Ormiston Rivers Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 June 2023

Most pupils enjoy attending Ormiston Rivers Academy. They access a wide range of opportunities to develop their confidence, resilience and leadership skills. There are a range of clubs, trips and events which help pupils learn about the wider world, such as a visit to the Globe Theatre. Pupils are regularly consulted about their views on the school. Pupils say that they usually feel safe at this school. They report that if bullying happens, teachers deal with it, and it stops. Most pupils behave well and treat others with respect. However, they are frustrated that a minority of pupils sometimes disrupt their learning. This happens more often when lessons are not taught by a permanent teacher. Teachers usually have high expectations of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils follow a broad curriculum throughout the school. As part of this, they learn about other cultures and lifestyles. They have a wide choice of academic and vocational courses in key stage 4 and in the sixth form. They learn about a range of careers, further and higher education, and apprenticeships. This provides them with the knowledge needed to prepare them for the next stage in their education or employment.

What the school should improve

• While many teachers check pupils' knowledge effectively and use this to adapt their teaching to meet pupils' needs, on occasions some teachers do not do this well enough. As a result, some pupils do not make the progress that they should. Leaders should share good practice within school and provide training to ensure that all teachers consistently check knowledge and adapt work accordingly to ensure that pupils achieve consistently well in all areas of the curriculum.
• Leaders have high expectations of behaviour, but some teachers do not routinely apply the agreed processes to ensure that they manage any disruption in lessons effectively. As a result, there are a few pupils who sometimes disrupt learning. This is particularly an issue when staff are not employed permanently by the school. Leaders should ensure that all staff follow the agreed systems in place and are provided with training and support to ensure that behaviour is consistently well managed.
• As a result of changes in leadership and staffing difficulties, some parents have lost trust and confidence in the school. Leaders have begun to improve communication with parents to build parental engagement. Leaders should review the impact of strategies used to improve the confidence and engagement of parents.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)