Branston Community Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy attending this school. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong.

There are high expectations in the school. However, over time, pupils at the end of Year 11 have not achieved as well as they should in public examinations. That said, students in the sixth form do typically achieve well.

The school has established clear routines that pupils understand. This has improved pupils' behaviour and reduced low-level disruption. As a result, pupils are more able to focus on their learning.

Bullying does happen occasionally. Staff usually deal with this effectively. Most pupils say they feel safe in the school.

However, a few pupils a...re not confident that all staff deal with bullying well. Pupils understand the school's values of 'kindness, respect, aspiration, resilience and community'. Most pupils abide by these values.

On occasions though, pupils experience derogatory language.

The school is passionate about ensuring that pupils develop into confident young people. There are many opportunities for pupils and students to be positive role models and support their peers, for example as trained well-being ambassadors.

Pupils and students enjoy a wide range of experiences that support the curriculum, including trips abroad, performing arts trips to London, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) events supported by the Royal Air Force.

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

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Most curriculum subjects have identified the essential knowledge that pupils should learn in a logical order.

Teachers demonstrate a good knowledge of the subjects they teach. In some subjects, pupils develop their knowledge and skills securely over time. However, in others, teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding.

This means that some teaching does not identify gaps in knowledge and misconceptions effectively. This hinders pupils' progression through the curriculum. The delivery of the sixth-form curriculum is more consistent.

Staff use their expertise well to enable students to succeed and achieve well. Sixth-form students benefit from specialist teachers and interesting lessons. As a result, students work hard, are engaged in their learning and achieve well.

The school's approach to supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not as thorough as it should be. Pupils' needs are not routinely identified well. This means staff are not sufficiently well informed about the support these pupils require.

Additionally, on occasions, teachers do not adapt teaching consistently well for pupils with SEND. This means pupils with SEND underachieve and do not reach their potential.

The school identifies pupils who find reading difficult.

Pupils follow a number of reading programmes, which supports them to catch up. They are starting to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become confident, fluent readers. However, the work to develop a coherent reading strategy is in its infancy.

This has an impact on how quickly these pupils develop their comprehension and vocabulary.The school has reset behavioural expectations. Classroom routines are fully embedded, and pupils understand what is expected of them.

Pupils comment on how behaviour has improved. Despite this, there remain a few pupils who do not behave as well as they should during unstructured times. Behaviour sometimes falls short of the school's high expectations, including by pupils using derogatory language.

In the sixth form, teachers create an environment that allows sixth-form students to focus on learning. As a result, students achieve well, particularly in vocational courses.

The personal, social, health and economic education programme is thoughtfully and logically sequenced.

Pupils are taught about issues that may have an impact on them, such as the wider risks of vaping and the importance of consent. Pupils learn about people with protected characteristics. Across the school, pupils' experiences are enhanced through a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, aviation club and a range of sports and music clubs.

In the sixth form, students develop their leadership skills through being members of the well-being committee and sixth-form committee.

Pupils receive a comprehensive programme of careers education. This includes up-to-date information about employers, universities, colleges and apprenticeships.

As a result, pupils are well informed about their next steps. Pupils in Year 10 and students in Year 12 value their work experience. They develop their interpersonal skills through leadership opportunities and mentoring younger pupils.

The sixth form prepares its students well for future success in their next steps. This is particularly strong for those who wish to progress on to university.

School and other leaders, including trustees, are highly committed to the pupils.

They recognise further work is needed to ensure pupils achieve as much as they should across the curriculum. However, the systems and processes in place to quality assure the school do not give leaders a clear picture of what is happening in all aspects of the school's provision. This means areas of the school's work that need developing are not identified well enough.

As a result, progress in some school improvement matters is not as effective as it could be.

Staff are positive about the changes that the school has recently implemented. They are proud to work at this school and value the support they receive for 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)

¦ The school's approach to supporting pupils with SEND is not as thorough and effective as it should be. As a result, too many pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should.

The school should ensure there are robust systems in place to identify pupils' individual needs and consequently provide effective support to meet their bespoke needs so that they can routinely achieve well. ¦ In some subjects, teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding and so do not adapt what they teach to meet the needs of pupils. This means that some teaching does not build on what pupils know and understand well, and gaps and misconceptions are not addressed effectively.

This hinders progress. The school should ensure that staff are confident in checking learning so that teaching enables pupils to secure the detailed knowledge they need to achieve well across the full range of subjects. ¦ The systems and processes in place to quality assure the school's provision do not give leaders a clear picture of what is happening in all areas of the school.

This means areas of the school's work that need developing are not identified well enough. As a result, progress in some school improvement matters is not as effective as it could be. The school should ensure that quality assurance processes enable leaders to develop a clear understanding of the strengths and improvement priorities.

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