Acorn Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Acorn Academy. They know that the school is a safe, welcoming and happy place.

Staff give every pupil the support that they need. This helps pupils to enjoy school, work hard and attend well. The school expects pupils to achieve their best.

Increasingly, they do so.

Pupils develop a range of interests through many clubs, including art, gardening and several sports. They participate in musical performances, competitions and trips.

Pupils learn about the importance of the community when they raise money for charity.

The school teaches pupils how to stay healthy and safe. They learn, in an age-appropriate way, about topic...s such as personal space, road safety and healthy relationships.

Pupils understand the importance of kindness. They know that everyone, no matter how they are different, is equally important. They show this in how they treat each other and adults.

They behave well in lessons. They enjoy playing with each other at breaktimes and lunchtimes. When pupils sometimes do not behave as well as they could, staff work patiently with them to help pupils better understand the impact of their actions and manage their emotions.

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

The school has worked effectively to address issues with the quality of education and leadership identified at the previous inspection.

Starting from Nursery, the curriculum builds pupils' knowledge over time effectively. Staff identify what pupils need to know and the order in which it should be taught.

Pupils gain secure foundations in their knowledge. At the start of lessons, teachers typically recap previous topics. This helps pupils know and remember more.

Staff present new knowledge clearly. Pupils then practise using what they have learned. Well-trained staff identify and know the needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff use this knowledge to adapt learning, so all pupils access it successfully.

Teachers often check what pupils have learned effectively. They use these checks to adjust the curriculum for pupils.

Pupils move on to new learning securely and at an appropriate rate. In some lessons, teachers do not check what pupils know well enough. They do not always identify gaps and errors quickly.

When this happens, pupils do not gain some important knowledge as securely as they should.

The school has overhauled its approach to the teaching of early reading. Published outcomes do not currently reflect the impact of this work.

A new curriculum has been introduced, supported by extensive staff training. Staff now skilfully teach pupils how to blend sounds to read words, using books that match what pupils can read. If pupils need additional help, they receive it.

The school works closely with parents and carers so that pupils read more often at home. Pupils enjoy reading and do so regularly. They listen to a diverse range of rhymes, stories and poems.

Consequently, pupils become increasingly fluent and accurate readers.

The school ensures that children in Nursery and Reception get off to the best start. They take part in stimulating and well-chosen activities.

These help children to learn about the world around them and who they are. Children learn how to share and play with each other. Staff use language carefully to broaden children's vocabulary and encourage them to form longer sentences.

Children in early years become increasingly independent and confident.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Routines are straightforward and usually well understood.

Most pupils focus on their work quickly. When teaching is of the highest quality, pupils take part with real enthusiasm. The school has improved pupils' attendance.

The daily 'soft start' includes the offer of a warm, healthy breakfast for all. This means that pupils get each day off to a positive start, ready to learn.

The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

They learn about values such as tolerance, and how to look after their well-being. If pupils are worried about anything, they know an adult will listen and provide them with the help they need.

The school has a clear understanding of its strengths and areas for development.

Trustees and school leaders are aware that some subject curriculums and subject leaders are new. They understand that further training is needed to develop the leadership of some subjects to ensure that the wider curriculum is developed, checked and taught as leaders intend. The school has used training to rapidly develop the subject knowledge of staff.

Staff feel very well supported and enjoy working here. Parents are very complimentary about the work of 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)

• The school has not ensured that all teachers check effectively how well pupils have learned important knowledge. As a result, in some lessons, teachers do not identify what pupils know quickly enough. The school should ensure that staff know how to check knowledge effectively and use these checks to close gaps in knowledge, address errors and adjust the curriculum so that it fully meets the needs of all pupils.

• The school has not made sure that all subject leaders have the necessary knowledge and skills to further develop, implement and monitor the curriculum in subjects that they lead. As a result, some areas of the curriculum are not yet fully established and delivered as leaders intend, which may prevent pupils from learning and remembering knowledge securely across the whole curriculum. The school should provide subject leaders with the support they need so that they provide consistently high quality subject leadership.

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