Sheep Dip Lane Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in this school benefit from an environment that is an oasis of calm, consistency and kindness. Pupils are valued. Staff treat pupils with respect and consideration.

Pupils likewise treat each other with this same level of care. Pupils feel safe. They have high levels of trust in adults in school.

Pupils are enthusiastic to learn and behave in an exemplary way, both in lessons and around school.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified and very well supported. Pupils who need help with their behaviour receive highly skilled support from adults.

Pupils' exceptional attitudes to learning begin in the... early years. Here, they are carefully taught the skills they need to become resilient and focused learners, both during their time in early years and beyond.

The school has the highest expectations for what pupils can achieve, how they should behave, and the range of experiences they should benefit from during their time in school.

These expectations are being fully realised in relation to how pupils behave in school and their attitudes to learning. Pupils develop a strong sense of self and belief in what they can achieve. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.

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

The school has created an ambitious curriculum for pupils. At each stage of pupils' learning, the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils are taught is carefully considered. The curriculum begins in the early years.

Children in the early years benefit from a well-structured curriculum. This prepares them well for their future learning. In lessons, pupils with SEND are well supported.

They get the help they need when they need it in lessons. There are a range of educational trips and visitors into school that enrich what pupils have learned in the curriculum. In some subjects, the activities that pupils are given do not give them the best chance to achieve the ambitious aims of the curriculum.

Children in the early years get a positive start to their education. The school has carefully considered what it wants children to learn in the different parts of the early years curriculum. Staff skilfully teach and model to children the behaviours and expectations of the school.

Children rise to these expectations and quickly become engaged and enthusiastic learners. Staff focus effectively on developing children's vocabulary and communication. Children with SEND in the early years are quickly identified.

Staff build very positive relationships with parents and carers during their children's journey in the early years.

The teaching of reading is a priority. The phonics curriculum is carefully structured and consistently taught.

Leaders regularly check how well it is being delivered and how well pupils are learning. Pupils who need support with reading are quickly identified and skilfully supported. Staff receive regular training and guidance to be the most effective teachers of phonics that they can be.

Pupils have frequent opportunities to become fluent readers by reading books that have sounds they have been recently taught. They develop positive attitudes to reading.Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are exceptional.

Throughout school, there is clarity on how pupils should behave and the type of people they can become. The school rules and expectations are not just shared with pupils but are deliberately and intentionally taught to them. Pupils thrive in this atmosphere of certainty and security.

The smallest details around how pupils should behave have been considered. Pupils enthusiastically look for opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of the 'relentless routines' that are a key feature of the school's approach to behaviour. The school has ensured that positive attendance is understood by pupils and parents.

Over recent years, attendance has increased and the number of pupils persistently absent has decreased. The school is not complacent about the continued work needed to embed a culture of high attendance.

The school's approach to personal development is worthy of sharing.

Leaders ask, 'Why not Sheep Dip pupils?' when talking about the vast range of opportunities and experiences they have created for pupils. This sums up their ambition for pupils. Pupils are empowered to make a difference to their school and wider community.

All children benefit from opportunities, both in and out of the classroom. For example, they talk about the 'Sheep Dip 70' and how they are enjoying ticking off the experiences identified on this list. Pupils develop an extremely strong sense of right and wrong.

Pupils can only consider others because they are first supported and encouraged to see their own uniqueness and potential.

Leaders at all levels share a common goal to give pupils the best life chances possible. The trust has ensured that there are clear systems for leaders to have a clear picture of the strengths of the school and the areas to focus on.

The school proactively engages with parents. Parents speak in glowing terms about the work of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, some activities that teachers give to pupils are not designed in a way that gives pupils enough opportunity to deepen and extend their learning. As a result, some pupils do not fully achieve the ambitious objectives identified in the curriculum as well as they could. The school should ensure staff have the subject knowledge and skills to design tasks that give pupils the best chance to learn the curriculum well.