School Self-evaluation
Summary of Strengths
SEPT 2015
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Leadership and Management
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The Academy demonstrates strong and effective leadership and support for all staff,
which has been enhanced by the appointment of world class leaders to our senior and
extended leadership teams.
Action has been taken to develop more distributed leadership throughout the Academy.
There is a strong culture of continuous improvement, inclusion and consultation, which
combine to promote ownership of key priority areas and involvement in decision-making.
Staff at all levels feel that the leadership team act as role models for continuous learning
and improvement through effective coaching and mentoring (Ofsted 2014).
In-house training events are held to update knowledge and skills on a broader scale. The
open door policy of the Academy allows all staff to approach the Head teacher, the
leadership team and colleagues at any time for support and advice.
Morale is high and belief in the Academy’s success runs through all levels of staff.
Rigorous and extensive monitoring, searching analysis and self-challenge enable the
school, together with its significant partners, to devise well-focused plans. As a result, the
quality of teaching is a least good and leaders and managers at all levels are taking highly
effective steps to drive up the quality of teaching still further. We have extensively
supported NCSL (National College for School Leadership) leadership training
programmes, hosted NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Head teachers) and
HMI (Her Majesty’s inspectorate) trainees as well as hosting our own middle leader and
senior leader programmes. We have staff accredited with a Masters qualification, in
particular Masters in “Education Leadership and Management”. Our Deputy Head
teacher is also an Ofsted inspector.
Staff training and leadership opportunities have to be identified in each person's
performance management targets. Whole school INSET is linked to our key priorities.
Departmental Development plans (DDP) integrate the whole school priorities and are
reviewed half termly. These involve paired discussions between two or more Heads of
Department/Achievement as part of the schools drive for sustainable leadership and to
share good practice. Regular Heads of Department\Achievement meetings support
continuing professional development with sharing good practice on all agendas and
training. There is a robust performance management/appraisal/performance related pay
cycle. We have a weekly training session for all staff based on our whole school priorities.
The Academy has established “Learning Communities” that meet regularly following a
thorough programme to share and enhance their practice. These include Questioning
and Thinking skills, Communication for Learning, Language for Learning, Cooperative
Learning, Stretch and Challenge, Inclusion Community, LSA community – Outstanding
LSA programme and a World Class support staff community.
The Academy uses “BlueSky” online for CPD, Performance Management and lesson
observations. This ensures that we have a robust system of managing performance and
enables us to monitor and evaluate staff performance, enabling us to respond to staff
needs quickly.
There are robust structures in place for monitoring student progress, including regular
line management meetings and progress reviews with SLT, HODs, HOHS and
Governors. There are also regular RAP meetings.
There are link governors to all departments and presentations by student committees in
governor meetings. In depth single Issue governors meetings have covered for example
the data outcomes of parental surveys and questionnaire and anti-racism awareness.
Governors attend parent and open evenings and are involved in staff inset/meetings,
school visits and exam reviews. One governor is involved in lessons as a mentor.
Attached governors attend September and January exam reviews with SLT, and the
review of departmental development plans. There is a governors' annual evaluation
meeting in July. Governors are involved in recruitment, exclusion panels, and we utilise
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the skills of our governors including a well-known local historian and writer, an
accountant, HR, and colleagues from Staffs University.
We have been IIP accredited for the last 10 years.
There are regular ESLT learning walks and book trawls.
The Executive Head teacher is supporting the development of systems leadership within
the city by leading the development of the City Learning Trust (MAT). This reflects the
Academy’s strong capacity to improve and our commitment to raising standards across
a wider community.
We have very successful links with many universities including MMU, Staffordshire,
Birmingham City, Derby and Edgehill. We are also part of the Painsley Teaching School
Consortium in the delivery of the schools direct programme.
Our extensive Teaching and Leaning programmes are highly effective and robust and
include ITT, School Direct, NQT, RQTs, 2nd year teachers, Middle and senior leaders,
Going for Good, Coaching for Excellence and Progressive Leadership.
Quotes from the November 2013 IIP report:
 “During the interview it was quite apparent that people very much enjoy working for the
School and have a real sense of pride in doing so. There is a warm and inviting culture
within the School and people at all levels interviewed spoke about the degree of
inclusiveness and teamwork that was part of this culture.”
