The Dukeries Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The excellent leadership of the principal has led to rapid and significant improvement since the previous inspection. Senior leaders work effectively.

Collectively, they have created a culture of high aspiration. Across a wide range of subjects, outcomes have improved and the latest school performance information demonstrates that this trend is set to continue in 2017. The quality of teaching has improved considerably across the school since the previous inspection.

This has led to good progress for the majority of pupils currently in Years 7 to 11. However, the most able pupils are not challenged sufficiently to make the progress of whic...h they are capable. Effective tracking systems enable leaders and teachers to check pupils' progress accurately and provide good-quality support for those who fall behind.

The feedback that pupils are given about their work has improved well to help pupils make more progress in their learning, but with some variation. This is because a few teachers are still not adhering fully to the school's policy and opportunities are missed for pupils to benefit from the feedback they receive. The sixth form is good.

Improved systems to check on academic progress and the quality of teaching in the rest of the school are now effectively raising standards in the sixth form. Attendance has improved well for all groups of pupils. This is also the case for pupils who are persistently absent.

Leaders and managers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils' behaviour is now good. Pupils take a pride in their appearance and conduct themselves in a sensible manner both in lessons and around the school.

The average progress pupils make in eight of their GCSEs was similar to other pupils nationally. However, the progress made by the most able pupils is not good enough. There are inconsistencies among leaders in the monitoring of how rigorously school policies are applied, such as the feedback policy.

Good arrangements for pupils' health, safety and welfare mean that they are kept safe and benefit well from effective support. The school's sponsor, along with the governing board, supports and challenges leaders well so that the school continues to improve. They share the principal's ambition to be the very best.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school complies with DfE guidance on what academies should publish. The Dukeries Academy was established on 1 January 2013.

It is sponsored by the Academy Transformation Trust. The current principal took up post in January 2014. Since the last inspection changes include the appointment of a new vice-principal, a restructure of the senior leadership team, a number of new appointments and staff changes, and a new chair and vice-chair of the governing board.

The academy is a smaller-than-average, mixed secondary school with a sixth form. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average. Most pupils are White British and speak English as their first language.

The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. In September 2014, the school established the 'Success Centre' that is on site. This provides an alternative curriculum offer for students who may be at risk of exclusion.

A few students at the school attend alternative provision at The Good Apple and YESS. In 2015 and in 2016, the school met the current government floor standards. These are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress at the end of key stage 4 and the interim standards for 16 to 19 study programmes.