Blackpool Gateway Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Blackpool Gateway Academy is a caring and supportive school.

Pupils, including those in the early years, are happy and they feel safe.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious and meets the needs of pupils. Pupils live up to the high expectations that leaders have of them.

They achieve well across a range of subjects, including reading.

Leaders have developed a clear and consistent approach to managing pupils' behaviour across the school. As a result, most pupils behave well, particularly in the early years and key stage 1.

Pupils share warm and caring relationships with staff. They are polite and well mannered, and they move aro...und the school in an orderly manner. Pupils are confident that should bullying occur, staff will sort it out quickly.

Pupils are provided with a wide range of opportunities beyond the academic curriculum that help to develop their interests and talents. They told inspectors that they enjoy attending clubs, such as rugby, yoga and netball, and watching films with their friends.

Most parents and carers are happy with many aspects of the school.

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

Leaders want the best for all pupils at this school, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children in the early years. To this end, leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, they have considered the knowledge and skills that pupils must learn from the early years to Year 6 and the order in which it should be taught.

However, leaders are still developing the curriculum in some curriculums. The essential knowledge which leaders want pupils to learn is not always clear in these subjects.Leaders have ensured that teachers have access to appropriate subject-specific training to help them to deliver the subject curriculums in most subjects.

Subject leaders closely monitor their areas of responsibility to ensure that the intended curriculums are being delivered in practice. For example, teachers use assessment strategies well to ensure that pupils have learned and remembered earlier curriculum content.There is a clear focus on ensuring that pupils become confident and fluent readers.

Staff describe reading as 'running through the centre of everything like Blackpool rock'.As soon as children enter the early years, staff take every opportunity to develop and extend children's language skills. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics which begins as soon as children start in the Reception class.

Well-trained staff deliver the school's phonics programme effectively. Pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds that they have learned. Effective use is made of assessment information to ensure that pupils who are struggling to read get the support they need to help them catch up quickly.

By the end of key stage 1, almost all pupils can read confidently and fluently.Most pupils listen well in class and are keen to learn. In the early years and key stage 1, the nurturing approach adopted by staff helps pupils to self-regulate their own behaviour appropriately.

However, from time to time, some older pupils in key stage 2 disrupt the learning for others in their class. Leaders have introduced clear and effective systems to support staff to manage the behaviour of these pupils.Leaders provide an array of extra-curricular opportunities to broaden pupils' experiences.

For example, pupils enjoy attending a varied range of after-school clubs that reflect their interests. Leaders also ensure that opportunities are available for pupils to develop their talents, for example in music. Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values.

For example, from the early years, staff have ensured that gender stereotypes are challenged appropriately and that children learn to value diversity.Staff are trained appropriately to identify pupils with SEND, including children in the early years. This ensures that these pupils receive the support they need to learn successfully.

Pupils with SEND are also included in all aspects of school life.Staff work well together and morale is high. They feel valued and well supported by senior leaders.

This is also the case for those teachers who are new to the profession.Governors have an informed and accurate understanding of the school. They provide the headteacher with support and challenge in equal measure.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong safeguarding culture. They have a secure understanding of the potential safeguarding risks that pupils may face, including within the local community.

Staff have received appropriate safeguarding training. They have a clear understanding of the indicators of abuse and neglect. Leaders and staff work well with outside agencies to ensure that families facing challenging circumstances get the help that they need.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they are taught how to use the internet safely. Pupils are aware of what to do and who to tell if they have a concern when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers are not clear enough about the knowledge and skills that leaders want pupils to learn. This hinders teachers in their efforts to design learning and pupils' progress as they move through these curriculums. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking to ensure that teachers are sufficiently clear about the knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

• Some staff do not apply leaders' systems to manage pupils' behaviour consistently well. As a result, the learning of some older pupils is, from time to time, disrupted by the behaviour of some of their peers. Leaders should ensure that staff apply behaviour systems as intended so that older pupils are supported well to improve their conduct.