Thistle Hill Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud members of the school. As one pupil said, 'You feel part of a massive family full of people you can trust and work with'.

Throughout the school pupils engage positively with adults and their peers. In many classrooms pupils can be seen accessing a broad range of activities designed to support their learning. Many pupils benefit from classroom activities that provide them with different ways to record their learning.

Breaktimes are fun filled with a range of equipment available to encourage pupils to be active. There are a range of clubs and trips for pupils to take part in that are carefully selected to meet the needs of the curriculum and d...evelop a range of pupils' talents. However, not all pupils are yet being provided with a high-quality education that is ambitious and meets their needs.

Pupils show positive behaviour in and around school. They know their school values and demonstrate them with pride. There are clear classroom and breaktime routines in place that pupils are taught from Reception to minimise disruption to learning.

Pupils are confident that if bullying did take place that adults would be quick to prevent it from reoccurring.

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

Leaders know their pupils well and the needs of the local community. They are committed to drive the improvements needed to ensure that all pupils receive a high-quality education.

Curriculum documentation provides a clear outline of what pupils are to learn in both reading and mathematics. During teaching, pupils are provided with regular opportunities to revisit and build upon their prior learning. Pupils' knowledge is checked regularly within these subjects and is used to inform future lessons.

Pupils struggling to read are identified early through these processes and provided with the support they need to catch up quickly. Many pupils demonstrate enthusiasm for reading with skilled adults and they speak positively about the books they are reading.

In other subjects, including computing and history, pupils can discuss with confidence what they are currently learning.

In history, pupils spoken to were able to recall important themes from historical events they have learned about and link them to the present. This included discussing anti-discrimination and inclusion, themes that pupils were passionate about.

Children in Reception make a strong start to their school life.

They develop positive relationships with adults and are encouraged to develop their language through discussion and questioning. Children enjoy a range of learning activities that are designed to teach them the important knowledge they need to flourish. This includes, for example, visits from the local dentist and visits to the local beach.

The indoor and outdoor environment has been carefully matched to the knowledge pupils are intended to learn. It provides a safe and purposeful setting to build a range of different skills.

Leaders are keen to ensure that all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are taught an ambitious curriculum but for some this is not yet the case.

Some pupils who require additional support from adults, including those pupils within the specialist resource provision, are not yet benefiting from clear and consistent routines to support their learning. Most pupils with SEND are accessing the curriculum and achieving well but not all are. During lessons, some pupils with SEND require higher quality support from appropriately trained adults.

Leaders are working with external agencies and have requested the support of specialist services to develop consistently high-quality provision for all.

At the time of the inspection a small number of pupils were not receiving their entitlement to a full-time education. When not in school, these pupils are not all being provided with appropriate work to complete.

The monitoring and review processes in place for these pupils are also not yet clearly identifying the steps leaders are taking to support pupils while not in school and their return to full-time education.

Leaders' oversight of high-quality education for all pupils requires further improvement. The trust has provided welcomed additional capacity to leadership and supported staff training.

However, they are not checking carefully enough that leaders within the school with additional responsibilities are being supported and challenged to meet the needs of all pupils.

Pupils behave well. They know the rules that keep everyone safe in school and they know the importance of trying their best.

Most pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and are focused during lesson time. Leaders have successfully created a school environment where pupils appreciate British values. They seamlessly integrate these into their everyday values within school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils are protected from harm and feel safe. The planned curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education provides all pupils with age-appropriate knowledge pertaining to keeping themselves safe.

Pupils know what to do if they have any concerns and they trust that there are adults available to help them.

Those responsible for safeguarding have put effective policies in place to identify pupils that might be at risk. Staff receive regular training updates to ensure they are knowledgeable and alert to any concerns.

Safeguarding concerns are shared in a timely manner. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to support families to access and receive the help that they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all pupils with SEND are provided with sufficient support to access the curriculum they are provided.

This means that some pupils with SEND do not have opportunities to achieve the success that they are entitled to. Leaders must ensure that all staff are appropriately trained to support pupils with a range of special and additional needs. ? The small number of pupils who are on part-time timetables are not routinely provided with suitable work to complete while they are not in school.

This means that their curriculum is not as broad and balanced, and they also miss important opportunities to receive the feedback they need to improve. Leaders must ensure that all pupils receive their entitlement to a full-time education. ? The oversight of provision for pupils with SEND is not yet robust and leaders at all levels are not providing suitable challenge for where provision is not good enough.

This includes pupils who access the specialist resource provision and pupils who are not in school full time. This means that there are inconsistencies within practice that leaders are not aware of. Leaders must ensure that they have robust systems in place to improve all pupils' access and entitlement to the highest quality education for all.