Sawtry Village Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Sawtry Village Academy continues to be a good school.

The principal of this school is Simon Parsons.

This school is part of Meridian 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 Woods, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Shirley Jamieson.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak positively of Sawtry Village Academy and are proud of its inclusive culture.

One pupil commented that, 'As a person of colour, my experience has been brilliant.' This view is also reflected in comments from other pupils. Difference and diversity are accepted and cel...ebrated.

It is described as a happy place, where pupils feel safe and can talk to an adult if they are worried.

There are high expectations of pupils. Typically, pupils meet these expectations.

Most pupils behave well and work hard in lessons. At social times, pupils are sensible and polite. As a result, the school is calm and purposeful.

Pupils' hard work enables them to achieve well. They benefit from having consistent teaching. Examination results for the school are well above the national average.

Strong outcomes mean many pupils benefit from having a wide range of options in the next stage of their education or training.

There are opportunities for pupils to participate in a range of extra-curricular activities, such as sport and drama. There are also pupil leadership opportunities available, but these roles are not clear to all pupils.

As a result, they do not always know how to contribute to the life of the school.

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

The curriculum adopted by the school is typically well planned and sequenced. School staff have been directly involved in developing the trust curriculum plan followed at Sawtry.

Supported by effective, trust-led training, it is implemented by knowledgeable staff. Pupils achieve well.

Assessment of pupils' knowledge in lessons is generally effective.

In a small number of subjects, the delivery of the curriculum does not always address gaps in pupils' learning. This means that pupils are not always able to remember what they have learned.

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is effective.

The needs of pupils are assessed carefully, and communicated effectively to staff. Where pupils require additional help in the classroom, appropriate planning is undertaken. Pupils engage well with this support.

The school wants pupils to feel confident as readers and wants them to develop a love of reading. Several reading groups help engage pupils. Leaders take reading seriously and provide intervention activities when a pupil is identified as requiring more support.

Large numbers of pupils undertook a summer holiday reading challenge. As a result, pupils engage well with reading.

Pupils' attitudes to school are typically good.

They attend well and are punctual. While a small minority of pupils do not meet the high expectations of school staff, most pupils enjoy attending school and focus on learning. The school has appropriate systems in place for addressing any concerns around behaviour.

Sixth-form students demonstrate confidence, good manners and maturity. They are excellent role models.

There is a broad assembly and tutor programme of personal, social and health education.

This enables pupils to develop an age-appropriate knowledge of areas such as mental and physical health and online safety. Sixth-form students understand the implications of sexual harassment and would be confident to report this.

The school provides pupils with the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of school trips.

The 'trips roadmap' shared with pupils enables them to know what opportunities they will have as they move through the school. Pupils talk enthusiastically about 'PLEDGES', which enable them to achieve recognition for undertaking activities, such as the '44 things to do before you are 14'.

The school is well led and managed.

School staff are proud to work at Sawtry. They feel valued and motivated. The trust has a forensic understanding of the school.

It has clear systems in place for supporting and challenging school leaders to ensure high standards for all pupils. A comprehensive programme of professional development opportunities is provided for staff. The parental community is overwhelmingly supportive of the school.

One parent commented, 'My child is thriving at Sawtry Village Academy and they are enjoying their time there.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• While the curriculum is typically well thought out across the school, in a small number of subjects the curriculum is not delivered in a way that helps pupils know more and remember more.

Subject leaders are not always clear about how curriculum design is used to address gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should ensure that the curriculum design from the strongest subjects is shared to enable all pupils to remember long term the content they have been taught.

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 January 2018.

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