Emerson Park Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and governors have high expectations for pupils. Pupils study an ambitious curriculum.

This includes studying all the subjects of the national curriculum for at least three years. Pupils typically achieve well and enjoy their learning.

There is a positive school culture in which staff and pupils respect each other.

Recently, leaders have been rightly focused on improving pupils' behaviour. Staff said that this has made a positive difference. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is typically calm.

Pupils are happy and safe. The personal, social, and health education (PSHE) programme is valued by pupils. It teaches them that everyone is e...qual and has the right to be accepted without exception.

Derogatory language or bullying are not tolerated by pupils or staff. If any bullying does take place, it is taken seriously and dealt with.

The school's extra-curricular programme is returning to normal after the impact of COVID-19.

This programme includes a wide range of activities such as sign language, science club and many different sports. Pupils also take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the Volunteer Police Cadets.

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

Leaders have established a well-ordered curriculum that is at least as ambitious as the national curriculum.

This ensures that knowledge introduced in one year is built upon in subsequent years. For example, in geography, pupils' understanding of grid references becomes increasingly sophisticated as they revisit and deepen their knowledge of this skill.

The percentage of pupils in Years 10 and 11 who study a modern foreign language is low.

Leaders are taking effective steps to address this. For example, this year the proportion of Year 9 pupils wanting to study a language at GCSE has increased. This, together with other work, is ensuring that the number of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate qualification in Years 10 and 11 increases.

Currently, this is below the national average.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum as their peers. These pupils receive specific support that is well matched to their identified needs.

Pupils who need additional help with reading are identified early. They are well supported to catch up with their peers through a tailored curriculum that prioritises reading. Leaders have confirmed plans are in place to develop this support further from September 2022.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and present new information clearly. Assessment is used well by some teachers to check what pupils know and remember. However, sometimes, assessment is not used to inform teaching or help pupils to improve.

In a few classes, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve.

The behaviour of pupils is typically calm. When this is not the case, heads of department, supported by senior leaders, help staff to address it.

The rates of persistent absence in the school are high. Leaders are working hard to tackle this and are taking appropriate steps to address it.

Leaders have established a carefully thought-through programme that teaches pupils about relationships and sex education and health education.

This programme revisits important concepts, such as consent, each year in an age-appropriate way. Leaders provide a comprehensive careers programme that offers pupils unbiased careers advice, work experience and contact with employers.

Leaders have overseen a significant building project to improve the school's facilities.

However, there has been less focus on some aspects that underpin the quality of education in the school. For example, leaders have not given sufficient thought to how they improve all teachers' subject-specific knowledge to enhance the delivery of the curriculum.

Governors have played a key role in ensuring the financial stability of the school and that resources are managed well.

However, they have not provided leaders with sufficient support and challenge in relation to the quality of education. This means that governors have an overly positive view of the school in some areas.

Staff feel well supported by leaders, especially by their heads of department.

Leaders act on the views of staff and are considerate of their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe and are well cared for by staff.

They know who to contact if they have any worries. There are appropriate systems in place for staff to report any safeguarding concerns. Records are accurate and show that concerns are followed up quickly with external agencies, if necessary.

Leaders ensure that in-school counselling, mentoring and medical support is available to pupils if they need additional help. The PSHE curriculum is refined by leaders to take account of any specific safeguarding risks that they become aware of.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is no coordinated plan to systematically develop teachers' subject and pedagogical knowledge.

This means that teachers do not have sufficient opportunity to develop their expertise in implementing the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that there is a clear plan to develop teachers' knowledge in order to enhance the teaching of the curriculum and the effective use of assessment. ? Governors do not hold leaders to account sufficiently well for the quality of education.

This is because they do not have sufficient knowledge and oversight of this area to challenge leaders effectively. Governors should ensure that they have the necessary information and expertise to hold senior leaders to account for all aspects of quality of education. ? The rates of persistent absence in the school are high.

This means that some pupils do not attend school frequently enough and so miss out on important learning. Leaders are currently addressing this through a range of appropriate actions. It is critical that governors and leaders carefully monitor the impact of these actions so that they can be refined and updated if necessary.