The Bewbush Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel welcome.

They celebrate belonging to the school's wide, diverse community. Those who arrive speaking a different language are supported by the school's 'young interpreters' who help them to settle in. Pupils enjoy finding out about each other's cultures and how all can live harmoniously in modern Britain.

Pupils enjoy staying fit and healthy. There are many opportunities for them to get involved in a large range of clubs and extra-curricular sports. Activities such as running the daily mile are very popular.

Last year, pupils collectively ran a distance equivalent to the circumference of the world.

Pupils are happy and safe. Relationships... between pupils and adults are warm and friendly.

The school deals swiftly with any incidents of bullying. If pupils have any worries, adults help to allay them quickly.

Leaders have high aspirations for every pupil.

They have already made improvements to the quality of education but know that more needs to be done. Sometimes, pupils are not focused on their learning and this disturbs others.

Parents and carers have positive views about the school.

They say that the school is a caring community. They appreciate the many changes that leaders have been making.

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

Energetic leadership has set the school on a rapid path of improvement.

Leaders have strong shared values and are focused on making the necessary changes.

Since the arrival of the new headteacher, behaviour has steadily improved, both in classrooms and around the school. However, despite these improvements, behaviour is not good consistently.

There are still occasions where low-level disruption impacts on the learning of others. Leaders have listened to pupils' views and together they have developed a new approach to improving behaviour. However, this has only just been introduced and so has had too little time to make an impact.

There is an ambitious vision for the school's curriculum. It is based around the well-being of body and mind. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is clearly and carefully sequenced so that pupils' knowledge builds up logically over time.

In the early years, children experience an exciting curriculum. Leaders have identified the knowledge that children need to acquire in all areas of learning. This is carefully broken down into small steps that children need to make.

Children make a good start to their learning in reading, writing and mathematics. For pupils in the rest of the school, across a range of subjects, leaders have clearly identified the end points that pupils need to reach.

Reading is a priority.

Children are taught phonics from the moment they start school. Staff are well trained so that they can help pupils effectively. Pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident readers.

Older pupils enjoy talking about their favourite books and authors. Pupils enjoy using the school's well-stocked library.

Teaching does not always support leaders' intentions for the curriculum.

Some staff have not had sufficient training to teach some subjects well enough. For example, there are occasions when pupils' misconceptions are not fully addressed. Assessment is used well in some subjects but is still developing in others.

This means teachers are not always sure what pupils know and remember. Published data shows that overall pupils achieve in line with national averages. In the early years, the school carefully identifies and meets the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

However, in the rest of the school, although teachers correctly identify pupils' needs, they do not always know how to fully meet those needs.

Many subject leaders are newly appointed to the role. While they have received recent training, they are still developing their knowledge about their areas of responsibility.

They do not always know how teachers are delivering the curriculum or how well pupils are achieving.

The curriculum for pupils' personal, social and health education is planned and sequenced carefully to revisit the most important knowledge pupils need to learn. The large range of extra-curricular opportunities, including educational visits, are planned to build on pupils' learning of the curriculum.

For example, residential trips to an activity centre enable pupils to try out new sports and develop their interests and confidence.

Staff feel well supported. They know that leaders take their well-being seriously.

Staff appreciate that leaders are keen not to increase their workload. Those with governance responsibilities bring a range of experience to the role. They hold leaders rigorously to account.

Governors are determined to ensure that the rapid improvements already made continue in the months to come.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The welfare of pupils has the highest priority.

Leaders have made sure that staff are well trained. They understand the risks pupils may face. Record-keeping is meticulous.

Staff act on concerns promptly. Timely referrals are made should there be a need for external support. Governors are diligent in checking safeguarding procedures.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe; for example, they know not to give out personal information when online. Pupils have a good understanding of healthy relationships. They have trusted adults they can talk to if they have any questions or concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The behaviour of some pupils is not good enough. In some classes, some pupils do not settle to learning and their conduct has an impact on the learning of others. Leaders need to make sure that staff receive training and guidance in managing pupils' behaviour so that they can implement the school's behaviour policy consistently well.

• Many subject leaders are new to their roles and are still developing their skills in monitoring the curriculum. This means that they are not always sure how to drive improvements and identify what is going well and what actions are needed to improve. Senior leaders should provide subject leaders with further support so they always know how well pupils are achieving.

• Teachers do not always have sufficient subject and pedagogical knowledge. This means that pupils sometimes develop gaps in their knowledge as teachers do not routinely address pupils' misconceptions and help them to build on their existing learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the skills to teach each subject and assess what pupils know so they can better help pupils transfer key knowledge into their long-term memory.

• Not all teachers meet the needs of pupils with SEND. This means that sometimes pupils cannot access the intended knowledge well enough and their learning slows. Staff require further training on how to meet pupils' needs to ensure that all pupils with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes.

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