Chadwell Heath Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to attend Chadwell Heath Academy. Leaders provide a safe environment, with an ethos that focuses on respect and opportunities for all.

As a result, pupils feel safe and are kept safe at school. Many parents and carers commented on how much they value the regular communication from school leaders. This helps them to understand how well their children are doing.

Leaders have high expectations of behaviour and pupils do typically behave well. They are friendly and courteous to staff and visitors. Bullying is rare and staff deal with any incidences that arise swiftly.

The curriculum is broad and balanced but it has not been consistently... well designed across all subjects. Pupils do not get sufficient opportunity to revisit and practise important ideas. As a result, they do not learn and remember as much as they should over time.

The sixth-form curriculum is ambitious and offers a wide range of subjects and qualifications. This enables many pupils to stay on to study the subjects of their choice. Students learn and achieve well in the sixth form.

Pupils enjoy accessing a range of extra-curricular activities, including the basketball academy, and in music and drama.

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

Pupils follow a broad and balanced curriculum that matches the scope of what is expected nationally. Leaders have considered what pupils need to learn in each area of the curriculum and in some subjects, the curriculum is well sequenced.

For example, in physical education (PE), pupils learn about different ways to pass the ball. They practise these regularly and then select the best techniques to apply to different games. However, this is not typical.

In several subjects, pupils learn ideas in isolation and do not get the opportunity to revisit important knowledge. As a result, they do not embed or deepen their understanding. This means, they find it difficult to discuss what they have learned and apply it to more challenging ideas.

Pupils typically achieve well in their examinations. This is because much of the curriculum has been focused on preparing pupils for the examination specifications. Developing a rich body of knowledge in different subjects has not been given full consideration in leaders' curriculum thinking and design.

While some teachers check pupils' understanding of what they have learned, this is not consistent. This means that errors and misconceptions are not routinely identified or corrected and, therefore, persist in pupils' work.

The curriculum in the sixth form is well designed and implemented.

Staff have a secure understanding of what students need to learn. The curriculum is broken down into clear steps and emphasis is placed on ensuring that students revisit and apply important ideas in different contexts. For example, in languages, students learn about different forms of past tenses and apply this to their own writing and speaking.

Similarly, in A level PE, students are taught about resistance and assisted training methods. They learn to apply this knowledge well in different sports.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Their needs are identified swiftly and communicated clearly to staff. Additional support is provided from well-trained and experienced staff. For example, a small number of pupils access entry-level qualifications in English and mathematics.

This has supported their confidence when approaching GCSE subjects. There are, however, inconsistencies in how well adaptations are made to support the needs of pupils with SEND in other subjects.

Leaders place a strong emphasis on supporting weaker readers through implementing an effective catch-up programme.

This sharp focus means many of these pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become confident and fluent readers.

Pupils typically behave well in lessons. They are sensible when moving around the school and out in the playground.

There are positive working relationships between staff and pupils. This is because leaders foster a strong culture of respect. Pupils are encouraged to congratulate each other on their successes, for example, through rewards assemblies.

Younger pupils specifically commented on the kindness older pupils show towards them.

Pupils' personal development is well supported. The curriculum has been designed to help pupils to learn about important topics, such as citizenship and democracy.

Leaders have put in place a strong programme of careers advice and guidance. Pupils and sixth-form students access work experience and receive support with applications for their future education, employment or training.

While many pupils take part in a range of different enrichment opportunities, leaders do not check the uptake of these activities.

This means that leaders are not clear if vulnerable pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and pupils with SEND, are accessing them as regularly as leaders intend.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, do not have sufficiently strong oversight of the school's strengths and weaknesses. This means that they have not identified the right priorities for improvement.

Staff feel well supported with their well-being and workload. However, leaders have not considered staff development and training in different curriculum subjects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that a range of training takes place for staff and governors. This helps staff to identify any potential risks. Staff know how to report their concerns.

Leaders take swift action to support pupils and their families. This includes working with a range of agencies to ensure appropriate external help is sought when necessary.

Leaders and governors make appropriate pre-employment vetting checks for those applying to work at the school.

The curriculum has been designed to help pupils to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about healthy relationships and the importance of consent.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in key stages 3 and 4 is not well sequenced.

It does not routinely enable pupils to revisit and embed their understanding of important ideas. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum provides well-planned opportunities for pupils to revise and practise important content, so that they deepen their understanding and can tackle more complex learning. ? Teachers do not routinely check pupils' understanding of what they have learned.

As a result, errors and misconceptions are not tackled and continue in pupils' work. Leaders should ensure that teachers are well trained in the subjects that they teach. They should ensure that teachers have the necessary subject expertise to check pupils' understanding and support pupils to learn and remember more over time.