Solihull Alternative Provision Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff want the very best for every pupil at this inclusive and caring school. They get to know each pupil quickly and listen to their views.

Staff work alongside pupils to set them on a pathway that supports their needs and raises their aspirations. Leaders' vision that every pupil will successfully take their next step beyond school is shared by all.

Pupils come to school happily and trust staff to keep them safe.

Staff model care, tolerance and respect. For many pupils, this means they attend school more regularly than before. Staff are alert to any incidents of bullying and report issues promptly so that they can be resolved.

Pupils ca...n often display complex and challenging behaviour. Nevertheless, leaders and staff have crafted an orderly and calm environment. Staff work hard to build purposeful and positive relationships with pupils.

They use these relationships as a lever to draw pupils back into education and help them make positive changes. Staff never give up on pupils and pupils know this. Staff persevere and welcome all pupils into school every morning.

One parent summed this up, saying 'this is the only school my child wants to actually go to, he feels heard, respected and understood'.

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

The headteacher leads with passion and drive. Trustees, leaders and staff are rightly proud of their school.

Leaders prioritise staff well-being and support them to improve. Leaders are not complacent. They know there is still work to be done to fully realise their vision.

Trustees and leaders continue to develop the school. They have extended the scope of the school to meet the specific needs of different groups of pupils. For instance, opening the Mercury Centre for pupils with an education, health and care plan for pupils struggling with the demands of education.

This breadth and depth means that staff are well placed to meet the needs of the pupils they serve.

Leaders have constructed an effective curriculum. This blends academic and vocational qualifications into an individual pathway for each pupil.

Leaders assess pupils to help tailor this pathway and to understand pupils' starting points. They align this with pupils' hopes, interests and ambitions. To facilitate this, leaders use one of three alternative providers.

This helps to ensure that pupils are well placed for their next steps in education, employment or training, for example by providing pupils with experience in a career path that interests them.

Most pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For many pupils, this relates to their social, emotional and mental health.

Leaders assess these needs accurately. They then plan, share, implement and review strategies to support pupils. However, the identification of pupils' speech, language and communication needs is less robust.

This means that these needs are not addressed as well as they could be.In subjects, leaders have considered the order in which pupils should learn new skills and knowledge. Leaders have supported teachers with training on how to teach the curriculum.

Consequently, teachers give due care and attention to how they will explain new content and help pupils to learn. However, some teachers are not sufficiently alert to the impact of pupils' chequered experience of education. This is because training has not unpicked the challenges and pitfalls of learning in each subject.

As a result, some teachers do not identify when they need to adapt or revisit pupils' previous learning. This means that pupils do not always build on what they already know.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

They have introduced a plethora of initiatives to encourage pupils to read. However, this work has not yet been tied together in a cohesive strategy. This is especially the case for pupils with weak phonics knowledge.

Leaders do use assessment to identify the pupils that need extra help. However, they have not developed the wider staff expertise and carefully matched support that will help some pupils improve to become fluent and confident readers.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is strong.

Pupils learn and develop the knowledge and skills to be good citizens. Teachers use 'circle time' well to discuss and explore an array of issues with pupils to help build character, self-confidence and self-esteem. Leaders provide a broad range of opportunities to nurture pupils' interests and broaden their horizons.

Many pupils join in and take part. Pupils benefit from a comprehensive careers education. They learn about the world of work and are supported as they move beyond school.

Leaders have a robust package for pupils when they leave, to support their transition to college or training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have made sure that safeguarding permeates through every aspect of school life.

They have put together a comprehensive training package for staff to constantly review and extend their knowledge of the challenges pupils face outside school. Staff report any concern, no matter how trivial it may seem. Leaders then use this information to swiftly identify any pupil that may be risk of harm.

They follow this up tenaciously so that pupils and families get the help they need. Leaders work closely with other agencies, tapping into expertise, to make sure that no pupil slips through the net.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not developed a cohesive package to help pupils at different stages of reading.

As a result, leaders' interventions and approaches do not always provide pupils with the individualised support they need. Leaders should ensure that appropriate phonics programmes are in place, and wider strategies to develop pupils' fluency and love of reading are targeted, monitored and evaluated effectively. ? Leaders' systems for identifying pupils with speech, language and communication needs are not robust enough.

This means that teachers are unable to provide pupils with precise support so that they can learn well. Leaders should ensure that they carefully identify pupils with a specific learning need in this area. Leaders should use this information to plan, develop and share strategies with teachers so that all pupils get the help they need.

• Leaders have not ensured that all teachers know how to best teach their subject. Consequently, some teachers teach the planned curriculum without considering how they will adapt lessons to respond to emerging gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all teachers develop their understanding of how to best teach their subject so that they are alert to pupils' missing knowledge and adapt the curriculum accordingly.