Southery Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Southery enjoy coming to school.

Older pupils comment positively about the changes they have seen at the school. Pupils in Year 6 wear their blazers with pride and take on leadership roles to improve their school.

Pupils enjoy learning the ambitious curriculum.

This has been thoroughly revised since the last inspection. Pupils achieve well because their learning builds gradually. They remember a lot of what they have learned and refer to this often.

Pupils behave well. There are lots of things for them to do at lunchtime. Pupil play leaders organise games and activities.

There is time to play, relax and socialise. Pupils show care,... consideration and courtesy to each other. They say that behaviour in the school has improved in recent months and that there is always an adult they can talk to if there is a problem.

The school has made pupil well-being a priority. The day begins with a bagel for breakfast and pupils enjoy this relaxed start to the day. Their attendance is high and they look forward to coming to school.

There are opportunities for pupils to represent the school at different sporting events.

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

This small school has been through a period of substantial change over the last three years. There is a new curriculum, teaching staff and leadership team.

Leadership and some staff are now shared with another school in the trust. This has led to increased stability in staffing and improved leadership capacity. This, in turn, has helped the school improve the quality of education it offers pupils.

The new curriculum captures pupils' interests. All lessons follow a clear sequence. This helps pupils to remember and recall prior learning.

They practise and apply new learning well because they feel well prepared for these challenges. Pupils take pride in their learning. Staff follow the agreed teaching approaches consistently.

However, some routines and approaches to classroom management are not yet consistently applied. This means that time can be lost and some pupils do not learn as much as they could.

The reading curriculum is well thought out and planned.

All staff have had training in the school's phonics programme. Pupils who fall behind have the support they need to catch up with their peers. Pupils use their knowledge to help them spell an increasing range of words.

Older pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they have read. Staff ensure that pupils who do not read at home have time to read regularly in school. As a result, pupils become fluent confident readers.

The school has a range of procedures in place to identify any pupils who may have additional needs. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in school life. Appropriate adaptations and support enable them to enjoy the breadth of the curriculum.

A few pupils access a more bespoke curriculum, which meets their needs well.

In the early years, children get off to a positive start. They are enthusiastic about their learning.

The indoor and outdoor environments encourage pupils to explore and practise new skills. Pupils have the support they need in class to help them settle and learn. The curriculum is well planned and prepares children well for Year 1.

The school has created a culture where pupils are accepting of each other. Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils trust the adults in the school and they are confident that they will deal with any problems that occur quickly.

The overwhelming majority of pupils attend school on time every day.

Pupils appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the school and make improvements. Pupils talk about different types of families and say that their school is an accepting place to be.

They know about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and how to stay safe. A range of educational visits and clubs enhance the curriculum. Pupils in Year 6 are well prepared for transition to secondary school.

The school and trust provide staff with a range of training opportunities. This has resulted in strong subject knowledge and high teacher confidence. Teachers that are new to the profession have the support they need.

Teachers talk of a strong team spirit. They enjoy working at the school. While staff and pupils are extremely positive about the changes at the school, a few parents do not share their confidence.

This is because they do not understand the reasons behind some of the decisions made by the school and trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all staff have a unified approach to behaviour management and routines in class.

This means that pupils do not always learn as much as they could because time is sometimes wasted between activities and lessons. The trust needs to ensure that there is a consistent approach across the school so that learning time is maximised. ? Some parents are not as confident as the staff and pupils in the positive impact of the changes made at the school.

They have not received all of the information they need to appreciate the changes and improvements seen. This can lead to some parents questioning and mistrusting the decisions made. The school needs to improve communication with parents to allow them to work together effectively, support the school and have confidence in the changes made.

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