All Saints’ Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at All Saints Church of England Academy are happy and safe.

The school has a clear ethos of 'Act wisely, Build Community, Help Others'. The school curriculum extends beyond the academic. For example, pupils' talents and interests develop through competitive sport and performing in the school production.

While the school has the ambition for all pupils to achieve academic success, this is not currently realised in the work and examination outcomes of older pupils.

The school has raised expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils are clear about the consequences of poor behaviour and appreciate that their lessons are not disrupted.

Pupils do on o...ccasion experience bullying. While they know that it is not tolerated by the school, pupils are not always confident about the consistency with which adults will resolve their concerns.

Pupils take on leadership roles within the school.

The student council provides an avenue for pupils to discuss with leaders the changes that the school is planning. Pupils enjoy the new reward system that recognises a positive attitude towards their work each lesson. They look forward to the trips and visits that take place to enrich the curriculum.

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

The school has planned a broad curriculum for pupils. This sets out what pupils will learn and when so that pupils' knowledge builds over time. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 are now studying a more ambitious curriculum.

Pupils currently in Years 10 and 11 do not benefit from this curriculum. As a result, they lack key knowledge and understanding. This is hindering their ability to learn more.

The school does not have high enough expectations for the work of these pupils to ensure that they are well prepared for their examinations.

Assessment strategies identify pupils' gaps in knowledge and misconceptions. However, the curriculum is not sufficiently adapted to address these.

When pupils have significant gaps in their understanding, they are unable to learn new concepts as securely as they might.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. The school accurately identifies the weakest readers and the reasons for their difficulties.

The school supports these pupils to improve their reading accuracy and confidence effectively. All pupils read regularly as part of the 'Drop Everything and Read' programme. The school has chosen texts to inspire and build the cultural understanding of pupils.

Pupils engage with academic texts in subjects across the curriculum.

The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers receive the information and training they need to support these pupils in lessons.

However, where the curriculum is not well implemented in key stage 4, pupils with SEND are particularly disadvantaged.The 'Learning for Life' and religious education curriculum has been carefully planned to support pupils' personal development. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

This includes teaching pupils about sex and relationships in an age-appropriate way. Pupils understand the importance of fundamental British values within life in modern Britain. Pupils experience regular opportunities for spiritual reflection.

They enjoy debating ethical issues to deepen their understanding of different viewpoints.

The school has a comprehensive careers programme. Pupils in all year groups engage with the world of work through guest speakers and workshops.

The school supports pupils to make informed choices about their future education or employment.

The trust recognises the importance of all pupils attending school regularly. Leaders monitor attendance patterns closely.

Staff work with families to understand the reasons for persistent absence. As a result, attendance is beginning to improve.

The school is using a range of intervention strategies to raise the outcomes for Year 11 pupils.

Staff invest significant time into these approaches. However, the school is not closely reviewing the impact of these strategies on pupils' knowledge and understanding. This prevents the school from making adaptations to plans to ensure that pupils achieve their best.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils in key stage 4 do not study an ambitious curriculum that will prepare them well for further education or employment. The trust should ensure that expectations are high within the curriculum for pupils' knowledge, understanding and outcomes.

• Assessment information about pupils' gaps and misconceptions is not used effectively to review and adapt the curriculum. As a result, these gaps are not corrected and continue to hinder pupils' ability to learn new content. The trust should ensure that assessment information is used to review and plan adaptations to the curriculum so that pupils are secure in their knowledge and understanding of key concepts.

• The school does not routinely monitor and review the impact of actions and interventions on pupils' outcomes. This prevents the school from making adaptations to ensure that all pupils are benefiting from the approaches as intended. The trust should ensure that the actions undertaken by the school have a greater impact on pupils' achievement.