Townville Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

All staff know pupils well. They build positive relationships, which helps pupils to feel safe and secure.

Bullying is rare, although pupils say that it does happen. If it does, pupils know what to say and do to stop it. They know that adults in school will help them if they need it.

Leaders have high expectations of what they want pupils to achieve. However, the achievement of pupils over time has been too low. To address this, leaders have been working hard to improve the curriculum.

Lessons are now planned more effectively in some subjects using this curriculum. However, much of this learning is new, so pupils have a lot of catching up to do.

Thro...ugh planned assemblies and clubs, pupils learn about important issues, such as the rule of law and how to respond to different points of view.

Leaders are keen for pupils to try different activities and experiences. A variety of after-school clubs, including street dance, Lego and science, are well attended and popular with pupils.

Leaders and staff have high expectations about behaviour.

They expect pupils to behave well. However, not all pupils manage this. While many pupils behave well in lessons, there are occasions when a minority of pupils disrupt others.

In addition, pupils report that at play and lunchtimes the behaviour of some pupils is boisterous, which upsets them.

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

Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. The phonics programme is well led and suitably resourced.

All adults teach phonics sessions effectively as a result of relevant training. To help develop their confidence, pupils read books containing sounds they know. They practise reading daily.

Additional sessions are provided for pupils who need extra help. Leaders are promoting links with the local library. They also encourage pupils to read at home in the '20 Reads' challenge.

In mathematics, pupils understand important concepts, such as counting, addition and shape. This is because teachers are clear about what pupils need to learn. Lessons are planned to build sequentially on what pupils already know.

Teachers make sure that pupils understand and use the correct vocabulary linked to their learning. This helps pupils to explain their thinking.

In other subjects, the whole-school plans are not yet clear enough.

Some plans are in the early stages of development. Therefore, pupils have a limited understanding of some of the subjects they study. Teachers do not consistently check what pupils have understood and if they remember important knowledge or concepts.

This means pupils have gaps in their knowledge and cannot build learning successfully over time.This is not the case in the early years. Here, leaders plan the curriculum well.

They think about the knowledge children already have and consider what they need to learn to be ready for Year 1. Teachers then design activities to meet children's needs systematically. Adults extend children's learning through careful questioning and modelling.

Children settle well, and they are independent and confident in their learning, both indoors and outdoors.

Curriculum leaders are enthusiastic about their subjects. However, some curriculum leaders are new to their roles and have not yet developed the necessary skills to accurately monitor the development of their subjects across the school.

They do not know if the intended curriculum is being taught as planned. Leaders offer guidance and training to curriculum leaders. They know there is more to do to support curriculum leaders to confidently improve their subjects.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are sensitively supported by adults who are well trained. Pupils with SEND have 'supporting me to learn' plans that include targets to meet their identified needs. However, activities and work in pupils' books show that some tasks do not align with the targets.

This means pupils work is not always positively impacting on their progress.

Pupils' personal development is well planned and is included in all aspects of the curriculum. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the range of clubs and activities they attend.

They learn about different religious beliefs, communities and practices. Leaders give pupils opportunities to have leadership roles and responsibilities. This includes being a school ambassador, a role pupils are elected to and proud to undertake.

Too many pupils do not attend school regularly. They miss out on learning and, as a result, have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders have systems in place to encourage pupils to regularly attend school, but these are not having sufficient impact.

The attendance of pupils requires improvement.

Governors, some of whom are new in role, are keen to support the school and make a difference. They recognise that the school requires further improvement.

Governors need more training to help them work more effectively with leaders. This will enable them to hold leaders to account for the actions and plans to improve the school and support pupils to achieve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make appropriate checks to ensure that adults are suitable to work with children. They check that adults understand the indicators of harm and safeguarding risks. Information is delivered through policies, training and weekly staff updates.

Leaders check that staff know how to report accurately any concerns they might have about a child. They follow up any concerns quickly to make sure pupils get the help or support they need.

Most pupils know how to keep safe in school, in their local community and online.

They know not to give out their personal information to others. Pupils know not to trust people online if they do not know who they are. They know to speak to a trusted adult or someone at home if they have any worries.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not yet identified the depth of content in some subjects they want pupils to learn in detail, as many areas of the curriculum are new. This means that pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that the plans they are developing will support pupils to increase knowledge, understanding and achievement in all subjects.

Pupils should then be well prepared for future learning. ? Curriculum leadership in some subjects is in the early stages of development. While curriculum leaders have accessed training, some do not fully understand how learning progresses in their subject.

As a result, leaders do not know if the curriculum is being implemented in the way it is intended. Leaders should ensure that curriculum leaders have sufficient training and expertise to monitor and improve their subjects. This will then enable them to make accurate judgements about the quality of the education that is being provided.

• Those responsible for governance do not hold senior leaders to account effectively enough. Similarly, leaders in the school, including subject leaders, do not challenge colleagues to improve pupils' achievement well enough. For improvements to be rapid, accountability at all levels of leadership needs to improve.

• The attendance of some pupils is too low. Some pupils miss school on a regular basis. As a result, these pupils are missing out on a significant amount of learning.

Leaders must improve the attendance of pupils to ensure they benefit from the curriculum on offer. ? The behaviour of some pupils is not meeting the high expectations leaders have. The poor behaviour of a minority of pupils disrupts learning for others, and some pupils feel upset at play and lunchtime.

Leaders have introduced policy and practices to improve behaviour. However, not all staff understand these or apply them consistently. Leaders must ensure that all staff follow a consistent approach so that pupils' behaviour improves.

Also at this postcode