Gateway Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school which is truly at the heart of its community. Pupils talk about the 'Gateway Way' and how this helps them to enjoy school, be happy and stay safe. Pupils display impeccable behaviour and rise to the very high expectations set by their teachers.

Pupils know that bullying is not tolerated. Leaders deal with all incidents promptly and efficiently. Pupils said this helps them to feel confident in school.

Pupils appreciate the many opportunities they have to learn about the world around them. For example, they enjoy spending time in the quiet garden and the eco-classroom where they grow plants, herbs and vegetables.

Pupils achieve well in their le...arning.

Everyone is focused on preparing each pupil for the next stage in their education. Partnerships with parents and carers as well as the wider community make a strong contribution to pupils' learning. Leaders provide a wide range of well-thought-out links with organisations to broaden pupils' experiences.

For example, pupils get to work with West End theatres, national charities and local community groups.

Pupils are proud ambassadors of their school. They enjoy representing Gateway at competitions and events, such as in football matches at Regent's Park.

Pupils work together in their team 'houses'. This encourages older pupils to act as excellent role models to others during special occasions, including poetry slams and sports events.

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

Leaders make sure that reading has a high profile in the school.

It all begins in the early years where children start to learn to use phonics for reading and writing. As they move through Years 1 and 2, pupils develop into fluent and competent readers. They become increasingly confident in tackling new words.

Teachers help pupils to develop an understanding of what they are reading. Leaders have reorganised the approaches to teaching reading in Years 3 to 6. Pupils really like this.

They said that it helps them to ask and answer questions more confidently about texts and authors. Pupils achieve well in reading.

Children in the early years are very well supported.

Teachers are particularly good at helping children to develop their communication and language. This helps children to thrive, especially those who join the school with limited understanding of English. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well.

From the early years up, teachers are skilled at identifying and supporting pupils' specific needs.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve highly. They have developed a curriculum which is rich in opportunities to broaden pupils' horizons.

Leaders have worked out what pupils need to learn in each subject. In most subjects, pupils' learning is sequenced in a way that helps them to build their knowledge securely. For example, children in Reception recapped their understanding of counting to match different amounts of objects to different numbers.

In Year 2, pupils built on their prior knowledge of number to solve calculation problems accurately. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 used what they had been taught previously to read unfamiliar words using phonics strategies. For example, they knew how to spot split digraphs and how to 'chunk' longer words into two parts.

In a few subjects, there are some inconsistencies in how the curriculum is planned. For example, sometimes, it is not clear how pupils will develop their knowledge and skills over time. In most subjects, teachers are clear about how bigger learning goals are broken down into smaller steps.

But in some subjects this is not as well planned. This sometimes affects what pupils know and remember in these subjects.

Teachers use assessments effectively in order to check pupils' learning in mathematics and reading, including phonics.

In the other subjects, sometimes teachers' checks on how well pupils are learning are not as helpful as they could be. For example, they do not focus on what pupils know and remember in some subjects or units of work.

Children in the early years settle in brilliantly.

They quickly learn the routines and enjoy their time in school. For example, children in the Nursery waited patiently for their turn to wash their hands before coming in from outside. This excellent behaviour continues as pupils get older.

Throughout the school, pupils show high levels of respect for others. In lessons, pupils demonstrate a thirst for learning. Learning is hardly ever disrupted.

Pupils are proud of their school. They take on jobs willingly and treat their roles seriously. For example, school councillors use breaktimes to get out and about to seek their classmates' views of school life.

Older pupils take pride in managing the weekly assemblies. They stand alongside leaders in preparing the rewards for excellent attendance and great behaviour.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development in all that they do.

A wide range of programmes, including through assemblies, fairs and special events, help to teach pupils about others. For example, in an age-appropriate way, they are taught about healthy relationships, different religions and different types of family.

Leaders, including governors, have worked successfully to maintain high standards in the school.

Staff said they enjoy working as part of the 'Gateway Family'. They feel that leaders take staff well-being seriously. Staff feel valued and listened to.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including through a well-planned programme of computing and internet safety. Staff are vigilant to pupils' needs and know how to identify the potential signs that pupils might be at risk of harm.

Pupils said they feel safe in school. They are confident that staff deal with any problems very well.

Leaders' systems are robust for reporting and monitoring concerns about pupils' welfare.

Leaders make sure that families get the support they need in order to keep pupils safe and well cared for.

Leaders ensure that the required suitability checks are undertaken before staff and volunteers start at the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have worked hard to develop a curriculum which is ambitious.

However, in some of the foundation subjects, what pupils need to learn is not coherently planned. This leads to some inconsistencies in how well these subjects are delivered. Sometimes, checks on pupils' understanding in some of the foundation subjects do not focus on the subject content that pupils know and remember.

Leaders should ensure that the foundation subjects are all planned coherently. They should ensure that pupils build up their knowledge securely in these subjects as they move through the school. Leaders should ensure that teachers' checks in these subjects focus on what pupils know and remember.