Goodwin Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop a strong sense of who they are and what they believe.

They learn to speak confidently and to explore the views of others in a respectful way. Pupils want to work with staff to make sure everyone feels welcome. They take on roles such as joining the junior leadership team or become an anti-bullying ambassador.

Pupils attend a wide range of trips planned by staff to help develop pupils' curiosity of the world beyond Deal. Trips to universities raise pupils' aspirations for what they want to achieve.

Some pupils do not behave well in lessons and learning can be disrupted.

This is because the expectations of how pupils should behave are no...t always high enough. Pupils know how to report bullying and anti-bullying ambassadors work with leaders to help establish a culture of kindness. However, pupils do not always feel that staff deal with bullying consistently well.

While leaders have designed a thoughtfully planned curriculum, pupils do not consistently learn well. Staff do not regularly check that pupils understand what they have learned. Some lessons move on too quickly, whereas others do not give pupils muc needed time to practise new skills.

As a result, some pupils lose interest and confidence in their learning.

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

Leaders have a clear understanding of what pupils must know and do for every stage of learning. Subject leaders order learning, so knowledge builds over time.

However, while teachers plan lessons which aim to cover the skills and knowledge of the curriculum, learning is not always being broken down into smaller manageable parts. Furthermore, checks are not regularly being made to make sure pupils know and understand what they have been taught. Pupils have gaps in learning and, consequently, struggle to connect important ideas together.

This means that pupils do not achieve consistently well in key stage 3 and 4.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum remains ambitious for all pupils, regardless of their ability or level of need. Pupils who attend the specialist resource-based provision receive support from expert staff.

Staff use the guidance in pupils' education, health and care plans (EHCPs) to adapt learning to support pupils' achievement of ambitious learning goals. In addition, leaders ensure that pupils who find reading more difficult get the additional support they need. This helps them access learning across the curriculum.

However, not all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the same quality of help. For pupils who have additional needs but do not require an EHCP, leaders write plans which set out the support required to help these pupils learn well. However, leaders do not ensure that all staff use these plans effectively.

Consequently, these pupils struggle to achieve as well as their peers.

Leaders do not ensure that all pupils follow the school rules well enough. New expectations around being 'Ready, Respectful and Safe' have been introduced but some pupils continue to not behave as expected.

The behaviour support plans put in place lack detail and clear targets. The lack of effective review of these plans means pupils are not learning the value of following rules and their behaviour does not change. For these pupils, they enter a cycle of ongoing suspensions and detentions, which further disengages them with learning.

Students in the sixth form speak highly of the support they get from their subject teachers. Teachers clearly articulate knowledge in a way that promotes pupils to think deeply. Leaders have carefully selected courses, which meet the needs of students and can lead to ambitious futures.

Students value the support provided to make applications to university. All pupils receive regular and relevant careers advice, which includes visits from guest speakers to talk about local apprenticeships. Clubs such as the 'Culture Vulture' club develop pupils' social skills and confidence.

Governors and leaders place a high priority on improving pupils' attendance. As a result, attendance is improving for some pupils but not all. Support for those not attending regularly is not well coordinated.

Records are not kept in a way that makes it clear how effective support has been in improving attendance, or what the next steps should be.

Staff speak highly of the support and training they receive from leaders and the trust. Leaders and governors regularly provide feedback to staff to help them develop their skills and expertise further.

Leaders seek to reduce the workload of staff through the sharing of resources and working cooperatively with other schools in the trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders identify any pupils who may be at a greater risk of harm.

They maintain communication with external agencies, such as the police, to keep pupils safe. Staff have regular training to ensure they are alert to any signs that a pupil may be at risk. The curriculum helps pupils learn how to stay safe and maintain positive, healthy relationships.

While leaders do record safeguarding concerns, these records are not kept in a comprehensive order. This makes it difficult for leaders to have an oversight of the support given to pupils and their families. Leaders know this and are taking actions to make the necessary improvements.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum has not yet consistently been implemented in every subject. This means pupils have some gaps in their knowledge and skills. Leaders must continue to embed their plans, so staff have the expertise they need to help pupils achieve well.

• Some pupils with SEND, who do not have an EHCP, do not get the support they need in lessons. This means that they are not achieving as well as they could. Leaders must ensure that all staff consistently use the carefully developed support plans to adapt learning to ensure all pupils get the support they need.

• Some pupils find it more difficult to manage their behaviour. Learning, therefore, can be disrupted. Leaders must continue to review the support given to staff and pupils to ensure a consistent approach in improving behaviour.

• Leaders have not ensured that they have a clear oversight of safeguarding and attendance records. Analysis of what support pupils are getting and whether this is effective is, therefore, more difficult. Leaders must ensure that improvements are made to the record keeping process, so they have an accurate oversight of all aspects of safeguarding and attendance.

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