Ark Isaac Newton Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ark Isaac Newton Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The Principal of this school is Morgan Haines. This school is part of the Ark Schools academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lucy Heller, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tina Alexandrou.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly academically successful, resilient and respectful here. The school supports pupils to thrive from Reception through until the end of the sixth form.

This is reflected in the exception...ally high published outcomes for pupils in Years 6 and 11, and the high-quality work produced by students in the sixth form. Students in the sixth form are also prepared successfully for their next academic steps, including university and apprenticeships.

Pupils work hard across all phases and strive successfully to meet the school's high expectations.

Pupils relish the challenges that the school provides and believe that they can achieve anything. In the early years, children settle quickly and enjoy their learning. In the sixth form, students are mature and independent.

Alongside the school's high academic expectations, it encourages pupils to develop a love of learning and to understand the wider world. Pupils participate fully in high-quality personal development opportunities, which the school carefully tracks. For example, taking part in the school council provides opportunities for pupils to express their opinions and to contribute to school-wide decisions.

Pupils from Reception to Year 5 take part in 'family dining' with teachers every lunchtime where they learn to socialise, take turns and tidy away for each other.

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

The school places the best interests of pupils at the centre of its decision-making. Accordingly, the school's curriculum design is highly ambitious.

It is constantly adapted and refined to meet the needs of pupils. For example, in recent years, the proportion of pupils who study the English Baccalaureate combination of subjects has risen sharply and is high. Also, leaders organise high-quality music tuition and all pupils learn to play a brass instrument as part of the 'big band' project between Years 4 and 9, and continue to Year 10 if they wish.

The early reading and writing curriculums are well-embedded. Leaders identify early where pupils require help to improve their writing skills, reading ability, or vocabulary. The school provides these pupils with the time and practice that they need in order to catch up with their peers.

This support extends to the secondary phase, where the school provides support for pupils who may need additional support with reading and writing.

The school and trust provide an extensive range of professional development opportunities for all staff, including early career teachers and middle leaders. As a result, teachers have strong subject knowledge across the school.

The school maximises opportunities for staff to share best practice between and within different phases.

Teachers check meticulously that pupils know and understand what they have been taught. Leaders carefully tailor strategies to check that pupils understand their learning for each subject.

Teachers identify rapidly when pupils do not understand what has been taught and immediately address any misunderstandings as soon as they arise.

This continued work is evident through pupils' high-quality written work and in their knowledge and skills. For example, pupils in Year 5 are able to explain with confidence how to improve the composition of their creative writing in English.

In Year 10, pupils can apply their mathematical knowledge to their own lives and explain how different types of interest rates affect savings and debts. In Reception, children develop their language and communication skills rapidly with expert support from staff.

The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is very strong.

The school knows the needs of pupils with SEND well and communicates these clearly and efficiently to teachers. Staff then ensure that pupils with SEND are given appropriate activities in class to ensure that they follow an ambitious curriculum.

Pupils' attendance has remained exceptionally high for many years.

The school builds strong professional relationships with parents and/or carers from the primary phase, and communicates its high expectations from the outset. Communication with parents is very clear and leaders follow up absence robustly, with support for families where necessary.

The school ensures that there is no disruption to pupils' learning.

In the primary phase, pupils are highly engaged throughout classes. In the sixth form, students study maturely and act as role models for younger pupils. In the early years, pupils settle quickly and work well both independently and together.

The school provides intensive and effective support for the small number of pupils who occasionally struggle to meet the school's very high expectations.

The school plans a wide range of educational visits carefully to inspire pupils and expand their knowledge. For example, Year 3 recently went to the Natural History Museum to learn about fossils.

Pupils benefit from opportunities to discuss their future career aspirations with teachers and employers. This work begins in the primary phase. Every pupil in Years 10 and 12 attends work experience each year.

Personal development classes inform pupils how to keep themselves safe in and out of school, and online. Students in the sixth form support younger pupils in several ways. For example, they run workshops on important topics and read with younger pupils.

Leaders take account of staff workload in the decisions that they make. Those responsible for governance know the school's context and provide support and professional challenge where necessary to ensure that the school's high standards are maintained.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 outstanding 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in October 2018.