 “People made very positive comments about what it was like to work in the School,
remarking that they received lots of support and encouragement from their line managers,
whom they strongly believe value the work that they do.”
 “School Leaders had a solid understanding of the cause and effect relationship that exists
between the professional development activities and the achievements and results of
students, which show an increasingly positive trend.”
 “The School has a clear mission and vision for the future in place, together with a detailed
improvement plan that describes how the School aims meet its key academic and
pastoral objectives.”
 “Leaders and managers interviewed have a good understanding of what they need to
know about and understand in respect of getting the best out of people.”
Quotes from Ofsted 2014
“All aspects of leadership and management including governance, are effective. The continual
focus on teaching and learning through coaching, mentoring and sharing good practice is
leading to better achievement for all students. As a result the academy is rapidly improving.”
“The headteacher and senior leadership team are highly ambitious for all students, their families
and the wider community. Under their excellent leadership the pace of change has been rapid
with improvements each year. All staff and governors share this ambition.”
“Pupil premium funding is used to enhance achievement”.
“The curriculum is a major strength”.
Quality of Teaching, Learning & Assessment
 Learning in the majority of lessons is at least good (Ofsted 2014). An external teaching
and learning moderation in June 2013 and internal reviews support this. The Academy
has robust structures in place for monitoring the quality of Teaching and Learning. These
include a minimum of 3 formal lesson observations per year for each member of staff and
weekly 20 minute drop ins by members of our Extended Senior Leadership Team. The
learning walk analysis to date from 285 learning walks and 149 lesson observations last
year show that teaching and learning overtime is consistently good with many outstanding
features. ESLT and middle leaders complete regular book trawls of departments. Recent
books trawls of all subjects across the Academy show the quality of work, marking and
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progress over time to be good with many outstanding features. Themes have also been
completed including PP v NPP, A&T SEN v NSEN, Males v Females noted very little
difference in progress.
A Teaching and Learning consultant works with the Academy and our feeder primaries to
further develop outstanding teaching practice and schemes of work.
All staff Inset/meetings are focused on improving teaching and how to impact on student
learning and progress. Teaching development programmes are well embedded in the
Academy and have had a huge impact on improving teaching and learning across the
school.
Staff have a good knowledge of lesson grading and how to improve lessons. (Done
through internal training for all staff).
Staff are willing to identify strengths and areas for development in their teaching
standards via regular performance management reviews and meetings using Bluesky.
Staff complete six targets for development, two of which are for improving teaching and
learning and two for student progress. One of these targets is to ensure that there is
differentiation in lesson planning.
A Teaching and Learning group meets regularly to share good practice and to develop
and share teaching expertise. An Assessment Working Party also meets regularly to
review current practice. There is also 4 Teaching and Learning network meeting involving
the Academy and schools within the MAT including T&L, Literacy, Numeracy and High
Attainers.
Learning Support/Teaching Assistants are well matched to student needs.
Teachers use SIMS (in school data base) and are all clear about individual student
targets/special needs/student passports. This enables all students to succeed.
Staff use the online package “SISRA” to monitor, track and improve student achievement.
Teachers are challenged to be professional and to follow school procedures.
Staff follow a “Code of Conduct” and “Teaching and Learning non-negotiables”.
Homework is strength. 87% of parents acknowledged that their child received what they
deemed ‘sufficient’ homework.” This is from the annual summary last year.
Assertive mentoring is being delivered by all Year 10 & 11 form tutors. It's personalised
and driven by the latest SISRA data. Each tutor has a list of specific students to mentor
as a priority, the list is generally made up of students who have either E or M or students
who are borderline 5A*-C. Form tutors are in regular contact with subject staff, this forms
the basis of each meeting with specific targets set. Academic Mentoring is used by
Vertical forms on a weekly basis and enables them to remain focused on what they need
to do to improve specifically. For Year 7, 8 and 9, FT sit down with them on a 1:1 basis
each half term. They will use SISRA to inform conversations when further data is entered.
