South Witham Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a well-led school where pupils are happy and feel safe. The school provides a caring environment and an ambitious curriculum.

Pupils enjoy their learning. For example, children in the nursery are eager to work together on their pumpkin collages. In key stage 1, enthusiastic pupils learn about Christopher Columbus.

In key stage 2, pupils share book reviews and discuss their learning with maturity.

Relationships between pupils and staff are positive. The school encourages pupils to aim high in their learning and in the wider experiences of life.

Pupils respond well to this encouragement. An extensive programme of visitors, from engineers to Oly...mpians, helps to inspire pupils. The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to take part in every aspect of school life.

This includes leadership responsibilities.

Most pupils behave well. They enjoy playing together at breaktime and lunchtime.

Pupils and parents and carers say that the school takes prompt action to deal with any bullying.

In recent years, there have been some leadership changes. Parents are confident in the current leadership of the school.

A typical comment from parents was, 'This is a great school, with lovely and supportive staff.'

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

The school, with support from the trust, has designed a clear, sequenced curriculum. All subjects are important in this school.

Plans are clear and pupil engagement levels across the curriculum are generally high. For example, pupils said that they enjoy their learning in mathematics and history. They are particularly enthusiastic about physical education (PE).

Pupils can explain the techniques they have been learning in games lessons.

Right from the start in early years, teachers identify, and close, gaps in pupils' knowledge. Throughout the school, staff check pupils' learning in English, mathematics and some other subjects.

However, the school has not yet developed effective ways to check pupils' learning in all subjects.

The school ensures that staff have the knowledge to deliver the school's early reading programme. Staff make regular checks on how well pupils learn to read.

This helps them to support pupils who may need help to keep up. As a result, pupils are quick to learn to read. From organising author visits to hosting 'book-nics', the school ensures that reading is at the heart of their work.

Pupils enjoy reading and they understand its value. For example, one pupil said, 'I need to be good at reading for the job I want to do.'

The early years provides an engaging start to learning.

The early years curriculum is well-constructed, building knowledge step-by-step over time. This prepares children for their next stage of learning. Mathematics becomes more challenging as children move through Nursery into Reception.'

Digging deeper' groups in Reception help to stretch children's thinking. Children in early years know their class routines. They cooperate well in a calm learning environment.

Beginning in early years, the school supports pupils with SEND to access the full curriculum. The school monitors this support to ensure that children's needs are being met. Parents of pupils with SEND are positive about the support their children receive.

The school has a detailed curriculum for personal, social and health education. Pupils learn about differences between people and how to keep themselves safe. In school life, there are many opportunities for character development.

For example, pupils have a positive influence through their positions of responsibility. They serve as play leaders, sports leaders and pupil council members. The school celebrates examples of pupils living out the school's 'character muscles'.

These include honesty, self-control and perseverance. The school provides a range of clubs, which pupils enjoy attending.

Pupils are friendly and most behave well.

They pay attention to their teachers and work well together. For example, children in Reception are respectful to each other as they complete their dragon artwork. On occasion, some pupils do not behave well during lessons.

There are some inconsistencies in dealing with low-level disruptive behaviour.

The trust central team, along with trustees and governors, know the school well. They provide challenge and support to help the school continue to improve.

Staff say that they are proud to work at the school. They value leaders' concern for their well-being and workload.

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 small number of foundation subjects, the school has not established secure approaches to precisely check on pupils' learning. As a result, the school does not have a clear picture of achievement in all subjects. The school should ensure that effective checks are in place in all foundation subjects, enabling teachers to identify what pupils have learned and what they need to learn next.

• There is some variation in terms of expectations for behaviour across the school. This occasionally leads to some pupils' low-level disruptive behaviour going unchallenged. The school should ensure that all staff have the same high expectations of behaviour and that the behaviour policy is consistently applied.