. They provide training and resources to help staff to do their jobs.

The overwhelming majority of staff who responded to Ofsted's questionnaire said leaders supported them well.

Increasing numbers of parents are putting their faith in the school. Links with primary schools are stronger.

Despite this, a significant minority of parents still have concerns over behaviour and support for pupils with SEND. Many of these parents believe communication is not good enough and that more needs to be done to restore contact after COVID-19.

Trustees and members of the advisory group know the school well.

The chair of the advisory group is a regular visitor to the school. Trustees have systems in place to check improvement. The multi-academy trust has helped to stabilise finances and improve staffing.

Partnerships across the Gosforth Group are improving the quality of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff receive training on safeguarding issues.

They have developed effective links with safeguarding partners to support pupils' safety. Staff respond to any concerns that may arise over pupils' safety and welfare. They record concerns and follow them up appropriately.

Staff teach pupils about safety through the curriculum and in assemblies. Staff are aware of local safeguarding risks. They address these through the curriculum and through specific interventions.

Leaders carry out thorough checks on the suitability of adults working at the school. Members of the advisory group check the effectiveness of safeguarding procedures.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is variability in how well teachers adapt teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

The strong practice in the sixth form and for pupils accessing sensory support are not consistently reflected elsewhere. Leaders should provide teachers with clearer information and guidance to help them to better meet the needs of all pupils with SEND. ? Some strategies to support reading are not well developed.

The work to develop pupils' vocabulary is not supported by consistent phonics teaching for the weakest readers. Leaders should accelerate the implementation of the phonics programme so that pupils get the support that they need to be able to read well. ? On some occasions, teachers can move pupils on too quickly before they have checked that ideas have been securely understood.

This can lead to gaps in learning. Leaders should work with teachers to refine assessment practice. This will help them to better check that pupils are learning the intended curriculum.

• While more parents and carers are putting their faith in the school, a significant minority remain concerned about aspects of the school's work. These include concerns on behaviour, SEND provision and communication. Leaders should develop strategies to communicate effectively with all parents and involve them more purposefully in the improvement journey.

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