Foxwood Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Foxwood Academy continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand that the school's curriculum helps to prepare them for adulthood.

Pupils benefit from a range of rich experiences that are designed to support their transition into the wider world.

Pupils receive high-quality careers education and experience the world of work. They also take part in a wide range of trips and visits, participate in community events and take on responsibilities in school.

These activities all help to broaden their horizons.

Pupils enjoy attending Foxwood Academy. They feel happy and safe.

Their favourite things include their tea...chers, their lessons and their friends. Pupils behave well and the vast majority attend regularly.

Pupils raised no concerns about bullying.

They are confident that staff will quickly help them resolve any disputes that may arise. Pupils say there are members of staff they can talk to if they are worried about something, or if someone is being unkind.

Leaders and staff have high expectations of every pupil.

The curriculum is designed to help pupils develop their independence, contribute positively to society, nurture their employability skills and stay healthy. Staff help pupils to become confident learners.

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

Staff have correctly identified pupils' needs.

Pupils study an ambitious curriculum through one of three pathways, according to their needs. Knowledgeable, dedicated and well-trained staff support pupils to access the full curriculum. Staff use assessment effectively to inform their teaching and help pupils to fill gaps in their knowledge.

Reading is prioritised. Children are taught phonics from the time that they start school and pupils are helped to develop a love of reading. Confident readers are fluent and read with expression.

Pupils at the early stages of learning to read use their phonics knowledge to decipher words. Pupils understand the importance of reading. They know that it helps them to learn and that they will read in their adult lives.

Most pupils progress very well through the curriculum. It is well planned and well delivered in most subjects, particularly in English, mathematics and science. In some subjects, pupils do not yet build their knowledge as securely and deeply as in other subjects.

The delivery of the curriculum in one pathway is not yet as effective as in others. Some pupils in this pathway do not achieve as well as they could.

Almost all pupils continue their education when they leave the school.

Pupils gain a range of appropriate qualifications. All pupils achieve an accreditation in English and mathematics. As a result of their experiences in the school, some pupils eventually move into supported internships and paid employment.

The school's preparation for adulthood curriculum begins as soon as a pupil starts school. Pupils benefit from a curriculum that focuses on employment, independence, community and health.

The curriculum goes beyond the academic, vocational and technical to promote pupils' wider development.

Pupils are given a range of opportunities to develop their character and nurture their talents and interests. Staff provide these rich experiences in the curriculum and through extra-curricular activities. The personal development curriculum is high quality and coherently planned.

Careers education begins in the primary setting. Pupils are helped to develop high and realistic aspirations of what they can do. Staff prepare pupils for future success in education, employment and training.

Pupils benefit from good quality opportunities to encounter the world of work.

Staff deliberately promote fundamental British values and provide pupils with spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Pupils develop their knowledge of the wider world through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities.

Pupils talked enthusiastically about a recent show that they had seen in London.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. They help pupils to behave well in lessons and around the school.

Staff use appropriate strategies to help pupils regulate their own behaviour. There is a calm and purposeful climate for learning throughout the school.

The school is well led and managed.

Leaders use their accurate knowledge of the school's strengths and areas for development to inform actions to improve the school. Staff enjoy working at the school and they feel supported. They believe that leaders are always ready to listen and respond to feedback.

Staff value their professional development opportunities and feel motivated and respected. Leaders are considerate of staff workload and well-being.

Governance is strong.

Governors ensure that the school has a clear vision and strategy, that resources are managed well and that leaders are held to account for the quality of education that they provide. They use their knowledge, skills and experience to help the school fulfil its statutory duties.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school has a strong safeguarding culture. There are effective arrangements to identify pupils who may be at risk and to swiftly provide the support that they need. Staff are well trained and know the procedures that they must follow to help to keep pupils safe.

There are robust arrangements in place to ensure that staff are recruited safely.

The curriculum is designed to help pupils reduce the risk of being harmed. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations.

For example, they learn how to stay safe online and when they are travelling. Pupils feel safe in school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in some subjects, and one pathway, is not yet of the highest quality.

Pupils do not develop their understanding as well as they could in some areas. Leaders should ensure that pupils build their knowledge securely and deeply in all subjects and pathways.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2013.