Paul Mulraney (SIP) has been working with The Academy since April 2013. He was a
successful Head teacher for 22 years before becoming a National Challenge advisor for
4 years to 10 schools.
The quality of Initial Training Teacher, Graduate Teacher and Newly Qualified Teacher
induction programme and or links to the training school and local universities is excellent.
Regular line management meetings take place with the Senior Assistant Head Teacher
(SAHT) and the Assistant Head Teacher (AHT) responsible for Learning and teaching
and lead in Coaching Learning and teaching to discuss lesson observations, learning
walks, staff development planning and action to be taken. We have recently appointed 6
teaching and Learning Coaches to further develop outstanding practice across the
Academy.
Re-organisation of timings in the Academy allow for a 2:25 p.m. finish each Wednesday
to enable planned CPD Teaching and Learning sessions during this time that will further
improve the quality and standards of Teaching and Learning.
We have already set high standards through our teaching and learning priorities from last
year and endeavour to maintain and build upon these this year. (Please see Teaching
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and Learning Priorities for further detail.) These include the use of success criteria,
cooperative learning, green pen feedback, visible and active learning.
 Lesson planning is based on Alistair Smiths model of Accelerated learning. The staff
planner ensures that differentiation is being planned for in every lesson.
 We have increased the capacity in English, Maths and Science. This includes both NQTs
and proven outstanding leaders. The English and maths department are also actively
involved in supporting student progress in one of our feeder primaries schools in the MAT
 We have appointed extra PE, MFF and ICT staff to teach across the MAT.
Quotes from the November 2013 IIP report:
 “The School invests significantly in developing its people and a comprehensive range of
approaches were found to be being deployed across the School. Whilst the emphasis is
on the development of teaching and learning staff, support staff also receive access to
the learning and development they require to be fully effective in their roles.”
 “It is noteworthy that staff feel very positively about the range of learning and development
opportunities that they have benefitted from, as is the fact that all staff interviewed have
received support, learning and training relevant to their role.”
 “The performance of teaching staff is very closely linked to teaching staffs’ learning and
development needs. In addition, weekly monitoring of student progress takes place to
help identify further support that may be needed to raise teaching performance levels.”
Quotes from Ofsted 2014
“Teaching is consistently good with some which is outstanding. This leads to positive attitudes
to learning with students and staff working as a team”.
“Teachers have good subject knowledge and are able to inspire and enthuse their students to
work hard, with increasing success.”
“They use questioning well so that students are challenged to think deeply”.
“The schools emphasis on improving teaching and learning is having a significant impact”.
“Teaching Assistants provide very strong support”
“Marking is an important strength in the school”.
Behaviour and Safety, Personal Development & Behaviour & Welfare
 Parents and students are ‘highly positive’ in their view of behaviour and feeling safe.
(Annual questionnaire, biannual Kirkland Rowell and Ofsted 2014). Parents consistently
grade behaviour and standards of behaviour in the Academy as a strength (frequently
achieving a top 3 position in the internal Academy sample) as well as scoring highly in
the Kirkland Rowell sample. The Kirkland Rowell sample also returned a positive
response from students for discipline, control of bullying and treating students fairly and
equally.
 We act on issues raised from the parent questionnaires. Comments/concerns are
highlighted by parents through this evaluation tool and are acted upon by the relevant
person dependent upon the nature of the issue.
 There is regular sampling staff on behaviour/suitability of students in classes and moving
students accordingly.
 The learning walk analysis to date from 112 learning walks and the first terms formal
lesson observations show that teaching and learning overtime is consistently good with
many outstanding features – indicating that disruption in lessons is minimal.
 Evidence from visitors to the Academy suggesting students are polite and courteous.
 There is an open door policy for students to speak to staff, HODs, HOHs, ESLT and Head
teacher regarding progress and learning in lessons.
 The Academy has a strong inclusion team who work collaboratively with a number of
external agencies. Inclusion includes: a vertical pastoral system, Mentors, Multi Agency
Centre, the Learning Support Manager and the extensive team of Welfare Support
Practitioners and the Inclusion Managers help to make students feel supported and
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valued. This group meet regularly to monitor and intervene with students deemed
vulnerable or at risk.
