Paxton Academy Sports And Science

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Paxton Academy, pupils are happy and enjoy learning. Leaders have worked successfully to transform all aspects of pupils' education.

They make sure that pupils achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders and staff share high expectations. They are aspirational for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders and staff have established clear routines and expectations for behaviour. The school environment is calm and orderly. In lessons, pupils are typically very focused on their learning.

Pupils understand what bullying is. Adults sort out any issues or worries quickly. Pupils know and understand the school'...s values that spell out the word 'respect'.

These values are modelled by staff and put into practice by pupils themselves through their considerate conduct throughout the school day. For example, the value of 'care' was seen at playtimes, both in the nurturing relationships between adults and pupils and the role that older pupils took in supporting younger ones.

Pupils take part in many carefully planned enrichment opportunities.

For example, pupils visit different places of worship and participate in community projects. Most recently, older pupils are proud to have been involved in a 'spoken word project'. They also created their own film about inspirational people in their community.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious and clearly sequenced curriculum that is broad and balanced. Curriculum goals for all subjects are coherent and well sequenced. Leaders know exactly what important knowledge, skills and vocabulary they want pupils to learn and remember.

From the Reception Year through to Year 6, they make sure that pupils learn and understand this knowledge. Nevertheless, in those subjects where improvements to the curriculum are more recent, pupils' knowledge is not as secure and deep as leaders intend. Leaders are already addressing this.

Their work is tightly focused on making sure that the curriculum is well embedded in classroom practice and enables pupils to remember key ideas in the long term.

Staff consistently think about the best way to help pupils understand new subject content. Teachers plan lessons that build on what the pupils already know and can do.

Pupils have regular opportunities to practise and recall prior learning. Teachers check how well pupils are learning and identify any gaps that need to be addressed. This means that pupils achieve well.

The school lives and breathes reading. Making sure that all pupils become fluent and enthusiastic readers is a clear strength in leaders' work. Reading and the use of high-quality texts are promoted at every opportunity.

Children learn phonics as soon as they start school in Reception. All staff are trained and are skilled at delivering the phonics programme. This means that children quickly begin to develop their fluency in reading.

They practise with books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. As they become more fluent, staff check pupils' understanding of what they have read. Teachers skilfully identify gaps in pupils' learning and provide any extra support that pupils need to do well.

Older pupils also benefit from a structured approach to the teaching of reading. This means that they fully develop all the reading skills needed to become confident and independent readers. Pupils enjoy opportunities to read for pleasure and their daily 'talk for story' sessions.

They are enthusiastic about reading. They particularly like the wide range of books available for them to choose from, including those in the boxes of key author books that rotate between classes.

Pupils with SEND are supported well.

Leaders work well with parents and external agencies to identify pupils' needs and to put effective support in place. Teachers and teaching assistants adapt lesson materials and resources to help these pupils to achieve well. For example, they break down tasks into small steps to make it easier for pupils to understand ideas.

Leaders and staff are committed to preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as becoming a school council member or a monitor. Equality is one of the school's values, and pupils are taught why this is important.

They learn that not all families are the same and that everyone has the right to be treated with respect. Pupils are also taught about how to keep physically and mentally healthy.

The commitment and decision making from leaders at all levels, including the trust and the local academy committee, has resulted in rapid and sustained improvement across all areas of the school.

Those responsible for governance provide the right balance of support and challenge and hold leaders to account.

Staff are proud to work here and feel well supported by leaders, with their workload and well-being high up on the agenda.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders prioritise safeguarding. All staff receive regular training to help them identify pupils who may be vulnerable or at risk. Staff report and record all concerns to leaders, who act quickly and effectively to keep pupils safe.

Leaders work with external agencies if needed to get pupils and their families the help they need. Those responsible for governance are also well trained in safeguarding. Their knowledge means that they can support leaders to review and strengthen arrangements where necessary.

As part of the curriculum, pupils learn about risks and are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online.Checks are carried out to ensure that staff and visitors are appropriately vetted before they are allowed into school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the curriculum has not been in place for very long.

As a result, pupils' recall of some of the subject content that they have learned is not fully secure. Leaders need to continue their work to embed and strengthen the curriculum. They should maintain their focus on making sure that the curriculum enables pupils to acquire a secure and detailed understanding of the concepts and ideas identified in curriculum thinking.