Royal Wootton Bassett Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy and sixth form has a strong sense of community. The school's values of respect, well-being, balance and aspiration are shared by staff and pupils. The school supports pupils to achieve well.

They leave the school with the skills and qualifications they need to be successful in their next steps.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Lessons take place without disruption and the school is calm.

On occasions there are incidents of bullying. Pupils know that this is unacceptable and are keen to report it to adults. The school does not tolerate bullying and will act to address concerns.

However, it also reco...gnises that some pupils need further support to make sure incidents are resolved fully.

Pupils are proud to belong to one of the houses in the school. They enjoy the inter-house competitions that take place.

The school provides a range of clubs to develop pupils' wider interests and talents. For example, clubs such as comic book club, competitive sport and Duke of Edinburgh. Students in the sixth form are role models to younger pupils.

They volunteer as peer readers and sports coaches as part of their commitment to make the school one that they are proud to attend.

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

The school's curriculum is broad and ambitious. Subjects have set out what it is important for pupils to know and understand.

The 'Bassett Lesson' includes time for pupils to recall their previous work so that they can make links to their new learning. Most subjects identify the most effective methods for teaching so that pupils can remember their learning well over time. Students in the sixth form have opportunities to stretch their understanding and develop their use of vocabulary in preparation for higher education.

Teachers are knowledgeable and passionate about sharing their subjects with pupils. However, how some teachers check that pupils understand does not identify accurately enough what pupils know or can do. This means that teachers cannot then adapt the curriculum to help pupils to address any mistakes or resolve gaps in their knowledge and understanding.

The school values reading as an important skill for life. The weakest readers are identified and supported effectively to improve their fluency and comprehension skills. Pupils are encouraged to develop a love of reading during lessons and through shared reading activities.

The school accurately identifies those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It provides additional support to these pupils through facilities, such as Big Pod and Little Pod. The intention is that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers.

However, at times, teaching is not adapted precisely enough to meet the needs of these pupils effectively. Consequently, on these occasions, they do not learn as well as they could.

The school's 'I learn' personal development programme teaches pupils about healthy relationships, different cultures and how to remain physically and mentally well.

Topics are age-appropriate and reviewed regularly to make sure that they remain relevant to pupils' lives in the local area. For example, the school provides workshops about keeping safe from knife crime. Pupils have a strong awareness of the fundamental values that are important in modern Britain.

The Student Parliament includes cabinets which look at different areas of school life. Pupils feel heard by the school and are proud when their suggestions become a reality. Such as the introduction of the girls' rugby team.

Pupils receive effective careers education, information, advice and guidance. The school works with local businesses to provide pupils with experiences to learn about the workplace. Careers fairs and guest speakers help pupils to understand the future paths that are available to them.

Students in the sixth form value the support they receive to make informed choices about education, apprenticeships and employment.

The school and trust seek to engage with all members of the school community. They gather regularly the views of parents and carers about different aspects of the school's work.

The school is also considerate of the workload and well-being of staff, particularly those who are new to the profession. Staff are proud to work at the school.

The methods used to monitor and evaluate the quality of different aspects of school life do not provide leaders with accurate enough information about the relative strengths of the school.

Consequently, the school is unaware of where plans are not being fully implemented and, therefore, are not having the full intended positive impact for pupils. The trust has begun to support the school with more accurate self-evaluation to inform future school improvement priorities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasion, the curriculum is not adapted precisely enough to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Consequently, these pupils do not learn those elements of the curriculum as well as their peers. The school should ensure that teachers have the information and support that they need to adapt the curriculum to meet the learning needs of pupils with SEND effectively.

• Assessment within the classroom sometimes does not help adults accurately identify pupils' starting points or gaps in their knowledge and understanding. This means that some pupils do not receive the support or challenge they need to learn as well as they might. The school should make sure that assessment routines check for understanding and that the curriculum is adapted accordingly in response.

The systems and processes that the school uses to assure the quality of some aspects of the school's work are not effective enough. As a result, the school is unaware of where things are working as intended or not. The school needs to improve the effectiveness of assurance approaches and self-evaluation to inform future leadership and governance decisions.