Phoenix Park Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Phoenix Park Academy continues to be a good school.

The executive principal of this school is Phil Hutchinson. This school is part of Wellspring Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mark Wilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Cheryl Hobson.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are offered a fresh start at this school. All have experienced previous difficulties in mainstream education. All have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Staff provide calm, dedicated help to pupils. They get to know pupils very well. There are warm, ...caring relationships.

Pupils feel safe and respected as individuals.

The school provides carefully considered support and personalised education to meet pupils' needs. This includes pupils who struggle to attend.

Staff check often that support is appropriate and that pupils' curriculum pathways are aspirational. There are high expectations for pupils' learning and behaviour. Staff teach pupils a 'toolkit' of strategies to help them to understand and manage their own behaviour.

Pupils' next steps are at the heart of the school's work. They broaden their knowledge and skills during their time here. Older pupils gain academic and vocational qualifications.

Pupils enjoy a range of outdoor education opportunities, including rock climbing. They take part in activities to inform them about future career choices. These include experiencing workshops about engineering and renewable energy.

They develop life skills by holding positions of responsibility and taking part in work experience. Pupils like cooking, and enjoy trips as rewards, such as go-karting.

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

Pupils' needs are assessed thoroughly when they join the school.

Any gaps in pupils' learning are identified quickly. Staff tailor support and the type of curriculum to pupils' individual learning and personal development needs.

The curriculum is broad and ambitious.

It is clearly sequenced. Staff match learning to what pupils know already and what they need to learn next in different subjects. Pupils learn in small groups.

Classroom environments are calm places for them to learn in. Pupils, including those with education, health and care plans, are well supported. Staff provide a range of resources to reduce pupils' anxiety and to help them to learn.

Skilled staff are on hand to provide pastoral support. Pupils appreciate being able to use 'chill-out' rooms to take time out.

The school liaises well with commissioning schools and the local authority.

The school aims to ensure that pupils who can return to mainstream school do so in a timely way. Teaching strategies support this transition. In mathematics, pupils in the primary phase are taught using a similar approach to that used in most mainstream schools.

This helps pupils to keep up with their mainstream peers.

Reading is a high priority. Pupils read often.

They enjoy reading a variety of texts using the school's online reading tool. An appropriate phonics programme supports pupils in the early stages of learning to read. Books match the sounds that pupils know.

However, some pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to practise using their phonics, to develop their fluency.

The trust supports the school's strong focus on reducing persistent absence. Creative initiatives, such as the minibus that has been converted into a mobile classroom, are having a positive impact.

Staff take the minibus out to teach pupils in the community. A broad vocational and outdoor education offer helps to motivate pupils to learn. There are good examples of how the school has improved the attendance of individual pupils over time.

The curriculum to support pupils' wider development is at the heart of the school's work. Pupils learn about a variety of relevant themes. These include diversity, safe use of social media, knife crime and fundamental British values.

Pupils learn how to stay safe in their local community and learn about the importance of good mental health. They receive appropriate relationships and sex education and health education. There is a suitable programme to teach pupils about potential opportunities for further education, training and employment.

Pupils receive independent advice and guidance to help them to make informed decisions.

Most staff enjoy working at the school and with their colleagues. They value the training provided by the school and the trust.

They feel that the school treats them fairly and with respect for their welfare and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils in the early stages of learning to read do not always have sufficient opportunities to practise using their phonics.

This makes it difficult for them to develop their fluency. Leaders should ensure that teachers know how to support pupils to practise their phonics to help them develop their fluency when reading.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.