John Flamsteed Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher and her team provide strong leadership.

They have raised aspirations among pupils and staff and this has led to improvements in teaching and outcomes. Examination results are improving quickly and the proportion of pupils obtaining five or more good GCSE grades including English and mathematics is now above average. Pupils make good progress from their different starting points.

Progress in mathematics is particularly strong with an above-average number of pupils gaining the top A* and A grades in 2015. Disadvantaged pupils make good progress and are catching up with their classmates. Pupils learn in a calm and supportive ...environment where their teachers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their subjects and plan their lessons well.

Pupils' behaviour around the school is good. They are proud of their school and show respect to one another and adults. The school's work to keep pupils safe and secure is effective.

Pupils and parents agree. Pupils enjoy coming to school and their attendance is above average. The provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

They are well prepared for life in modern Britain and their next stage of education and training. The governing body provides strong leadership. They have a good understanding of the work within the school.

Governors and leaders have worked well together to plan the future direction of the school. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Older boys' books are sometimes untidy. They do not put enough detail in their written work and this slows down their progress.

Middle leaders are not yet fully effective in reviewing and improving the work of teachers in their subject areas. Marking is not yet of a consistently high quality. Teachers do not always give pupils clear guidance about what they need to do to improve, or check that they have acted on their advice.

Teachers do not always make sure that pupils have corrected their spelling mistakes.

Information about this school

This is a smaller than average-sized secondary school. The school is currently consulting on proposals to become an academy within the East Midlands Education Trust (EMET).

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is below average. This funding is for pupils looked after by the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average. A very small number of pupils currently receive education off-site. They follow a programme of learning provided by ACORN and OOST set up by the local authority.

Since the previous inspection, the school has had an external review of both governance and its use of pupil premium funding. In 2015, the school met the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 11. The headteacher took up her post in September 2014.

The school has established a partnership with a local school, Ripley Academy, to develop sixth form provision. The Amber Valley Sixth Form, based at Ripley Academy, is opening in September 2016. The school has received support from the West Bridgford School, a member of EMET.