Bluecoat Trent Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe at this inclusive school. They are courteous and polite. The 'CARE' ethos of citizenship, aspiration, respect and excellence underpins all that the school does.

Pupils demonstrate a sense of pride towards their school, which only opened in September 2021. The school is in temporary accommodation, but the environment is calm and purposeful. Staff and pupils are looking forward to moving into their new site on the other side of the city.

Clear and consistent routines ensure that pupils behave well and focus on their learning. At social times, pupils show respect to staff and to each other. Incidents of bullying are rare, and pupils know that s...taff take any concerns seriously.

The curriculum demonstrates high ambition for everyone. The school has high expectations of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils benefit from frequent reading sessions that encourage a love for reading.

The school is committed to pupils' personal development, as well as their academic success. It organises a wide range of opportunities so that pupils can explore existing interests and talents, discover new ones, and take on responsibilities. A large number of pupils participate in these activities, including disadvantaged pupils.

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

The school has worked closely with the trust to share curriculum expertise. Leaders have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn. They have planned the curriculum well to ensure that staff teach the knowledge pupils need to know in a logical order.

Teachers use these curriculum plans consistently well so that pupils learn what they should. This helps pupils to remember knowledge over time. Strong subject expertise is now secure at the school.

Consequently, the school can offer a wide range of options in preparation for Year 10, including subjects that form the English Baccalaureate.

Teachers provide pupils with lots of opportunities to review what they have studied previously. This helps them to develop their understanding and improve their work.

Much thought has been given to how assessment is used to evaluate pupils' knowledge and skills. However, at times, in some lessons, teachers do not check carefully enough what pupils know before moving them on in their learning. As a result, some gaps in pupils' knowledge are not swiftly identified and addressed.

The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Adults know pupils well as individuals. As a result, pupils get the help and support they need.

Pupils who are at the earliest stages of learning to read receive expert support that is precisely matched to their needs. Dedicated staff are well trained in a range of strategies, such as phonics teaching. This ensures that pupils quickly learn the skills they need to read fluently and with confidence.

The school has a clearly understood behaviour policy that helps pupils to conduct themselves well. Within lessons, disruption is rare. If it happens, pupils respond well to the support they receive to manage their behaviour in the future.

Staff are typically consistent at implementing the rules. This ensures that pupils feel a sense of fairness in how they are treated.

Pupils benefit from the school's excellent personal development programme.

It is carefully mapped out for all year groups. Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe, and to stay healthy, including online. They also learn about equality and explore a range of issues and opinions in tutor and assembly times.

The school has very carefully considered how to develop pupils' characters and their skills and interests. There is a wide range of enrichment opportunities on offer that pupils benefit from. The school's careers programme is equally well designed, and pupils are being very well prepared for their next steps.

The trust fully supports the school's ambitious vision and its distinctive culture. Support and challenge for leaders are robust and effective. Staff feel valued and are extremely proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is a little variability in the implementation of the curriculum. In some lessons, pupils' understanding is not systematically checked.

This means that some pupils are not able to benefit from the content being taught. The school should ensure that the checks made on pupils' learning are used consistently well in all lessons. This will help staff to make appropriate adaptations so that all pupils are able to access the curriculum in full.

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