Outwood Academy City

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The executive principal and the principal are exceptionally skilled leaders.

Together, they have galvanised the school. As a result, there have been significantly marked improvements since the previous inspection. Middle leaders are empowered and contribute to continually improving the quality of teaching and behaviour in the subject areas they lead.

As a result, teaching is consistently good and pupils' outcomes are good and improving. The chief executive officer (CEO) and the chief executive principal for secondary of the trust make a formidable and ambitious team. At the centre of their work is the children they serve.

They ar...e unwaveringly dedicated to providing support, challenge and resources so that every pupil can achieve their very best. Governors are highly skilled. They are knowledgeable and have a wide range of skills.

Consequently, they have a precise and incisive understanding of the school. Therefore, they have been able to support and challenge leaders, at all levels, so that standards have been sustained and continually improve. Safeguarding is effective.

Systems and processes in place ensure that pupils, including the most vulnerable, are well cared for. Staff understand the important role they play in ensuring pupils' safety and welfare. Teachers have high expectations of all pupils.

They are determined that pupils will achieve their full potential. This benefits pupils as they acquire strong knowledge, skills and understanding, particularly those who are disadvantaged. Staff use professional development and opportunities to share good practice to continually reflect on and improve their teaching.

As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good and improving. Teachers plan learning that meets the varying needs of pupils. They use questioning skilfully to develop and extend pupils' knowledge and understanding, and to tackle misconceptions.

However, this is not wholly consistent across each subject. In some instances, teachers are yet to deepen pupils' knowledge as well as they could. Pupils' personal development, behaviour and welfare are good.

This area of the school's work has improved markedly and significantly since the previous inspection. However, leaders are not complacent. They are determined to continue ensuring that all pupils attend school as regularly as they should.

Leaders are unrelenting in their drive to ensure that fixed-term exclusions continue to reduce at the current rapid pace.

Information about this school

The school is a broadly average-sized secondary school serving 11- to 16-year-olds in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The school is part of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust.

The current principal has been in post since September 2017. The chair of the local academy council has been chair since September 2017. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium is well above that found nationally.

The school serves an area of high deprivation. Most pupils are White British. Very few speak English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils identified with and needing support for SEND is broadly similar to that found nationally. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is below average. A minority of pupils attend alternative provision.

Inspectors spent time examining the school's records regarding attendance, behaviour, safeguarding, curriculum and pupils' progress of those who attend the alternative provision providers. An inspector spoke to different members of staff at the providers too. Where appropriate, leaders receive support in specific areas of the school, for example in humanities and modern foreign languages, from the wider resources available in the Outwood Grange Academies Trust.