Q3 Academy Great Barr

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The academy Principal and the sponsor are tirelessly focused on raising aspirations and creating opportunities for students to develop their self-confidence and to enjoy success. Achievement is now good. By the end of Key Stage 4 in 2012, an above average proportion of students achieved five GCSE passes at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics.

Since the last inspection, the academy has focused on improving teaching. Teaching is now mostly good across the school and some is outstanding. The sixth form is good.

Students are now making good progress because the quality of teaching has improved. The daily life of the ac...ademy is underpinned by a commonly shared set of values. This is seen in the good behaviour of students in lessons and around the school and in their above-average attendance.

Students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Senior leaders have introduced rigorous systems to make sure that students are making good progress in all year groups and all subjects. The academy's specialism in design helps Q3 students to prepare very well for their futures.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Not enough teaching is outstanding, so that students' progress is good rather than outstanding. Some teaching is too prescriptive and does not enable students to learn independently and find things out for themselves. Marking is inconsistent and does not always help students to know what to do to improve the quality of their work.

Progress in science is not as good as in English and mathematics.

Information about this school

Q3 Academy is sponsored by the Grace Charitable Trust and was founded on the idea that learning is a journey during which Q3 students are encouraged to 'seek that which is good, right and true'. The Q3 Academy is the only academy in the trust.

Housed in state-of-the-art buildings the academy benefits from high-quality resources. The academy is a little larger than average. It serves the community of Great Barr in Sandwell and teaches students aged between 11 and 19.

Over half the students in the academy are from White British backgrounds and the remainder are from a range of minority ethnic groups. Students with Indian and Caribbean heritage form the largest of these groups. The proportion of students who speak English as an additional language is very low.

The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium is lower than average. This is additional government funding for students entitled to free school meals, for children in local authority care and for students with a parent in the armed forces. The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is below average.

The proportion of students supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average. Ten students are currently educated for some or all of the week at off-site provision. Five students attend the pupil referral unit at Wodens Rise.

The majority of these students also access some GCSE courses at the academy and some vocational training at Nova Training, Startright, Halfords or Impact Education. Four students attend part-time vocational training courses with the same providers and one student attends Sandwell College on a full-time basis. The academy meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.