Discovery Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Discovery Academy continues to be a good school.

The head of school is Tony Leigh. This school is part of MacIntyre Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the interim head of Macintyre Academies Trust, Andy Moran, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Macmillan. There is also an executive principal, Emily Hopkins-Hayes, who is responsible for this school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is made to feel welcome at this school.

Leaders want the best outcomes for all pupils. Staff work hard to build positive relationships with pupils and to help them fe...el welcome within the school community. Pupils speak positively about the support and guidance that staff provide.

This helps them to overcome barriers to learning. As a result, most pupils have a positive school experience.

The school has established clear expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Pupils understand the systems in place. They know how to access support when they need it or to speak to a trusted adult if they have any worries. Typically, the school is calm and orderly.

Generally, pupils behave well. Any relationship breakdowns are supported well by both the compassionate schools and the 'family footings' team.

Leaders cater for pupils' personal development particularly well.

Pupils have access to many opportunities. These include sports, mindfulness, arts, coding, drumming sessions and outdoor activities such as forest school. Pupils benefit from trips and visits to, for example, museums and theatres.

These experiences enhance their understanding of the curriculum. Pupils enjoy taking part in leadership responsibilities, including being student councillors or being part of the LGBTQ group. All of this helps pupils to play an active role in school life.

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

Leaders have implemented a curriculum that is of similar breadth, depth and ambition to the national curriculum. In most subjects, the curriculum is well thought out, and careful consideration has been given to what pupils will learn and when. In history, for example, this helps pupils consolidate their understanding before making connections and analysing historical events.

Similarly, in art, the curriculum is progressively layered, with pupils learning about patterns and three-dimensional shapes before moving on to more complex work. However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not identified clearly the most important concepts that pupils need to know and remember. This means that pupils are not always building their knowledge over time in a sequential way.

Staff take careful note of the advice in pupils' education, health and care (EHC) plans. This helps to ensure that pupils receive appropriate support in class. Teachers use assessment well to check that pupils are progressing through the curriculum and to identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge.

Reading is promoted throughout the school. All pupils receive daily reading sessions, and most confidently read from books that match the sounds they know. Older pupils who may have fallen behind get extra, targeted support to help them catch up quickly so that they can access the rest of the curriculum.

There is a systematic approach to teaching early reading. All staff have benefited from high-quality training to enable them to deliver the phonics programme effectively. Pupils are engaged in these sessions and make good progress.

Staff manage pupils' behaviour well. This is because appropriate strategies are in place to support pupils to regulate their behaviour and remain focused on their learning. Attendance is an ongoing focus for the school, and leaders are aware of this.

Some pupils have been out of school for a significant period. The school works alongside external agencies to bring about improvements in pupils' attendance. Their work is leading to increases in the attendance of most pupils.

However, there are a small number of pupils who are still absent from school too often. Consequently, these pupils miss out on essential learning.

Leaders have made sure that there is a programme of activities that helps pupils to develop their individual character and sense of responsibility.

Pupils learn the importance of tolerance and respect for people who may live their lives differently or have different backgrounds or beliefs. Through the curriculum, pupils are taught about a wide range of important personal and social issues, including how to keep safe online and how to build positive and healthy relationships. This prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

The school's offer to promote careers information, education, advice and guidance is strong. Pupils take part in work experience, attend careers fairs and receive visits from guest speakers from the fire service, police, and hospitality and health services. Pupils also access a skills-builder programme, writing workshops and travel training.

Staff ensure that pupils leave school at the end of key stage 4 or post-16 with appropriate qualifications to access further education, training or employment of their choice.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about how the school is led. Staff feel very well supported by the school and trust leaders.

They report that it is a happy place to work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the precise knowledge that the school wants pupils to learn is not clearly identified.

This lack of precision creates gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should ensure that the precise knowledge that pupils are expected to learn is clearly identified within these subjects. ? The attendance of some pupils remains too low.

These pupils are not fully benefiting from the education that the school provides. The school should ensure that improved oversight of attendance reflects the latest advice and guidance, and it should continue to work with pupils, their families and external agencies to ensure that these pupils attend school frequently.

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 July 2018.