The Brunts Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should behave. The majority of pupils rise to these expectations.

Most pupils welcome the recent changes to improve the school. As a result of these changes, pupils feel safe. They reported that bullying is no longer a major concern.

Pupils attend well. They take pride in their work.

The school is typically calm.

Staff expect pupils to behave and learn well. However, pupils said that there is still some disruption to learning. They said that teachers do not always manage behaviour consistently well.

Pupils are frustrated by this. A significant minority of pupils are rel...uctant to tell staff when they experience inappropriate comments, a lack of respect from other pupils or see poor behaviour. These pupils are still not confident that staff will deal with these incidents effectively.

The school has new systems in place to enable pupils to report such concerns, which are still in the early days of implementation.

In the sixth form, students study a range of academic and vocational courses. They value the support and advice that many staff give them to prepare for their next steps.

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

This is a rapidly improving school. Leaders have created the right conditions for learning. Pupils' behaviour in most lessons and around the school site has improved significantly.

The school has designed an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum for all subjects, including in the sixth form. There are clear curriculum plans in place. These identify the required knowledge and skills, and follow a sequence that allows pupils to build on what they already know.

Teachers are subject specialists. They break down learning into chunks to help pupils learn. Teachers use retrieval tasks and questioning to check pupils' prior learning.

When these are effective, they allow pupils to recap on previous work and enable teachers to check pupils' understanding. However, teachers do not always use assessment well in lessons. They do not always address gaps in pupils' knowledge and misconceptions.

This means that some pupils do not progress swiftly enough through the curriculum and do not achieve as well as they could.

Reading is a priority. A lot of work has been done to instil a love of reading, including a well-resourced library and tutor time reading.

The school is improving the reading programme. Pupils who need extra support to become fluent readers are beginning to be identified. The curriculum to support these pupils is at the early stages of planning and implementation.

Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as other pupils, including in the sixth form. In most lessons, staff support pupils with SEND to produce work of the same quality as other pupils.

Students in the sixth form appreciate the efforts that teachers make to help them.

They are proud of their school. There are opportunities for students in the sixth form to volunteer and help others. For example, they can become reading buddies or sports leaders.

The school's focus on rewarding pupils' positive behaviour and attitudes is beginning to make a difference. However, pupils' attitudes to learning are still variable. Some pupils told inspectors that others' behaviour can disrupt their lessons.

Not all teachers apply the behaviour policy consistently. Pupils say that they often hear bad language in school, and some pupils show a lack of respect and tolerance for others.

Leaders have put in place a new personal development programme.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is well planned and sequenced. This is still in the early days of implementation. Leaders aim to broaden pupils' horizons.

Careers education is of a high quality. Pupils learn how to access the wealth of pathways available to them. Staff provide a variety of extra-curricular activities.

However, uptake of these is low. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of relationships and how to stay safe when they are online. However, pupils struggle to recall important messages about British values and protected characteristics.

Pupils, and some parents and carers, have mixed views about how well leaders communicate the school's vision and policies.

Leaders provide high-quality training to support staff to improve their practice. Most staff value this and are working well with leaders to continue to bring about the necessary improvements.

Trustees know the school very well. They know what needs to improve. The trust provides tailored support for the school.

Staff feel well supported and their morale is high. Leaders are considerate of their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders are aware that some aspects of the curriculum need further development, especially regarding teachers' consistent use of assessment to identify gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge, and ensuring that teachers maintain high expectations across all lessons. Leaders must ensure that assessment processes and the delivery of the curriculum in all subjects are of equally high quality so that pupils learn as well as they should. ? Some staff do not consistently apply the behaviour policy.

This means that low-level disruption is not always addressed, and some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that the behaviour policy is implemented consistently so that all staff meet leaders' expectations of pupils' conduct. ? The school has not ensured that a culture of mutual respect and tolerance permeates all aspects of school life.

Some pupils experience a lack of respect, tolerance and poor behaviour. Not all pupils feel confident to report concerns to an adult. Leaders must ensure that there is an open culture of respect and vigilance, where pupils feel confident to report their concerns knowing that leaders will take swift and effective action.

• The curriculum for PSHE is new. Pupils have gaps in their learning, especially regarding British values and the protected characteristics. Leaders need to ensure that pupils in all years benefit from a high-quality personal development programme that equips them to be well prepared for life in modern Britain.

• Communication with parents is sometimes not as effective as it could be. Some parents feel that the school does not keep them informed well enough about decisions, especially regarding school uniform requirements and procedures to manage pupils' behaviour. Leaders need to ensure that they keep parents up to date with information about the effective work they are doing to care for and support pupils.