Dealing with bullying and racism remains a priority although, as previously mentioned
both parents and students believe this to be strength of the Academy (Kirkland Rowell).
Reported incidents are investigated by the anti-bullying coordinator (a member of the
Inclusion Team) to ensure a consistent approach towards victims and perpetrators.
A student “Commitment to Progress” scheme, a compulsory period 6 for Maths, English
and Science and a late detention scheme through SIMs have also been introduced. This
enables students to receive regular and consistent feedback regarding their behaviour to
learning in all classes and is linked to new rewards system below.
A new reward system was implemented in September 2012. This system records student
progress in each lesson through SIMS. Regular analysis is shared through Form Tutors,
assemblies, communicated to parents and linked to rewards.
The Academy takes advantage of and regularly exposes students to drama workshops
highlighting the risk of prostitution, forced marriages, knife crime and anti-social behaviour
as well as highlighting the need for safe practice through a comprehensive PSHE
programme.
Student attendance at the Academy is good and in line with the National Average. The
Academy enjoys low rates of persistent absence through the work of an attendance
manager (line managed by DHT) and a decreasing number of lates due to the introduction
of a comprehensive late detention system. Additional EWO time has been employed by
the Academy to further support keep attendance rates low.
The use of mobile phones has been prohibited in the Academy’s buildings.
Primary 1st day provision hosted at the Academy and Secondary sixth day provision is
hosted in partnership with local schools
Quotes from Ofsted 2014
“Behaviour is good across the School. Students enjoy being in the school and appreciate the
efforts made for them. Students are consulted about many aspects of school life.”
“Students are friendly and respectful with each other, with teachers and support staff.”
“Students take pride in their school and treat all resources with respect.”
“Students are adamant that they feel safe in school and that bullying is not a problem.”
Outcomes for Pupils
 We are very pleased with this year’s GCSE results. Students make outstanding progress
from their individual starting points in our Academy. With 51% of students at the Academy
achieving 5A*-C grades including English and maths, this puts us in line with the national
average with a cohort on entry that was significantly below.
 Results in English this year were outstanding with 66% of our students achieving C+, 77%
of students achieving their expected levels of progress and 32% better than expected.
These figures are significantly above the national average.
 Maths also had very pleasing results with C+ and progress levels close to the National
Average and a positive progress 8 score of 0.05
 We expect this year’s Value Added score to be 1013 which shows that our students make
above expected progress across the curriculum. This is supported by a progress 8 score
of -0.07, English 0.05, Maths 0.18, EBAC -0.54 and open 0.15. Once again this will mean
that Haywood Academy is one of the top performing schools for the progress of students
in the country, with results this year placing us in the top 5% of all secondary schools for
achievement.
 Predictions for 2016 show that once again we will be achieving high standards with our
students and similar to the last two years significantly above our FFTD targets.
 KS4 Intervention continues in supporting all students to achieve their target grade and
beyond through regular RAP meetings.
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 There are period 6’s in place. Students not making the required progress in their English,
Maths and Science during the school day stay behind that evening to do an extra lesson.
 Saturday school focuses on targeted students who complete a block of Saturday
mornings for Maths, English, Science and Humanities with over 50 students regularly
attending last year. We are confident that students this year will be just as eager to attend.
 Our A*/A performance this year is in line with all FFT targets.
 5A*-G and 1A*-G is above the national average. Nearly all of our students achieve 5A*G grades (95%).
 The Academy has maintained a varied option choice for students including the triple
Sciences, and a full selection from the Humanities, Expressive Arts, Business, ICT,
Technology and Languages. Many of these subjects also did particularly well this year.
 Two thirds of students taking vocational subjects in ICT, Engineering, Health and Social
Care, Science, Music and Sport secured a Level 2 pass.
 There is a whole Academy programme to enhance literacy skills which is showing a
significant impact. (see Literacy section).
 Pupil premium students make good progress (Ofsted 2014) and the funding is making a
substantial difference to close the gap in school. Key subjects in 2015 have seen some
good progress VA scores (English 1001 and Maths 1001). Current teacher predictions
show that progress 8 scores will exceed 0 meaning that disadvantaged students make
better than expected progress. Students with DSEN performed well and this year group
were the closet cohort to our ambitious target grades. All students with DSEN achieved
a grade in English and Maths. DSEN students are predicted to continue to do very well.
