Academy making progress but still 'requires improvement'

A two-day inspection at Great Barr Academy found its overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development remained a concern.

However, both and the leadership and management, and the school's sixth-form provision, was rated 'good'.

It was the first inspection of Great Barr Academy since it joined the Shaw Education Trust in 2016, following the closure of Great Barr School.

The Ofsted report revealed pupils had not made the progress they should at Great Barr Academy and, until recently, leaders struggled to improve the quality of education and pupils’ attitudes.

The report adds: "In September, the trust that runs the school put new leaders in charge, and this has already made a big difference.

"Most learning is well organised, although pupils say they occasionally find work hard to follow.

"Senior leaders have set clear expectations. Pupils study a good range of subjects, but learning is more consistent in some subjects than in others.

"All pupils are made welcome in this school. Some are motivated by the link between their work and their future careers.

"In other cases, the curriculum is not tailored to their needs so they lose concentration in class. Attendance remains too low."

The recent report, which followed an inspection in November, added that when bullying occurred, staff generally sorted it out effectively, adding that pupils felt safe and praising the "very good atmosphere in the sixth form".

Kerry Inscker, executive principal at the academy, which caters for 1,710 pupils and 192 sixth formers, said: “Ofsted have judged leadership and management to be good, which shows that they endorse our ability, supported by Shaw Education Trust, to continue to make rapid progress.

“The staff at Great Barr are an exceptional group of people, their dedication to enriching students’ lives is inspiring.”

She said with the support of parents, carers, staff and the trust team, pupils had responded brilliantly to the school’s high expectations of progress, behaviour and attendance.

The hard work of the school’s dedicated staff members, as well as the challenge and support provided by the Interim Executive Board and the trust team, has helped form the school’s improved rating, the principal added.

Shaw Education Trust’s CEO Jo Morgan said: “We are absolutely delighted that the exceptional progress Great Barr Academy, its leaders, staff, and students, have made has been recognised in this Ofsted report.

“This is the first stage of their remarkable journey and with the continued support of the Trust, will relentlessly drive forward to greater heights.”

She that following the "promising inspection result", the school was determined to continue its progress and become a "beacon of excellence in all areas".

“Tremendous progress has already been made and we are confident that we will continue to go from strength-to-strength," she said.