Coppice Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen learners and enjoy coming to school. They feel safe because adults care for them and look after them.

Staff know pupils very well and work hard to nurture their talents and interests.

Leaders have created a purposeful learning atmosphere, where new pupils are made to feel welcome. Leaders communicate effectively with families.

This has helped to build an inclusive school community.

Leaders have high expectations for behaviour. Most pupils live up to these expectations.

Pupils are polite and well mannered. For instance, they greet visitors, and they hold doors open for staff. Pupils know how to report bullying.

They k...now that leaders listen to them and take any allegations of bullying seriously.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs and activities. Many eagerly anticipate residential trips.

Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy and enjoy participating in sporting opportunities and tournaments. In addition, some pupils take on leadership roles. This gives them an enhanced sense of pride.

The school has been through a period of change. Leaders, governors and staff are ambitious for pupils and want all to succeed. Their work has led to many improvements, especially in the quality of education.

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

The teaching of reading is a high priority in school and underpins the whole curriculum. Recent changes in the approach to teaching phonics have made a positive difference. Staff understand how to teach phonics well.

Pupils who fall behind are helped to keep up. Teachers promote a love of reading through storytelling and the use of high-quality resources. As one pupil said, 'We are a reading school'.

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. They have designed a curriculum that builds pupils' knowledge logically year by year. They have identified what they expect pupils to learn in each subject.

In art and design, for example, pupils learn how to make progress in drawing techniques. They practise sketching before going on to complete more complex drawings. Pupils learn about different artists and speak with pride about their work.

They remember what they have learned before and can apply this knowledge to new learning. Staff use assessment to check what pupils know and to steer new learning.

Leaders provide staff with guidance about all areas of the curriculum.

However, there is some variation in staff's subject knowledge. For example, in mathematics, sometimes, teachers' choice of resources does not sufficiently match what pupils need to learn.Some pupils are new to English and are developing their fluency and confidence in spoken English.

Leaders know that some of these pupils need more help to further develop their spoken language skills.

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. Teachers know these pupils' strengths and identify their needs with precision.

This helps staff to adapt their approach when planning learning. Additional help is used effectively if any pupils need extra support.

The school's new approach to behaviour management is helping pupils to follow the school routines.

Pupils move around school sensibly and calmly. Leaders are taking positive steps to support pupils' emotional and mental health. In most classes, pupils are attentive and focused on their learning.

A few pupils find it hard to regulate their emotions. At times, this affects the learning of others. Staff are not always consistent in how they manage these situations.

Leaders have ensured that the school's curriculum develops pupils' understanding of life in modern Britain. For example, pupils consider environmental issues and their impact on the community. Some pupils raise awareness of these issues by working as eco-councillors.

For instance, they encourage all pupils to walk to school on Wednesdays.

Governors know the school well and provide able support to leaders and staff. This has helped to bring about improvements.

For example, governors have supported leaders to bring about changes to the school's reading curriculum.

Leaders are considerate of the workload of teachers.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that everyone understands the importance of safeguarding. They place emphasis on training staff so that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. Staff carry out these responsibilities well.

For instance, staff are alert to changes in pupils' behaviour, and they know how to report concerns. Leaders' approach to record-keeping is thorough and robust. They are tenacious in following up on any referrals made to other agencies.

Work with external organisations to support pupils and their families is strong. Through the curriculum, staff teach pupils how to stay safe, both in school and when outside in the community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's support for the spoken language of some pupils, including some who are new to speaking English, could be stronger.

Currently, some pupils do not develop their spoken language as well as they might. Leaders should provide staff with support to help them adapt teaching so that all pupils are able to develop their English vocabulary as well as possible. ? The mathematics curriculum is not implemented as well as it could be.

At times, the choice of resources made by teachers is not matched carefully enough to what pupils need to learn. When this happens, pupils do not make the most of learning in lessons. Leaders should review the way staff use resources in mathematics to ensure that the school's policy is consistently applied.

• There is variation in how well staff manage the behaviour of pupils. Sometimes, pupils' learning is interrupted by others. Leaders should ensure that the school's agreed approach to the management of behaviour is consistently applied by all staff.