Outwood Academy Ormesby

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Too many pupils are affected by the poor behaviour of others. Some pupils show disrespectful behaviour and wilful disruption.

This distracts pupils from learning. Some teachers have high expectations of pupils. Behaviour is better in some lessons than others.

However, some pupils are rude, defiant and display negative attitudes. There is inconsistent challenge from teachers in dealing with this behaviour. A high proportion of pupils are suspended from school.

Leaders have not managed to secure a community of respect in the school. Partnerships between home and school are not as effective as they should be. A considerable proportion of parents have negative vi...ews of the school.

Some pupils say that bullying does not get sorted out. Some do not bother reporting any bullying or unkind behaviour. They are not confident that staff will take action to improve things, or say it may make things worse.

Others feel that there are adults in school they can speak to if they are worried or feel unsafe.

A significant proportion of pupils miss out on the curriculum on offer because they are absent from school, or from lessons. In addition, inconsistencies in how the curriculum is delivered and checked on mean that in some subjects, some pupils do not gain the knowledge they need in subjects over time.

Some staff do not have high expectations for what pupils can achieve.

A new curriculum in reading is helping pupils get off to a better start when they join the school. Leaders' commitment to raising aspirations is evident in the comprehensive careers programme and the new personal development curriculum.

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

Leaders know that the specific challenges of the school's context have meant that some of the trust's improvement strategies have been unsuccessful. Pupils have not achieved as they should because too many lessons are affected by poor behaviour. Leaders, including the new head of school, have a determination to tackle the poor behaviour and attitudes of some pupils.

The extra leadership capacity the trust has recently committed includes experienced leaders who know the school well. This has brought more stability to the school. However, there is a long way to go.

Trust and school leaders have created ambitious curriculum plans, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The way that leaders collaborate and develop curriculum plans is highly effective. Leaders have thought about how pupils will build upon what they already know.

In history, for example, leaders identify democracy as a key concept. Pupils develop their understanding of democracy across different periods of history.

Despite the ambitious plans, the curriculum is not delivered effectively across all subjects.

In some subjects, teachers do not present information in a way that helps pupils know and remember more. Teachers have good subject knowledge and are clear about the content that they should deliver. That said, some teachers do not get to grips with what pupils know and can do.

Because of this, there are gaps in pupils' learning, and their recall of the important content is not secure.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has been in post since April 2022. Some teachers use the 'one-page profiles' of pupils' information effectively to make sure pupils' needs are met in lessons.

However, leaders recognise that there is work to do to ensure that pupils' needs are accurately identified and addressed consistently.

Pupils' poor behaviour and attitudes have a negative impact on much of the school's work. Poor behaviour is a barrier to the school's ability to implement the curriculum.

In several lessons, low-level disruption is common. In and out of lessons, some pupils are wilfully disruptive, defiant, and rude to staff. Although starting to reduce, there are a high number of suspensions and exclusions.

Strategies to improve behaviour over time have not led to significant improvement.

The school has not fully created a climate where pupils are respected and treated equally by peers. Some pupils hear discriminatory language, including homophobic language, every day and feel that this is 'just how it is'.

However, there are pupils who are aware that inappropriate language used as 'banter' is not acceptable and should be challenged.

Leaders acknowledge that attendance is a major long-term challenge, particularly since COVID-19. Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough.

Leaders have put in place well-thought-out and precise strategies to improve this. The school has increased staffing in the attendance team in recent months. Strategies have not had the time to significantly improve pupil attendance levels.

The 'llife curriculum' provides pupils with opportunities to learn about the community and the world around them. Pupils learn about the importance of staying safe, including the risks online and offline. The provision for pupils' personal development includes clubs and activities that some pupils choose to attend.

An effective careers programme is in place across the school. The school meets the requirement of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Year 8 to 13 with information about technical education and qualifications and apprenticeships.

Leaders plans for the personal development curriculum are ambitious and well thought out.

The plans take account of the local context and the knowledge and skills pupils in the school need the most. Plans focus upon the teaching of character education. Leaders see this as a priority and the way to improve pupil behaviour and attitudes.

Leaders acknowledge that plans are in the very early stages and that it is too soon to see the effect.

Trustees have a very clear understanding of the aspects of the school that need to improve. They and local governors are working together to increase the capacity for improvement.

Staff spoken with acknowledge that leaders are considerate of their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained in safeguarding.

Training is frequent and, because of this, staff are alert to any potential signs of pupils being at risk. All staff know how to report concerns. Staff are vigilant and show good knowledge of reporting procedures.

Leaders have a strong awareness of the local context and safeguarding issues. The necessary checks on adults who work at the school are carried out diligently.

Leaders and staff work effectively with external agencies.

They make appropriate referrals. Leaders show tenacity and this allows for appropriate support and interventions for pupils. Leaders in the pastoral, SEND, safeguarding and attendance teams work collegiately.

As a result, safeguarding concerns are swiftly identified and acted upon.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Too many pupils' learning is being disrupted by poor behaviour. A high proportion of pupils are suspended from school.

The behaviour of some pupils is preventing some teachers from implementing the curriculum effectively. Leaders must take action to promote pupils' ability to regulate their own behaviour. They should also ensure that there is a consistent approach to managing behaviour to reduce the number of suspensions and exclusions.

• Derogatory language, including homophobic language, is commonplace among too many pupils. Some pupils feel that staff do not always deal with this. Leaders must ensure that an ethos of respect and tolerance is instilled across the school through the further development and embedding of their new personal development and character education plans.

• The use of assessment is inconsistent across the school. Some teachers do not identify gaps in pupils' knowledge or pick up on misconceptions quickly enough. This means that some pupils move on to new topics without the having relevant knowledge in place.

Leaders should ensure that effective assessment strategies are used consistently. They should check that teachers routinely identify where pupils have gaps in knowledge so that they can address these and ensure pupils have secure recall of the most important content. ? Partnerships between the school and home are not as effective as they should be.

Some parents have negative views of the school. Leaders must further develop their work on engaging with parents, so they have a better understanding of the school's expectations and priorities. Leaders should take steps to build effective communication with parents, to build confidence in the school and encourage a partnership in the improvement journey.

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