St Gabriel’s CofE Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils do really well in their education at St Gabriel's. They enjoy their lessons. Trustees, governors, school leaders and the whole staff team have high expectations for pupils.

To fulfil these expectations, pupils work hard. They try their hardest in lessons.

Pupils behave well in lessons.

Teachers and pupils alike understand the system used for managing behaviour. They agree the system works well. Older and younger pupils play nicely together on the playground.

Pupils are polite and respectful around school. Staff deal well with occasional incidents of bullying. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe in lessons.

Leaders see educa...ting pupils to stay safe online as very important. Pupils feel safe in school. They appreciate the work staff do to help them stay safe.

School staff run the 'Angels' breakfast and after-school clubs. Leaders provide a wide range of extra opportunities for pupils. When attending Angels, pupils meet with and enjoy the company of their friends.

Many clubs are available for pupils to attend in school. There are also opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. These include visits to places of interest, such as the National Space Centre.

Pupils enjoyed participating in the Young Voices choir event held recently in Birmingham.

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

When children join in Nursery or Reception they get off to a flying start to their education. The leader and her caring team are committed to ensuring children become confident and independent learners.

As soon as they join the school, children start to learn the basics of reading. Teachers select high-quality texts to read to children daily. They bring stories alive and successfully foster a love of reading in children.

By the end of Reception, many children are well prepared to progress into Year 1.

Reading is a high priority throughout the school. Staff identify the small number of pupils who are falling behind in their reading.

The extra support provided helps these pupils to catch up. The effective teaching of reading skills ensures pupils become successful and fluent readers.

Leaders have developed a high-quality curriculum.

It is ambitious for pupils. Well planned sequences of learning are clearly identified. These ensure teachers know what to teach and when to teach it.

The curriculum structure helps pupils to know and remember more over time. Teachers assess pupils regularly. However, occasionally, a few teachers fail to check on what pupils know and can remember.

This leads to some gaps in pupils' knowledge. This can hinder future learning, when some pupils struggle to remember key knowledge. School leaders know this and are seeking to strengthen assessment techniques across school.

Pupils behave well and learning takes place without interruption. Behaviour expectations are clear. They contribute well to the effective learning which takes place.

Pupils are keen to learn and please their teachers.

The Christian values of love, community, respect, growth, and integrity underpin all that happens in school. Leaders see the wider development of pupils as important and the key to helping pupils flourish and become successful in life.

Pupils take part in a wide range of activities, which helps to build their cultural capital. Pupils study the work of a diverse range of authors, important people in history, and artists. These include people like Camilla Franks and King Richard III.

School prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. The leader of SEND provides the best possible support for this group of pupils.

Their individual needs are skilfully identified. The support pupils receive helps them to access the same ambitious curriculum as other pupils. Leaders also use support from specialist outside agencies.

This helps pupils with SEND to achieve very well. However, parents are not well enough informed by leaders about the sterling work which is being done to support pupils with SEND.

The governing body and trustees have a strong strategic vision rooted in Christian values.

They are an effective group, who support and challenge leaders as required. Leaders use extra funding diligently to support groups of pupils. These include disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

Overall, leaders communicate well with parents. However, they recognise there is more they can do to ensure parents are fully informed about aspects of school life.

Staff workload has reduced.

The staff are appreciative of the work leaders do to help them achieve a good work life balance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The culture of safeguarding in school is robust.

Training is up to date for staff and governors. Staff benefit from the regular safeguarding updates shared with them. Staff know what signs to look for in pupils at risk.

They know what to do when concerns arise. Staff follow up concerns and log them in line with school guidance.

Leaders work well with external partners to help keep pupils safe and provide any extra support needed.

How to stay safe runs through the curriculum, so pupils know what to do to stay safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, teachers do not check what key knowledge pupils have remembered well enough. This means that they do not spot and address gaps in pupils' learning.

Leaders should ensure that all teachers carefully check what pupils know and address any gaps in their learning. ? Leaders have not communicated well enough with parents, including in how behaviour is managed and how pupils with SEND are supported. Leaders should share more explicitly with parents how their approach to managing behaviour is rooted in the school values and how they support pupils with SEND.