Ormiston Maritime Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Ormiston Maritime Academy feel safe.

They are happy to attend school. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Leaders have a clear vision for the school.

They have focused their plans to address the areas of the school that needed the most improvement.

Ormiston Maritime Academy is a school where staff have high expectations of their pupils. Leaders have introduced clear routines throughout the school day.

Behaviour has improved but a small minority of pupils still do not follow the rules that are in place.

Pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities, ranging from sport, to debating, to the Combined Cadet F...orce. Leaders are keen to ensure that as many pupils as possible participate in these activities to help strengthen pupils' well-being following the disruption caused by the pandemic.

Pupils learn about bullying. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens. If it does happen, pupils are confident that it is dealt with by staff.

Leaders are clear that bullying is not tolerated in this school.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for pupils. Leaders have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember in each subject.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Leaders have introduced ways for teachers to formally check what pupils know and can remember. This is well established in some subjects, for example, science, English and modern foreign languages.

In some subjects such as geography or mathematics, this is not as well developed. This means that in some subjects, pupils learn new curriculum content before they have understood the essential curriculum content that they have learned previously.

The school has introduced a new curriculum to increase the number of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate (EBacc).

Ebacc is a suite of qualifications that includes English, mathematics, science, a language and either history or geography. There are now more opportunities for pupils to take combinations of subjects, including separate sciences and different languages. Leaders have the ambition to put the EBacc at the heart of the curriculum.

Most pupils in school behave well. The headteacher has introduced routines for movement around the school. Teachers use the rewards and consequences system consistently.

A minority of pupils do not follow the rules. Leaders do not tolerate this. This means that suspensions for these pupils are high.

Leaders use alternative provision appropriately for pupils who are struggling to access the curriculum or are at risk of permanent exclusion.Pupils' personal development is a priority for leaders. The 'learning for life' curriculum is carefully planned.

Teachers are well trained to deliver this content. Pupils have a strong understanding of healthy relationships and an age-appropriate understanding of sexual harassment and abuse. Teachers use assessment to review the curriculum.

Pupils receive high-quality careers advice and guidance. The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

Pupils with special educational needs/and or disabilities (SEND) are supported well.

Pupils study the same curriculum and teachers adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils. For example, in a mathematics lesson, the teacher insisted that pupils use key vocabulary when describing cross sections of a prism. Pupils with SEND can use the 'room of positivity' to support them at social times or if they start feeling overwhelmed.

Leaders have introduced support if a pupil with SEND reaches the second stage of the consequence system. The new 'C2' intervention in lessons means pupils with SEND receive additional support. The school is well led and managed by a passionate and determined headteacher.

Staff are clear about the impact the headteacher has made. The actions of leaders have improved the school. Teachers feel supported by leaders.

They receive regular training. Parents are positive about the progress the school has made. Nearly all parents would recommend the school to someone else.

Governors challenge leaders about the key issues for the school. Governors receive training from the Trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

School staff are vigilant in keeping pupils safe. There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Leaders ensure that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Leaders communicate regularly with staff, so they are well informed about the most vulnerable pupils. Staff receive regular training related to safeguarding. Staff are clear about how to identify pupils at risk and how to share their concerns with leaders.

The safeguarding team work closely with external partners and agencies. Leaders check that pupils get the support they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, such as mathematics and geography, teachers do not use assessment precisely enough to check that pupils are secure in their knowledge of the most important curriculum content.

This means that when pupils learn new information in these curriculum subjects, they find it more difficult to build on their prior knowledge. Leaders should ensure that assessment is used consistently by teachers across all curriculum subjects to pinpoint what pupils know and can do, then ensure that new learning builds securely on this. ? Suspensions and permanent exclusions are too high.

A small minority of pupils are repeatedly issued with internal sanctions or are suspended from school due to behaviour incidents. This means that these pupils miss lessons. Leaders should continue to work to reduce the incidents of poor behaviour that are leading to suspensions and permanent exclusion.

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