Scawby Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Scawby Academy continues to be a good school.

The executive headteacher of this school is Mrs Zoe Birchall. This school is part of St Hybald's Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the executive headteacher, Mrs Zoe Birchall, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mr Stuart Bontoft. There is also the executive deputy headteacher, Mr Anthony Wells, who is responsible for this school and one other.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand what it is to be part of 'TEAM Scawby'.

They celebrate being part of a class, a school and a community. Pupils know staff care abo...ut them. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong.

This makes pupils feel welcome and safe. Pupils are happy in school and attend regularly.

The school sets high expectations for pupils' academic achievement.

Pupils are interested in their learning because lessons are fun. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well.

Pupils behave exceptionally well in classrooms and around the school.

Learning time is not disrupted and pupils listen attentively to each other and their teachers. Pupils thoroughly enjoy playtimes because of the range of activities that are available. Pupils from different age groups play together harmoniously.

The school provides an extensive programme of wider curriculum opportunities. Pupils welcome the opportunity to attend the many clubs and tournaments available to them. They are keen to develop their talents and interests.

One pupil said, 'Winning the badminton tournament may make me consider playing this sport in the future.'

Older pupils receive opportunities to become leaders within the school. They talked about leading play with the younger pupils or becoming digital leaders.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all of its pupils, including those with SEND. For most subjects, the key knowledge and concepts that pupils need to learn has been identified. Teachers from the early years through to Year 6 know the important information that should be taught and when.

This means pupils are carefully building on their knowledge each year. However, in a few subjects the school has not broken down the most important content in the same detail. This means that pupils do not have the same depth of knowledge and understanding that they do in other subjects.

Teachers have been well trained to deliver the curriculum effectively. Their subject knowledge is strong and they present information clearly. Lessons are carefully sequenced.

Teachers include regular opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning. This helps pupils retain essential knowledge. In mathematics, some pupils, who have demonstrated accurate mathematical understanding, do not receive the opportunities that are required to deepen their understanding further.

The school has effective systems in place to identify those pupils with SEND. Teachers skilfully adapt their lessons to ensure that pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

Reading is a strength of the school.

The teaching of phonics commences as soon as the children start school. Staff make regular checks that pupils are keeping up. Those at risk of falling behind are supported to catch up quickly.

Pupils take home reading books which are well matched to the sounds they know. This helps them to become fluent and confident readers. The school fosters a love a reading and pupils read daily.

There are a wide range of books available for pupils to read. One pupil said he had been inspired to read.

The school sets high expectations for behaviour.

Routines are used to teach the positive behaviour expected from all pupils. This starts in the early years, where children learn to take turns and share. Pupils behave exceptionally well in all areas of school life.

The school ensures that pupils benefit from a well-planned personal development programme. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to keep safe in a range of ways, including when playing and working online. However, pupils have a limited understanding of different faiths and religions.

Consequently, pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they should be.

Trustees are ambitious for the pupils in the school. They have a secure knowledge of the strengths and areas for further development.

Trustees use their own checks and assurances from others, to hold leaders to account for the quality of education that the school provides.

Staff have very positive views of leadership in the school. They feel leaders consider their well-being and support the reduction of workload.

Staff feel valued and enjoy working at the school.

Parents are very positive of the provision that the school provides.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders have not identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn in each year group. This means pupils do not build on their prior knowledge progressively. Leaders need to review these subjects and decide what knowledge should be taught and when so that pupils can achieve as well as they can.

• In some mathematics lessons, teachers do not provide the required problem-solving or reasoning activities that some require. As a consequence, these pupils, who have demonstrated secure mathematical understanding, are not given the opportunity to apply their conditional knowledge to abstract or real world problems. Therefore, these pupils miss the opportunity to deepen their understanding further.

Leaders need to train the teachers to utilise appropriate problem-solving activities and recognise when these need to be introduced. ? Pupils do not have a secure understanding of different faiths and religions. This means pupils are not well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Leaders need to review the religious education curriculum to ensure that knowledge is built up progressively and revisited regularly. This will ensure pupils are fully aware and accepting of religious differences.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2018.

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