Huntingdon Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is valued in this welcoming and inspiring school.

The school's vision of 'individual growth and empowerment for all' enables all pupils to believe in themselves.Pupils love coming to school. Staff know pupils well and set the highest of expectations for learning and behaviour.

Pupils rise to these expectations. They achieve exceptionally well. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

There is a strong focus on the school's values of listening, thinking, communication and collaboration. Across the school, pupils consistently demonstrate these values. Pupils feel safe and thrive here.

Pupils know that they are essential members of the school community.... They take on extra responsibilities with pride. Subject ambassadors help pupils with their learning.

The school councillors are voted in by their peers. They play an integral role in running fundraising events and the school's culture day. Pupils develop a strong sense of responsibility which helps to maintain the positive, happy, and inclusive culture that everyone enjoys.

Pupils benefit from an extensive range of high-quality wider curriculum experiences. The school uses 'hooks into learning', ranging from exciting treasure hunts to exploring mummification and undertaking educational visits. Year 6 pupils particularly enjoyed their trip to Perlethorpe for an evacuation experience.

These events ignite pupils' enthusiasm for learning.

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

The school's curriculum is meticulously well structured and logically ordered. It provides teachers with detailed guidance about what to teach and when.

Effective staff training means that teachers have strong subject knowledge. They impart this well to pupils. Learning is broken down into small steps so that pupils learn new knowledge securely.

Teachers skilfully check pupils' understanding and address misconceptions quickly. This means that pupils do not repeat errors and that pupils' work is of a high quality. Teachers skilfully adapt activities to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

The school leaves no stone unturned in its quest to ensure that pupils learn to read. From the beginning of Nursery onwards, there is a sharp focus on developing children's communication and language. Staff deliver the school's chosen phonics programme with expertise.

Pupils gain confidence as they read books that contain the sounds they know. Staff make regular checks on pupils' reading. Any pupils who fall behind benefit from effective support to catch up quickly.

Pupils are avid readers. They love to earn tokens to spend at the school's well-stocked reading vending machine.

The early years environment is a magical place in which to learn.

Routines are well established. Adults love teaching as much as the children love learning. Expert staff make sure that they work closely with parents and carers and get to know children individually.

Staff design learning activities that match the children's needs and interests. As a result, children thrive. They demonstrate high levels of self-control and become eager learners.

The support for pupils who speak English as an additional language is exemplary. The school knows each and every pupil's needs well. The bespoke support from skilled staff enables these pupils to achieve extremely well across the curriculum.

Pupils who attend 'the hive' and 'nurture nest' are equally well supported. They access an appropriate curriculum that builds on their individual starting points towards clearly defined goals.

Pupils live and breathe the school's values in all aspects of school life.

They are exceptionally well behaved. They strive to earn 'value points' and love to spend their well-earned points at the prize shop. Pupils have beautiful manners.

They are taught that everyone is different and deserving of respect.

Pupils go out of their way to support worthy causes that are close to their hearts. Their recent fundraising is a big help towards a new community garden.

Pupils speak with pride when explaining the 'jobs' they apply for, such as running the 'snack shack' and being reading ambassadors. These roles help to prepare pupils extremely well for later life.

The exceptionally crafted personal, social and health education curriculum gives pupils a thorough understanding of healthy relationships and what it means to stay safe in the community and online.

The well-being club offers pupils time to reflect on, and look after, their mental health.

Staff are incredibly proud to be part of such a positive and successful team. They appreciate all that the school does to help their workload and well-being.

The governors, trust and school staff work in harmony to ensure that all pupils achieve exceptionally well. The school is a very special place for staff and pupils alike.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.