Students from ethnic minorities continue to perform exceptionally well at the Academy.
 Learning in the majority of lessons is good (Ofsted 2014) and this is supported by an
external teaching and learning moderation in June 2013, learning walks and performance
management observations (see teaching section).
 Students sit regular half termly tests across all subjects and all years to ensure robust
teacher predictions and to prepare students for final examinations.
Quotes from Ofsted 2014:
“From very low starting points all students achieve well. “
“Standards across many subjects are rising”
“Target setting is ambitious and sets high expectations for students”
“Higher ability students achieve well”
“Disabled students and those with Special Educational needs achieve well alongside their peers”
“Students known to be entitled to pupil premium support make good progress which is faster
than similar schools across the country”
Progress in Literacy
 Accelerated Reader has been introduced across Years 7-10 in tutorial which is 35
minutes 4 times per week. This includes termly testing of reading age and range. (Yr. 11
once a week). Stock in the library has been supplemented due to popularity of AR based
on student suggestions. This has been one of the main factors increasing a reading
culture at the Academy. The Academy recently bought all students a book. Students
chose their book and then donated it to the library to be used in the AR programme. Since
the introduction of the AR scheme in Sept 2013 almost 50% of students in Years 7-10
have made more than expected progress in the reading age.
 Students working at a low level 3 entry to the Academy combined with a low reading age
follow an age appropriate phonics programme which results in rapid progress in reading,
writing and comprehension skills. These students also receive 4 extra hours of English
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a fortnight where they also work on basic reading and writing skills as well as having
experience of reading complex text. (42 students completed the programme last year and
32 of those students improved their reading age from September - July.)
Reading intervention runs for Year 7 for one hour per week. Students who do not need
Fresh Start in year 7 (L3a+ at the end of year 6) but, who are identified as having a low
reading age below 10.5 have intervention once a week in small groups to boost their
literacy skills. This intervention is personalised based on development areas identified
from the Accelerated Reader tests. (Last year 82% of students made more than expected
progress by increasing their reading age by at least a year in the seven months that they
took part in the intervention). Nearly all students who took part were predicted to meet
their target level.
All English classes (except year 9 and 10 who are working with English Literature texts)
have an allocated class reader, which they read during one lesson per week and complete
relevant activities on the text.
The whole school literacy priority has increased the literacy focus in lessons across
Academy. These are implemented through Head of Department/Head of House
meetings, (HOD/HOH) staff meetings and Staff Inset.
Literacy box in all teaching areas.
Literacy Champions have been appointed to work across departments. All members of
the English department have been attached to a different department in the Academy to
support with planning lessons, making resources and delivering activities to students
which will help them to produce quality pieces of extended writing.
There is a Literacy coach from English who works with a different department each half
term to support teachers in the delivery of the literacy element of the lessons. He helps
to support lessons and team-teaches, modelling the desired approach to literacy so that
students see the skills are transferrable.
Additional English staffing has given the capacity for English teachers to be timetabled
on intervention, meaning they can support fellow colleagues with classes and provide
intervention to small groups. Other colleagues also have intervention sessions on their
timetable.
Marking policy. In addition to STEP marking teachers are also expected to acknowledge
all pieces of work as well as mark for literacy in line with the literacy marking policy. This
involves the use of a pink highlighter to show literacy errors and use of common
abbreviation to highlight mistakes. Book trawls and learning walk proformas look for
evidence of this in action and good practice is shared via fortnightly staff briefings.
There a regular visits from the English department to our primary schools. English staff
are working with staff from one of our primary schools in all their English lessons for year
5 and 6 to raise literacy standards
Literacy network as part of Primary Teaching and Learning group.
The Haywood Learning Community for ‘Communication’ has been initiated which will
deliver personalised CPD opportunities for staff. This will include action-research projects
and developing literacy strategies across the curriculum.
Reading initiatives such as ‘Reading Selfies’ have taken place which promote a love of
reading amongst students and staff.
