Sharnbrook Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about being part of this inclusive school community.

The school values everyone. Pupils appreciate the support they receive from staff and enjoy their learning. Pupils enjoy coming to school and take advantage of a range of clubs, visits and opportunities available to them.

These activities develop pupils' confidence and character so they grow to become well-rounded members of the community. There is a strong culture of safeguarding and well-being in the school. Pupils feel safe and happy.

The school has raised the expectations, both for behaviour and achievement.

Pupils work hard and focus on their studies. Teachers calmly ad...dress any loss of concentration and provide support or direction to help pupils refocus.

During social times, pupils interact in a calm and orderly manner and know who to talk to if they have concerns.

The school values pupils' wider development, offering a range of opportunities that pupils appreciate. Sixth-form students contribute to the community through their volunteering work.

Pupils learn about and understand the importance of respecting differences.

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

The school has designed a highly ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and students in the sixth form. Remembering key knowledge is a priority in every subject.

Leaders have designed the curriculum so pupils revisit key learning often, helping them to remember. The trust has supported the school in this work, which has hastened these improvements.

Teachers possess strong subject knowledge and present content clearly.

In most cases, staff check pupils' understanding before moving on to new content. However, sometimes these checks are not rigorous enough. When this is the case, pupils move on to content they are not ready for.

The school identifies pupils with SEND accurately. Skilled staff work with families and external agencies to develop tailored plans. Staff use this information to provide the right support for pupils with SEND, which allows them to progress well through the curriculum and access the clubs and trips on offer at the school.

Sixth-form students are positive about their learning experiences and the wider opportunities provided. Teachers engage students in ambitious, challenging and independent learning. This enables students to achieve well and go on to destinations of their choice.

Many students volunteer to support younger pupils in their lessons, giving back to the school and community that has served them so well.

Reading is a priority at this school. The school ensures that pupils read widely.

A trust-wide phonics programme is used to support the weakest readers. The school gives support through extra interventions where needed by trained staff. These interventions enable weaker readers to become more confident and fluent.

In recent years, rates of pupil absence have been too high. The school has worked hard to understand the reasons behind this and has worked with families to help develop a culture of high school attendance. This work has increased the rates of attendance, meaning pupils are in the right place to benefit from the high-quality provision the school provides.

Pupils' well-being is at the forefront of the school's curriculum, including promoting pupils' positive mental health. The personal, social, health and economic programme is ambitious and reflects the needs of pupils and the community. Pupils have an excellent understanding of fundamental British values, healthy relationships and respect for the views of others.

All pupils receive unbiased information on potential next steps and high-quality careers guidance. This prepares them exceptionally well for making informed choices for the next stages of their lives.

The school, trust and governing body work in unison to constantly improve and review the work of the school.

The school has improved considerably since the previous inspection and now has the systems and processes in place to make sure this continues. Staff benefit from comprehensive professional development, which helps them improve and broaden their skills and experience.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The checks on pupils' knowledge and understanding across the curriculum are not fully effective in some areas of the curriculum. As a result, gaps in pupils' knowledge are not picked up and addressed as precisely as they should be. The school needs to ensure that teachers check what pupils know and remember across all subjects and use this to inform future learning.