Waltham Toll Bar Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at the school benefit from the standard of education they receive.

Recent changes have led to improvements in the behaviour of pupils and in the educational opportunities they receive. Most pupils go on to achieve well in school. This supports them to secure appropriate next steps in their education, training or employment.

Pupils' conduct is of a high standard. Interactions between adults and pupils are polite and respectful. Disruption to lessons is infrequent.

When this does happen, staff take appropriate action to address it. Pupils are rewarded for their positive behaviours. Bullying and other unkind behaviours are rare.

Pupils know how t...o raise their concerns with an adult. Pupils benefit from the school's effective pastoral support.

The school's curriculum extends beyond the academic subjects that pupils study.

Leaders consider the personal development of pupils to be as important as their academic achievements. Pupils have a number of opportunities to contribute to the life of the school in leadership roles. These include as members of the school council or by supporting enrichment activities for their peers.

Pupils enjoy school and the opportunities it provides.

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

There have been significant recent changes to the school's leadership team. The trust and those responsible for governance have supported school leaders to become established in their roles.

The trust continues to provide ongoing support to make further improvements. Some parents and carers do not feel well listened to. They would welcome further improvements in the school's communication, including in relation to special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum for pupils, including disadvantaged pupils. The sixth-form curriculum has been refined to reflect students' interests. Leaders have carefully considered the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember.

Pupils' learning builds in complexity over time. In subjects such as history and technology, the curriculum is well established and pupils develop detailed knowledge. Some other subjects require further work to reach this high standard.

Teachers explain new information clearly. They help pupils to revisit prior knowledge before using it in a new context. Teachers understand the needs of pupils with SEND well.

They make appropriate adaptations to support pupils with SEND in lessons. Teachers check what pupils know. However, in some cases, the questions or activities used to check pupils' understanding are not well chosen.

This does not enable teachers to identify and address pupils' misconceptions consistently well.

Leaders are extending the opportunities for pupils to read widely and more frequently. The school uses a number of strategies to include reading in subjects as well as during tutor time.

Pupils who speak English as an additional language receive additional help. Currently, leaders are establishing a phonics programme to support those pupils in the earliest stages of learning to read.

Pupils attend school regularly and are punctual.

Attendance is especially strong in the sixth form. Pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. The school has developed a new behaviour policy that is well understood by pupils and adults.

Staff teach pupils how to behave appropriately. These approaches have helped to reduce significantly the number of pupils who receive a suspension for poor behaviour. Pupils' behaviour has improved over time.

Leaders have significantly enhanced the personal development opportunities available to pupils. There is an extensive and varied extra-curricular offer. This includes sports, performing arts, mock trials and mental health clubs.

Pupils receive appropriate careers advice and guidance. These are supplemented with external speakers and visits, such as those to local universities and the Houses of Parliament. Leaders have recently made changes that improve the support that students in the sixth form receive when planning their next steps in education, employment or training.

These ensure that all students receive the same, detailed careers information post-16.

Pupils learn about important issues, such as British values, in personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons. Leaders use these lessons to teach pupils about staying safe in the locality and beyond.

For example, pupils know how to keep themselves safe from risks such as criminal exploitation. Pupils develop a secure and age-appropriate understanding of the school's curriculums for relationships and sex education and health education. Leaders have strengthened the PSHE curriculum that students in the sixth form study.

This is now as ambitious as it is for their younger peers.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school does not have a programme to support pupils in the early stages of learning to read.

These pupils do not catch up with their peers. This limits their ability to access the curriculum. The school should establish an effective approach to helping pupils learn to read accurately and fluently.

• Some questions or activities that teachers use are not well chosen. When this happens, pupils' misconceptions are not identified and addressed promptly. The school should ensure that teachers carefully plan questions to check pupils' understanding.