Carlton Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Effective leadership, together with robust governance, has had a positive impact on the quality of teaching, students' achievement and behaviour and safety over time and each of these aspects are now good.

A positive atmosphere supports the smooth day-to-day running of the academy. Students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. The very large majority of students leaving the sixth form go on to their chosen university, employment or further education and training provider.

The academy has improved admirably since its conversion. Senior leaders have built good capacity for improvement throughout the academy ...and are reaping the benefits of having capable staff at all levels of the organisation. The partnership with the Redhill Academy is proving highly effective in supporting school improvement.

Students who are supported by the pupil premium make particularly good progress. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The sixth form requires improvement. While there are some 'high-flying' students, most students make no better than average progress and so their achievement requires improvement.

Some aspects of the academy's work require attention if it is to improve further, particularly in aspects of teaching and the effectiveness of strategies to maximise students' achievement and improve rates of attendance.

Information about this school

Carlton Academy is a smaller-than-average-sized secondary school with a sixth form. The school converted to become an academy on 1 September 2011.

It is sponsored by the Redhill Academy Trust and has an executive principal who has oversight of the two academies which make up the trust. Carlton Academy also has a head of school who is charge on a day-to-day basis. The very large majority of students are White British and live locally.

The remaining small numbers of students are from a wide range of minority ethnic heritages. The proportion of students who are believed to speak English as an additional language is low. The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average.

The proportion of students supported at school action is higher than in most schools nationally. The proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational need is lower than average. Their needs range from physical disability to autistic spectrum disorder and behaviour, emotional and social difficulties.

A small number of Year 10 and Year 11 students attend a range of work-related courses at local providers including, BTE, Thorneywood Base, Beckhampton, Wheelbase and 1st class Tailored Solutions. These are externally accredited courses such as hair and beauty and construction. These students typically access these courses once or twice a week and are taught in the main school for the rest of the time.

The academy provides extended services such as study support and community access to its facilities. The academy has also recently started to work collaboratively with its partner the Redhill Academy to improve the range of courses available to sixth-form students. The academy meets the current government floor standards, which are the minimum levels expected for students' attainment and progress at the end of Key Stage 4.