St Edward’s Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school, and they enjoy their lessons. They feel safe.

The school takes the approach 'it could happen here'. Pupils say there is always someone to talk to. They behave consistently well and have very positive attitudes to their learning.

Pupils live up to the school's statement to 'live and breathe our core values'. These include respect, hope, courage and friendship. This is based on the '10/10 vision' of St John's Gospel, having 'life in all its fullness'.

The school has high expectations for all pupils to succeed. This is achieved for most pupils, including those who find learning difficult and need extra help. Parents and carers are pos...itive about the way the school meets their children's specific needs.

Pupils respect those with different backgrounds and beliefs to their own. The school provides pupils with excellent opportunities to learn more about their local community, as well as places which may be different to where they live. For example, they have had trips to Cornwall, Manchester and Normandy in France.

There is a very extensive range of clubs and wider activities for pupils. These include drama and mythology. Pupils look forward to dressing up to celebrate the upcoming European day of languages.

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

The school has made rapid improvements under new senior leadership. It has put in place an ambitious curriculum, designed to be well sequenced. As a result, pupils can build their knowledge based on their previous learning.

The mathematics schemes of work are sequenced around key concepts and science around 'big ideas'. Leaders promote high-level thinking well across subjects.

All pupils have the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects regularly.

In most cases, wherever possible, from Year 5 upwards they are taught by specialists. In subjects such as design and technology, they have specialist facilities.

Teachers expose pupils to reading challenging texts, for example by Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare.

This is leading to a greater proportion of them achieving a higher standard. Adults support those who find reading hard to catch up well, gaining the knowledge and skills they need to be confident readers.

In subjects such as history and French, arrangements to check how well pupils are doing are in place.

This allows teachers to identify and address gaps and misconceptions. For example, in science, teachers check pupils know how to draw a circuit.

The school makes sure that adaptions are made for the increasing numbers of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), for example through breaking up sentences into smaller chunks in French.

This enables them to access their learning and achieve well. Leaders and staff know their pupils' individual needs very well.

The school's tenacious approach has led to improved attendance.

There is more to do to reduce persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils. These pupils do not do as well in standards and progress in national tests compared to their peers, and the gap is slow to close. New leadership has ensured this group is a key priority for the school moving forward.

Some pupils take less care in the presentation of their written work. The extent to which this is addressed by teachers sometimes varies.

Pupils show exceptional levels of character.

They take full advantage of the opportunity to take part in a very wide range of activities beyond lessons. The school offers a range of over 50 clubs. Take-up, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, is strong.

At lunchtimes and after school, there is always a club to go to, whether it is art therapy, languages, nature sense, sport, history, cooking, board games or rehearsing for the school production 'High School Musical'.

Trustees know the school very well. Since the last inspection, they have acted more strategically.

They are fully aware of what the school does well and where their key priorities are. The school engages well with challenge through external partners.

Staff well-being is at the forefront of senior leaders' minds, managing workload alongside increased expectations.

The staff survey was overwhelmingly positive about the way this has been considered. In their survey, a large majority of parents said they would recommend the school to another parent.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Standards, progress and levels of attendance are not as high for disadvantaged pupils as they are for other pupils. As a result, those who have fallen behind are not as well prepared for the next phase in their education. Leaders should ensure that the priorities they have set lead to rapid and sustained improvement for disadvantaged pupils in standards, progress and attendance.

• Not all pupils take sufficient care in how their written work is presented. This may lead to some not doing as well in their answers to assessments as they could. The school should ensure that high expectations for presentation are consistent across school.

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