Carr Lodge Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now.

The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

The principal of this school is Sarah Crampton. This school is part of Exceed Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Beryce Nixon OBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Blount.

What is it like to attend this school?
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Pupils enjoy attending this caring and inclusive school. Pupils value their learning and have highly positive relationships with staff.

Everyone is welcome at this school and made to feel part of a family. Pupils can sit on a 'buddy bench' to get support from their peers if they feel sad, worried or lonely.

Pupils achieve well and make excellent progress through the curriculum.

Leaders continually refine the curriculum so that it is strengthened further. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given the precise support they need and make excellent progress in lessons. Children in the early years receive an exceptional quality of support and have an accelerated start to their educational life at school.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular experiences. They participate in various clubs such as for art, cooking, choir and mindful crafting. Pupils compete in a range of challenging competitions to develop their computational thinking.

They take part in a variety of singing events and a social justice project which includes themes such as climate change and racial and gender equality. Pupils play an active part in leadership of the school. For example, eco-ambassadors keep the local environment clean and promote sustainability.

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are proud of their school. They represent the school's values through respect for each other and adults.

They are unfailingly polite to visitors. Pupils feel safe and know there is always a trusted adult they can approach if they need support.

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

Leaders have designed and implemented a curriculum which allows pupils to develop deep knowledge and understanding.

Leaders have taken great care to ensure that this knowledge is developed from the early years and regularly revisited. The curriculum makes extensive links between different subjects and explores the relevance of learning to the wider world. The books selected for pupils to read are closely linked to the curriculum.

For example, in geography pupils read a story about the plight of an orangutan to develop empathy with the central character. This then inspires them to learn about palm oil trade across the world.

Teachers have excellent knowledge of the subjects that they teach.

Lessons are thought provoking and encourage pupils to think deeply. Pupils enjoy learning and like being challenged. They connect their learning to different topics and revisit prior learning through retrieval tasks at the start of lessons.

Teachers consistently adapt their teaching to meet the individual needs of pupils. For example, pupils that need more time to grasp concepts such as coordinates and telling the time in mathematics receive small group tuition to help them understand these topics. The school provides highly effective support for pupils with SEND.

Children in the early years receive the best possible educational provision. As a result, children in the early years make rapid progress across all aspects of their development.

Pupils achieve notably well at the school.

This includes those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged. The school has made some recent refinements to the curriculum to further improve the progress that pupils make in reading, mathematics and writing. This is having an impact.

Pupils can recall their learning in depth and explain its relevance. For example, pupils can confidently explain how to calculate percentages in mathematics and know how to apply this skill when solving more complex problems.

Pupils make swift progress with reading.

Those who are weaker readers receive targeted support from well-trained staff. Pupils enjoy reading and talk with enthusiasm about the books and stories they encounter. They enjoy quiet reading time in some of the many 'reading nook' locations around the school.

Pupils display exemplary behaviour and attend school regularly. They consistently show a love of learning and are enthusiastic about sharing this with visitors. Pupils care for each other and are taught to have strong moral principles.

Leaders focus on pupils' attitudes to learning and ensure that any emerging issues are quickly addressed. Pupils lead the promotion of positive attitudes across the school. For example, anti-bullying and diversity ambassadors ensure that there is an inclusive and caring ethos throughout the pupil population.

The school has developed an extensive programme of personal development. Pupils are taught, and regularly revisit themes such as keeping safe, healthy relationships, and fundamental British values such as the importance of tolerance and respect for others. Pupils can be elected to represent their school via the 'pupil parliament' to provide leadership to the school.

For example, members of the pupil parliament recently supported leaders in establishing the main desirable learning characteristics of the school such as 'resilient Rosie' and 'mindful Mario'. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education. The school provides regular experiences that relate to different careers.

Pupils record these in their 'career passports' and can see how their skills match different jobs.

The school has a determined focus to provide the best educational experience possible for pupils. Leaders are reflective in their practice and seek to continually innovate and improve provision.

They base their decisions on sound educational research and evidence. Governors and trustees have a thorough understanding of the school and are highly effective in challenging and supporting leaders. Staff enjoy working at the school.

They feel that leaders prioritise their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 good in January 2019.