University academy receives inspection praise

Tame Valley Academy in Chillinghome Road, Birmingham joined the Education Central Multi-Academy Trust (ECMAT) in December 2012.

ECMAT, which is part of the University, works with schools to improve achievements and attainment and is an approved Department for Education academy sponsor.

OFSTED inspectors visited the academy during May and graded it as good across all areas.

It found that Tame Valley had effective leadership and governance, outstanding provision in Early Years, good teaching with some that is outstanding and pupils behaved well in a safe environment.

The report also highlighted that teachers monitored pupil progress well, detailed checks were carried out on teaching and learning and governors have a high level of involvement and understand the needs of the community and challenged senior leaders effectively.

The inspection said to be graded outstanding the school still had some work to do around teaching, marking, progress in writing and opportunities for pupils to write at length in different subjects.

Professor Geoff Layer, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, said: “We’re all really proud that one of the first academies to join the Multi-Academy Trust has received such recognition from OFSTED.

“When we launched the trust this was always the aim- to work with schools and communities to help them improve standards and to raise their aspirations so that both parents and pupils recognise the learning opportunities open to them.

“We need to recognise the work of all the staff, pupils and parents involved at Tame Valley Academy in achieving this grading.”

John Sullivan, Chair of the Board of Governors at Tame Valley Academy, said: “It is tremendous news and a real reflection of the hard work of the staff and leadership of the Head, Peter Higgins in the last 15-18 months, alongside the support the University has provided.

“The school has had something like 11 head teachers in the last 14 years or so and previously been in special measures so we have witnessed a remarkable turn-around of fortunes.

“It is credit to the staff, the children and the parents. There has been a lot of hard work, the children have been so positive and the level of parental support we have received has been great.

“The children have made wonderful progress and the nursery and early year’s provision was identified as being outstanding.

“If I were to pick out some of the factors behind the result I would say teamwork from staff and leadership, dedication and belief in the children and everyone’s positivity.

“The job is not done yet. First we will aim to consolidate on this. Going from special measures to good is a massive achievement but we will look towards the next inspection and what it will take to be graded outstanding.”

During the inspection 14 lessons were observed, inspectors heard pupils read and looked at their work, meetings were held with staff and member of the local advisory board and ECMAT and feedback from parents taken into account.

Nine schools in the region, made up of both primary and secondary, have joined ECMAT since it launched, with a view to create a family of around 20-25 schools in total.

ENDS

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Date Issued: Thursday 12 June 2014