Cockburn Haigh Road Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Cockburn Haigh Road Academy is a welcoming and friendly school. The relationships between adults and pupils are warm and nurturing.

Pupils are well cared for, happy and safe. They enjoy coming to school.

Pupils are polite and helpful.

They demonstrate good manners, for example by sensibly holding doors open for adults and their peers. Most pupils behave well and are kind to each other. They enjoy earning badges and certificates.

Pupils are proud to be chosen as the star of the week.

The curriculum is enhanced through a range of exciting visits. Pupils have enjoyed visits to indoor and outdoor adventure centres, a castle and a steam railway.<...br/>
Pupils say they loved eating their lunch on a steam train. Recently, some pupils visited a Christmas tree farm where they chose the Christmas tree for the school hall.

Pupils are enthusiastic about 'first-hand Fridays'.

Pupils have the opportunity to learn new skills such as cooking, sewing and crafting. Pupils have particularly enjoyed learning how to make batter. They have cooked pancakes and Yorkshire puddings.

One child said he could not wait to make toad in the hole.

The school provides a range of clubs for all pupils to enjoy. Pupils can attend forest school, football, gymnastics and dance clubs.

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

Leaders at all levels have high expectations for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They are determined to improve outcomes for all.

With the support of the trust, the school has recently reviewed the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious and builds pupils' knowledge over time.

Leaders have identified the key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember. Some subjects are in the early stages of implementation. However, leaders are focused on ensuring that all subjects are fully embedded as quickly as possible.

The school places a high priority on learning to read as quickly as possible. Phonics is taught from the start of Reception. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme.

Pupils who need extra help receive the support they need to catch up. Pupils' books match the sounds they can read. This helps them to practise the sounds they know to become confident readers.

The school promotes a love of reading through a variety of activities such as holiday reading challenges and daily story time. Pupils recently enjoyed a visit from the story bus.

In some subjects, such as mathematics and early reading, teachers use assessment well to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge.

However, this is not the case in all subjects. Leaders recognise that they have not yet developed an effective system for checking what pupils know in the foundation subjects. As a result, leaders and teachers are unable to check if pupils have the necessary knowledge for future learning.

In music, pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They can recall their learning well. They understand key vocabulary such as beat and pitch.

They participate enthusiastically in singing assemblies and say that they have become better singers. However, in some subjects, staff's expectations of pupils' learning behaviours and the presentation of pupils' work are not always consistently high. In these subjects, pupils do not always take pride in their work.

In some lessons, they become distracted, meaning they do not learn as well as they could.

The carefully planned early years curriculum ensures children get off to a flying start. Clear expectations help children to play together and develop their social skills.

Staff establish routines and encourage positive behaviour right from when children first start at the school. Adults interact skilfully with the children, developing their knowledge and vocabulary. Resources in the provision are carefully chosen.

This means that children have access to activities that develop their knowledge of all areas of learning, including in early reading and number.

There are effective systems and processes for identifying pupils with SEND. Leaders have thought carefully about the provision for pupils with additional needs.

Teachers use a range of strategies to remove barriers to learning for these pupils. This helps these pupils to access the same curriculum as their peers.

In personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) lessons, pupils are taught about different types of friendships and families.

Pupils know that it is important to treat others with respect. They learn about equality and know that girls and boys can like the same things. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online.

They know that people may not be who they say they are when playing games online.

Staff appreciate and value the support they receive from the school's leaders and the trust. Leaders at all levels are mindful of staff well-being and workload.

Staff are dedicated and are proud to be members of the Cockburn Haigh Road community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has recently reviewed its curriculum to ensure that all subjects are well sequenced and progressive.

Some subjects are at an early stage of implementation. They are not embedded well. Leaders should continue to embed the curriculum across all foundation subjects.

• In some subjects, the school has not yet developed systems for checking what pupils know and remember. This means that teachers are unable to check that all pupils have the necessary knowledge for future learning. The school needs to develop effective systems to identify gaps in learning and check that pupils know and remember more.

• In some lessons, pupils become distracted, and they lack concentration. In these sessions pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that all staff have high expectations of behaviour at all times.

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