School report Oak Academy Duck Lane, Bournemouth, Dorset BH11 9JJ Inspection dates 1–2 November 2018 Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement Summary of key findings for parents and pupils This is a school that requires improvement Over recent years, the attainment and progress Senior leaders have improved the rate of of pupils by the end of Year 11 and Year 13 attendance. However, rates of absence remain have been well below the national average. too high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils The progress of current pupils is improving and and those pupils with SEND. illustrates the positive changes that have been Rates of exclusion are higher than the national made since the school became part of the average. A legacy of low expectations has Ambitions Academies Trust in 2017. meant that a minority of pupils still find The curriculum has not been sufficiently broad increased expectations difficult to manage. and balanced. Leaders have now made There has been a complete overhaul of middle substantial changes to the range of subjects leadership over the last two years. Subject that pupils study. leaders now have the collective capacity to The progress of disadvantaged pupils and support senior leaders to accelerate the pupils with special educational needs and/or improvements needed. disabilities (SEND) has been weak. Pupils are compliant but often lack confidence Although the quality of teaching is improving, it in their ability. There are remnants of low is not yet consistently good, including in the aspiration and therefore pupils are not always sixth form. This is because teachers do not resilient when they find things difficult. always plan lessons that provide sufficient challenge for the most able pupils or provide support for those pupils who need it. The school has the following strengths This is an improving school. The trust has Leaders are committed to the personal provided significant support and a sense of development of pupils and to ensuring that moral purpose. The director of outcomes and they receive quality advice and guidance about principal provide stability and a clear sense of their next steps. direction about how improvements will be achieved. Full report What does the school need to do to improve further? Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: – middle leaders continue to develop their skills, so they can support the drive for rapid improvement. Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – sustaining improvement through ensuring that expectations continue to rise so that teachers’ practice is consistently good across subjects – continuing to develop teachers’ skills in using assessment information to match learning precisely to the needs of pupils, challenging the most able and supporting pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those pupils with SEND, to reach their potential. Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by: – continuing to implement robust strategies to challenge those pupils who do not attend school regularly, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those pupils with SEND – further developing pupils’ ability to persevere with learning when they find it difficult – further developing support for pupils who find behaviour expectations difficult to manage, so that the rate of exclusion is reduced. Inspection report: Oak Academy, 1–2 November 2018 Page 2 of 12 Inspection judgements Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Since the school joined the Ambitions Academies Trust in 2017, there has been a determined and relentless focus to improve the standard of education that the school provides. Leaders have had to overcome significant challenges to rectify the weaknesses of the past and redesign systems which had hitherto not been fit for purpose. They have undertaken this with energy and articulate a clear vision for the school and the curriculum. Leaders are committed to providing the best possible experiences and life opportunities for pupils in their care. Senior leaders have created a calm environment and are working hard to engage the community. They understand the need to restore trust in the school’s ability to provide quality education for pupils. There is still work to do and, as a result, the number of pupils who leave the school is high. Some pupils join specialist provision in the area. However, some have made the decision based on the poor quality of experience they have received in the past. This is reflected in the Parent View survey. Leaders are aware of individual pupils who leave the school but recognise that they now need to have a better strategic oversight, so that they can reduce this level of pupil movement. Leaders do not shy away from, or make excuses for, the failings of the past. They demonstrate that they have the vision and rigour to sustain improvements in the future. They have rectified weaknesses in the curriculum provision and are accurate in their evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning. Where there are weaknesses, they have taken swift and decisive action to improve the school’s performance. Changes to senior leadership have provided stability and a sense of direction from which to build. Staff and pupils say that the school has changed positively since the new principal was appointed and the trust has taken over responsibility for the school. Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school and feel that they receive effective professional training. Newly appointed teachers say that they are well supported at the beginning of their careers, both from within the school and also more widely across the trust. Leaders’ self-evaluation is accurate and honest and is focused on the right areas to achieve the improvements needed. Senior leaders know the school well, show a convincing understanding of their roles and now have the capacity to ensure that strategies lead to accelerated improvement. Leaders show a commitment to ensuring that disadvantaged pupils make better progress. Their plans to achieve this are now more robust and accurately identify barriers to pupils’ learning to ensure that support is effectively targeted. They recognise that the impact of actions has not been sufficiently evaluated in the past, which has contributed to pupils’ achievement not improving quickly. This more specific focus means that current pupils are making better progress and gaps with their peers are closing. Leaders are cognisant of the fact that pupils with SEND have not made effective progress in the past. Part of this is due to the curriculum that pupils have completed. However, it is also because teaching does not always provide the support that pupils need. Leaders are working towards ensuring a more strategic oversight of this area of Inspection report: Oak Academy, 1–2 November 2018 Page 3 of 12 the school’s work. The progress of current pupils is indicative that this is improving. However, more time is needed to illustrate more rapid progress over a longer period of time. The actions taken have resulted in an environment that is more conducive to learning. However, leaders have not yet consistently established good teaching across the school. Consequently, some pupils, and particularly those in Years 10 and 11, do not make the progress they are capable of. There is a notable difference in the quality of younger pupils’ work compared to that of older pupils. This reflects the increased expectations that younger pupils are more used to. There have been significant changes to middle leadership over the last two years. Subject leaders clearly understand their importance in accelerating school improvement and are developing their skills to do this effectively. They have confidence in the support provided by senior leaders and the external support from the trust. They meet regularly with senior leaders to discuss the progress pupils are making and feel included in strategic decision-making. This has resulted in higher attainment in several subject areas. Leaders have redefined pastoral middle leadership at the start of this academic year, to better meet the needs of pupils. This is in response to leaders’ awareness that the school required additional capacity to address issues in attendance and the management of behaviour. The trust has provided additional resources to bolster this provision and enable leaders to provide a more personalised approach. For example, the Oak Progression Programme provides additional support from trained adults for pupils who require it and current pupils value these opportunities. However, there is still work to do to overcome the legacy of weaker support in the past. Some pupils do not respond positively to the increased expectations of attendance and conduct. Extra-curricular activities support pupils’ learning well. Leaders value the importance of broadening pupils’ experiences to raise their aspirations and this is an important feature of the new curriculum. The enrichment programme includes a range of sporting and cultural opportunities to build confidence, improve self-esteem and develop resilience. Last year, pupils travelled a total of 11,355 miles on trips and visits, including