Grace Academy Solihull

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders have created an inclusive culture where pupils and staff feel valued and proud to be a part of the school community. The school is a calm and ordered environment. The quality of education has improved since the last inspection.

Governance is strong. Governors have a range of appropriate skills and hold leaders to account robustly. Their impact on the school's rapid progress is clear.

Pupils' personal development and welfare are outstanding. Pupils are confident, respectful, and have a high awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Leaders of teaching, learning and assessment have established consistent systems to effectively drive... improvement in pupils' progress.

Lessons are well planned and meet pupils' needs. Consequently, most pupils are making good gains in their learning. Pupils are well behaved in lessons and around the school site.

They feel safe and the vast majority enjoy school. Leaders plan teachers' training well, relating it directly to teachers' development needs so that their teaching and leadership skills improve. Pupils do not have the opportunity to study languages in school.

Leaders will reintroduce languages in 2017, following very poor outcomes in the past. No pupils gained the English Baccalaureate in 2016. Retention in the sixth form is too low.

Changes that leaders have made are beginning to address this weakness. Progress in key stage 4 mathematics and humanities in 2016 was weak. Leaders have addressed weak performance in these areas well.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish. The school is a smaller than average secondary school with a small sixth form.

All students in the sixth form come from the school's Year 11 cohort. The school is sponsored by the Grace Academy Trust which has three secondary academies within a multi-academy trust. The executive principal is also the principal of Grace Academy Coventry.

A small number of pupils are educated off site in alternative provision. The school uses Triple Crown, K2 and John Henry Newman Catholic College as education providers. The school meets the government's floor standards which are the minimum expectations for progress and attainment.

Also at this postcode