The Giles Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend The Giles Academy.

This is a school where staff want the best for all pupils. Leaders have a clear vision for the school and have high aspirations for their pupils. They promote the school's values of 'aspire, challenge and achieve'.

Leaders are determined that pupils will succeed.

There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. Staff care about their pupils' education and well-being.

Pupils know that the school has high expectations of their learning and conduct. They benefit from strong pastoral care. Pupils feel safe and say they are happy at school.

Pupils are respectful, well mannered and polite. Th...ey behave well in lessons and around school.

Pupils value the range of leadership responsibilities available to them, including being on the school council and being reading ambassadors, transition buddies and prefects.

Pupils spoke about how these opportunities have given them confidence and a sense of responsibility. The reading ambassadors spoke about the value in seeing other students' reading 'develop and improve'.

Parents and carers are positive about the education their children receive.

One view shared by many was, 'The teaching staff are superb, supporting the children academically and pastorally. Expectations are high and the children are all encouraged to succeed.'

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

Leaders have taken swift action and brought about significant improvement at this school.

They have worked with commitment and determination. Leaders have made significant improvements to the curriculum and built an ambitious curriculum. Leaders and staff have thought carefully about what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should know and be able to do.

Most teachers deliver the curriculum effectively. They have strong subject knowledge and enthusiasm for the subjects they teach. Teachers present information clearly and choose activities that help pupils to learn.

Teachers assess pupils' knowledge and understanding frequently. This information helps teachers to identify when pupils might have gaps in their knowledge. They use it to inform their planning.

However, formative assessment procedures are not fully embedded or consistent across all subjects. There is still development needed to ensure that all assessments check learning and misconceptions, identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and inform future teaching.

Reading is at the heart of leaders' priorities.

They recognise that reading and literacy are key to high achievement. Staff provide pupils who are struggling with reading with bespoke support. This support is proving to be successful and is developing pupils' fluency and love of reading.

Pupils who need extra help, including those with SEND and pupils who speak English as an additional language, are well supported. Teachers identify pupils' needs and use appropriate strategies to support their learning. Leaders work well with parents and external agencies to make sure that pupils get extra help when they need it.

Pupils behave well in lessons. During lesson changeover times and at breaktimes, the school is calm and orderly.

Leaders recognise that there is more work to do to improve the attendance of some groups of pupils.

Leaders monitor the attendance of pupils. They use a range of strategies to try to improve pupils' attendance. However, the low attendance of some of the most vulnerable pupils means that learning is too often missed.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development well. This helps them to learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of relationships and how to stay safe.

They have a good understanding of diversity. Pupils respect difference. They told inspectors that 'all are welcome here'.

A high-quality careers education prepares pupils well for their next steps. They are well informed about future opportunities for education, training and employment.

Leaders are focusing on the right areas of the school to improve.

They have an accurate view of the school's strengths and development areas. The trust has provided effective support. Teachers benefit from high-quality training, subject networks and coaching.

They said that they appreciate the support that they receive. Leaders engage well with staff. They consider and support staff's well-being and workload.

Staff are extremely proud to work at The Giles Academy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school has a strong culture of safeguarding and welfare.

Staff have a strong moral purpose to do the best that they can to keep pupils safe and ready to learn.Issues are identified quickly. Pupils and their families receive the help that they need, including support from external services.

Leaders are tenacious and escalate concerns when necessary to protect pupils' welfare.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers' use of formative assessment does not consistently identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. When this occurs, the curriculum is not adapted well enough to help pupils to catch up. Leaders need to ensure that assessment is used effectively to support pupils to make progress through the curriculum in all subjects.

• Too many pupils are persistently absent. They are missing education and are at risk of falling behind their peers. Leaders should continue to develop strategies to ensure that all pupils attend regularly.