Beckmead Moundwood Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are supported well to re-engage with school and learning. Pupils have all experienced a significantly disrupted education prior to here.

They benefit from the thoughtful, individualised care offered. Pupils increase their attendance and participation. They understand how the school expects them to behave.

Well-trained staff provide bespoke strategies to manage pupils' feelings and emotions. Leaders encourage pupils to pursue their aspirations. All pupils move successfully on to their agreed destinations or reintegrate back into mainstream school.

Pupils trust and respect staff. The school builds these relationships through well-planned transitions into... school and tailored pastoral support. Staff take the time to get to know pupils well and without judgement.

Pupils form friendships. They are safe at school and ask for help if worried. Pupils are not concerned by bullying and call out anti-social behaviour.

Pupils who do not follow school rules are dealt with firmly but calmly.

The school is a welcoming environment. Pupils enjoy social times and sporting opportunities.

Some join the school council. Pupils get to experience visits and residentials that they may not have had access to prior to attending here. Pupils can try vocational opportunities such as bricklaying, carpentry or hair and beauty.

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

The school, including the trust, has made significant improvements to this school. Parents and carers also recognise this.

The school has designed curriculum pathways that adapt to the differing lengths of placements and pupils' abilities, needs and likely destinations.

These pathways build knowledge logically over time. The school ensures it gathers as much information about a pupil when they join to select the most appropriate curriculum and pastoral route. Staff are also proactive in identifying any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school prioritises reading. It gains an accurate understanding of all pupils' reading ability before starting and sets appropriate interventions. This means that pupils, including those with SEND, catch up in reading quickly.

Pupils in the primary phase are successfully taught phonics as soon as they start at the school. They read books that are matched to their reading stage. However, in other subjects, checks on what pupils know on entry are less robust.

This means some pupils do not have sufficiently accurate starting points or targets in some curriculum areas. This limits how quickly gaps in knowledge are filled.

The school is effective in increasing pupils' readiness to learn.

Work in books demonstrates this. Pupils learn the intended curriculum and are encouraged to revisit prior learning. While a focus is given to English, mathematics and science, pupils are also taught a wider curriculum.

The school is working to broaden the range of qualifications offered for those older pupils looking at post-16 destinations. In lessons where subject knowledge of staff is strong, pupils complete work that is closely matched to their ability. However, in some instances, staff do not use checks on learning well enough.

This results in pupils, including some with SEND, completing work they are already capable of or that is not sufficiently ambitious. This limits how quickly some pupils can access different qualification pathways or achieve as well as they can.

Pupils generally show self-control in lessons and around school.

If they try to push boundaries, staff skilfully intervene. Staff follow the behaviour policy fairly and consistently.

Most pupils attend school more regularly than their previous setting.

The school uses creative solutions to engage with pupils and families. However, there are a few pupils whose attendance is still too low which hinders their prospects.

Pupils gain relevant work experience and careers advice.

They are prepared for life in modern Britain through learning about diversity and respecting difference. Pupils are taught about safe relationships, how to stay safe online and about the risks of knife crime. The school encourages educational visits from the police.

It is vigilant and proactive in responding to safeguarding concerns pupils or staff raise.

Governors and trustees know the school well and fulfil their statutory duties. The trust provides effective oversight and support.

Staff appreciate that their well-being is considered.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some areas of the curriculum, pupils' academic starting points are not always precisely identified.

This means that some pupils do not have gaps in knowledge signposted or filled quickly enough. The school must ensure all staff know what the exact gaps in pupils' academic knowledge are across the curriculum so pupils can access as quickly as possible the most appropriate qualification pathway. ? In some parts of the school, work is not always well matched to pupils' ability.

This is because the checks adults make on what pupils can do are not used well enough to inform next steps in learning. Pupils are sometimes given work they can already do. The school needs to ensure staff have the necessary training to use assessment effectively to adapt learning and raise expectations so that pupils achieve as highly as they can in their time at this setting.

• There are a few pupils whose attendance is improving but still low. This affects how well they are achieving. The school needs to continue work started to ensure these pupils access all the school has to offer them.

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