High Point Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

High Point Academy is a nurturing and inclusive school. Pupils are happy, safe and well cared for.

The school pays serious attention to meeting the needs of individual pupils. Consequently, pupils achieve well.

The school caters for pupils with autism.

Staff are highly skilled at understanding the barriers to learning for each individual pupil. All pupils have their own individual holistic pupil activity plan. These plans set out the tailored support and activities needed to help pupils overcome any barriers.

Relationships between staff and pupils are respectful and caring. Staff understand how pupils' behaviours are a form of communication. Staff ta...ke time to understand and respond sensitively to individual pupils' behaviours.

Behaviour across school is calm and orderly. Pupils are settled and content.

Pupils embody the 'ACE' values of the school.

These include ambition, challenge and encouraging independence. For example, pupils are given responsibilities, such as caring for the school dog, Farla. Furthermore, pupils have opportunities to follow their interests and talents.

These include music and dance clubs as well as sports commentating. All of this means that the school is preparing pupils well for their futures.

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

The school is led by ambitious leaders who are committed to the education and lives of pupils in their care.

Pupils arrive from many different settings and mostly from mainstream schools. Since the school opened, there has been an increase in pupils arriving with more complex needs. The school and the trust have responded quickly and have adapted the curriculum to include pathways to help and support all pupils effectively.

At this point in time, the school continues to develop and refine areas of the curriculum, as they respond to the growing numbers of pupils.

The curriculum is designed to support pupils through two pathways. This allows pupils with similar needs to learn together.

In many subjects, such as design and technology, leaders have carefully thought about what additional knowledge pupils will need in their daily lives. This supports pupils' preparation for adulthood well. For example, pupils learn how to change batteries and fuses, fill holes in walls and other practical activities.

In addition, pupils are taught subject-specific vocabulary for different tools. Pupils build on their knowledge over time in a progressive and logical order. However, this is not the case in all subject areas.

In some subjects, the specific-subject knowledge leaders want pupils to learn is not as clearly defined. This slows pupils' learning in these areas.

The classroom and whole-school environment are carefully designed to support pupils' communication and interaction needs.

Staff develop resources to help pupils learn the curriculum. For example, symbols and visual aids are created in each subject area to help pupils access their learning successfully. Pupils who need help with their expressive communication, including pupils who do not use verbal language, are taught how to use different systems and aids, such as signing, communication books and electronic devices.

Furthermore, the school has a strong understanding of how pupils' mental health and well-being can be affected by their associated communication and interaction needs. Leaders ensure pupils get the help and support they need. Consequently, all the support that is put in place means that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are met exceptionally well here.

The school promotes the love of reading from the start. Some pupils arrive with a negative view of reading. Staff reignite pupils' love of books and reading through daily reading activities.

In English, pupils study a wide range of texts. Pupils are given opportunities to gain qualifications in English by the time they leave school. However, for a small number of pupils, who are at the early stages of reading, a systematic approach to teaching phonics is not in place.

Although, pupils are given daily opportunities to practise phonics, this is not delivered in a structured and progressive way. This means they are not catching up as quickly as they could.

The school works closely with external agencies to help understand pupils' emotions, anxieties and worries.

Pupils sit together and share their thoughts and emotions with one another. Pupils offer advice and strategies to help each other. This in turn builds and develops their character very well.

Pupils are given various opportunities for accessing careers advice, work experience and vocational learning. Pupils are well prepared for their next stages of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the specific-subject knowledge leaders want pupils to learn is not defined or sequenced clearly. This slows pupils' learning and means they are not achieving as well as they could. The school should ensure that the essential knowledge is identified in all parts of the curriculum and sequenced clearly over time.

• For a very small number of pupils, who are at the early stages of reading, a progressive and systematic approach to teaching phonics is not in place. This means that pupils are not learning how to read fluently, or as quickly as they are capable of learning. The school should ensure that phonics is taught in a systematic way and that staff are given the necessary training to deliver this.

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