Wednesfield Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Wednesfield Academy is a highly inclusive school where everyone is valued and where expectations for pupils to achieve well are high. As a result, the majority of pupils work hard and achieve well. Pupils and staff embody the school's values of respect, resilience and pride.

Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful. Pupils speak positively about the support they receive from staff and enjoy their learning. Pupils feel safe and say they are happy in school.

There is a purposeful atmosphere around the school. Pupils focus on their learning well. The majority of pupils show respectful and positive behaviours during structured lesson times.

...During unstructured times, such as breaktimes and lunchtimes, they behave sensibly. If pupils lose focus in lessons or their behaviour is not acceptable, staff speak with them to explain the school's high expectations. This maintains the very positive behaviours around the school.

The school places a strong emphasis on pupils' personal development. This includes mental health and well-being. Pupils can clearly explain their understanding of diversity and equality in society.

Leadership opportunities include sixth-form student literacy and numeracy mentors and pupil mental health ambassadors. Pupils regularly take part in activities such as Combined Cadet Force and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.

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

The school has undergone a significant period of change and development since the previous graded inspection.

This includes a change of academy trust and changes to staff in senior, subject and pastoral leadership. The school has rapidly raised expectations around learning and behaviour and has developed a highly ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their lives.

However, this ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum has not yet led to consistently improving outcomes, in all subjects, by the end of key stage 4.

Students in the sixth form are positive about their learning experiences and the wider opportunities the school provides. The school continues to expand its ambitious curriculum in the sixth form.

Sixth-form teachers engage students in challenging and independent learning. While some students achieve well, the school knows which areas of the curriculum continue to need further development. Students make a significant contribution to supporting the school, including through student leadership roles.

These include mentoring and supporting younger pupils.

Most teachers use assessments well, check what pupils know and ensure that pupils understand what they have to do. Teachers use activities at the start of lessons to help pupils recall and build on their learning.

Pupils say this helps them to remember the most important information. However, some teachers do not always check pupils' understanding well enough. Some teachers do not consistently adapt the learning to address pupils' misunderstandings or missing knowledge.

This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. This can limit progress through the curriculum.

Where learning is ambitious, teachers help pupils to build on key subject knowledge very well over time.

For example, some teachers ask probing questions to challenge pupils. However, some teachers do not always develop pupils' knowledge and understanding as fully as they might. Sometimes, teachers do not always ask pupils in-depth questions to promote appropriate discussion between them.

This means that some pupils are not able to demonstrate their depth of knowledge nor fully extend their understanding of different topics.

The school identifies and supports pupils with SEND well. Teachers use 'passports' effectively to adapt their teaching to meet these needs.

This ensures that pupils access the same ambitious curriculum. The school has developed strategies to effectively support pupils who are not confident readers. Specialist teaching rapidly addresses weaknesses in pupils' understanding of phonics, grammar and comprehension.

Alongside this, the school continues to effectively promote pupils' reading widely and often.

The majority of pupils display excellent self-control and highly positive attitudes to learning. Occasionally, a reducing number of pupils do not always follow the school's high behaviour expectations.

For these pupils, this can impact their progress and their enjoyment of school. School attendance is high, including significantly high attendance in the sixth form. There are robust systems in place to support absent pupils to catch up on their work quickly.

Pupils' well-being is at the forefront of leaders' vision, including promoting pupils' positive mental health. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, receive extensive information on 'next steps' through high-quality careers guidance. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is well designed and sequenced.

Pupils are taught about topics such as healthy relationships and online safety well. However, in some lessons, some teachers do not consistently present the information effectively nor discuss with pupils in sufficient depth why the information is important.

All leaders, including those responsible for governance, understand how the school's local context impacts pupils' learning and attendance.

The trust has provided bespoke, targeted and rapid support to develop the school. Trustees provide effective challenge alongside this support. The school and the trust have implemented a well-thought-out professional development programme for staff.

Staff feel very well supported and consulted about policy changes. Staff are appreciative of how their workload and well-being are considered.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff do not consistently check pupils' understanding of what has been learned and what they can remember. As a result, some gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified and addressed effectively, limiting their progress through the curriculum. The school should ensure that staff understand how to check pupils' learning and address any gaps or misconceptions.

• Some staff do not always promote and develop appropriate discussions between pupils. This means that some learning does not allow pupils to gain a deeper understanding of the subject. The school should ensure that, across all subjects, different approaches to learning, such as questioning to promote discussion, give pupils the opportunities to develop a greater depth of knowledge.