Transformed Barrow secondary celebrates being graded as "good" by Ofsted

After four years of continuous improvement Furness Academy has been judged to be "good", following an Ofsted inspection in September.

From January 2012 to April 2015 the school required special measures and after an inspection in April 2015 it was then rated to require improvement.

In September 2015 Simon Laheney became the headteacher, BAE Systems took over the sponsorship of the academy and a new governing body was formed.

Now the education watchdog says: "Since the last inspection, the new headteacher has inspired positive changes in the school. Staff are invigorated, morale is high and pupils are proud to be part of the school."

Inspectors noted that "teaching, learning and assessment have improved substantially due to staff reorganisation, highly-effective quality assurance and well-planned training."

Teaching is described as "rejuvenated" and there are "raised expectations". Pupils have "good" attitudes to learning, "show respect", are "polite and courteous", "look smart" and "look after their school with pride". Ofsted saw "a calm and encouraging atmosphere" around school and in classrooms.

The report says: "The headteacher has built on the school’s strengths, tackled weaker aspects of provision and inspired further success since taking up the post.

"Changes to staffing and leadership structures make the best use of skills and empower staff to work together productively. The school’s reputation is growing in the local community, as indicated by the increasing number of pupils joining the school in Year Seven. Staff, parents and pupils are proud to be part of the school."

'Off to a flying start'

The Park Drive school received "good" ratings for its overall effectiveness; effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment and personal development, behaviour and welfare. Outcomes for pupils was judged to require improvement.

Ofsted said pupils "get off to a flying start" in Year Seven, where teachers build on their prior learning successfully. In Years Eight and Nine , "increasing proportions of pupils work at standards expected for their age, having made good progress from their starting points."

The report says: "The much-improved approach to curriculum planning is ensuring that pupils in Years 10 and 11 are better prepared for examinations. However, these pupils still have gaps in their learning due to weaker provision in the past."

Ofsted said although there has been an "improving trend" in GCSE outcomes over time, standards at the end of Year 11 remain below average. The report says in 2016, attainment and progress dipped in almost all subjects due to poor decisions regarding curriculum planning and timetabling that resulted in a lack of continuity in teaching and learning for that cohort. Inspectors said the new headteacher quickly reorganised staffing and improved curriculum planning but there was not sufficient time to negate the impact of poorly-organised past provision for the 2016 cohort.

Ofsted said pupils who took GCSEs in 2017 were "supported well to make up lost ground and made good progress" from their lower-than-average starting points. Attainment in English, maths and science improved, although overall attainment was still below average.

"Nevertheless every pupil who left school in 2017 went into further education, employment or training because they were supported effectively to take qualifications relevant to their aspirations and ability," Ofsted said.

The school’s procedures to keep pupils safe and free from risk are "extremely rigorous" and pupils "feel safe."

The care and support for the most vulnerable pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are a "particular strength".

'Increasing and well-founded confidence'

Extra-curricular activities provide an "exceptional range of opportunities" for pupils to extend their learning. Pupils gain enormously from experience abroad through Erasmus+ European projects such as "Science girls" and the "Elliot" programme.

Parents were noted to have "increasing and well-founded confidence" in the school, illustrated by the growing participation in the parent, teacher and friends’ association, excellent attendance at parents’ evenings and a positive response to Ofsted's Parent View.

Ofsted said the governors provides "clear strategic direction" and have "stabilised the school’s finances by skilfully managing the budget and rationalising staffing."

The school works in partnership with Ulverston Victoria High School and is part of the Furness Education Consortium and Cumbria Association of System Leaders.

Mr Laheney said: "We are absolutely delighted with an Ofsted rating that puts us among the best schools in the area. It is a brilliant and well-deserved result gained through the hard work of our staff, students, parents and our wider community, it has been a real team effort.

"Our staff - both teaching and non-teaching - are second to none and this is widely recognised within the report. We are working with our local primary schools and community to ensure all children have access to the very best education.

“We are extremely happy that Ofsted truly understood the value of the learning climate and positive atmosphere that we foster here at the academy”.

'Forward-thinking, innovative and focused learning school'

Mr Laheney has thanked those parents who took the time to provide Ofsted with their views on the academy.

One parent told Ofsted “I am proud to say my children attend this forward-thinking, innovative and focused learning school. It breeds aspiration and challenge across its varied curriculum."

Tony Burbridge, chair of trustees at Furness Academy, said: "The academy has made excellent progress, particularly under Mr Laheney's leadership during the last two years. We offer quality education, right at the heart of the community. Our core values of respect, responsibility and relationships underpin everything we do so we are able to recognise and value the potential of every single student.

"This is a great result, worthy of celebration, but it is just a waypoint on the way to our ambition of achieving an ‘outstanding’ rating at the next Ofsted inspection.”

Will Blamey, BAE Systems Submarines managing director, said: “We are extremely proud to be the sponsor of Furness Academy. Well done to the students, staff and parents who have worked hard to achieve this success.”

Furness Academy became a sponsored academy in 2009, bringing together three predecessor schools on two sites. In 2013 the school moved into its new building on a single site.