Bourne Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bourne Academy continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their school.

They speak positively about the school's safe and respectful culture. There is strong respect for diversity. Pupils believe that staff treat them fairly.

They can talk easily to staff and know that they are listened to. Pupils and parents and carers recognise and appreciate that the pastoral care is exceptional. Pupils are very well cared for.

They know whom to talk to if there is a problem. They are nurtured to be resilient and have opportunities to develop their character.

Pupils recognise that the staff want the best for them.
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Everyone understands the school's vision, which focuses on 'aspire, challenge, achieve'. Staff work hard to raise the aspirations and achievements of all. Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and conduct.

Staff and pupils agree that the behaviour policy has a positive effect. Most pupils are keen to learn. The school is calm and orderly.

Learning is rarely disrupted. Pupils say that bullying hardly ever happens. Most are confident that staff deal with it when it occurs.

Pupils appreciate a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities on offer. They are keen to participate in many sporting, music and drama activities, trips, competitions and productions. These opportunities match pupils' interests and talents.

Older pupils have happy school memories that they cherish.

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

Senior leaders lead with a strong moral purpose and vision focused on what is right for pupils. They have developed an ambitious and well-planned curriculum.

The curriculum is designed to build pupils' knowledge and skills progressively and over time. Leaders have adjusted the curriculum to address the impact of the pandemic. They have established a strong culture of reading.

Leaders provide timely support for pupils who have fallen behind. Leaders ensure that pupils build on their reading skills. They provide targeted support for those who need help with reading.

Sixth-form student ambassadors help younger pupils with reading.Subject leaders have thought carefully about the key knowledge that pupils should learn and when. Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 study a broad curriculum that reflects the national curriculum.

Pupils in Year 9 study 'mini-options' in design and technology and in the creative arts subjects. Leaders have not ensured that all of the learning in the design and technology subject is clearly identified. As a result, what pupils learn in this area is not as ambitious as it is in other subjects.

Leaders make sure that pupils in Years 11 to 13 have opportunities to blend academic and vocational courses and subjects. Leaders are increasing the number of pupils who gain qualifications in the English Baccalaureate.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They introduce new learning effectively. Year 7 pupils explored the moral aspects as they read 'Pig heart boy' in their English classes. Teachers ensure that pupils learn and use new vocabulary accurately.

Teachers use assessment well to check pupils' learning. In English, teachers use a range of approaches to assess pupils' learning. They use this assessment information to build on pupils' prior learning, so enabling pupils to broaden and deepen their knowledge and skills related to speaking and listening, and reading and writing.

Leaders ensure that the school has an inclusive approach to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders are ambitious for these pupils. Pupils with SEND receive the right level of support.

They achieve well from their starting points. Provision for pupils with SEND is of a high quality.

Leaders are ambitious for sixth-form students.

Students focus on their learning well. They are keen to support each other. For example, Year 13 music students constructively review each other's band performances.

Students are well prepared for their next steps. The number accessing higher education and apprenticeships continues to increase. Students relish opportunities to serve in the school.

For example, they take on roles such as those of peer mentors and leaders of the LGBTQ+ group.

Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development. They build pupils' confidence and resilience.

The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum, which leaders have redeveloped, is highly ambitious. In response to the pandemic, leaders have made further changes to the PSHE education curriculum to support pupils. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

They receive very sound careers advice and guidance. They benefit from visits from industry leaders and from opportunities to undertake work-related learning. In tutor time, there are regular occasions for pupils to discuss moral and ethical issues.

This reinforces their well-thought-through spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.

Trustees and governors make sure that the school is well led and managed. Parents are mostly positive about the school.

Staff are proud to work at the school. There is a strong sense of purpose and positive morale among staff. They value training opportunities.

Leaders have a positive approach to 'growing their own' staff and leaders. Staff share their expertise with other schools in the multi-academy trust (MAT).

In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that the key stage 3 design and technology curriculum may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe. They can tell any member of staff their concerns.

They know that staff will take their concerns seriously and do the right thing. Staff know their responsibilities well. They are well trained and receive regular safeguarding updates.

Safeguarding leaders know the pupils very well. They ensure that pupils get support when needed. They work effectively with a range of external agencies.

They ensure that safeguarding records are thorough.

Pupils have many opportunities to learn about potential risk and how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils learn about online safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have ensured that revised subject curriculums are suitably ambitious for key stage 3 pupils in most subjects. This is not the case for all aspects of the design and technology curriculum. This means that pupils do not have the opportunity to study the full breadth of the design and technology curriculum.

This can limit how well pupils build their knowledge and understanding in this subject over time at key stage 3. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is as ambitious in design and technology as it is in all other key stage 3 subject curriculums.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2013.