Quotes from Ofsted 2014
“The emphasis the academy puts on its reading is exemplary. All students in years 7 to 10 read
daily for up to 35mins in tutorial time. This is driving up standards.”
“The profile of reading has been raised very successfully so that students say they now often
read for pleasure. Students comment that better literacy skills have helped them to improve their
work in other subjects. All students know their precise reading age and the response to daily
reading practice is good. ”
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“Students who speak English as an additional language benefit from the focus on literacy and
reading so that tier progress is at least as good as other students.
“Marking is an important strength of the school”
“The impact of literacy is evident in the above average standards students achieve. Students
have enthusiastic attitudes to reading for pleasure. An example of this is seen in the huge
increase in the number of books borrowed from the library each term”
Progress in Numeracy
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Achievement, Quality of Teaching, Quality of the Mathematics Curriculum and
Leadership and Management were all evaluated as GOOD in a recent HMI (OFSTED)
visit (19 September 2014).
Students show a good commitment to their studies in Maths and are engaged and
motivated, showing an enjoyment of the subject. This was identified as a strength in the
HMI (OFSTED) visit.
Regular robust assessments take place at both key stages which allow underachieving
students at all levels or grades to be identified and intervention to take place with maths
mentors in small groups of 4. In the recent HMI visit (19 September 2014) this was seen
as a strength and it was shared across City of Stoke on Trent schools (10 November
2014).
All students who enter Haywood Academy in Year 7 below a Level 4b receive a one
hour session with a Maths Mentor per week.
Connecting Maths Concepts has been introduced in Years 7, 8 and 9 for students
below L4 to support bridging the gaps.
Maths Mentors work within focus classes in Year 11 to support students in making
better than expected progress.
Additional staffing has allowed the Faculty Leader to create extra classes at KS4 to
reduce group sizes in order to ensure that students make good progress.
93% of Y11 students who had Maths mentor time improved by a grade or more.
Whole school numeracy co-ordinator works with primary schools to ensure that High
Attaining students are given access to L6 work.
Whole school numeracy co-ordinator works with primary colleagues in order to ensure
that methods of teaching are shared so that there is consistency across the transition
phase. Work has also taken place with primary schools to support lower ability students
understanding and progress.
Whole school numeracy co-ordinator has been attending termly numeracy meetings to
ensure a consistent approach is made to assessment. Any good practice is shared
across the Multi Academy Trust and reported back to the Mathematics team at
Haywood Academy.
Whole school Numeracy co-ordinator works with other departments within Haywood
Academy to ensure a consistent approach is used in all subject areas. Numeracy
resources have also been provided that have relevance to different subjects areas to
use in lessons.
Haywood maths staff work within the Multi Academy Trust to support in the raising of
standards.
Whole school numeracy co-ordinator has written a calculation and numeracy policy
which has been rolled out across the Multi Academy Trust in order to ensure that there
is a consistency in delivery across subjects. In the recent HMI visit (19 September
2014) this was seen as a strength was shared across the city of Stoke on Trent schools
(10 November 2014).
Numeracy is highlighted in all subjects’ Scheme of Work to emphasis the use of
Numeracy across the whole curriculum.
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‘Drop Everything and Do Numeracy’ takes place across the whole school once a half
term.
LSA’s work with lower ability students with identified development areas twice a week
after school.
LSA’s complete a Numeracy audit and are offered training on Mathematical pedagogy
by the Numeracy Coordinator. This will ensure learners are taught in a consistent
manner across Haywood Academy.
LSA’s and members of the Maths team will be able to assess students’ Numeracy age
to help advise intervention and track students’ progress.
STEM activities are developed and reviewed to be used at both KS3 and KS4 to
motivate and engage students in their learning by bringing maths to life.
High Attaining students are offered a project based learning day that will be delivered by
external agencies in Year 7, 8 and 9. This will have a STEM related theme and
encourage students to challenge their Mathematical understanding and problem solving
skills
The Numeracy co-ordinator will work with students from the excellence academy to
work on Maths in Motion. Students will have the opportunity to compete with each other
and with other schools in order to encourage competition and engagement in
mathematics.
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