Richard Barnes Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an inadequate school Over time, leadership capacity has become overstretched as the range of services provided has grown. The three centres operate as separate units. A lack of coherence across the provision results in inequalities in pupils' experiences.

Middle leaders do not have access to all the information they need to help them make the improvements required. Governors have an overgenerous view of the quality of education that the service provides because some information given to them is inaccurate. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment, especially for the most able pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), i...s uneven across key stages, centres and subjects.

Too many pupils stay on part-time programmes for too long and so they do not make the progress they should. The number of pupils placed on fixed-period exclusions is too high. Leaders are not precise enough in identifying improvement strategies to keep pupils in school.

Arrangements for safeguarding the high proportion of pupils on part-time provision are inadequate. Attendance records are inaccurate. There is insufficient leadership oversight of the attendance information held by administrators.

Leaders have not ensured that all staff are effective in using the agreed restraint procedures or the designated 'calm' rooms appropriately. This means that, potentially, vulnerable pupils are unsafe. The school has the following strengths Full-time programmes offer a suitably broad range of subjects and qualifications.

Alternative provision is well matched to pupils' needs. Strong working relationships exist between staff and pupils, especially at key stage 4. Most pupils progress into further education, training and/or employment at the end of Year 11.

There is effective provision for pupils' personal, social and health education and for vulnerable pupils in the 'Gems' and 'Compass' groups.

Information about this school

The Pupil Referral Service, Peterborough provides primary and secondary education for pupils who have been permanently excluded from school, or who are at risk of permanent exclusion. Most pupils have behavioural, social and emotional difficulties.

The aim is that some pupils will reintegrate successfully back into mainstream schools. Around two thirds of the pupils are boys. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above the national average, as is the proportion of pupils with SEND and pupils who speak English as an additional language.

A small number of pupils have an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). Some pupils are dual registered with their mainstream school and with the service. Discrete provision is offered for vulnerable girls (Gems), with a separate programme for Year 11 pupils who have recently arrived in the United Kingdom with limited or no English language skills (Compass).

Other services offered include primary and secondary behaviour support for local schools, and work commissioned by the local authority linked to safeguarding and the 'Prevent' duty. The provision is based across three learning centres. Primary pupils are taught on the city site.

Pupils in key stages 3 and 4 are taught at the two other sites close to the city in Fletton and Honeyhill. Centre leaders are relatively new in post and one is in an acting lead role. A small number of pupils are on alternative education programmes at Peterborough Alternative Curriculum Education (ACE) and City College, Peterborough.