Sandown Bay Academy, which went into Special Measures in January 2013, received its third inspections from Ofsted at the end of last month.
The inspection report, released yesterday revealed the Academy is ‘making reasonable progress’ towards the removal of Special Measures.
The Academy, which has had a troubled history in relation to Principals, is currently under leadership of Eric Jackson, who took the role of Principal until at least the end of the spring term.
Beverely Perin, Chair of the Sandown Bay Academy Management Board, who has written to parents to inform them of the positive outcome of the inspection, said
“All of these improvements have been achieved through the wholehearted commitment of our students, staff and parents and I sincerely thank you for all your very valuable contributions.”
Some of the highlights from the report include:
- There are clear indications of students’ achievement continuing to improve.
- The outcomes of internal assessments and early entries for GCSE examinations indicate that a significant increase in the proportion of students obtaining five good GCSEs, including English and mathematics, is possible this year, to bring this figure nearer to the national average.
- Gaps between the performance of students eligible for the pupil premium and other students in English are showing signs of diminishing.
- The achievement of disabled students and those with special educational needs is also showing some improvement.
- Sixth form students continue to learn well, and are well looked after.
- Their progress is tracked closely, and their welfare is supported strongly and effectively.
- Expectations of sixth formers are appropriately high; all students are expected move onto higher education, training or employment.
- Inspectors spoke with students who are confidently targeting Russell Group universities and some aiming to go to Oxford or Cambridge.
- The proportion of teaching that is at least good has risen steadily since the previous inspection and now stands at around 60%.
- There is some outstanding teaching in the academy and some of these teachers are acting as lead teachers, mentoring other staff and providing one-to-one coaching and close support.
- The achievement of sixth form students remains at least secure and is improving in important respects, despite significant changes in its leadership over the last year.
- The quality of teaching is consistently better in the sixth form. Students in Years 12 and 13 speak very highly of the work of their teachers, and are pleased with the quality of the marking and feedback they receive.
Improvements needed
- These gaps are not closing in mathematics.
- Improvements in science are less secure.
- The quality of teaching in science is uneven; some significant variation in its quality was seen during the inspection.
- Some students feel less confident about how work in science is organised, and feel that they make less progress in this subject than in others.
- There is little evidence that special provision in place in Key Stage 3 to accelerate the progress of those who arrive with weaker skills in reading and writing is having a good enough impact.
- Some inadequate teaching remains, especially in art and design, and the new Principal is taking decisive steps to address this with appropriate urgency.
- Students’ oracy skills are still underdeveloped, despite the ‘talk the talk’ rewards scheme for good quality verbal contributions.
- Marking is still very uneven in quality and impact across subjects and different teachers, but there are indications that a greater proportion is beginning to provide useful feedback to students, and is supporting their learning better.
Behaviour and safety of students
- Students said that they are pleased with the changes that have come about since the arrival of the new Principal.
- Several found their own way of saying that they have more pride in their academy now than ever before.
- Attendance is improving quickly. Overall attendance is now near to the national average.
- Behaviour around the site is generally calm. Students treat each other with respect and they are more positive about their work and their working relationships with teachers.
- Students generally behave in a cooperative and compliant manner in lessons.
- There are strong and clear messages around the academy that bullying is not tolerated.
Mr Jackson has responded by saying,
“I am delighted that we are turning the school around as the students deserve it. The Island is a great place and the students here warrant an education to match, so we will continue to make our best even better.”
Image: Google Street View
