Q3 Academy Tipton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils at Q3 Academy Tipton. They want all pupils to 'live life to the full in pursuit of what is good, right, and true'. Pupils understand these expectations and appreciate the positive environment.

Teachers treat pupils as individuals, and pupils welcome this. Pupils feel confident to 'be themselves' in this inclusive community.

Pupils say that behaviour has 'significantly improved', and they feel safe in school.

However, pupils also say that there is sometimes disruption to learning. Some pupils do not consistently follow leaders' expectations of their behaviour. Leaders teach pupils not to accept any bullying behaviour.<...br/>
However, they are aware that pupils do not always report incidents of bullying. Nevertheless, leaders do deal with bullying when they are made aware of it. Pupils say they are confident that leaders take action quickly.

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils study a range of subjects with specialist teachers. Pupils are achieving well but leaders know there are some subject areas where their achievement can improve.

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Increasing numbers of students join the sixth form, which successfully promotes challenging and independent study.

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

The school has undergone a significant period of development since its opening as a new school in November 2018.

The headteacher, and other school leaders, have worked quickly to improve the curriculum and other key areas of the school's work. However, there is still further work to do to improve the school.

In some subjects, teachers present key knowledge precisely.

This enables pupils to remember this knowledge and use it in their work. For example, some Year 11 pupils in art can use their previous knowledge of tone and depth to develop their GCSE coursework. However, some teachers across all curriculum areas do not teach key knowledge well enough.

When teachers' explanations are unclear, pupils do not understand what they are learning and struggle to remember the knowledge taught. This also leads to some pupils losing interest and disrupting the learning of others.

Teachers use 'do now' and 'exit' tasks at the start and end of lessons to check what pupils know.

However, teachers do not all use the tasks in the same way. Some pupils do not understand or do not complete the tasks fully. Teachers do not always pick up on this, which means that they do not identify and address any gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding well enough.

This means that some pupils do not remember the key knowledge they need to make progress through the curriculum.

Pupils and staff say that behaviour in lessons and around the school has significantly improved. In many lessons, pupils behave well and focus on their learning.

Leaders have clear expectations about how pupils should behave. Many pupils follow these expectations. However, this is not always the case.

Sometimes pupils do not listen to the teacher, and they do not complete their work. When pupils misbehave, some staff do not follow the school's behaviour policy. Pupils say that not all staff support pupils effectively to manage their behaviour.

Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. They provide these pupils with the additional support they need to access the curriculum. 'Know me, know my needs' information is personal to every pupil and sets out the support needed effectively.

Teachers use this shared information well in lessons.

Leaders have improved the development of pupils' reading. Pupils read regularly with their form tutors and in other subjects.

Leaders check how well pupils are doing with their reading. These checks show that pupils are making good progress in improving their confidence and fluency in reading. Leaders continue to promote pupils reading widely and often.

Personal, social, health and economic education is well planned and sequenced. Pupils are proud to celebrate individuality and the diverse community in school and the local area. There is a range of extra-curricular activities that pupils can take part in such as sports, music, drama and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.

Many pupils, including pupils with SEND, take part regularly. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, lead 'well-being' teams and 'house' groups. Pupils are comfortable talking with older students about anxiety, behaviour or work concerns.

Empowering students to support and guide younger pupils is working well.

Senior leaders in the school and the trust, including those responsible for governance, know the school's strengths and areas of development well. Governors and trustees are well informed about the curriculum and hold leaders to account for the decisions taken.

Senior leaders and governors collect a range of information about the school. They use this to make effective improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding runs through everything leaders do with pupils. Experienced and well-qualified safeguarding leaders have extensive knowledge of the issues that pupils face within the school and wider community. Training for all staff, including safer recruitment and spotting indicators of harm, is recorded and evaluated.

Leaders make appropriate referrals to children's services and follow these up to make sure the pupils get the help that they need.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, they confidently speak about minimising any risks that exist online and on social media.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not present key knowledge clearly enough. This means that pupils do not understand or retain the knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all teachers present important information and knowledge clearly so that pupils understand and remember it.

• Some teachers do not check that pupils understand what has been learned. This means that teachers do not identify and address pupils' gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all teachers consistently check pupils' understanding to identify and address any gaps in learning quickly.

• Some leaders and teachers do not implement the behaviour policy consistently enough. This results in some pupils not behaving well during lessons and unstructured times. Leaders should ensure that all staff follow the school's behaviour policy to address any inappropriate behaviour.

• Some pupils are reluctant to report incidents of bullying. This means that these incidents are not dealt with. Leaders should find out more about why pupils do not report bullying and take action to ensure that all pupils feel confident to report any instances of bullying.