Buile Hill Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy coming to school.

They have positive relationships with each other and their teachers. Pupils take part in a range of extra-curricular activities including clubs, visits and trips. Many pupils enjoy musical instrument lessons in which they learn to play guitar, drums and woodwind instruments.

Pupils welcome the newly introduced LGBTQ+ group. They value the sports leaders programme which develops pupils' leadership skills.

Pupils feel safe in school.

They know there is someone to talk to if they have any concerns. They told inspectors that staff deal with any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively.

The pupils and staf...f who spoke with inspectors said that pupils' behaviour is improving.

In lessons, many pupils concentrate on their work and listen carefully. However, a small minority of pupils do not behave as well as they should in some lessons and around the school during breaktimes.

Leaders and teachers have raised their expectations of what pupils can achieve.

However, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should in some subjects. This is partly because of weaknesses in the design and delivery of the curriculum.

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

There has been a significant amount of turbulence of late in leadership and teaching staff.

New senior leaders are starting to provide much-needed stability. Senior leaders are uncompromising in their efforts to improve the quality of education for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Their actions have secured recent improvements in many aspects of the school, for example pupils' behaviour.

Leaders are aware of what further work is required to move the school further forward.

In the past, subject curriculums were not designed well. Pupils did not achieve well as a result.

Leaders are working to develop ambitious subject curriculums. In some subjects leaders have carefully identified the knowledge that they want pupils to learn and the order in which topics are taught. This is helping pupils to know and remember more.

Other subjects are at an earlier stage of development. In these subjects, leaders have not thought carefully about what pupils need to know and should learn. In these subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

Most teachers have secure subject knowledge. Some teachers use this knowledge well to revisit prior learning and to deepen pupils' understanding. However, some teachers' checks on what pupils know are not effective.

These teachers move pupils on to new learning before they are ready. This means that some pupils find it hard to apply their previous knowledge to new learning. They do not develop their subject knowledge as well as they should.

Leaders ensure that pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read receive appropriate support from well-trained staff. This enables these pupils to catch up. Pupils have an opportunity to develop their vocabulary across the curriculum.

Leaders are developing their approach to promoting reading for pleasure.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and effectively. Leaders share information about pupils with SEND with teachers.

Some teachers use this information better than others. Some meet the needs of pupils with SEND well. However, this is not the case everywhere.

As a result, some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they should.

Pupils are taught about healthy relationships and consent. They also learn about respecting differences between people.

This prepares pupils well for their futures in modern Britain. However, leaders have not ensured that all aspects of the personal development curriculum are complete and effective.

Leaders ensure that pupils receive helpful careers advice and guidance.

Leaders organise visits to local universities and arrange for employers to visit school. This helps pupils to make informed decisions about their next steps in education, employment and training.

Leaders' new behaviour policy has raised expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils who talked to inspectors said that behaviour has improved this year. However, some teachers do not apply the behaviour policy well enough. This means that some lessons are disrupted.

This hampers pupils' learning.

Most staff are proud to work at the school. They believe that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Leaders have redesigned the school timetable to reduce teachers' workload.

Trustees and trust leaders are well informed about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They work in partnership to challenge and support leaders effectively.

Trust leaders and trustees are committed to helping the school improve further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have effective and clear systems in place to keep pupils safe.

Staff receive regular updates and bulletins on safeguarding issues. They know how to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. They also know what to do if they have a concern about a pupil.

Leaders work well with a range of external agencies. Leaders are tenacious in their work to ensure the right support is provided for pupils. Leaders ensure that pupils who are in alternative provision have been appropriately placed and are kept safe.

Pupils learn how to protect themselves from risks, including when working online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some aspects of the personal development curriculum are underdeveloped and some subject curriculums are at an early stage of development. In these subjects, leaders have not finalised the key knowledge that pupils need to know.

This means that teachers do not have the information that they need to help them to deliver the curriculum. Subject leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking and ensure that teachers are clear about the knowledge pupils should learn, so that pupils learn and remember more over time. ? Some teachers do not deliver subject curriculums effectively.

This means that some pupils, including pupils with SEND, are not able to deepen their knowledge. Leaders should make sure that teachers receive appropriate training and support to deliver the subject curriculums well. ? Some teachers do not use assessment strategies effectively to check what pupils know and remember.

This means that some pupils move on to new learning before they are ready, and they find it hard to apply prior learning to new content. Leaders should ensure that teachers check that pupils have learned the intended curriculum as well as they should. ? Some staff do not apply the school's behaviour policy.

As a result, a small minority of pupils disrupt learning and misbehave during social times. This hinders pupils' learning. Leaders should ensure that staff are supported so that learning is not disrupted and behaviour at social times meets leaders' expectations.