Acorn Free School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Acorn Free School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this school. Pupils enjoy attending school and display positive attitudes to learning. Parents and carers are highly supportive of the school.

Typical comments from parents include, 'It's been the best opportunity ever for my child,' and 'The staff team provide amazing support.'

Pupils behave well. There are respectful relationships between pupils and staff.

Staff work well to get to know and understand the pupils. They provide high-quality support to help pupils learn about themselves and how to man...age their behaviour. Pupils say that staff listen to them and follow up any concerns they have.

Pupils feel safe at school. The school's work supports pupils to regulate their behaviour and engage with learning effectively. Most pupils in key stage 3 integrate back into their mainstream schools successfully.

The school has high expectations. The curriculum enables pupils to achieve GCSEs and qualifications in vocational subjects, such as mechanical engineering and photography. Pupils enjoy regular trips to take photographs of landmarks in Lincolnshire.

Pupils work hard and achieve well. The courses pupils study at school have helped some of them select courses at colleges for post-16 studies.

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

The school has successfully developed an ambitious curriculum.

The curriculum has been well thought out to ensure that pupils build their knowledge over time. In mathematics, the school has identified the key knowledge and concepts that pupils need to master. Pupils can independently recall previous learning about multiplying negative numbers.

This helps them to solve calculations using algebra. In science, pupils use their knowledge of elements in the periodic table to recall chemical bonds. Pupils present their work neatly in all subjects.

Pupils are achieving well.

The school prioritises reading for those pupils who have fallen behind. These pupils are heard to read regularly.

The pupils' reading books are well matched to their reading abilities. Pupils become fluent readers and are willing to read for extended periods of time.

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well.

Strategies are developed to help meet the needs of pupils with SEND. The strategies are used well and pupils make good progress.

In English, pupils strive to write imaginatively.

They gain a good knowledge of language techniques. One pupil wrote, 'The spikey forks of lightning shook the shadowy night.' In the child development course, pupils write stories for young children.

They discuss themes of books for this age group and are proud of their own compositions.

There are a few occasions in lessons where the staff do not check whether pupils understand the learning well enough. As a result, pupils sometimes become confused and they do not develop their knowledge as well as they could.

Pupils conduct themselves well in classrooms and around school. Pupils are polite and engage well in conversation with their peers and adults. The pupils earn points for good work.

They have helped to choose the rewards for achieving well. Pupils benefit from regular conversations with members of the 'engagement team'. Pupils feel supported.

The school tracks pupils' attendance closely. It takes prompt action if a pupil does not attend. Many pupils have much higher attendance in education since arriving at this school.

The school has devised a comprehensive personal development programme. Pupils are made aware of the dangers of illegal drugs, gangs and unhealthy relationships. The school celebrates diversity.

For example, the pupils study Black History Month. Pupils are respectful of people who have protected characteristics. The careers programme is well planned to support pupils with their post-16 choices.

The school supports pupils to gain places on courses which match their aspirations.

Leaders are improving the school very well. All decisions are made in the best interests of pupils.

Governors check the effectiveness of the school's work to provide a high quality of education closely. Staff feel very supported and morale is high.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On a few occasions, teachers do not consistently check whether pupils understand their learning well enough. As a result, pupils are sometimes confused and do not develop their knowledge and understanding as well as they could. The school must ensure that teachers check if pupils understand their learning and use this information to shape the curriculum and teaching to help pupils develop their knowledge and understanding.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015.