Clacton Coastal Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Clacton Coastal Academy shines brightly at the heart of its community.

Pupils recognise they attend an inclusive and rapidly improving school. Sixth-form students are grateful for the extensive opportunities they receive.

Pupils appreciate the high expectations the school has of them.

They know every minute counts. Although academic outcomes have been low in the past, the sense of ambition now is abundantly clear. Pupils now benefit from high-quality teaching and learn well.

Pupils understand the rules, 'be respectful, responsible and ready' and the consequences of not following them. This means most pupils behave well, respect each other and move ca...lmly around the school. If bullying occurs, the school deals with it.

Pupils' attendance is improving slowly. Pupils know staff go the extra mile to ensure they are safe in school. All have a trusted adult with whom they can talk.

Most pupils enjoy the weekly enrichment programme that helps to broaden their horizons. The programme includes sports and performing arts activities. Interesting clubs, such as chess and crochet, widen pupils' interests and extend learning.

Pupils are keen to take on responsibility, for example becoming well-being ambassadors. They are guided to understand, and value, the differences between themselves and others.

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

The school has a carefully planned curriculum.

This reflects the school's high expectations for all learners, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Curriculum documents set out precisely what pupils will learn and the order in which it is taught.

In the past, pupils have not achieved well enough.

Significant changes to the curriculum are altering this for the better. Pupils who attend regularly benefit the most. Strengths in the key stage 3 curriculum in English, mathematics and science are now reflected in other subjects.

At key stage 4, the proportion of pupils studying subjects that contribute to the English Baccalaureate is increasing. This keeps pupils' options open for further study and future careers. The school is on the up.

Teachers receive effective training that develops their strong subject knowledge and ensures high-quality teaching. Teachers present new concepts clearly. They check learning in lessons and address pupils' misunderstandings as they arise.

Checks on what pupils know result in teachers adjusting their lessons. This helps pupils to learn and remember more.

Students in the sixth form build respectful and trusting relationships with staff.

They are full of praise for the personalised support they receive. They often achieve the grades they need to follow their chosen pathway. This includes appropriate training or employment.

An increasing number go on to university.

The school works well with the parents of pupils with SEND to accurately identify their needs. Teachers receive the guidance they need to help pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers.

However, sometimes, learning is not adapted well enough for pupils with SEND. In these instances, pupils can struggle to keep up.

Reading has become a central focus of school life.

Pupils read for pleasure every day in their tutor groups. Still, the school continues to tackle the need to improve pupils' reading with urgency and to great effect. The weakest readers receive skilled support to become more confident and fluent readers.

This helps them to access the rest of the curriculum.

Behaviour has improved since the previous inspection. Most pupils now behave well.

The number of suspensions has fallen. This is because staff consistently apply the school's simple rules if pupils misbehave. Leaders do all they reasonably can to improve attendance.

While it is improving slowly, some pupils do not attend regularly enough. These pupils are missing out. They do not benefit from the strong academic and pastoral support the school provides.

Pupils participate in a wide range of enrichment activities. Careers education is well planned. It gives pupils lots of information about the different opportunities they can access in the future.

Pupils learn about a range of topics in assemblies and in personal, social, health and economic lessons. They learn the importance of being tolerant and respectful of others and staying safe. They know that being different matters.

The relationships and sex education curriculum enables pupils to make well-informed, age-appropriate personal decisions.

Staff want the very best for pupils. They are proud to work here.

They are well supported by leaders who manage their workload carefully. The school communicates well with parents and goes out of its way to seek their feedback through the academy council.

School and trust leaders have a good understanding of what the school does well.

The considerable expertise and experience of members on the interim standards board has helped to secure rapid improvement in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not attend regularly enough.

They miss too much learning time and do not benefit from the pastoral support that the school provides. These pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school, with support from the trust, should implement the actions they have planned to continue to improve the attendance of these pupils.

• Teachers do not always adapt learning for pupils with SEND clearly enough. This means that some of these pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school, with support from the trust, should provide the training and resources teachers need to adapt the learning and support all pupils with SEND more effectively.