Nottingham Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are proud to attend this school. They like being part of a community that is rich, diverse and vibrant.

Pupils respect each other's differences. Those who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are welcomed and supported. Pupils enjoy sharing stories about their own cultures.

They show a mutual understanding of different faiths. They know what it means to be a good citizen.

Pupils develop warm and trusting relationships with staff.

They know there is always someone they can talk with if they are worried about something. They value being able to visit the school's 'NAC_STOP' provision, where staff listen to them and provide support.... Staff understand the community that the school serves.

This helps pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

Most pupils have positive attitudes and are keen to learn. They appreciate the range of subjects they can study, and they know that staff want them to be successful.

However, pupils do not achieve as well as they should by the end of key stage 2 and key stage 4. Some pupils do not attend school often enough and miss out on important learning. Other pupils struggle to meet the school's behaviour expectations.

While the school has improved since its previous inspection, there is more work to do.

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

The school's leadership team has been strengthened since its previous inspection. The team has a clear ambition for what pupils can achieve and how pupils should behave.

However, the team has not communicated its vision carefully enough to staff, and to parents and carers, to make sure that everyone is on board. As a result, while the school is getting better, it still requires further improvements.

The school is checking the curriculum in each subject to make sure that it is well planned.

In some subjects, including English and mathematics, it is clear what pupils need to know and when. Key vocabulary is highlighted to help pupils understand each topic. Pupils gain more knowledge over time.

However, in other subjects, the curriculum is not as well organised. In these subjects, the school is still working out exactly what pupils need to know and how the curriculum builds on what has gone before.

There are variations in how well the curriculum is taught.

Some teachers use their subject-specialist knowledge well. They choose suitable strategies to teach new content. They ask questions that help pupils recall what they know and make links to previous learning.

This helps pupils to deepen their understanding. However, some teachers do not follow the planned curriculum closely enough. Others do not know enough about the topic they are teaching or how it fits into the sequence of learning.

Strategies they use to deliver the curriculum are not always suitable. When this happens, pupils often cannot remember what they have learned.

Pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get a good deal.

They benefit from close support in the school's newly established enhanced resource unit. However, the quality of the support for other pupils with SEND is more variable. The curriculum is not always adapted well enough to meet these pupils' needs.

Children in the early years concentrate well and show high levels of curiosity. A wide range of activities provide them with plenty of opportunities to practise their writing and number work. Children learn how to manage their own feelings and make healthy choices.

Positive partnerships between staff and parents help the children to flourish.

Improving the reading curriculum has been prioritised. Children in the early stages of learning to read practise the letters and sounds they know frequently.

Any who fall behind get extra help to fill the gaps in their knowledge. This support continues until pupils become fluent and accurate readers. There are plenty of opportunities to promote pupils' love of reading, particularly in the primary phase.

Pupils choose their own books from a diverse selection that reflects the wide range of cultures found in school.

Sixth-form students appreciate the support they get from staff. Students learn important life skills that prepare them for adulthood.

They take on leadership roles mentoring younger pupils, raising funds for charity and being part of the National Citizen Service. Most students complete their courses and secure a suitable next-steps placement or, in some cases, move on to play basketball at an elite level.

Pupils' behaviour is improving.

New strategies are helping to reduce the number of pupils removed from lessons. The number of suspensions is also falling. However, a minority of pupils, particularly in the secondary phase, still struggle to behave well.

Some staff do not feel well supported in managing pupils' poor behaviour. Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are sanctioned more frequently than their peers. These groups of pupils are also absent from school too often.

Pupils benefit from a strong personal development programme. The school modifies this programme when it spots issues that affect pupils or the local community. Pupils know how to look after their physical and mental health.

They understand what makes a healthy relationship. They like attending extra-curricular clubs and taking part in visits. Secondary-age pupils learn about different professions and career pathways to help them achieve their future aspirations.

Staff are proud to work at the school. However, some raise a concern about their workload.

The trust has a realistic view of the school's strengths and the things that need to get better.

It provides plenty of opportunities for staff to enhance their practice. The trust's ongoing support is crucial in helping the school as it continues to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum is still in the process of being developed. In some subjects, particularly the foundation subjects in the primary phase, the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn is not identified clearly enough. In the secondary phase, the planned curriculum in some subjects pays too little attention to what pupils already know.

In both of these circumstances, pupils struggle to secure a strong foundation of knowledge based on what has gone before. The school must ensure that the curriculum in each subject is planned precisely and progressively so that pupils' knowledge builds over time. ? There are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is implemented.

These variations exist in and across subjects, and between key stages. Some teachers do not have the knowledge and skills they need to deliver the intended curriculum effectively. They do not always ensure that the curriculum they teach meets the needs of all pupils, including pupils with SEND.

These inconsistencies mean that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The school must ensure that the curriculum is delivered consistently well in each subject and across all key stages. ? Some pupils do not attend school often enough, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.

These pupils miss out on learning important knowledge and on experiences to support their wider personal development. The school should continue to develop strategies that help all pupils attend school well. ? The school has high expectations for what its pupils can achieve.

However, this ambitious vision is not shared effectively with all stakeholders so that it can be realised in full. Some staff and parents do not think that the school takes their concerns about some aspects of the provision's quality into account. The school must communicate effectively with all stakeholders so that there is a commonly shared view among staff and parents about what needs to improve and how everyone can work together to achieve this.